This Week in Games

Tencent makes its move to consolidate game streaming in China.

A number of major eSports events have been delayed or canceled.

Jagex, developers behind the long running MMO Runescape, has a new home.

Music by Proviant Audio:

http://freemusiarchive.org/music/Proviant_Audio/Welcome_Wilderness/Just_Like_That

Show Notes:

https://twitter.com/EVO/status/1256308529163452416

https://twitter.com/FNCompetitive/status/1255927727141593091

http://blog.dota2.com/2020/04/the-international-2/

https://gdconf.com/

https://www.egx.net/rezzed

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-04-27-jens-begemann-steps-down-from-wooga-after-11-years

https://www.fool.com/investing/2020/04/09/tencent-gains-control-of-huya-what-does-this-mean.aspx

https://www.fool.com/investing/2019/12/08/which-esports-stock-to-buy-huya-or-douyu.aspx

https://gamasutra.com/view/news/361945/Macarthur_Fortune_Holding_acquires_Runescape_dev_Jagex_for_530_million.php

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-04-28-bohemia-interactive-shuts-down-dayz-studio

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-04-29-bublar-group-to-acquire-goodbye-kansas-for-approximately-usd5-7m-in-shares

https://goodbyekansasstudios.com/

https://techcrunch.com/2020/05/01/guilded-raises-7-million-for-its-competitive-gaming-focused-chat-app/

https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/guilded#section-funding-rounds

Is Nintendo poised to take on Disney or Netflix, one hedge fund seems to think so. Epic concedes to the Google Play Store. Facebook aims at Twitch as it spinoffs Gaming into a separate App.

Music by Proviant Audio:

http://freemusiarchive.org/music/Proviant_Audio/Welcome_Wilderness/Just_Like_That

Show Notes:

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nintendo-valueact-exclusive/exclusive-valueact-eyes-nintendo-with-stake-of-over-1-1-billion-letter-idUSKCN2232VT

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ValueAct_Capital

https://www.polygon.com/2020/4/21/21229930/fortnite-available-on-google-play-android-mobile-devices

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-21/epic-games-is-said-to-be-fundraising-at-above-15-billion-value

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/19/technology/facebook-app-gaming.html

https://kotaku.com/wwe-2k-is-skipping-2020-1843032399

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-04-23-stillfront-group-acquires-candywriter-for-at-least-usd74m

https://venturebeat.com/2020/04/23/transcend-fund-raises-50-million-to-invest-in-games/

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-04-23-opera-event-raises-USD5m-to-expand-its-influencer-platform

https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/opera-event#section-funding-rounds

https://www.pocketgamer.biz/news/73176/reworks-funding-round-redecor/

https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/reworks-ltd#section-funding-rounds

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-04-23-1939-games-secures-usd1-9m-in-latest-funding-round

ESRB puts a bandaid on loot boxes. Virtual NASCAR turns into XBox Live. Animal Crossing stirs up UGC controversy.

Music by Proviant Audio:

http://freemusiarchive.org/music/Proviant_Audio/Welcome_Wilderness/Just_Like_That

Show Notes:

https://www.comic-con.org/cci

https://twitter.com/gamescom/status/1250815640400773120

https://www.esrb.org/blog/in-game-purchases-includes-random-items/

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-52269671

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-04-17-the-curious-case-of-animal-crossing-in-china-opinion

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-04-17-gaming-platforms-should-take-cues-from-nascars-response-to-kyle-larson-opinion

https://beta.playvalorant.com/en-us/news/dev/valorant-esports-and-community-competition/

https://nianticlabs.com/blog/mq/

https://www.princeton.edu/news/2020/04/14/mathematician-john-horton-conway-magical-genius-known-inventing-game-life-dies-age

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-04-16-riot-acquires-hypixel

https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/hypixel-studio#section-investors

https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/17/republic-acquires-fig-adding-games-to-its-startup-crowdfunding-platform/

https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/15/nifty-games-raises-12m-to-shake-up-mobile-sports-gaming/

https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/nifty-games

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-04-15-nordisk-film-invests-usd10-8m-in-nitro-games

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-04-15-superplus-games-raises-usd4-7m

https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/superplus-games#section-funding-rounds

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/breakingwalls/away-the-survival-series-an-animal-adventure-game/posts

https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/breaking-walls

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-04-14-unrd-raises-USD2-5m-toward-bolstering-its-interactive-story-platform

https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/unrd#section-funding-rounds

Sony unveils a sleek new PS5 controller. Riot breaks Twitch records but with the help of outside forces. Sony drops $400 million for a stake in one of China’s top video platform.

Music by Proviant Audio:

http://freemusiarchive.org/music/Proviant_Audio/Welcome_Wilderness/Just_Like_That

Show Notes:

https://blog.us.playstation.com/2020/04/07/introducing-dualsense-the-new-wireless-game-controller-for-playstation-5/

https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/8/21212567/valorant-riot-games-twitch-record-viewers

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-04-06-retro-console-amico-receives-10-000-pre-sales-in-one-week

https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2020/04/07/project-xcloud-western-europe/

https://www.pcgamer.com/e3-2021-dates-announced-but-theres-still-no-word-about-the-2020-online-experience/

https://www.reddit.com/r/vainglorygame/comments/fqc2c1/update_from_the_lair/

https://gamasutra.com/view/news/360988/Sony_invests_400_million_in_Chinese_entertainment_platform_Bilibili.php

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-04-08-n3twork-announces-usd50m-fund-to-scale-published-mobile-games

https://scale.n3twork.com/

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-04-08-vela-games-closes-USD3-1m-seed-round

https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/vela-games#section-funding-rounds

https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-04-08-embracer-group-raises-usd160m-for-acquisition-and-expansion

The BAFTA Awards held its annual award show digitally. E3 sets new dates as IGN tries to fill the 2020 void. Gearbox has been accused of withholding bonuses.

Music by Proviant Audio:

http://freemusiarchive.org/music/Proviant_Audio/Welcome_Wilderness/Just_Like_That

Epic makes big waves as it moves into publishing. GameStop continues to its massive decline in sales. Stadia reaches out to the indie community for content.

Music by Proviant Audio:

http://freemusiarchive.org/music/Proviant_Audio/Welcome_Wilderness/Just_Like_That

Indies took over the IGF and GDC Awards. Next-gen consoles hold strong to their Q4 2020 release windows. This was a week dominated by fundraising news.

Music by Proviant Audio:

http://freemusiarchive.org/music/Proviant_Audio/Welcome_Wilderness/Just_Like_That

E3, the industry’s biggest conference, is officially canceled. GDC Online kicks off today on Twitch. Unity and Unreal both make critical art acquisitions.

Music by Proviant Audio:

http://freemusiarchive.org/music/Proviant_Audio/Welcome_Wilderness/Just_Like_That

Google pouches top talent from Sony to lead new LA studio. Australia eyes loot box regulation. GeForce Now loses another top publisher.

Music by Proviant Audio:

http://freemusiarchive.org/music/Proviant_Audio/Welcome_Wilderness/Just_Like_That

COVID-19 and its impact on the game industry. An update on GDC. Roblox raises a giant fundraising round from powerful investors.

Music by Proviant Audio:

http://freemusiarchive.org/music/Proviant_Audio/Welcome_Wilderness/Just_Like_That