In The News
PSA: There will be no newsletter Monday.
Sexual Assault Allegations:
They continue to pour in after the initial wave two days ago, GI.biz’s Brendan Sinclair reports. Skyrim composer Jeremy Soule has been accused by another woman, Aeralie Brighton, of sexual harassment. Oculus is dealing with two sexual assault allegations of its own, GI.biz’s Matthew Handrahan writes. Autumn Rose Taylor alleged Oculus co-founder Michael Antonov “put his hand up my skirt.”
Infinite Fall has severed ties with Alec Holowka after sexual assault allegations were brought against him by Zoe Quinn. “Developers Scott Benson and Bethany Hockenberry say they take the allegations very seriously and that they share their fans’ hurt and anger,” GameSpot’s Steve Watts writes.
Abuse Allegations:
Indie developer Ken Wong is apologizing “to a former employee [Tony Coculuzzi] who this week said he was ‘abused to the point of depression and suicide,” GI.biz’s James Batchelor reports.
Cultist Simulator developer Alexis Kennedy is being accused of “‘exploitative’ and ‘predatory’ behaviour by two women in the games industry,” Eurogamer’s Tom Phillips writes. “Writing on Twitter, narrative designer Meg Jayanth, who worked with Kennedy as a writer on Sunless Sea, said Kennedy had ‘a pattern of ‘befriending’ young women who are entering the industry and cross[ing] professional boundaries with them.’”
Valve intends to fight European Union antitrust charges while Bandai Namco, Capcom, Focus Home, Koch Media and ZeniMax will settle. “The EU competition enforcer in April charged the six companies with preventing EU consumers from shopping around for the best video game deals within the 28-country bloc,” Reuters reports.
CD Projekt Red saw “improved numbers … for the six months ended June 30,” Sinclair writes. “For the first half, CD Projekt’s revenues were up 26% to €50 million. Breaking that down between the company’s two main divisions — CD Projekt Red and GOG.com — the game publisher accounted for 62% of sales, while the remaining 38% came from the DRM-free online storefront.”
Knock Knock has raised “$4 million to develop ‘frictionless’ games, or instant games that you can play on social media networks. March Capital Partners led the round with participation from existing investors, including London Venture Partners, Raine Ventures, and Ludlow Ventures,” VentureBeat’s Dean Takahashi reports.
Modus Games acquired The Balance Inc., VentureBeat’s Mike Minotti writes. “It will become Modus Studios Brazil, the publisher’s first development studio.”
Pokémon Masters is “already No. 1 for iPhone downloads in 27 countries,” according to Sensor Tower via Minotti. “Those countries include the U.S. and Japan. For the U.S., this is an improvement over 2018’s Pokémon Quest, which debuted at No. 2.”
Interviews: Sam Barlow (GI.biz), Keith Fuller (Gamasutra).
Extra Esports News:
Allied Esports and LiveXLive are partnering “to put on live esports events. Allied Esports owns two of what it calls ‘mobile esports venues’ – converted big-rig trucks that house a miniaturized gaming arena. Allied has dubbed them HyperX Esports Trucks,” Los Angeles Business Journal’s Samson Amore reports.
OUT: 100 Thieves, Team Reciprocity, Gen.G and Luminosity Gaming will not have franchise slots in the first year of Call of Duty’s new league. Team Envy’s Hastr0 discussed 100 Thieves’ decision here.
Happy birthday Cameron “Kronovi” Bills!