In The News
The AFL-CIO is urging game developers to unionize in an open letter published on Kotaku.
Financials:
Netmarble’s operating profit in the fourth quarter of 2018 decreased by 43.5%, Variety’s Emily Gera reports. It’s “a 59% drop year-over-year.”
Mobile Minecraft brought in “more than $110 million … from its premium purchase price and IAP for publisher Microsoft worldwide. This was 7 percent more than 2017, when the game grossed close to $103 million,” Sensor Tower reports. “2018 started with Minecraft’s best quarter ever on mobile devices, when it grossed an estimated $30 million from players worldwide.”
Employees at Blizzard’s French office “could be left waiting for months to see if they’ve lost their jobs or not” due to French labor laws, Gamasutra’s Emma Kidwell writes.
A proposed settlement in the ongoing lawsuit against Niantic over Pokémon Go would “remove or change a number of Poké Stops and Gyms,” Variety’s Stefanie Fogel reports. “The proposed settlement was filed in a California court on Thursday and applies to anyone in the U.S. who owns or leases property within 100 meters of a designated Poké Stop or Gym.”
Next Games is laying off 26 employees “to cut its operating costs,” GI.biz’s James Batchelor writes. “The decision follows a consultation process that began in January.”
Razer is closing its “Razer Game Store on February 28th at 4AM Eastern as part of ‘realignment plans,’” Engadget’s Jon Fingas writes.
505 Games and XD Network are partnering to bring Human: Fall Flat to “mobile devices in China. Curve Digital retains publishing rights to the game on consoles and PC,” GI.biz’s Rebekah Valentine reports.
A Super Mario Bros. cartridge in “pristine condition” sold for “for $100,150, and the people involved in the deal say it’s the first six-figure transaction for a single collectible game,” Kotaku’s Chris Kohler reports.
YouTuber Zhoie “Furry Potato” Perez was shot in the leg by a security guard live during one of his IRL streams, Dot Esports’ Will Strickland writes. “Furry was walking around Etz Jacob Congregation, a Jewish synagogue in Beverly Hills that also houses Ohel Chana High, an all-girls school.”
Tyler “Ninja” Blevins is getting a toy line.
Apex Legends:
Tencent is trying to make Apex Legends available in China, Variety’s Liz Lanier reports.
OUT: Some 16,000 Apex Legends cheaters have been banned since the game’s Feb. 5 launch.
FIFA 19’s cover has been changed from Cristiano Ronaldo, Eurogamer’s Wesley Yin-Poole reports. “EA has decided to give the game a new cover, and has replaced Ronaldo with fellow Juventus forward Paulo Dybala, Brazil star Neymar and Manchester City’s midfield maestro Kevin de Bruyne.”
Interviews: Double Fine Productions’ Tim Schafer (VentureBeat), Nvidia’s Jensen Huang (VentureBeat).
Extra Esports News:
Congratulations Gambit Esports on winning WePlay! Dota 2 Winter Madness! They defeated OG to take home $50,000. Ninjas in Pyjamas came in 3rd and NoPangolier in 4th.
Clash Royale League is merging “the North American, European, and Latin American regions into one Western region. Given the changes, the CRL is likely to include fewer teams than last season,” TEO’s Andrew Hayward reports.
ESL Asia “launched the first Clash of Nations to take place in Southeast Asia. The event is the next step in a partnership with Indonesian conglomerate Salim Group, with a mission to grow the esports ecosystem in Indonesia,” TEO’s Dane Weeden writes.
Pinnacle and GameScorekeeper are partnering, Esports Insider’s Adam Fitch writes. “As per Pinnacle’s announcement, the deal has ‘significantly accelerated its position as the leading esports bookmaker.’”
IN: Jamie Skella joined Esports Mogul as its CSCO.
OUT: Denial Esports released their graphic designer after he said Enigma6 needed a logo update, Dexerto’s Calum Patterson reports.
Interviews: 7Sports’ Stefan Zant (TEO).
Happy weekend birthdays Jung “Jjakji” Ji HOon and Alex “Neeb” Sunderhaft!