In The News
Weekend in Review:
Bungie trademarked “something called Matter,” PCGamesN’s Dustin Bailey writes. “The filing specifically covers videogames, and even comes with a logo that doesn’t appear to fit in with any existing Destiny iconography.”
Gearbox Software CEO Randy Pitchford has allegedly had hundreds of thousands of dollars stolen by his former assistant, John Wright Martin. “Theft and forgery charges filed last year in Collin County accuse Martin of stealing millions from his former employers,” Dallas News’s Valerie Wigglesworth reports. “Martin — whose lavish lifestyle often made him the center of attention — has disappeared.”
Yiiiikes. Valve modified an Artifact card name from “Crack the Whip” to “Coordinated Assault” after unintentional racist connotations were highlighted, PC Gamer’s Andy Chalk reports.
There won’t be a PlayStation Experience this year. The blogcast also touches on cross-play.
Tencent’s hurting. It “announced on Sunday its first restructuring in six years, done at a time it faces increased challenges from tighter [Chinese] government regulations,” Reuters reports.
FIFA 19 “opening week physical sales have fallen sharply,” GI.biz’s Christopher Dring reports. “The game’s week one sales are down 25% compared with FIFA 18’s arrival one year ago.”
The Irish government doesn’t seem to have plans to punish loot boxes, Taylor reports. “Despite joining 15 other countries in signing a declaration to unite against skins gambling and loot boxes, the Irish government has no plans to crackdown on the practice … [David] Stanton argued that loot boxes ‘fall within normal consumer law’ rather than gambling legislation.”
Steam has removed more than 170 “games” in recent weeks, PC Gamer’s Jody Macgregor reports. I use the term games loosely, because, well…
Introducing the Blockchain Game Alliance. “Ubisoft, Fig, Gimli, Alto, and Ultra have joined a number of leading blockchain companies to form the” Alliance, GI.biz’s Rebekah Valentine writes. “The group is a partnership between leading gaming and blockchain companies that aims to democratize blockchain within the gaming industry.”
Interviews: Funomena’s Robin Hunicke (VentureBeat), NFTS student Daisy Fernandez (GI.biz) and SIEGE Con director Andrew Greenberg (GI.biz).
Extra Esports News:
Congratulations OpTic Gaming on winning the GPC San Diego Open! They defeated Ghost Gaming.
Partnerships:
ESL and SAP are partnering “to add analytics to the ESL One Hamburg Dota 2 broadcast,” TEO’s Brandon Brathwaite writes.
ESL and Vodafone are partnering “for Italy’s ESL Vodafone Championship, which includes four games,” TEO’s Andrew Hayward reports.
RFRSH Entertainment and Pinnacle are partnering for BLAST Pro Series with Pinnacle as the betting partner, Esports Insider’s Adam Fitch writes.
Team Flash and Futbolita are partnering, Esports Insider’s Melany Moncav reports.
Other:
IN: Thomas “TJHaLy” Haly, Brandon “Dashy” Otell and Damon “Karma” Barlow joined OpTic Gaming’s Call of Duty roster.
Interviews: Misfits’ Ben Spoont (VentureBeat), paiN Gaming’s Danylo “Kingrd” Nascimento (ESPN) and Newzoo’s Peter Warman (VentureBeat).
Happy weekend birthday Daniel “mertz” Mertz and Jacob “JKnaps” Knapman!