In The News
Introducing the World Showdown of Esports. It’s ESP Gaming’s brand new “mixed martial arts-style esports tournament series,” TEO’s Trent Murray reports. “The company will kick off its new initiative with a $100K PUBG invitational” called PUBG Pan-Continental. Check the Royale Review section for more details.
ESP hired Richard Lewis, formally of ELEAGUE, as its Director of Talent, according to VPEsports’ Steven Cropley. He will “‘oversee the on-air personalities for WSOE streaming and live events.’”
Capcom shares took a tumble over “a downgrade from Bank of America Merrill Lynch,” Variety’s Brittany Vincent reports. They fell 12.9% yesterday.
How do devs feel about the “crunch”? Waypoint interviewed a slew of developers and Entertainment Software Association President Mike Gallagher to get their thoughts on unionization. Here’s a snippet: “‘When you put all of those elements together, it’s created great opportunity for individual laborers, or the game makers, at whatever level, to make choices…’”
Anthem executive producer Mark Darrah is back on Twitter answering questions about the game.
Today in odd stories, a young man was posed in his embalming to be playing video games. “A family whose teenage son died honored his memory in an unusual wake: His corpse was positioned in a chair facing a television screen, a video game controller in hand and his favorite snacks next to him,” Yahoo’s Elise Solé reports.
Bend over, boys, you’re getting butt tattoos. Pope Bear and Patrick “Holtzmann” Casey announced before a charity stream that “they would tattoo their butts if they hit $100,000,” PC Gamer’s Austin Wood reports. They probably should have upped that number a touch.
Mixer updated its Partnership requirements, which go into effect July 24.
Miscellaneous Esports News:
The NHL “wants to expand its esports program next year to include all 31 teams,” TEO’s Trent Murray reports. “This year, the league put on a one-on-one tournament series to test the potential of hockey esports.”
Happy birthday Joo “Zest” Sung Wook!