TheGamingEconomy’s Daily Digest brings you the prevalent business stories in gaming. In today’s news: Paradox Interactive acquires Playrion; Sony mulling offer for Leyou; and Tencent launches second US studio. Paradox Interactive acquires Playrion Stockholm-based developer-publisher Paradox Interactive has announced that it has acquired mobile studio Playrion for an undisclosed sum. Operating out of Paris, the acquired developer is best known for its Airlines Manager title, which has a player base of over 10 million since its release in 2014. Playrion becomes the [...]

TheGamingEconomy’s Daily Digest brings you the prevalent business stories in gaming. In today’s news: US suspends H-1B visas; Phoenixx partners with Bandai Namco and Dentsu; and Treehouse Games raises USD$2.6m (£2.1m). US suspends H-1B visas United States President Donald Trump has signed an executive order suspending H-1B skilled worker visas, along with a range of other temporary visas including work-based exchange programmes, which took effect as of yesterday (24th June 2020) and will apply until the close of 2020. The restrictions [...]

TheGamingEconomy’s Daily Digest brings you the prevalent business stories in gaming. In today’s news: DoubleDown Interactive in USD$100m (£79.8m) IPO; Nexon to invest USD$1.5bn (£1.2bn) in global entertainment companies; and Giants Gaming acquires x6tence. DoubleDown Interactive in USD$100m (£79.8m) IPO Social and casino developer-publisher DoubleDown Interactive has submitted filings with the SEC for an initial public offering (IPO) on the Nasdaq stock exchange, with its shares to be traded under the symbol DDI. The Seattle, Washington-based firm intends to raise up to [...]

TheGamingEconomy’s Daily Digest brings you the prevalent business stories in gaming. In today’s news: Zynga in talks to acquire Peak; NetEase to raise up to USD$3bn (£2.4bn); and Avalanche Studios Group to open new UK studio. Zynga in talks to acquire Peak Social game developer and services company Zynga is in advanced talks to acquire mobile games company Peak Games in a cash and shares deal which would value the latter at approximately USD$1.8bn (£1.5bn), according to a reports from Turkish media. [...]

TheGamingEconomy’s Daily Digest brings you the prevalent business stories in gaming. In today’s news: ValueAct gains USD$1.1bn (£891m) stake in Nintendo; US game sales up 35%; and Boost VC closes USD$40m (£32m) fund. US game sales up 35% US consumer spend across video game hardware, software, and accessories, increased by 35% during March 2020 when compared to last year, reaching USD$1.6bn (£1.3bn), according to estimates released by The NPD Group. Despite being the most lucrative March for the US video games industry [...]

TheGamingEconomy’s Daily Digest brings you the prevalent business stories in gaming. In today’s news: US gaming time up 45%; SteelSeries acquires A-Volute; and Torque Esports partners with Blake Broadcasting. US gaming time up 45% Time spent gaming in the United States has increased markedly during movement restrictions imposed as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, with the monthly Video Game Tracking survey by Nielsen Games suggesting an increase of 45%. Significant rises were observed in each of the other surveyed countries, [...]

[LATEST UPDATE: 3rd April] As the COVID-19 novel coronavirus continues its spread and has hit pandemic level, there has been a growing impact on the game industry. The game sector’s problems, of course, are trivial compared to the millions impacted and the potential danger to millions more across the world.  However, the earlier Taipei Game Show and Mobile World Congress were previously cancelled amidst concerns around the virus, the potential arrival of the next-generation consoles may – or may not – [...]

The classic video game arcade has almost become a trope for nostalgia. They appear across contemporary fiction as shorthand for a fondly remembered version of the 1970s and 1980s. The arcade’s ‘passing’ is often lamented in tandem with warm, fuzzy memories of growing up in those decades; even if that lamenting started while arcades were still active. Indeed, arcades are still active. Here in the UK there may be very little of any ‘arcade industry’ remaining, and that is true at many [...]

TheGamingEconomy Daily Digest brings you the trending business stories in gaming. In today’s edition: Team17 picks up Yippee Entertainment; Worldwide Christmas spend on apps tops USD$277m (£209.6m); and Nexon sells off mobile development subsidiary for JPN¥1 (£0.007). Team17 picks up Yippee Entertainment Long-standing UK developer and publisher Team17 has acquired Yippee Entertainment for close to £1.4m. Founded in 2011, Yippee develops own IP alongside end-to-end creation of games on a third-party basis. The company has also served as a digital publisher. Now wholly owned [...]

TheGamingEconomy Daily Digest brings you the trending business stories in gaming. In today’s edition: Tencent to leverage partnership with Nintendo; US gaming industry ad spend reaches USD$60.3m (£47.2m); and Homescapes passes USD$1bn (£782m) in lifetime revenue. Tencent to leverage partnership with Nintendo Tencent is seeking to sell more console titles in the US and Europe by leveraging its current partnership with Nintendo, according to an representative speaking to The Wall Street Journal on condition of anonymity. The official stated, “What we want [...]