15 October, 2020 | By Anzu
Tencent finally dominates the streaming space in China, more traditional sports athletes and celebrities tap into esports, the subscription model gets us all, and gaming thrives in Turkey. Get ready to retrospect this week in the world of video games and esports in our weekly news digest!
Chinese live streaming platforms Huya and DouYu have entered an agreement to merge. As a result of the merger, which is expected to close during the first half of 2021, DouYu will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Huya. The deal was mediated by Tencent, which is a majority owner of Huya and also has a 38% stake in DouYu. The Chinese tech and entertainment giant will own a 67.5% stake in the newly merged company. According to GamesIndustry.biz, Huya is the largest live streaming service in China, reporting 168.5 million monthly active users on average during Q2 2020. Meanwhile, DouYu averaged 165.3 million users during Q2 2020. Once merged, the newly created company will largely dominate the streaming space in China.
The Esports Observer shines a light on the business facts behind the connection between British esports organization Guild Esports and the soccer legend David Beckham, and why they have agreed to pay him $20 million before he became an investor. But first things first. Even before making its debut on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), Guild Esports made headlines in mainstream media by securing an investment from David Beckham, and the narrative of Beckham being a co-owner of Guild spread like wildfire and secured the company media and investor attention. It became known that the organization has actually entered into an influencer agreement with Footwork Productions, a Beckham-owned company that was set up for “the exploitation of David Beckham’s name and image rights.” The five-year deal, which was inked in May 2020, compensates Beckham for becoming the “face of Guild Esports” with a minimum amount of £15.25M ($19.78M) during the term of the contract.
Mobile measurement company Adjust has launched a subscription-tracking service and released a report that found people in the USA spend an average $20.78 a month on subscriptions. Recently, subscription model has been on the rise, with game subscription services being contagiously popular. Moreover, subscriptions for apps and games have exploded during the pandemic, and many companies are benefiting from consumers’ increased willingness to subscribe as a result of the shift in online behavior. More than a third of people in the country are using their smartphones to stream video and TV services every day. Find more insights and trend details on VentureBeat.
Media hub and esports agency Gaming in Turkey has partnered with online tournament platform FACEIT to launch a collegiate CS:GO League in Turkey. The announcement will formalise a collegiate CS:GO scene in Turkey that began flourishing in 2018. Through the deal, the first tournament to take place through the partnership will be the Collegiate Esports League Turkey, which kicks off in this study semester. Turkish universities are already able to build squads and student communities around the competition on FACEIT’s platform. With collegiate leagues more formalised, the partnership will provide more support for amateurs so they can familiarise themselves with the commitment and professionalism expected in the pro scene. Gaming in Turkey already has plans to fire up collegiate League of Legends and Valorant competitions in 2021, reports Esports Insider.
Some more Tencent-related news! Swedish development studio Sharkmob is setting up a brand new outpost in London, reports PCGamesInsider. The company was founded in 2017 in Sweden's Malmo by veterans of Ubisoft's Massive studio, as well as IO Interactive. In May 2019, it was bought by Chinese tech and entertainment giant Tencent for an undisclosed sum. The founders believe that setting up a new studio in the heart of London will provide their new team with “unprecedented levels of creative freedom” and inspire to push boundaries in craft and expertise.
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