In The News
Kickstarter success for video game projects is at its highest percentage since the inception of video game funding on the platform, ICO Partners reports. “The ratio of successfully funded project is 28%, the highest it has ever been since the launch of the Double Fine Adventure campaign and the first surge of video games campaigns on the platform. Fewer studios try to get crowdfunded, but a higher number of projects succeed, showing the maturity of the platform after 10 years.”
A study out by Newzoo shows that “42% of gamers in the U.S. are actively playing” either Apex Legends, Fortnite or PUBG, GD.biz’s Sam Desatoff writes. “59% of that group claiming loyalty to just one franchise in the genre (usually Fortnite). There also exists a group of approximately 15% of ‘churned’ gamers that have played battle royale in the past and intend to do so again sometime in the future.”
Dr. Mario World has only been live for a few days, but it has seen “more than two million players” and “players have spent more than $100,000 on in-app purchases,” Sensor Tower reports. “It is the lowest grossing of Nintendo’s mobile releases at this point in its launch window.”
Gears of War 5 will remove smoking “after urging from Turner and anti-smoking advocacy group Truth Initiative,” Gamasutra’s Bryant Francis writes.
Microsoft is pulling the plug on “several Internet Games for people using Windows 7 and earlier, including Backgammon, Checkers, Hearts, Reversi, Spades and MSN Go. Just when you’ll lose access will depend on your version of Windows,” Engadget’s Jon Fingas writes.
Extra Esports News:
Congratulations GamersOrigin’s Reynor on winning WCS Summer 2019! He defeated ENCE Esports’ Serral to take home $20,000.
Astralis and Origen are splitting from RFRSH Entertainment, HLTV’s MIRAA reports. They are “already operating under a new company called ‘RFRSH Teams’, a temporary name that will soon be changed.”
Sponsorships:
ASUS Republic of Gamers is sponsoring EXP Games, TEO’s Andrew Hayward writes. “This week’s EXP Pro-Am Apex Legends Exhibition took place alongside The 2019 ESPYS, with a $150K USD EXP Invitational – Apex Legends to take place at X Games Minneapolis.”
Interviews: Team Liquid’s Steve Arhancet (Forbes).
Happy weekend birthdays Andreas Franck “Cr1t-” Nielsen, Dmitry “UnderShock” Bolshakov, Dario “TLO” Wünsch and Rasmus “MISERY” Filipsen!