In The News
Digi-Capital’s latest report shows some $3.8 billion has been spent on game investments in “the first half of 2019,” GI.biz’s Rebekah Valentine reports. “When combined with 2018’s investment totals [$5.8 billion], the last 18 months of funding have exceeded the previous five years’ worth of gaming investments.”
International Game Developers Association appointed Nika Nour and Renee Gittins as executive directors of the IGDA Foundation and IGDA, respectively. The press release can be found here.
Facebook on the prowl? The Information’s Alex Heath reports that it’s “looking to buy game studios and ink exclusive deals for virtual reality versions of well-known games to bolster its Oculus VR headset business … Facebook has already signed deals for exclusive VR versions of the popular games ‘Assassin’s Creed’ and ‘Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell.’”
Nintendo shares are up after it announced the Nintendo Switch Lite, Reuters reports. Shares “rose more than 4% on Thursday.”
Google Stadia has received 4,000 applications from game studios to be a part of Stadia Partners. “That’s according to technical account manager Sam Corcoran, who told the audience at Develop: Brighton 2019 that the number of developers looking to be on Google’s new streaming platform was considerable,” PG.biz’s Alex Calvin writes.
Fiverr is opening a store for “gaming-related digital services,” VentureBeat’s Dean Takahashi reports. “Game development freelancers and companies can use it to sell or purchase services so that games can be made more easily.”
Amazon Game Studios is developing a Lord of the Rings MMO, Game Informer’s Jeff Cork writes. “The game, which currently doesn’t have a name, takes place in The Lord of the Rings trilogy’s literary world and is unrelated to the films and upcoming Amazon Prime series.”
Educational tech firm Byju’s has raised “$150 million in funding,” Takahashi writes. “Byju’s recently acquired augmented reality kids game maker Osmo for $120 million, which has a big audience among kids in the U.S., as part of a global expansion.”
Motion Twin is partnering with Bilibili and Playdigious to bring a mobile version of Dead Cells to China. “Dead Cells is not currently approved for release in China on other platforms,” Valentine writes.
IN: Dan Clancy, Lenke Taylor and Sarah Iooss joined Twitch as executive VP of creator and community experience, chief people officer and head of North America sales, respectively.
OUT: Kate Jhaveri is leaving Twitch.
Interviews: Felicia Prehn (GI.biz), Vela Games’ co-founders (GI.biz).
Extra Esports News:
Congratulations to oLARRY on winning “the inaugural award for Esports Moment of the Year at the ESPYS,” ESPN reports. “The NBA 2K player was shot last year at a Madden tournament in Jacksonville, Florida. Two bullets ripped into oLARRY’s hand, and he had to have his thumb reconstructed.”
Partnerships & Sponsorships:
FaZe Clan and Wix are partnering, Takahashi reports. “Wix will become the esports club’s offical web site development and design partner.”
Immortals renewed their sponsorship with MTN DEW AMP GAME FUEL, TEO’s Andrew Hayward reports.
Echo Fox renewed their partnership with HyperX, Hayward writes.
IN: Rachel Gaskin joined Jagex as head of esports.
Interviews: HOK’s Carlos de la Barrera and Nuno Guerreiro (TEO).
Happy birthday Joo “Zest” Sung Wook!