Companies Look to Leverage eSport's Global Appeal
FinancialBuzz.com News Commentary
NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The widespread and rapid emergence of the gaming industry has helped propel it into mainstream media. According to Nielsen, 64% of the U.S. population that is 13 years or older play video games on a device. Moreover, the majority of that population also tends to watch gaming live-streams or videos on large media platforms such as Twitch or YouTube. Specifically, 48% of YouTube gamers say they spend more time watching gaming videos than actually playing the game, according to data collected by Think with Google. The gaming media market has vastly grown because it provides users with an immersive experience where they can interact with the video maker and the community. Ipsos reported that 56% of YouTube gamers say the platform is a way for them to connect with other gamers in similar communities, creating a bond through gaming. In particular, viewers mostly watch videos like "let's plays," walk-throughs, reaction videos, and reviews. Overall, the media segment to the gaming industry is massive because of the large audience appeal. Thousands and thousands of popular channels upload videos across different genres such as shooters, adventure, action, horror, strategy, and multiplayer. And while many of these viewers tune in for casual gameplay, the competitive side of gaming has also grown rapidly in comparison to previous years. Competitive gaming or also known as eSports has existed for quite some time, however, in recent years, the segment rose to prominence because of astronomical multi-million dollar tournaments. In 2018, League of Legends World Championship made historic milestones and attracted over 74.3 million viewers. Meanwhile, Dota 2's The International drew in 52.8 million viewers, while CS:GO's Eleague Major had over 49.5 million viewers. Similarly, all three of these tournaments boasted multi-million dollar prize pools for which dozens, or even hundreds, of players would compete for. Overall, just like any other media industry, the audience is key to the future growth of this market. And with the accelerating popularity of eSports, the industry is becoming a source of mainstream media for millions of people. As of 2018, the global eSports monthly audience was estimated to be approximately 167 million. However, by 2022, the audience is expected to reach 276 million, according to data compiled by Goldman Sachs. UMG Media Ltd. (TSX-V: ESPT), NVIDIA Corporation's (NASDAQ: NVDA), Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: MU), Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA).
Professional gamers play at an advanced skill level that the majority of players cannot replicate. Generally, these individuals play a single game and practice for hours upon hours on a daily basis. For example, Epic Games held its first Fortnite World Cup this past summer, which boasted a USD 30 Million prize pool. In order to qualify for the World Cup, players around the world had to compete for coveted and limited spots. Millions of players worldwide went through several weeks of daunting matches, however, only the top 100 were able to secure a position to compete for the grand prize. Many players exerted countless hours of practice, however, even more, were unsuccessful. The determination to secure a limited spot is what makes tournaments highly competitive and exhilarating for audiences to watch. And as the viewer base continues to grow, organizations and media providers are expected to generate additional revenue streams. In turn, the additional revenue can then be used to create larger prize pools each year for tournaments. Consequently, industry experts believe that the eSports industry will rival traditional sports because of its growing audience. "I believe esports will rival the biggest traditional sports leagues in terms of future opportunities, and between advertising, ticket sales, licensing, sponsorships and merchandising, there are tremendous growth areas for this nascent industry," said Steve Borenstein, Chairman of Activision Blizzard's Esports Division and Former Chief Executive Officer of ESPN and the NFL Network.
UMG Media Ltd. (TSX-V: ESPT) in partnership with GFUEL, Scuf Gaming and VIPbets, announced earlier last week the, "Gears of War 5 launch event. This event is a one of a kind event being broadcast live from UMG's studio. For 48 hours, starting at 9PM on September 5, UMG will transform it's streaming studio into a live events destination. This event will feature pro players and personalities from Gears of War esports in a format that hasn't yet been done in the Gears of War community.
Gears of War 5 releases on Friday and UMG plans to be at the forefront of the launch with their broadcast and online platform competition offerings. UMG is operating a 48-hour live broadcast with a mix of professional players and influencers playing the game and working to climb the leaderboards as they rush to hit the highest level possible in the 48-hour timeframe. Along with this main broadcast, UMG will be running a secondary stream with those players practicing and having a more direct line to communicate with fans and competitors new to the Gears of War community.
The partners, influencers and professionals attending include FraNChiS, Soto, Ribs and have a total social following of over 6,000,000. To coincide with the broadcasts, UMG is running dozens of tournament offerings with multiple game-type options to give all levels of players a fantastic opportunity to compete.
UMG continues to add original broadcast content to it existing schedule of events. GFUEL, Scuf Gaming and VIPbets, see the tremendous value in the UMG broadcast viewer demographic, the much sought after millennials. ,"Our team is excited to be part of the launch of Gears of War 5 and bring a new activation to the GoW world that hasn't yet been done for their community. This is just another example of our commitment to growing the UMG player base and expanding the Gears of War competitive scene," said UMG CEO, Dave Antony. "The Gears of War 5 Launch event will provide yet another opportunity for UMG to capitalize on its ability to broadcast and distribute unique content to its engaged users."
About UMG: UMG Media Ltd. ("UMG") is a premier esports company in North America, offering live gaming entertainment events and online play. UMG provides online and live tournaments as well as the creation and distribution of original esports content. For more information about UMG visit www.umggaming.com."
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NVIDIA Corporation's (NASDAQ: NVDA) invention of the GPU in 1999 sparked the growth of the PC gaming market, redefined modern computer graphics and revolutionized parallel computing. NVIDIA and ASUS recently announced that the Quadro RTX™ 6000 GPU will power the world's most powerful laptop, the ASUS ProArt StudioBook One. It joins 11 other new RTX Studio systems, launched in time for IFA, the world's largest electronics conference, and brings the total number of RTX Studio systems to 39. The Quadro RTX 6000 at the heart of the ProArt StudioBook One enables creatives and other innovators to tap into the power of a high-end deskside workstation without being chained to their desks. Wherever their work takes them, professionals can harness the RTX Studio-based system to handle massive datasets and accelerate compute-intensive workflows, such as creating 3D animations, rendering photoreal product designs, editing 8K video, visualizing volumetric geophysical datasets and conducting walk-throughs of photoreal building designs in VR. "RTX Studio mobile workstations deliver cutting-edge features that provide powerhouse performance in a thin, portable format," said Bob Pette, Vice President of Professional Visualization at NVIDIA. "Creatives and other pros using mobile platforms powered by the Quadro RTX 6000 can harness the advanced features and performance of RTX to work on their most demanding projects from anywhere they choose."
Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), headquartered in New York City, is a leading developer, publisher and marketer of interactive entertainment for consumers around the globe. Recently, 2k announced that NBA® 2K20, the next iteration of the top-selling and top-rated NBA video game simulation series, is now available worldwide. With the release, NBA 2K20 continues to redefine what's possible in sports gaming, featuring best-in-class graphics and gameplay, groundbreaking game modes, and unparalleled player control and customization. In addition, with its immersive open-world Neighborhood, NBA 2K20 is a platform for gamers and ballers to come together and create what's next in basketball culture. "Each year, the team at Visual Concepts aims to push the boundaries of what's possible with basketball video games," said Greg Thomas, President of Visual Concepts. "With NBA 2K20, we're reaching new heights in all aspects of the game and can't wait to play alongside our community of basketball fans and gamers."
Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: MU) is an industry leader in innovative memory and storage solutions. At MWC Barcelona 2019, Micron Technology, Inc., recently launched the Micron®c200 1TB microSDXC UHS-I card — the world's highest-capacity microSD card, delivering one terabyte (1TB)1 of high-performance removable storage. The c200 1TB microSD card is the world's first microSD card on the market that leverages Micron's advanced 96-layer 3D quad-level cell (QLC) NAND technology. Consumers will find that the 1TB microSD card provides cost-effective storage for 4K videos, pictures and games on their mobile phones and other electronic devices. Designed for high-performance mobile applications, the c200 1TB microSD card meets the A2 App Performance Class specification, enhancing user experience for Android Adoptable storage2 by enabling applications and games installed on the card to load faster. The Micron c200 1TB microSD card also delivers up to 100MB per second read and 95MB per second write performance speeds,3 meeting UHS-I Speed Class 3 and Video Speed Class 30 specifications.4 These performance metrics are optimal for video recording of 4K content, game consoles and burst-mode still photography. "Micron's technology leadership in 3D NAND with CMOS under the array and 96-layer QLC has been instrumental in developing and launching the world's first 1TB microSD card," said Aravind Ramamoorthy, Senior Director of NAND solutions for Micron's Embedded Business Unit. "The new c200 1TB microSD card gives consumers the freedom to capture, share, store and enjoy more content while supporting their mobile-centric lifestyles."
Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) creates incredible technology and entertainment that connects millions of people to the moments and experiences that matter most. Comcast Spectacor and The Cordish Companies recently announced plans for a USD 50 million, next-generation esports and entertainment venue in the heart of the Philadelphia Sports Complex. Adjacent to Xfinity Live!, the first-of-its-kind venue will seat up to 3,500 guests and stand as the largest new-construction, purpose-built esports arena in the Western Hemisphere. Its primary tenant, the Philadelphia Fusion esports franchise, is one of 20 international teams competing in the Overwatch League. In addition to serving as a premiere destination for competitive gaming events, Fusion Arena will also host a variety of live entertainment programming and experiences. Comcast Spectacor is a professional sports and live entertainment company that is part of Comcast Corporation, a global media and technology leader that operates Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal and Sky. "We're thrilled to introduce a venue like no other as we move forward with the next phase of development within the Philadelphia Sports Complex," said Dave Scott, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Comcast Spectacor. "Fusion Arena gives esports fans a best-in-class venue to call home and be proud of. Beyond competitive gaming, it's a stunning facility that will host a wide array of events."
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