Krafton Inc., owner of PUBG Corporation, has hired Mirae Asset Daewoo to lead its initial public offering (IPO), scheduled for 2021. 

In addition to PUBG Corp., developer of battle royale hit PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, the South Korea-based game publisher also operates Delusion Studio, Bluehole, En Mass Entertainment, and mobile game studios Pnix and Redsahara. 

Krafton is planning to use Credit Suisse Group AG, Citigroup, and JPMorgan Chase & Co. as underwriters, for the IPO led by Mirae Asset Daewoo – South Korea’s largest investment banking and stock brokerage firm – on the Korea Exchange (KRX). 

Given the global popularity of video games and Krafton’s impressive portfolio, there is speculation that the IPO may be South Korea’s largest ever, with estimates putting its value at around $26B USD, and the expectation of around $9B in stock being sold.

Last month, South Korea’s Kakao Games Corp., went public and saw its value rise over 300% in the first two days of trading. 

Krafton’s largest shareholder is Chairman Chang Byung-gyu, who controls 17.4% of the company, while Tencent Holdings, the Chinese entertainment conglomerate, owns 13.2% of Krafton via its Hong Kong subsidiary Image Frame Investment. Other stakeholders include IMM Investment with 6.9%, KNET Investment Partners with 5.7%, and Altos Ventures. 

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Freaks 4U Gaming has teamed up with marketing, media, and production agency Infront to launch Valorant hub Agent’s Range.

Aimed at the growing German-speaking Valorant community, the hub will feature game news, original editorial and video content, and broadcast DACH region events, including the inaugural Kingdom Calling tournament, and BLAST’s upcoming Spike Nation. 

Agent’s Range will also be exclusive German broadcast partner for the First Strike Finals in December – the first official Riot Games sanctioned Valorant competition series. 

Set to take place tomorrow, Kingdom Calling is Agent’s Range first tournament, and will feature influencers and teams including eXiLe Esports and Wave Esports. The event is being sponsored by AMD, Red Bull, and Samsung, and will be streamed on Twitch.

Discussing the new platform Freaks 4U Gaming Vice President – Commercial, Marco Niemann, said:

“With Agent’s Range we are going to build the go-to-platform for VALORANT fans in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, offering brands a unique opportunity to get involved in one of the most hyped games in esports in recent years. 

“With Infront we have found the perfect partner to commercialise our vision and look forward to creating high-quality and beneficial brand integrations for our partners.”

While Head of Gaming & Esports at Infront, André Fläckel, added:

“Joining forces with Freaks 4U Gaming is the next logical step to accelerate our ambitions in esports. The interest in VALORANT is rapidly increasing, both from a player and viewership perspective.

“Building Agent’s Range together with Freaks 4U Gaming from scratch is a huge opportunity and will open various fantastic avenues for Infront and its clients. Welcoming partners like Samsung, Red Bull and AMD as part of our launch tournament is even more exciting and shows we are heading in the right direction.”

AYO.NEWS says:

It’s great to see the regional ecosystem for Valorant is taking shape, and Freaks 4U Gaming and Infront have pulled things together impressively quickly, securing major sponsors and major exclusive broadcast rights. The trick now will be getting the still forming DACH Valorant fan community onboard. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

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The EA SPORTS™ FIFA 21 Challenge has smashed the viewership record, with an Average Minute Audience of over 250K. 

A one-day esports tournament that paired top global professional footballers with the world’s best FIFA players, the EA SPORTS™ FIFA 21 Challenge drew an average minute audience (AMA) of 254,057 with a total watch time of 1,024,696 hours, making the event the most-watched EA operated esports broadcast in history. 

In fact, the broadcast more than doubled the viewership metric set by the next most-watched EA operated FIFA event, the FIFA Global Series FUT Champions Cup: Barcelona, which took place over multiple days in January 2018 and registered an AMA of 92,678.

During the competition, four esports players paired with four professional footballers from international clubs Liverpool, West Ham United, Inter Milan, and Borussia Dortmund, clashed on October 29 for the EA SPORTS FIFA 21 Challenge. 

Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold and Fnatic’s Tekkz took home the trophy and won $20,000 on behalf of their selected charities

In addition to incorporating celebrity participation to reach non-traditional gaming audiences, the EA SPORTS FIFA 21 Challenge was the first event to utilize FIFA Global Series Viewership Rewards, creating an interactive broadcast for viewers with in-game benefits for watching to further drive engagement and subsequent play time.

Reflecting on the event EA SPORTS FIFA Commissioner, Brent Koning, said:

“EA SPORTS FIFA is woven into the fabric of football culture. Bringing professional footballers and our esports pros together creates entertainment that sets our tournaments apart.

“The success of the FIFA 21 Challenge reinforces our strategy and vision for broadening the esports audience, creating content for our fans, and underscores the value of entertainment-driven events that branch outside of traditional esports.”

The FIFA 21 Challenge was a part of a series of EA SPORTS FIFA 21 Global Series pre-season invitationals, featuring notable influencers, footballers, and FIFA pros, in partnership with the interactive entertainment world’s biggest video streaming and content platforms.

It’s a nod to EA’s renewed competitive gaming strategy, which leverages the convergence of traditional sports, competitive gaming, and pop culture to create new, engaging, and accessible broadcasts for diverse audiences.

AYO.NEWS says:

Viewership figures like this illustrate just how integrated esports, especially FIFA, is becoming in mainstream football culture, and the growth looks set to continue, and reflects well on EA’s competitive gaming strategy. Last month, EA announced improvements and a bigger prize pool for the upcoming esports season. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates.

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Singapore-based esports organisation Team SMG has partnered with sports and entertainment agency SPORTFIVE. 

The agency, which will act as Team SMG’s commercial sales representative, will leverage its global network and expertise to develop sponsorship packages for both endemic and non-endemic brands. 

Discussing the collaboration General Manager of Team SMG, Orrin Xu, said:

“We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved so far with our teams, and are ready to take the next step to carve out a niche for ourselves in the esports world and build our presence beyond South East Asia. 

“Partnering with SPORTFIVE will allow us to access greater commercial opportunities while optimising the growth potential of Team SMG, and we look forward to exciting collaborations with brands that will bring value to our fans.”

While Managing Director – South East Asia at SPORTFIVE, Malcolm Thorpe, added:

“With esports showing a clear rise in audience, reach and commercialisation, it is clear that esports is a global industry that is here to stay. 

“Our expansion into esports has delivered partnerships for both endemic and non-endemic brands, allowing them to connect with the world of gaming and its massive and highly engaged audience. We are confident that our track record and global network will help bring Team SMG to the next level.”

Team SMG (Still Moving Under Gunfire), rose to prominence after winning the 2017 Arena of Valor International Championship. In February this year, the organisation acquired Malaysian Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) team, Makan Cendol, while over the last few months it has found success with Riot Games’ Valorant – winning two back-to-back titles. 

The organisation already has commercial partnerships in place with well-established brands including Under Armour, Nescafé, and U Mobile. 

SPORTFIVE (previously Lagardère Sports and Entertainment) has 50 years of experience in traditional and access to over 60,000 rights holders, brands, hospitality clients, and broadcasters globally. 

The agency is now investing in its esports services, and has partnered with leading publishers, event organisers, and teams – including Riot Games, RFRSH Entertainment, T1 Entertainment & Sports (T1), and PUBG – and its esports portfolio includes sales and strategic consulting for major brands including Nike, BMW, SAP, Shell, and Foot Locker. 

AYO.NEWS says:

With esports now firmly in the mainstream, and investors looking for organisations to more effectively monetise, it’s only natural that more attention is being paid to commercial sponsorships and merchandising – and agencies like SPORTFIVE, with their extensive contacts, will be key to turning non-endemic brands into big spenders in the esports space. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

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Natus Vincere is the latest esports organisation to partner with fan engagement platform Socios.com.

Ukraine-based Natus Vincere (Na’Vi) says it will be launching a Fan Token on the blockchain-based fan voting and rewards application from Malta-based Chiliz. 

By purchasing $NAVI tokens, fans will gain voting rights, and be able to influence selected decisions made by the organisation. 

5 million $NAVI fan tokens will be made available at launch, with a limited number sold at just $1 USD each during a flash sale to get the ball rolling.

Discussing plans CEO of Natus Vincere, Yevhen ‘HarisPilton’ Zolotarov, said:

“What we are launching today is the next eventual step in switching to a new dynamic of interacting with our devoted audience. Socios.com creates an opportunity to become an actual and viable part of NAVI, as $NAVI tokens are the real way to influence our decisions. In fact, it is a way of making all the crucial decisions together.

“We truly hope that our #NAVINATION members will enjoy the opportunity to make a real difference  with NAVI during the next few years.”

While Founder and CEO of Chiliz and Socios.com, Alexandre Dreyfus, added:

“NAVI’s ‘Born to Win’ mentality has already forged a really strong alliance with their fanbase. The organisation has always been focused on creating a special bond with players through YouTube vlogs and social media activity, but now NAVI are taking things to the next level. $NAVI Fan Tokens are going to give fans a real say in the future of the organisation and real decision making power, not to mention the chance to win some amazing rewards too.”

Thus far, Socios.com is dominated by football clubs (Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, AS Roma, Atletico Madrid, to name but a few), with Na’Vi becoming only the third esports organisation to join, after OG and Team Heretics. Mixed martial arts organisation UFC is also partnered with the app. 

AYO.NEWS says:

With so many things competing for fans’ attention, driving long-term, sustainable fan engagement is critical for the commercial viability of esports and traditional sports organisations alike. 

While Socios.com has attracted a lot of attention, other platforms like Blocksport are also making headway – indeed, Russian organisation Virtus.pro announced it had selected the platform earlier this week. 

Meanwhile Gen.G Esports recently partnered with blockchain network Rally to launch its own CS:GO crypto fan token called GG Strike Coin. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

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Brazil-based esports organisation FURIA has announced online poker operator PokerStars as its new “master sponsor.”

The partnership makes more sense when you consider that André Akkari, a co-owner of FURIA, is one of the most successful Brazilian professional poker players, and a PokerStars Ambassador. As part of the collaboration, Akkari will be leading a new team of poker streamers, including top Latin American female poker professional Lali Tournier, and Rafa Moraes. 

Financial details of the agreement have not been disclosed. 

Commenting on the partnership Akkari said:

“Poker plays a natural part in Furia’s DNA. It’s all about making optimal decisions in the moment for long-term results. The partnership is a natural step for expansion as we look to move beyond eSports.”

While Associate Director of Public Relations at PokerStars, Rebecca McAdam-Willets, added:

“The team at Furia work very hard, lead by example, and are always looking to improve and evolve.

“This approach, as well as their general ethos, sits extremely well with what we aim for at PokerStars. It will be exciting for us to see what we can bring our community and how we can engage new audiences by working together with such a passionate team.”

FURIA is well-known for fielding a particularly potent Counter-Strike: Global Offensive teams, and recently acquired a slot in the Brazilian League of Legends Championship (CBLoL) franchise. 

The organisation also has commercial partnerships in place with Aim Lab, AOC, GamersCard, HyperX, Legion by Lenovo, Nike, Nvidia, Rivalry, and Unilever. 

In April, FURIA also teamed up with Swiss blockchain-based mobile app solution Blocksport to improve fan engagement.

AYO.NEWS says:

While we see partnerships between betting operators and esports organisations, this relationship seems set to take collaboration to a new level, so it will be interesting to see how it pans out, and if it will inspire other esports organisations to get involved with traditional gaming. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020.