Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 11:24 AM on Wednesday, April 17th, 2019
SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc.
(TSX-V: EGLX) Uniting gaming communities with 80 owned and affiliated
websites, currently reaching over 75 million monthly visitors. The
company’s partial 2018 (first 9 months) revenue of $7.4 million
representing a 625% increase over the same period in 2017.
EGLX: TSX-V ———————————-
Will Smith takes slice of Esports team’s US$46 million financing
Actor Will Smith and Japanese soccer legend Keisuke Honda are among the new investors in esports franchise Gen.G, which announced a new $46 million round of financing Wednesday.
Eben Novy-Williams, Bloomberg News
Will Smith reacts at a closing ceremony press conference during the
2018 FIFA World Cup at Luzhniki Stadium on July 13, 2018 in Moscow,
Russia. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images). , Dan Mullan/Getty Images
Europe
Actor Will Smith and Japanese soccer legend Keisuke Honda are among
the new investors in esports franchise Gen.G, which announced a new $46
million round of financing Wednesday.
Smith and Honda’s Dreamers Fund, a investment vehicle they launched
last year, are joined by Los Angeles Clippers minority owner Dennis Wong
and Michael Zeisser, former chairman of U.S. investments at Alibaba
Group Holding Ltd.
“It’s exciting to see the worlds of technology, media, sports and now
celebrity come together,†said Chris Park, chief executive officer of
Los Angeles-based Gen.G.
Gen.G operates teams in seven different video games and has offices
in China, South Korea and the U.S. Its franchises include the Overwatch
League’s Seoul Dynasty, which will move to South Korea from Los Angeles
next year.
In addition to handling that transition, Gen.G is expanding in China,
investing in player development and trying to increase revenue from
esports-specific areas like streaming and the sale of in-game items.
“The coming years are going see our company really start to
crystallize its identity, not just as a brand, but also as an
enterprise,†Park said.
To that end, Smith and Honda will join 11-time National Basketball
Association All-Star Chris Bosh, already a Gen.G adviser, in helping
grow Gen.G’s media presence. That includes creative and commercial
projects, and helping Gen.G athletes with content creation.
Other new investors in Gen.G include Battery Ventures, New Enterprise
Associates, MasterClass co-founder David Rogier and Stanford
University. Silicon Valley Bank, which helped with the fundraising, is
becoming both an investor and a sponsor.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:07 AM on Tuesday, April 16th, 2019
Announced the upcoming launch of its WASDPro eGaming and eSports streaming service www.wasdpro.tv.Â
WASDPro is a purpose built eGaming/eSports video streaming service built on the Peeks Social Platform.
Company’s goal for WASDPro is to capture and monetize a significant share of this growing market which currently produces 355bn minutes of eSports and gaming streams watched in 2017 — a 22% year over year increase compared to 2016.
TORONTO, April 16, 2019 — Peeks Social Ltd. (TSXV: PEEK; OTCQB: PKSLF) (“Peeks Social†or the “Companyâ€) is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of its WASDPro eGaming and eSports streaming service www.wasdpro.tv.Â
WASDPro is a purpose built eGaming/eSports video streaming service
built on the Peeks Social Platform. The Company’s goal for WASDPro is to
capture and monetize a significant share of this growing market which
currently produces 355bn minutes of eSports and gaming streams watched
in 2017 — a 22% year over year increase compared to 2016. WASDPro will
be based off of the Peeks Social Platform, which is a robust ecommerce
enabled, video streaming platform that provides broadcasters and content
creators with a wide variety of proprietary content monetization
services. Content creators can make money by charging their viewers
monthly subscription fees (Subscription Service), by receiving donations
from viewers (Tipping Service) and by charging viewers for access to
content (Paywall Service. In addition, the Peeks Social Platform
provides a proprietary AdShare Service. The AdShare service allows all
content creators to make money by selecting sponsored ads that run on
their video content. The AdShare network dynamically matches sponsors
with content creators and allows the content creators to select their
desired sponsors. The company shares its cost per impression-based
advertising revenues with the content creator; thereby allowing content
creators an effortless way to make free money.
The company believes that the unique features of the WASDPro service
will provide eGamers and their fans, with one of the most satisfying
eGaming streaming experiences in the industry today. According to
Goldman Sachs 3.5 billion people are online today and nearly 2.2 billion
are active video gamers. Video Gaming today is a US$180bn industry
projecting to grow at a 5% compounded annual growth rate. By 2022, the
relatively new eSports segment of the industry is projected to reach an
audience of 276,000,000 people similar in size to the National Football
League (NFL). Currently 50 colleges have varsity eSports teams and
discussions have been held for inclusion of eSports in the 2024 Paris
Olympics. Goldman Sachs has identified the opportunity for
live-streaming to monetize the growth of eSports in a way that few other
businesses can.
“We are extremely excited to add the WASDPro service to the Peeks
Social family of services. Our goal is to make WASDPro an industry
leading eGaming and eSports destination for: content creators, fans and
advertisers alike. We have been, and will continue to, work with content
creators, affiliates and other partners to ensure that WASDPro reaches
the global audience it deserves.†states Mark Itwaru, CEO and Chairman
of Peeks Social.
The WASDPro beta site will be available May 2019.
The Peeks Social app can be downloaded in either the Apple or Google app stores, or by visiting www.peeks.social. WASDPro is available at www.wasdpro.tv
Mark Itwaru Chairman & Chief Executive Officer 416-639-5339 [email protected]
David Vinokurov Director Investor Relations 416-716-9281 [email protected]
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) has reviewed or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this Release
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:00 PM on Monday, April 15th, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
GMBL: OTCQB
———————–
HIVE Berlin: Jens Hilgers, Peter Warman Discuss Trends in Esports
Warman spoke about gatekeeping in the industry and the challenges of breaking in, and estimated that between himself and Hilgers, they have collectively taken more than 1,000 calls over the years from people who want to get into esports
At the HIVE esports business
conference in Berlin this week, influential minds from across the
industry gathered to discuss the future of esports. Before the
wide-ranging panels began, Jens Hilgers and Peter Warman took the stage
to explore some of the trends they’ve seen and expect to see in the
future.
Both are long-standing fixtures of the esports industry. Hilgers has spent more than two decades in esports, co-founding Turtle Entertainment and ESL
in 2000 and serving as its CEO until 2010, when he transitioned to the
role of chairman of the board until 2015. He has also co-founded G2 Esports and tools maker DOJO Madness , and is a founding partner in BITKRAFT Esports Ventures . Warman, meanwhile, is the CEO and founder of gaming and esports analytics firm Newzoo , which was established in 2007.
“Every single time that something like that has happened in history, it was the most important and most exciting times for me.â€
Warman spoke about gatekeeping in the
industry and the challenges of breaking in, and estimated that between
himself and Hilgers, they have collectively taken more than 1,000 calls
over the years from people who want to get into esports—whether it’s
startups, brands, media, or financial services. Carefully explaining the
industry to people who are outside of it is critical, although both
said that detailing the subject to government representatives is a less
enjoyable situation.
“You sometimes have to explain what
the hell is going on,†said Warman. Added Hilgers: “I try to avoid those
meetings… those are the most frustrating ones.â€
Many more people in recent years have
seen the boom around esports, said Warman, between the excitement
building around the industry and the money flowing into it. But
newcomers who think that esports is a completely new thing need to be
educated that it’s actually a long-running, gradually-maturing industry,
he said.
“We have to explain to people: this
esports thing—it’s been around for a long time,†said Warman. “It’s not
this ‘hockey stick’ expectation, new industry thing, but a very healthy
and growing business.â€
Amidst all of the excitement and
investment around the space, however, Warman and Hilgers both said that
people in the space need to manage expectations for incoming
stakeholders, in part to help avoid the possibility of a bubble. Warman
added that part of managing expectations is making it clear that the
rise of esports is not a standalone thing—that the underlying growth is
tied into the popularity gaming and other industries and technologies.
It’s also a matter of new generations growing up with gaming, esports,
and digital devices.
“You sometimes have to explain what the hell is going on.â€
“What I’ve been observing for the
last 23 years in my career,†said Hilgers, “is that when we see the
growth year-over-year in esports, it’s mostly driven by digital natives
growing up with video games and the paradigm of esports.â€
Looking back on his career to date,
Hilgers pointed to key games that have defined or redefined genres and
helped boost esports at that time. He noted the impact of Counter-Strike , World of Warcraft , and League of Legends in the past, and more recently Fortnite ,
as each raised the bar for its respective genre and the level of
competition and interest around it. If that kind of trend continues,
then Hilgers said that we could see another paradigm-shifting
competitive game in two to four years’ time that might draw even larger
numbers of players and viewers.
“Every single time that something
like that has happened in history, it was the most important and most
exciting times for me,†said Hilgers, “because these new, genre-defining
games truly elevated competitive multiplayer gaming and esports.â€
Warman pointed to the exponential
growth of both gaming and esports over the years compared to other types
of popular media. He said that the wider gaming industry’s evolving
focus on engaging fans, making them happy, and providing them free tools
before
expecting any kind of payment is helping to drive that. That’s seen
both with free-to-play games and freely-streamed esports tournaments and
related content.
“What makes us very special in games is we put time first before money,†he said. “That’s the secret sauce of our business.â€
“I think there’s going to be a generation of games going forward that
actually will start the design process by reflecting these assumptions
in the right way.â€
But there’s a fine line to walk, he
continued, as some people have more time than money, while others have
plenty of money and are willing to spend it within games. Creators in
both the game development and esports sides of the games industry need
to balance the accessibility on one end with premium features and
services on the other. “We are entertaining people who don’t want to
spend money or don’t have money, but have a lot of time,†said Warman.
“And people that have a shitload of money, and they will all spend it in
our game. One single environment has to serve both. Think about it:
that’s very, very hard.â€
Hilgers spoke about the impact of Fortnite
and how its success has come in part from breaking the mold of the
battle royale genre. It’s a competitive game, yes, but the colorful
experience is also more accessible and targeted at a less die-hard
audience. Games like Apex Legends, Call of Duty , and Overwatch have more of a hardcore fan base, he said, while some Fortnite players simply want to play casually and hang out with friends in the game. It has wide-ranging appeal.
When it comes to the next wave of
esports games, however, he said that developers need to consider the
viewing experience as much as the gameplay and moment-to-moment action.
“Having a game that is equally great to spectate and to watch as it is
to play the game will ultimately make for the best esports games,†said
Hilgers. He doesn’t believe that most games in the market now were built
with that kind of mentality, but that developers are learning lessons
from today’s games and their challenges, and that the next generation of
esports-ready titles will be better poised to deliver on both fronts.
“I think there’s going to be a
generation of games going forward that actually will start the design
process by reflecting these assumptions in the right way,†he said, “and
that will lead to a greater entertainment offering and elevate
esports.â€
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:04 AM on Monday, April 15th, 2019
Closed the  acquisition of 100% of the assets of The Sims Resource from Generatorhallen AB and IBIBI HB, as previously announced in its press release dated January 7, 2019
Expects to realize the revenue of TSR beginning in Q2 2019 following the closing and integration on the Enthusiast platform
TORONTO, April 15, 2019 – Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSXV: EGLX) (OTCQB: EGHIF), (“Enthusiast†or the “Companyâ€), is pleased to announce today, that it has closed the  acquisition of 100% of the assets of The Sims Resource (“TSRâ€) from Generatorhallen AB and IBIBI HB, as previously announced in its press release dated January 7, 2019.
Enthusiast expects to realize the revenue of TSR beginning in Q2 2019
following the closing and integration on the Enthusiast platform.
Menashe Kestenbaum, CEO of Enthusiast, commented, “We are thrilled to close The Sims Resource acquisition and look forward to fully integrating it onto the Enthusiast platform. TSR is the
largest female video gaming content site in the world and is ranked on
Quantcast’s Top 25 websites with the highest concentration of female
audience in the US, closely behind Oprah.com. He continued, “We
have a monetization strategy for TSR and we anticipate enhancing our
advertising revenue through direct sales, capitalizing on the
opportunity to monetize with advertisers seeking a large female video
game audience. Further, we will look to adopt TSR’s subscription model
to add additional revenue streams across our entire portfolio.â€
The
acquisition of TSR is the largest acquisition to date for Enthusiast
and follows the successful completion of several strategic and accretive
acquisitions in 2018 and 2019.
Founded in 2014, Enthusiast is the fastest-growing online community
of video gamers. Through the Company’s unique acquisition strategy, it
has a platform of over 80 owned and affiliated websites and currently
reaches over 75 million monthly visitors with its unique and curated
content and over 50 million YouTube visitors. Enthusiast also owns and
operates Canada’s largest gaming expo, Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo,
EGLX, (eglx.ca) with over 55,000 people attending in 2018. For more information on the Company, visit www.enthusiastgaming.com.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Investor Relations:
Julia Becker Head of Investor Relations & Marketing [email protected] (604) 785.0850
This news release contains certain statements that may constitute
forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. All
statements, other than those of historical fact, which address
activities, events, outcomes, results, developments, performance or
achievements that Enthusiast anticipates or expects may or will occur in
the future (in whole or in part) should be considered forward-looking
information. Such information may involve, but is not limited to,
comments with respect to strategies, expectations, planned operations
and future actions of the Company. Often, but not always,
forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such
as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”,
“estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or
variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or
statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain
actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will”
(or other variations of the forgoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or
come to pass. Forward-looking information is based on currently
available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans,
strategies or beliefs as of the date of this news release, but involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors
that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of
Enthusiast to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking
information. Such factors may be based on information currently
available to Enthusiast, including information obtained from third-party
industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on
management’s current expectations or beliefs regarding future growth,
results of operations, future capital (including the amount, nature and
sources of funding thereof) and expenditures. Any and all
forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly
qualified by this cautionary statement. Trading in the securities of
the Company should be considered highly speculative.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
The securities of the Corporation have not been and will not be
registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended
and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration
or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This press
release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an
offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any
jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be
unlawful.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:15 PM on Sunday, April 14th, 2019
SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc.
(TSX-V: EGLX) Uniting gaming communities with 80 owned and affiliated
websites, currently reaching over 75 million monthly visitors. The
company’s partial 2018 (first 9 months) revenue of $7.4 million
representing a 625% increase over the same period in 2017.
EGLX: TSX-V ———————————-
Twitch’s Head of Esports on the Trends Driving Viewer Engagement
According to Twitchtracker, the streaming service grew its average concurrent viewers by 43% to cross the one million average across the entire year, while streamers chasing the dream of Twitch stardom grew by 70% to 3.4M broadcasters per month.
From Fortnite’s breakout success and Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevin’s rise to mainstream celebrity status, to Overwatch
driving new styles of interactive engagement with fans – the year was
about a lot more than just seeing the statistics continue to climb. It
redefined the trends we thought we knew about what streaming is all
about and how esports builds its fan dynamics through real-time
interactions.
“Battle Royale games are highly competitive and easy to follow. They translate very well to Twitch.â€
It also saw a clash of the traditions
of team-based esports with the trend of viewers falling in love with
Battle Royale as their favorite game genre to watch.
“Battle Royale games are highly
competitive and easy to follow. They translate very well to Twitch,â€
Justin Dellario, head of esports at Twitch, told The Esports Observer.
“Twitch viewers thrive on live, shared moments and there is no shortage
of that spontaneity in Battle Royale games.
“Best of all, Battle Royale games are
simple – fight to be the last one standing – so nobody is left in the
dark when they see a best play or big win.â€
Dellario joined Twitch in February
2016, and since that time the wider entertainment industry has woken up
to the idea that game streaming isn’t a sideshow but an actual
competitor to its living room dominance. According to Dellario, the
strength of Twitch is its community spirit.
Credit: EA Games
“That’s what today’s young audiences
crave: the ability to interact and even influence what they watch.
Twitch gives them that opportunity to do so with their fellow fans,
their community,†said Dellario.
“People watch Twitch for shared
moments, something to enjoy with like-minded people. That’s no different
than sports fans gathering at a bar or a friend’s living room to watch a
game. How people interact with content and content creators on Twitch
builds a live, shared, interactive viewing experience that provides that
exact atmosphere from the comfort of wherever you are watching from.
That’s what we call multiplayer entertainment – unique, live,
unpredictable experiences created by the shared interactions of
millions.â€
“It’s important to note that while viewer rewards play a part in
driving viewership, they also play a part in driving engagement and play
time.â€
That blend of interactivity and
community is also represented in game developers delivering rewards to
viewers, particularly around esports tournaments, as part of using the
Twitch platform. And Dellario sees them shifting from a viewer incentive
to a community expectation.
“It’s important to note that while
viewer rewards play a part in driving viewership, they also play a part
in driving engagement and play time,†Dellario said. “They cause players
to return to the game to use the rewards, continue to have experiences
that keep them tied to the game, and ultimately help drive them back to
watching again to complete the loop.
“Developers recognize the need to strengthen this bond with their communities inside and outside of the game.â€
One of the deepest integrations between the Twitch fan experience and an esports competition was the launch of the Overwatch
League All-Access Pass. For a one-off season subscription price (unique
compared to Twitch’s typical monthly subscription system) a viewer gets
a special viewing experience with real-time game statistics, options to
watch specific player cameras, or combine multiple views to create
their own custom viewing experience.
Credit: Blizzard
“We are always looking for ways to
enhance the esports broadcast experience for our partners and viewing
experience for the fans,†said Dellario. “The Overwatch
League All-Access Pass was the result of our work with Blizzard to
develop new methods of engagement and learning from the community on how
to provide more control in how they watch and experience matches.â€
The top personalities on Twitch now
single-handedly command audiences just as big, or bigger, than the
biggest weekly esports leagues on the platform. So some events are
finding new ways to get the best of both worlds through one of the
newest trends on Twitch – co-streaming.
“We just saw Ninja gather a large viewing party for Thursday Night
Football, bringing the program to people who may not otherwise watch
it…â€
“Many of our top streamers got
successful because they are entertaining commentators of their own
gameplay. Therefore, letting an online personality present the content
in a way that resonates with their viewer community is a perfect way to
find a new audience,†said Dellario.
“Twitch viewers enjoy their content
more when they get to enjoy it with commentary from their friends, and
especially their favorite personalities. What that creates is a unique
viewing experience they can’t get from watching something alone.â€
This co-streaming concept is even
extending beyond the realm of esports and gaining the attention of
traditional sports leagues as well.
“We just saw Ninja gather a large
viewing party for Thursday Night Football, bringing the program to
people who may not otherwise watch it – cord cutters and cord nevers,â€
Dellario said.
Credit: Twitch
“That’s, of course, where you might
run into challenges. Co-streaming counts on getting the right
personalities who can get creative in a way that compliments your
content and gets their viewers interested. However, we were able to
secure that with the NFL by handpicking which streamers got rights to
co-stream Thursday Night Football.â€
For Dellario, one of the biggest
lessons in his three years at Twitch has been seeing streaming and
esports “go hand-in-hand†as commentary, personality, and community make
Twitch the preferred place to watch.
With Twitch Rivals, we are further fostering the relationship between esports and streaming.â€
“People don’t just turn out for the
game. People turn out for personalities in esports, and we have proven
that esports help boost personalities through Twitch Rivals,†Dellario
said.
“Twitch Rivals is a series of
competitions organized by Twitch, which pits our top and growing
streamers against each other in varying formats of competition and
challenges spanning all types of popular and budding game categories.â€
Rivals events use a central broadcast hub
as a base for viewers to tune in and catch the big picture coverage,
while all participants are streaming their personal point-of-view where
their fans – or new fans – can tune in.
“This helps streamers grow their
channels while maintaining their traditional programming and broadcast
times. With Twitch Rivals, we are further fostering the relationship
between esports and streaming,†Dellario said.
Want to hear more about Twitch’s
role in the esports industry? Justin Dellario will be a speaker at the
HIVE esports business conference in Berlin on April 11, 2019. The first
international esports business conference in Europe’s capital of
esports. An unprecedented conference format featuring thought leaders of
industries adjacent to esports sharing their insights. Click here to reserve your seat!
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:00 PM on Sunday, April 14th, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
GMBL: OTCQB
———————–
Steph Curry discusses old-school video games, eSports popularity
The eSports world has become — well, a world of its own.
It’s a continued success that has turned a gamer’s paradise into what some view as a respected sport.
On his latest episode of the YouTube series, “5 Minutes from Home,”
Warriors guard Steph Curry sat down with eSports stars Myth and Hamlinz
to discuss the two’s success in the gaming industry.
“Very excited to talk about their background in the eSports world,”
Curry said. “Now they’re pioneering a new industry and creating a brand
and creating their legacy from the jump.”
Hamlinz and Myth didn’t waste any time asking Curry the important question: What are some of his favorite video games?
“I’m terrible at ‘Fortnite,'” Curry said amid chuckles from the group. “God awful.”
He listed the popular sports-related video games as the main ones he dabbles in.
“I love any golf game, 2K, Madden, Tiger Woods had his old game that I loved to play,” Curry said.
He also said “Call of Duty” was one he enjoys playing, but that changed when he got married and had kids. Naturally.
The trio finished out the night when they stopped by the KoJa Kitchen food truck — a favorite place of Curry’s to indulge in.
You can watch the interview in its entirety below.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 3:21 PM on Thursday, April 11th, 2019
SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSX-V: EGLX) Uniting gaming communities with 80 owned and affiliated websites, currently reaching over 75 million monthly visitors. The company’s partial 2018 (first 9 months) revenue of $7.4 million representing a 625% increase over the same period in 2017.
EGLX: TSX-V ———————————-
Chinese esports expected to be worth £2.3bn by 2020
According to the report from CCTV, the Chinese esports market reached 8.48bn RMB (£960m) in 2018, and the total output value of Chinese esports industry is expected to reach ¥21.1 bn RMB (£2.3bn) by 2020.
China’s prominent state television broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) reported the current state of the Chinese esports market and expectations for the future of the industry.
According to the report from CCTV,
the Chinese esports market reached 8.48bn RMB (£960m) in 2018, and the
total output value of Chinese esports industry is expected to reach
¥21.1 bn RMB (£2.3bn) by 2020. CCTV also reported that there are over
50,000 working in the industry — a number which is expected to increase
to past 250,000 by 2020.
Bang Xu, the vice president of Tomorrowland Esports Ltd,
told to CCTV that: “Three years ago, it may have taken two or three
months to get one or two applicants for the director of an esports
league. The number of esports leagues in 2016 was just less than 10. At
present, we may have dozens of applicants in a month, and the number of
esports leagues has exceeded 100.
“Although
more and more people are willing to engage in the esports industry,
esports talents are still in short supply compared to the speed of the
industry development.â€
To meet the
demand from the esports industry, numerous Chinese colleges have opened
esports related courses to cultivate talents across different areas
including event management, event operation, esports broadcasting and
esports streaming.
“Esports talents are still in short supply compared to the speed of the industry developmentâ€
Besides
adding esports majors to education, the Chinese government is also
trying to raise public awareness of esports as a whole. On Apr.3, the Chinese government officially confirmed
“esports operator†and “esports player†as two new professions in the
country. With support from the government, Chinese esports lovers are
more confident to engage in the industry and contribute to the
development of Chinese esports.
Esports
Insider says: “The Chinese government have noticed the great potential
in China’s esports market and they are trying to develop it deeply. With
announcements of multiple policies for Chinese esports industry, we may
see how Chinese practitioners can effectively utilise the country’s
support to develop the esports industry.â€
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:08 AM on Thursday, April 11th, 2019
Signs Agreement to Become Exclusive Monetization Partner
Addicting Games network of .io games reaches over 10 million gamers a month
Increases Enthusiast’s revenue and profits through 8 large web properties
Advanced internet speed and
browser capabilities have propelled .io and “browser multiplayer†games
into a fast growing gaming sector
Investment by Enthusiast allows Addicting Games to continue building network and developing new .io games
TORONTO, April 11, 2019 — Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSXV: EGLX) (OTCQB: EGHIF), (“Enthusiast†or the “Companyâ€), is pleased to announce that it has entered into a Senior Convertible Debenture Purchase Agreement (the “Agreementâ€) to invest in Addicting Games Inc. (“Addicting Gamesâ€), one of the largest online game networks in the United States.
The Addicting Games network reaches over 10 million gamers
monthly(1). They are leaders in developing and distributing browser
games, and their platform focuses on the increasingly popular “browser
multiplayer†.io website games. .io games are a popular new genre of
real-time multiplayer games which are played in a browser, featuring
addictive online multiplayer battles, with simple but hard to master
gameplay. These games are becoming increasingly popular due to easy
accessibility, mass multiplayer battles, and allowing players to play
games within seconds from any computer with an internet connection.
The network includes popular games: Tactics Core (tacticscore.io),
pumking.io, warfronts.io, shotz.io, skywars.io, seapop.io, skyarena.io
and break out hit, Little Big Snake (littlebigsnake.io). It also
includes Shockwave, the original “Netflix†of games, where players
subscribe to play over 1500 games online. Addicting Games and Shockwave
were previously purchased for $200 million in 2006 by Viacom. Most
recently, Addicting Games was bought from Defy Media by the original
founders and they have been expanding the network rapidly ever since.
Under the Agreement, Enthusiast will invest US$1.5 million by way of a 3 year secured convertible debenture (the “Debentureâ€)
with interest accruing at 2% per annum which is convertible into equity
at the value of Addicting Games’ next equity raise. Enthusiast invested
in Addicting Games to capitalize on the rapidly growing .io games
sector and a new niche of lifestyle gamer that the network currently
doesn’t reach.
Menashe Kestenbaum, CEO of Enthusiast, commented, “With
the rise in mobile gaming and the advent of HTML5 technology, every
browser can now be a game console and therefore attract significantly
more visitors. We see the growth potential in console agnostic games
and are excited to be partnering with Addicting Games to provide them
with the best monetization strategy to execute on their continued growth
and development of new browser based games.â€
Bill Karamouzis, CEO of Addicting Games, commented, “It’s
an exciting time to be in the gaming industry. The maturing of new
technology has resulted in new alternative platforms for game
distribution as well as ways to connect players in real time with each
other to enhance the player experience. Addicting Games has always been
the place to find great new fun games that can be played instantly and
enjoyed by everyone. Partnering with Enthusiast is a natural fit with
their deep commitment to gamers and community. We hope to leverage their
expertise as we commit to the next generation of casual gamers and game
developers.â€
Enthusiast has also entered into a Representation Agreement to
exclusively monetize advertisements across the Addicting Games portfolio
of websites. The exclusive representation will increase Enthusiast’s
revenue and profits through Addicting Games’ eight large digital
properties. The Company plans to utilize its strong sales force and
programmatic engine to further optimize the monetization of the
Addicting Games platform which will help fund the development and
acquisition of new .io games.
About Addicting Games
Founded by Bill Karamouzis, the world famous Addicting Games
pioneered the casual game genre in the early 2000’s and continues to
develop and distribute the very best games online.
Reaching over 10 million gamers every month Addicting Games network
players can enjoy a wide range of free browser-based games from brands
such as Shockwave to the latest in streaming gaming IO Games Space. Visit us for the best free games released every week. Learn more about Addicting Games here: http://company.addictinggames.com/
Founded in 2014, Enthusiast is the fastest-growing online community
of video gamers. Through the Company’s unique acquisition strategy, it
has a platform of over 80 owned and affiliated websites and currently
reaches over 75 million monthly visitors with its unique and curated
content and over 50 million YouTube visitors. Enthusiast also owns and
operates Canada’s largest gaming expo, Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo,
EGLX, (eglx.ca) with over 55,000 people attending in 2018. For more information on the Company, visit www.enthusiastgaming.com.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Investor Relations: Julia Becker Head of Investor Relations & Marketing [email protected] (604) 785.0850
This news release contains certain statements that may constitute
forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. All
statements, other than those of historical fact, which address
activities, events, outcomes, results, developments, performance or
achievements that Enthusiast anticipates or expects may or will occur in
the future (in whole or in part) should be considered forward-looking
information. Such information may involve, but is not limited to,
comments with respect to strategies, expectations, planned operations
and future actions of the Company. Often, but not always,
forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such
as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”,
“estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or
variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or
statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain
actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will”
(or other variations of the forgoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or
come to pass. Forward-looking information is based on currently
available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans,
strategies or beliefs as of the date of this news release, but involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors
that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of
Enthusiast to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking
information. Such factors may be based on information currently
available to Enthusiast, including information obtained from third-party
industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on
management’s current expectations or beliefs regarding future growth,
results of operations, future capital (including the amount, nature and
sources of funding thereof) and expenditures. Any and all
forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly
qualified by this cautionary statement. Trading in the securities of
the Company should be considered highly speculative.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
The securities of the Corporation have not
been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act
of 1933, as amended and may not be offered or sold in the United States
absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration
requirement. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or
the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the
securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale
would be unlawful.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 4:23 PM on Wednesday, April 10th, 2019
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projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
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eSports is Playing Out to Be a Big Opportunity for Investors
Esports sector represented just 1% of the global gaming market at nearly $700 million in 2017, with the industry expecting to reach $1.65 billion by 2021, representing a 27.4% CAGR estimates Newzoo.
Worldwide eSports viewership is expected to grow by nearly 50% from 2018 levels to 560 million by 2021
Sean Mason | April 10, 2019 | SmallCapPower: Video games are nothing new – people have been playing them since the 1970s. But with the proliferation of social media in recent years, electronic sports, or eSports, could eventually generate more revenue than traditional professional sporting events, such as National Football League (NFL) games.
eSports can be most simply defined as organized, competitive video
gaming at the professional level, where participants compete in a
virtual environment for money and recognition. Much of eSports’ appeal
is in its inclusivity, as anyone with dexterity and determination can,
in theory and with plenty of practice, reach an elite level regardless
of their athleticism. And thanks to the Internet, eSports tournaments
have quickly gone global. This, after all, is due to the fact that the
distribution of eSports is almost entirely digital, with fans being able
to stream eSports content for free anywhere in the world.
To give you an idea how much growth potential exists within the
eSports sector, it represented just 1% of the global gaming market at
nearly $700 million in 2017, with the industry expecting to reach $1.65
billion by 2021, representing a 27.4% CAGR estimates Newzoo.
With its popularity rising, worldwide eSports viewership is expected
to grow by nearly 50% from 2018 levels to 560 million by 2021. In fact,
in the U.S. eSports viewership on key streaming platforms such as
Twitch, Youtube, and TV with traditional channels like TBS, ESPN have
already surpassed that of the NHL and is expected to take the #2 spot
behind the NFL by 2021, according to an August 2018 report by Eight
Capital, adding that the sector remains under-monetized relative to
traditional sports. To put that into perspective, average revenue per
eSports enthusiast was just $3.60 in 2017, a fraction of the $15 average
revenue per basketball fan and $54 average per sports fan globally,
this based on a study by Newzoo.
Audience engagement for eSports is extremely high, which has become
ideal for advertisers to target a captive and young demographic.
According to a Goldman Sachs eSports report dated October 2018, eSports
generated an estimated $655 million in annual revenue in 2017, 38% of
which came from sponsorships, 14% from media rights, and 9% from ticket
revenue. By 2022, though, media rights are anticipated to reach 40% of
total eSports revenue, with sponsorship expected to become the second
largest contributor of revenue at 35%.
Goldman Sachs believes eSports will increasingly migrate from PCs to
other platforms, such as console and mobile. For mobile eSports, Goldman
Sachs said it is seeing increased venture investment in the space.
Since 2013, there has been $3.3 billion of venture capital investment in
eSports-related start-ups, which is set to capitalize on two primary
trends: the opportunity for live-streaming to monetize the growth in
eSports; and the popularity of eSports in Asia. China’s eSports market
is derived from the largest gamer base in the world, with approximately
442 million gamers by the end of 2017 and a 57.2% penetration rate of
China Internet users, according to CNNIC.
Technological evolution in the eSports space will likely mean more
money will flow into trends such as streaming, mobile, and Virtual
Reality (VR). To that end, Canadian company YDX Innovation Corp. (TSXV:YDX) already has direct experience in eSports in addition to a product that fits well with the segment.
“When we created our VR game a year and a half ago, we already knew
we were taking the platform in an eSports direction,†YDX Innovation CEO
Daniel Japiassu told SmallCapPower in an interview.
YDX Innovation’s Arkave VR Arena is a gaming platform that brings an
immersive Virtual Reality experience to different venues – a highly
scalable business model according to the Company. YDX Innovation
announced recently that it had signed an agreement with eSports company
Jackpot Rising to organize tournaments using Arkave VR.
And, in 2019, YDX plans to launch its Game On festival for the new
gamers, younger players who have not yet experienced competitive
gaming.
“This is an industry (eSports) fueled by people 10 years of age and
older,†Mr. Japiassu said, adding that although it’s a new industry
there’s already a substantial number of participants.
Disclosure: Neither the author nor his family own shares in the company mentioned above.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:32 AM on Tuesday, April 9th, 2019
Producers of major esports events in Canada including Dreamhack, GOML, Cineplex, CNE, WESG (EGLX)
Partners with major brands and sponsors including Ubisoft, NXNE, AMD, CSL
Strategic partnership expands
Enthusiast’s client services to include experiential advertising,
esports tournaments, and broadcast and production capabilities
TORONTO, April 09, 2019 — Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSXV: EGLX) (OTCQB: EGHIF) (“Enthusiast†or the “Companyâ€) is pleased to announce that it has, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, signed a definitive agreement to purchase 20% of the issued and outstanding shares (“Purchased Sharesâ€) in Waveform Entertainment Inc. (“Waveformâ€) for an aggregate consideration of $1,680,000 (the “Subscription Priceâ€). Waveform is a leading esports broadcast and production company specializing in the organization of premium esports tournaments world-wide. Enthusiast has also secured an irrevocable option, at its sole discretion, to acquire a 100% interest in Waveform. (the “Buy-Out Optionâ€).
While Waveform was established in 2018, its team has been on the
leading edge of esports event production and broadcast for several
years, servicing some of the world’s most prestigious esports
tournaments and events including Dreamhack, Cineplex WorldGaming, and
Enthusiast owned, EGLX.
“Investing in Waveform will contribute greatly to the expansion
of EGLX and our events business. Waveform’s infrastructure and expertise
are key for the roll out of the Rising Star Series and upcoming esports
tournaments at EGLX in the future,†commented Menashe Kestenbaum, CEO of Enthusiast. “We
were very impressed by the organization of our esports tournaments at
EGLX in October 2018 and we see significant growth potential as esports
continue to soar.â€
Waveform was responsible for the broadcast, production and execution
of Canada’s largest esports tournament, WESG Canadian Finals at EGLX in
October 2018. Enthusiast will continue to partner with Waveform as EGLX
executes on its North American expansion plan and introduces the Rising
Stars Series this summer. Waveform will provide the infrastructure,
broadcast and event support to drive the expansion and continued growth
of EGLX in 2020.
As esports continues to grow with $1.1bn in projected revenues in
2019,(1) large brands are entering the industry by sponsoring esports
teams and championing their own activations. Waveform has partnered
with major brands including Evil Geniuses, Virtus Pro, Ubisoft, AMD,
Asus, Team Liquid and more. The investment into Waveform will help
Enthusiast’s mission to reach gamers both online and offline. The
Company will provide digital advertising and experiential marketing
opportunities to major brands and publishers, increasing visibility and
event attendance. The partnership enables Enthusiast’s event business
to increase its client services portfolio to include event production,
broadcast, streaming services and creative experiential brand
ambassadorship programs. In turn, the partnership also allows
Enthusiast’s platform to promote Waveform’s business and portfolio of
large brands and help them drive new partnerships moving forward.
Terms of Transaction
The Purchased Shares will be purchased pursuant to the terms of a share subscription agreement (the “Agreementâ€),
among Waveform and a wholly owned subsidiary of Enthusiast created for
the purpose of the transaction. Pursuant to the Agreement, Enthusiast
agreed to purchase the Purchased Shares in three tranches: (i) on April
4, 2019, Enthusiast purchased 40.5% of the Purchased Shares for a
portion of the Subscription Price, being $680,000.00; (ii) Enthusiast
agreed to purchase, on or before (as decided by Enthusiast) October 4,
2019, 29.75% of the Purchased Shares for a portion of the Subscription
Price, being $500,000.00; and (iii) Enthusiast agreed to purchase, on or
before (as decided by Enthusiast) June 3, 2020, 29.75% of the Purchased
Shares for a portion of the Subscription Price, being $500,000.00. On
the date Waveform and Enthusiast entered into the Agreement, they also
entered into a Shareholders’ Agreement for Waveform (the “Shareholders’ Agreementâ€).
The aggregate purchase price for all Waveform’s shares, if the Buy-Out
Option is exercised by Enthusiast shall be equal to the greater of: (i)
four (4) times Waveform’s gross revenue (as defined in the Shareholders’
Agreement), multiplied by eighty percent (80%); or (ii) $7,680,000 (the
“Option Purchase Priceâ€). The Option Purchase Price will be subject to agreed adjustments.
The purchase of the Purchased Shares on the two remaining tranches,
as well as the exercise of the Buy-Out Option (if exercised by
Enthusiast) are subject to obtainment of all applicable regulatory
approvals (including by the TSX Venture Exchange).
Founded in 2014, Enthusiast is the fastest-growing online community
of video gamers. Through the Company’s unique acquisition strategy, it
has a platform of over 80 owned and affiliated websites and currently
reaches over 75 million monthly visitors with its unique and curated
content and over 50 million YouTube visitors. Enthusiast also owns and
operates Canada’s largest gaming expo, Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo,
EGLX, (eglx.ca) with over 55,000 people attending in 2018. For more information on the Company, visit www.enthusiastgaming.com.
Investor Relations: Julia Becker Head of Investor Relations & Marketing [email protected] (604) 785.0850
This news release contains certain statements that may constitute
forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. All
statements, other than those of historical fact, which address
activities, events, outcomes, results, developments, performance or
achievements that Enthusiast anticipates or expects may or will occur in
the future (in whole or in part) should be considered forward-looking
information. Such information may involve, but is not limited to,
comments with respect to strategies, expectations, planned operations
and future actions of the Company. Often, but not always,
forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such
as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”,
“estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or
variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or
statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain
actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will”
(or other variations of the forgoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or
come to pass. Forward-looking information is based on currently
available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans,
strategies or beliefs as of the date of this news release, but involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors
that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of
Enthusiast to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking
information. Such factors may be based on information currently
available to Enthusiast, including information obtained from third-party
industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on
management’s current expectations or beliefs regarding future growth,
results of operations, future capital (including the amount, nature and
sources of funding thereof) and expenditures. Any and all
forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly
qualified by this cautionary statement. Trading in the securities of
the Company should be considered highly speculative.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
The securities of the Corporation have not been and will not be
registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended
and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration
or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This press
release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an
offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any
jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be
unlawful.
Tags: CSE, EA sports, egaming, esports, Fortnite, LOL, stocks, tsx, tsx-v Posted in All Recent Posts, Featured | Comments Off on Enthusiast Gaming $EGLX.ca Acquires Significant Interest in Waveform Entertainment, a Leading Esports Operator and Tournament Producer $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $WINR $TCEHF $ATVI $TNA.ca
