In The News
Hugh Hancock, an “online filmmaking pioneer and Machinima, Inc. founder,” has passed away, Gamasutra’s Chris Kerr reports.
Revenue and sales news:
Take-Two Interactive announced “its results for fiscal third quarter 2018” in a press release Wednesday afternoon. Net revenue was at $480.8 million and net income at $25.1 million. Grand Theft Auto V “has now sold-in more than 90 million units.”
“Rockstar Games will continue to support Grand Theft Auto Online with more new content going forward,” it stated. GamesIndustry.biz’s Brendan Sinclair has a more in-depth breakdown.
GamesIndustry.biz’s Ben Parfitt reports Nexon “has posted its best ever annual results following a record-breaking Q4 … Revenues for the year ending December 31st 2017 climbed 28 per cent to ¥234.9bn ($2.1bn).”
Parfitt also reports “NetEase has reported a 41.7 per cent increase in revenues to RMB 54.1bn ($8.3bn) for its 2017 fiscal year.”
GamesIndustry.biz’s James Batchelor writes that Zynga’s “total company revenue reached $861.4m – a year-on-year increase of 16 per cent” in 2017.
Gamasutra’s Alissa McAloon reports that both Failbetter Games and Gameloft have laid off staff.
“Failbetter Games has laid off four staff members after lower-than-expected Early Access sales of Sunless Skies.”
“Gameloft has reportedly closed its New Orleans office and, according to a source speaking to Gamasutra, laid off roughly 40 staff members in the process.”
Google’s been busy. The Information’s Kevin McLaughlin and Amir Efrati report that “The company is developing a subscription-based game streaming service that could work either on Google’s Chromecast or possibly a Google-made console.”
A lot more people are earning money streaming on Twitch, according to Taylor. There was an 223% increase in “content creators earning money through streaming” in 2017.
Acquisition news:
Tencent acquired equity in Shanda Games, Sinclair reports. “A Shanda Games representative confirmed the deal for the outlet, but would not say how much Tencent spent.”
The Esports Observer’s Angelos Anastasopoulos reports Blackhawk Resource Corporation, a venture capital firm, “announced a $26.4 million deal to acquire esports platform UMG Media Corp.”
Loot boxes = gambling 2019? PC Gamer’s Andy Chalk writes that Sweden “has become the latest country to suggest that it could implement some sort of restriction on loot boxes in videogames.”
Dot Esports launched “a Brazilian sister site,” Kevin Moss tweeted yesterday.
My Nintendo points can be used toward the Nintendo Switch eShop starting in March.
Part 3 of “The Making of Monster Hunter: World” is out now. Watch it here.
Epic Games’ Fortnite: Battle Royale received a HypeZone channel on Mixer, VentureBeat’s Jeff Grubb writes.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds clocked in more than 2.7 billion hours players during early access on Steam, Dot Esports’ Scott Duwe writes.
Chinese Honor of Kings player Zhang “Lao Shuai” Yuchen moved from “AG Super Play to GK Gaming” for a whopping $1.2 million, The Esports Observer’s Graham Ashton writes.