[LATEST UPDATE: March 31st] 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 – [...]

TheGamingEconomy’s Daily Digest brings you the prevalent business stories in gaming. In today’s news: Bazooka Tango raises USD$2.5m (£2.0m); Samsung to shutter PlayGalaxy Link; and Impressivo secures Series A funding. Bazooka Tango raises USD$2.5m (£2.0m) Nascent studio Bazooka Tango, formed by the former development team of mobile MMO Vainglory from Super Evil Megacorp, has raised USD$2.5m (£2.0m) in Series A funding. The round was led by Bitkraft Esports Ventures, with additional participation from MTG, Mergelane, and a selection of unnamed investors. The [...]

TheGamingEconomy’s Daily Digest brings you the prevalent business stories in gaming. In today’s news: Epic Games acquires Cubic Motion; USD$4.1bn (£3.2bn) invested in XR in 2019; Super League Gaming posts net loss of USD$30.6m (£24.1m); and GameStop shareholders demand board representation. Epic Games acquires Cubic Motion Epic Games has acquired Manchester-based facial animation technology firm Cubic Motion for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition is not thought to result in any job losses, while current contracts held by the acquired firm will be [...]

TheGamingEconomy’s Daily Digest brings you the prevalent business stories in gaming. In today’s news: Global esports revenue to hit USD$1.1bn (£848m); Facebook acquires Sanzaru Games; and PlatinumGames establishes new studio. Global esports revenue to hit USD$1.1bn (£848m) The esports economy is predicted to generate global revenue of USD$1.1bn (£848m) in 2020, an increase of 15.7% from the USD$950.6m (£732.8m) generated last year, according to the Global Esports Market Report 2020 published by Newzoo. Approximately USD$822.4m (£634.0m), or 74.8% of total global esports [...]

TheGamingEconomy’s Daily Digest brings you the prevalent business stories in gaming. In today’s news: Google rolls out hypercasual platform for low spec devices and networks; CD Projekt now Europe’s second-largest game company; and Oculus making ‘significant headway’ against HTC’s VR effort. Google rolls out hypercasual platform for low spec devices and networks Google’s experimental tech ‘workshop’ Area 120 has launched Gamesnacks, a new HTML5-based mobile gaming platform that supports lower-spec phones, as well as networks such as 2G and 3G. Geared towards fast [...]

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’s Daily Digest brings you the prevalent business stories in gaming. In today’s news: Ubisoft recruiting for AAA VR title; current-gen console sales declining at faster rate; and ByteDance appoints head of gaming. Ubisoft recruiting for AAA VR title Ubisoft Blue Byte GmbH is hiring for a series of roles to work on a AAA VR project, which will be based upon one of the publisher’s “greatest IPs”. While Ubisoft Blue Byte is best known for developing titles based on the Anno [...]

TheGamingEconomy’s Daily Digest brings you the prevalent business stories in gaming. In today’s news: Digital drives 68.7% of EA’s Q3 net revenue; Zuckerberg still committed to AR and VR as ‘the holy grail of social experiences’; and Global Game Jam 2020 begins. Digital drives 68.7% of EA’s Q3 net revenue EA’s digital net revenue totalled USD$1.12bn (£854.7m) in the last full financial quarter, demonstrating the significance of the company’s considerable portfolio of live games to its commercial health. That figure accounts for 68.7% [...]

TheGamingEconomy’s Daily Digest brings you the prevalent business stories in gaming. In today’s news: XR revenue to reach USD$14.9bn (£11.4bn) in 2023; Nintendo mobile games generate USD$1bn (£768m); and Disney to close Fogbank Entertainment. XR revenue to reach USD$14.9bn (£11.4bn) in 2023 The global XR market is projected to reach USD$14.9bn (£11.4bn) by 2023, according to estimates released by Nielsen’s SuperData division. Forty-five percent of this figure, USD$6.7bn (£5.1bn), can be attributed to sales of AR/MR hardware and consumer software, which would [...]

TheGamingEconomy’s Daily Digest brings you the trending stories in gaming. In today’s news: 55% of UK dev jobs are outside of London and the South East; Atari to open gaming hotels; and USD$10m-plus (£7.68m-plus) contracts for top streamers departing Twitch 55% of UK dev jobs are outside of London and the South East UK games industry trade body Ukie and cultural charity the BFI have released a new report that reveals that 55% of game developers were based outside London and the [...]