In The News
Drip drip drip. A leak for Nintendo Switch’s Pokémon RPG was uncovered. “A persistent rumour the game’s two editions will be named Pokémon Let’s Go! Pikachu and Pokémon Let’s Go! Eevee has been quietly doing the rounds for several months. It all became public yesterday,” Eurogamer’s Tom Phillips reports. “The Pokémon game for Switch will be set in the series’ original region of Kanto, and be influenced somewhat by the hugely-successful Pokémon Go.”
Sorry, Xbox One, but according to a recent survey you’re the least popular platform for indie developers. “Of the 61 developers surveyed, PC was the favourite with 47.5 per cent,” GamesIndustry.biz’s Haydn Taylor writes. “The Nintendo Switch was the second-most popular choice with 32.8 per cent, followed by PlayStation 4 with 11.5 per cent.”
The International Olympic Committee “will meet with esports companies and athletes at a summit in Lausanne, at the end of July,” The Esports Observer’s Graham Ashton reports. “IOC president Thomas Bach reiterates position on violent games, but adds that ‘the Olympic movement cannot ignore such a phenomenon.’”
Funding News:
GameStop received some relief from Bridgewater Associates, Bloomberg’s Polina Noskova reports. “Bridgewater Associates boosted its stake in GameStop by about 1.67 million shares to 3.10%, betting on the brick and mortar video-game retailer that’s struggling to revive growth.”
Teatime Games “has raised more than $9 million to date,” VentureBeat’s Dean Takahashi writes. “The company also raised $1.6 million in a previously undisclosed seed round for its social games studio.”
Quarterback “raised $2.5 million for its platform that brings professional esports players and their fans together,” Takahashi reports. “The Los Angeles company’s goal is to help esports pros monetize and engage with their fans better.”
Minute Media, Takahashi notes, “raised $17 million in funding for its digital publishing platform for both sports and esports.”
Mark Cuban did an interview with ESPN’s Jacob Wolf about the Supreme Court’s decision to allow sports betting — and by extension esports betting.
Cliff Bleszinski is back on Twitter after killing his studio, Boss Key. He shared concept art for games he’d wanted to produce.
Madden’s new senior producer is Carlos Guerrero, Forbes’ Brian Mazique reports. He’s replacing Rex Dickson.
King is looking to hire a level designer for Call of Duty on mobile.
NODWIN Gaming is partnering with Hugh Holland, Esports Insider’s Sam Cooke reports. “The London based media firm is now in the position to sell international esports sponsorship rights for NODWIN’s current and future events till February 2019.”
Sony intends to stop production of PlayStation Vita games by March 31, 2019.
Happy birthday to Jerome “JayPL” Trinh!