Here’s a first-look at what we can expect from VENN, the soon-to-launch gaming, streaming, and esports network. 

VENN, the Video Game Entertainment and News Network, is proud to unveil Part One of an in-depth look at its creative programming and broadcast talent, debuting live on August 5th. More shows and talent will be announced in the coming weeks.

Programming will be delivered live from the state of the art 50,000 sq. ft. Vista Studios in Playa Vista, Los Angeles – with a flagship studio at New York’s Three World Trade Center to join in 2021. VENN’s Studio One at Vista will be outfitted with over 1000 sq. ft. and 30M pixels of LED walls and floors, driving digital storytelling and interactive show formats, as one of the most technologically advanced broadcast studios in the world.

Aimed squarely at the streaming generation, raised at the intersection of gaming and entertainment, VENN will span multiple formats of entertainment – from talk shows and news, to game shows and docuseries. Told through the lens of pop culture and gaming, the breadth of content on offer will speak directly to Gen Z and Millennial audiences.

Co-CEO of VENN, Ariel Horn, said:

“From conception, VENN has been laser-focused on elevating the creators of this generation with production leadership, a chance to flex new creative muscles and grow their audiences via our broad distribution.

“As we close in on our August launch, we’re thrilled to pull back the curtain on the first wave of programming – and the unique blend of talent curated from the worlds of gaming and cutting edge digital storytelling.”

VENN’s schedule for network launch includes shows like:

VENN ARCADE LIVE – A celebration of all things gaming and pop culture, packed into a daily variety show. Hosted by fan favorite League of Legends Championship Series host James ‘Dash’ Patterson among others soon-to-be announced, VAL will feature guest appearances, live performances, interactive gameplay and unparalleled audience participation from the hottest gamers, streamers, celebrities, athletes, musicians and rising stars. Filmed on the main Studio A set, and filled with daily surprises,VAL will drive the pop culture conversation.

DARE PACKAGE – The unboxing genre will never be the same. The world’s biggest streamers take on extreme challenges in this live competition format. Each week VENN airdrops real-life loot crates filled with mystery challenges – from solving Mensa-level puzzles to eating pickled brains – LIVE into streamers’ homes. Dare Package is hosted by the legendary @AustinOnTwitter, a modern day Oz who’s built a record-breaking fanbase from his earliest days of gaming into an empire of live reality tv

“It’s been a dream of mine to elevate my shows to TV Network quality productions,’ said Austin, content creator and VENN host. “VENN will help unlock the scale and scope of entertainment I’ve been looking forward to creating.”

GUEST HOUSE – Each weekday afternoon VENN is inviting gaming’s biggest names, rising stars, and beloved creators to choose their own adventure and customize their own two hour tv show. Hosted by performing artist and gamer @ChrissyConstanza (lead singer of Against The Current), Guest House will take the concept of “streaming entertainment” to a whole new level. “Guest House” provides guest creators with access to the ultimate streaming space, packed with the latest tech and audience interactivity tools, and backed by the support of a full broadcast production team.

THE SUSHIDRAGON SHOW – 50% imagineer, 50% dancing dragon and 100% drinkable internet, no one who has entered the mind of @TheSushiDragon has ever quite been the same. Hosted by the eclectic and eccentric performance artist and streamer, The SushiDragon Show is variety, talk, performance and interactivity rolled into a bananas performance featuring musicians, artists and creators – and, of course, high energy dancing set against metaverse bending digital environments.

LOOKING FOR GAINS – Who says gamers can’t be athletes? Hosted by YouTube sensation and competitive NBA2K Pro @CashNasty – best known for his blend of gaming, basketball and comedy content – LFG is VENN’s new interactive fitness show. Each week Cash welcomes a special celebrity guest to the ultimate quarantine workout, where viewers join the #LFGSquad and get after it live with Cash and guests. This show has it all, from exercises you can do at home, to celebrity Q&A, shake recipes and more. 

Discussing the project Co-CEO of VENN, Ben Kusin, explained:

“We’re disrupting the traditional television business model and giving birth to a powerful voice in GenZ and Millennial entertainment. We identify and curate fan favorite talent, develop and elevate their content with a world class TV production infrastructure, then rapidly scale it all via our universally distributed network.

“There’s a currency in generational talents and a currency in generational movements, and that timeliness can’t wait for traditional TV to adapt. The time for VENN is now.”

Stay tuned in the coming weeks for Part Two of VENN’s talent, show, and distribution announcements.

AYO.NEWS says:

Wow! We can’t believe it’s been 10 months since we first reported on VENN, when it raised $17 million USD in a seed funding round led by BITKRAFT. Billing itself as the “post cable” gaming and esports streaming network, it always had big ambitions, and now seems to have pulled together the talent to make something truly special happen. 

Will VENN become to GenZ and Millennials what MTV was to Generation X? We can’t wait to find out! 

‘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

Psyonix has entered a multi-year licensing partnership with IMG, covering the Rocket League franchise. 

The deal makes IMG the exclusive global licensing representative for Rocket League, and will see the company bring official consumer products including apparel, toys, collectibles, and accessories, to market through brand partnerships and collaborations. 

Psyonix will remain responsible for Rocket League gaming and tournament licensing. 

Since launching in 2015, Rocket League has grown to become one of the world’s most popular games and esports, and like other esports has seen a significant growth during the COVID-19 crisis, being picked up by major broadcasters including the BBC, ESPN and NBC Sports. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Rocket League is rapidly evolving into a global phenomenon, and with the COVID-19 crisis looking set to rumble on for many months, if not years, the future of video games and esports in general is looking extremely promising. 

Only last week Psyonix revealed the Rocket League Championship Series league is morphing into a longer, open events-based circuit, dubbed RLCS X – giving more flexibility in case of more lockdowns, and allowing more teams to get in on the action.

And, staying with IMG, earlier today we reported IMG Arena has entered a long-term streaming and data rights partnership with World Table Tennis (WTT). 

‘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

North American esports organisation Pittsburgh Knights has extended its partnership with Kingston Technology brand HyperX. 

HyperX will continue to be the official peripherals partner of the Knights, providing headsets, mousemats, and other accessories. 

The collaboration will also cover the “Wiz and Friends Charity Livestream” event, which aims to raise money for the Rise Above the Disorder –  a non-profit dedicated to making mental health care accessible to everyone.

Commenting on the news President of Pittsburgh Knights, James O’Connor, said:

“We’re really proud to be a HyperX team. We feel good about outfitting our players with high-quality gear to ensure they’re able to play at the top of their game.”

While Esports Sponsorship Specialist at HyperX, Kitty Nguyen, added:

“HyperX is excited to continue our relationship with the Knights and to be part of Wiz Khalifa’s charity stream. Providing gear to the team and music artists is an essential part of our goal to provide the best gaming experience to the gaming community.”

Pittsburgh Knights also has commercial partnership with other well-known brands including Sheetz, Zenni Optical, and Zoomph, while HyperX is heavily involved in supporting esports, and has recently entered partnerships with Excel Esports, London Royal Ravens, Panda Express, Rogue, and Virtus.pro. 

AYO.NEWS says:

It’s not exactly the most surprising news, but it’s good to see HyperX is sticking with the organisations it supports, after all, in these crazy times, stability and certainty is rare. Just a few months ago the company also extended its peripherals partnership with UK-based Excel Esports. 

‘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

US/Malta-based Esports Entertainment Group (EEG) has engaged Akur Capital as its iGaming mergers and acquisitions advisor. 

Akur Capital is a cross-border M&A advisory firm, specialising in the iGaming and sports betting sectors.

Commenting on the news CEO of Esports Entertainment Group, Grant Johnson, said:

“We just signed with Akur and are already evaluating multiple potential M&A opportunities they’ve introduced to us.

“The Akur team has years of iGaming and gambling experience and an extensive network of industry contacts. As the first US-based iGaming company to list on NASDAQ, we’re in a great position to capitalize on these highly fragmented markets and believe Akur will prove to be a valuable partner in our ongoing success.”

Johnson will be participating in a webinar panel at The emergence of Esports, presented by Maxim Group and M-Vest tomorrow (Thursday, 9 July, 2020). During the discussion, Johnson will discuss the esports industry, its major players, and factors driving the current dramatic market growth.

Esports Entertainment Group runs its gambling operations from the European iGaming hub of Malta, and last month set up a subsidiary in New Jersey, USA. Last week, the company announced the appointment of two Argyll Entertainment executives, Stuart Tilly and Dan Marks, to key leadership positions.

AYO.NEWS says:

EEG is obviously planning some acquisitions, but what will they be? Small specialist esports operators, or more traditional iGaming/sports betting operators with a presence in esports? Or maybe it’s something more along the lines of tournament platforms or media? With the esports sector booming and so many exciting startups and innovative companies in the space, the possibilities are endless.

‘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

Hitmarker, the UK-based gaming and esports jobs platform, has announced a partnership with The NUEL (National University Esports League).  

The partnership will see The NUEL harness Hitmarker’s data and expertise to help university students enter the video game and esports industries. At the same time Hitmarker will benefit from a “ever-increasing pipeline of potential hires” for the jobs it advertises. 

In addition to carrying on live Hitmarker jobs feed on its website, The NUEL will also be offering a limited number of students one-on-one guidance sessions with professionals from Hitmarker, and there will be collaboration covering career-focused content and events. 

Discussing the partnership Managing Director of Hitmarker, Richard Huggan, said:

“When The NUEL approached us about working together for the benefit of university students here in the UK, we jumped at the opportunity. 

We’re committed to doing as much as we possibly can to advance the cause of esports globally, but it’s fantastic to be able to give something back a little bit closer to home. We hope hundreds of students will benefit from this partnership in the months and years ahead, and we look forward to working with all of them to help them reach their goals.”

While Founder of The NUEL, Josh Williams, added:

“Helping to develop pathways into the esports industry is a critical part of what The NUEL does, so we’re incredibly excited to be working more closely with Hitmarker. By connecting the support and expertise of the Hitmarker team with the university esports community, we hope to help even more students with their professional development.”

AYO.NEWS says:

This seems like a win-win partnership for everyone; Hitmarker can provide its clients with access to a steady stream of new talent, while students will get professional advice and access to the contacts and opportunities that can kick-start their careers. 

This kind of partnership, together with increased investment in esports and video games from universities, is exactly what is needed to enable the development of a truly sustainable and exciting industry. 

Staying with UK students and esports, only yesterday we reported the Asian Electronic Sports Federation has entered a strategic partnership with Coventry University. 

Earlier this year Hitmarker expanded to cover Spanish and Portuguese speaking markets through a partnership with Brazil-based esports job platform VaggasBR. 

‘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

Indian PUBG MOBILE esports organisation Megastars has announced a partnership with streaming platform Nimo TV. 

Under the terms of the agreement, Nimo TV, which is owned by Chinese streaming platform Huya, will get exclusive streaming rights for Megastars players. 

Since launching in 2020, Nimo TV has been building a presence in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and South America, attempting to entice content creators and esports players onto the platform. It has been aiming particularly at the PUBG MOBILE audience, which is extremely large in those regions, hosting tournaments like the recent Nimo TV PUBG MOBILE League.

Megastars are now ready for the highest level of competitive play in PUBG MOBILE, having recently qualified for the World League. The organisation also fields players in Call of Duty: Mobile, and Clash Royale. 

AYO.NEWS says:

There’s a lot of news coming out of the Indian PUBG MOBILE scene recently. Last month UK-based esports organisation, which acquired Indian PUBG MOBILE team XSpark in October 2019, entered a long-term partnership with Indian streaming platform Loco. 

At the end of June, Hong Kong-based Nova Esports also announced it was partnering with GodLike Esports to field an all-Indian roster in PUBG MOBILE. 

With its relatively low technical requirements, PUBG MOBILE can be played on even entry level and low-end smartphones, turning it into something of a cultural phenomenon in India, where its popularity shows no signs of slowing. 

‘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