Tech behemoth Microsoft has acquired self-service esports tournament platform Smash.gg. 

The news was broken by Smash.gg on Twitter, and was confirmed by MSN Esports’ social account, but financial details have not been revealed by Microsoft. 

In a statement on its website, Smash.gg said

“Since we started in 2015, our goal has been to build active esports scenes around the games people love to play. Smash.gg has been acquired by Microsoft!”

Smash.gg was launched in 2015, and in 2017 secured $11M USD funding in a Series A round. Since then it has become particularly popular for fighting game esports, though it also supports other titles like Rocket League and Hearthstone. 

Microsoft has a massive presence in video gaming through its Xbox division, and has splashed a lot of cash buying up developers. Notably, it spent $2.5B for Minecraft in 2014, and an incredible $7.5B for ZeniMax Media – maker of Fallout, Doom, and The Elder Scrolls, earlier this year. 

However, the corporation has also seen some major flops, including streaming service Beam, which it acquired in 2016 and rebranded as Mixer. Despite integrating Mixer with the Xbox console, the platform never really challenged Twitch, and was shut down earlier this year. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Given Microsoft’s vast resources and talent pool, it should be able to take anything to the next level and beyond. But, in the strange world of esports and video gaming, where a slight change in tone or temperature can alter the trajectory of any business, nothing is certain. 

‘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.

Between 4 – 31 of January, an unlimited number of participants will be able to enter the first Jam Nation by TapNation.

Each team will have 1 whole month of production to try and come up with the best performing game, in terms of CPI and retention. The top 3 contenders that get the best performances in these metrics can win a part of the $150,000 USD prize pool, high-tech gifts, as well as a publishing opportunity with TapNation.

All applications will also be judged by members of the jury composed of experts of the industry, and each one of them will award their favorite game with a Jury Prize. They will be there to guide participants during the competition with us. Experienced game studios such as Pinpin Team, Redline Games, together with publishing managers and game designers from TapNation will help contestants create the best possible game.

Kinsey Dardanus, Head of Publishing at TapNation, said: 

“We are very happy to host the first hyper-casual game jam of the year, which is also the first one for TapNation. This will be a very exciting experience for us and for all the developers that we are going to work with. 

“We hope that everyone is going to have a good time by creating amazing games together. We also plan on organizing Masterclasses, live discussions and Q&A sessions during the whole Jam Nation so make sure you tune in to these events!”

Developers interested in taking part can send their game up until the 31 January.

Don’t hesitate any longer and fill in the form on the link below to enter the competition and get a chance at publishing a HIT game!

Event page here.

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

Riot Games has named Verizon as official 5G wireless and network service partner of the VALORANT First Strike tournament.

The US-based telecommunications giant already had an existing relationship with Riot Games, having entered a three-year partnership with the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) in June this year. 

The main events of First Strike run from today until 6 December, when the champions for each of the 11 regions will be named. The European and North American finals have prize pools of $100K USD. 

Late last month, Riot Games revealed details of the VALORANT Champions Tour for 2021, which will kick off in January and run through to finals in November, and is being sponsored by Red Bull and Secretlab. 

Over the past few months Verizon has also signed esports deals with the Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS), and North American esports organisations FaZe Clan and Dignitas. And, just last week the company supported the World of Warships Verizon Warrior’s Championship, which included an exhibition tournament featuring veteran and active service military players, and saw prize money donated to charity. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Verizon has clearly woken up to the value of sponsoring esports events to get noticed by gamers, who now constitute one of the biggest user groups for most telecommunications companies. Though First Strike will be over in a few days, we wouldn’t be surprised if the company ends up sponsoring the VALORANT Champions Tour too. 

‘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.

What makes the Isle of Man such a great location for esports and gaming businesses? Find out as AYO.NEWS’ very own Simona Pinterova chats with Chris Kissack, Head of Esports with Digital Isle of Man – an executive agency for the Department of Enterprise within the Isle of Man Government.

Located in the the Irish sea, midway between England and Northern Ireland, sits the Isle of Man. A self-governing British Crown dependency, steeped in history and boasting dramatic scenery, the island is home to under 90K people, but has nevertheless built an impressive tech sector. Already home to many igaming companies, the island’s government is now positioning it as a video gaming, esports, and blockchain hub.

Find out more about what the Isle of Man can offer businesses at the official Digital Isle of Man site.

BLAST Premier is partnering with HyperX, Power, OMEN, and KPMG for next week’s Fall Final Counter-Strike tournament. 

Branding from each company will feature heavily across BLAST’s CS:GO event, and the partnerships will also cover branded content opportunities and a number of bespoke giveaway offers. 

BLAST and professional services network KPMG, who previously partnered for last year’s BLAST Pro Series in Copenhagen’s Royal Arena, will be working together to run an esports seminar, VIP backstage experiences for KPMG staff based in their Danish offices, and create a ‘Women in Technology’ content feature. 

Gaming hardware brand OMEN is also a returning partner, having worked with BLAST on last year’s Pro Series, while electronics retailer Power previously sponsored the 2018 event. 

Power, OMEN and KPMG all have a strong presence in Copenhagen, Denmark, and BLAST says it will be looking to activate in the local area, despite the event not being able to take place in the Royal Arena due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The Fall Final will be HyperX’s first involvement with BLAST Premier, and the company will be giving fans the chance to predict tournament results to win special prizes and feature on the broadcast. There will also be a meet and greet with three pro CS:GO heroes from participating BLAST Premier teams.  

Regarding the event, Commercial Director at BLAST, Leo Matlock, said:

“The Fall Final is one of the most eagerly awaited Counter-Strike events of 2020 and the world will be watching when the tournament starts next week, we’re delighted to welcome four highly reputable brands in the shape of HyperX, Power, OMEN and KPMG – and look forward to creating new content, activations and initiatives.

“Despite not being able to host the tournament in front of a packed out Royal Arena in Copenhagen due to travel and event restrictions, we’ve got some exciting plans in store to help create a buzz for fans and the esports community in Denmark.”

The Fall Final is BLAST Premier’s sixth event of 2020 and will see the world’s best CS:GO teams fighting it out for $425,000 in prize money along with a place in January’s Global Final. 

The full list of partners for the BLAST Premier Fall Final: Betway, CS Money, EPOS, Hdac Technology, Stimorol, HyperX, Power, OMEN and KPMG.

AYO.NEWS says:

Despite the obvious disappointment of having to ditch plans for an in-person event at the Royal Arena, it’s great to see BLAST still working hard to create an unforgettable experience for fans, teams and commercial partners alike. 

It’s also a great sign to see both KPMG and OMEN continue to support BLAST, and HyperX sign up as a new partner – a real vote of confidence in the commercial value of the event.

‘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.

Mobile games and social experiences developer GreenPark Sports has raised $14M USD in a Series A financing round and partnered with the NBA. 

The round was led by Galaxy Interactive, and also attracted participation from ADvantage, John Burbank (Passport Capital), Steve Chen (co-founder of YouTube), Courtney Reum (M13), Sinclair Broadcasting, and existing backers Sapphire Sport and SignalFire. 

According to the Los Angeles-based publisher and developer, the new capital is earmarked for development, expansion across leagues, and worldwide publishing. 

Additionally, the company has signed a multi-year agreement with the National Basketball Association (NBA), covering a free-to-play mobile game designed to be played over the top of sporting events. 

GreenPark says the game will allow fans to support their favourite NBA team and compete against their biggest rivals in a virtual NBA Land – a “metaverse for sports fans.” It will feature in-game challenges, and users will be able to kit out their avatar with authentic NBA gear, including jerseys and hats. 

Commenting on the project NBA Associate Vice President, Global Partnerships, Adrienne O’Keeffe, said:

“We are always looking for innovative and engaging social gaming experiences to bring to our fans. We believe GreenPark has created something truly unique for NBA fans around the world and are excited to be a part of the platform at launch.”

While Vice President of Business Operations at GreenPark, Tony Grillo, added:

“It’s a huge honor to have an organization like the NBA ‘buy-in’ to our vision for the Future of Fandom. We’re looking forward to collaborating with them on future initiatives and are excited to see how the GreenPark community responds to basketball fandom.”

A similar agreement was previously signed with the North American League of Legends Championship Series (LCS). The new game is slated to launch for both the NBA and LCS sometime early next year. 

AYO.NEWS says:

These days everything is about fan engagement, and GreenPark’s take on mobile game experiences looks refreshingly new, so it will be interesting to see just how attractive these games are when they are launched early next year. One things for sure, the company isn’t going to be short on cash for a while, and can tap some impressive expertise.

‘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.