In The News
Industry Growth:
Niko Partner’s latest report shows that “total console hardware and TV and console game software sales” in China should reach “$1.5 billion by 2023 … 2018 console hardware and console +TV based game revenue was $767.1 million, projected to rise 11% to $851.1 million this year.”
Brazil’s gaming industry has seen a doubling in game companies between 2014 and 2018, PG.biz’s Craig Chapple writes. “Brazilian consumers spent around $1.5 billion on games in 2018 making it the 13th largest market in the world … By 2014 the industry had 133 games companies, employing 1,133 staff. By 2018 this had more than doubled to 276 games companies employing 2,731 staff.”
Focus Home Interactive is having a good year. Farming Simulator 19 has sold over 2 million copies and Vampyr over 1 million. “With €126 million ($143 million USD) in revenue, Focus beat its guidance for the year by more than 20 percent, resulting in a record year for the French publishing group,” GD.biz’s Sam Desatoff reports.
Redhill Games raised “$11.4 million in funding from an investment round led by Makers Fund and Play Ventures, with financing from Kowloon Nights,” GI.biz’s Rebekah Valentine reports. “The funding will be used to staff up and further development on the studio’s first game.”
Remedy, the developer behind Alan Wake, has acquired its publishing rights from Microsoft. “The developer now solely owns the rights, it seems, though it’s unclear what this means for the franchise going forward,” GameSpot’s Oscar Dayus reports.
Summer Games Done Quick 2019 had a good run this year. It raised “a staggering $3 million for charity Doctors Without Borders—nearly $900,000 more than it pulled in last year,” PC Gamer’s Samuel Horti writes.
Nexon is increasing its share in Embark Studios and will become the majority stakeholder, GI.biz’s James Batchelor reports. “It will now acquire an additional 32.8% of Embark’s outstanding shares, giving it a majority stake of 66.1%.”
Anthony Davis will be on the cover of the next NBA 2K game, Game Informer’s Matt Bertz reports. This is his second cover appearance.
Interviews: Gust’s Keisuke Kikuchi (VentureBeat), Mike Morhaime (VentureBeat), David Cage (VentureBeat), Josef Fares (VentureBeat).
Extra Esports News:
Frankie Ward is up with a Players’ Lobby piece titled “How Did I Get Here?”
Charlotte Hornets are joining the NBA 2K League, Esports Insider’s Adam Fitch reports. “The Hornets Venom GT‘s logo has a ‘V’ that both relates to the brand name and represents a hornet’s head.”
Simon Equity Development, a “American commercial real estate” company, is investing in Allied Esports, Fitch writes. “Simon and Black Ridge have entered a letter agreement that will see the former acquire $5 million (£3.96 million) in shares of the latter.”
ASTRO is renewing its partnership with CEO Gaming, Esports Insider’s Thomas Lace reports. “The partnership sees ASTRO serve as the official audio and controller partner for the 2019 rendition of CEO Gaming’s Fighting Game Championships.”
IN: Marcel Sandrock joined STARK Esports.
Interviews: Misfits’ Ben Spoont (TEO).
Happy weekend birthday Pavel “9pasha” Kvastunov and Monday birthdays Artour “Arteezy” Babaev, Riccardo “Reynor” Romiti, Ononbat “Sioras” Bataa, Nick “HuT” Hutton, Pavel “Pavel” Beltukov and Mustafa “Ice” Akcakaya!