Your Gaming and Esports Update
Deals
Take-Two Submits Proposal to Acquire Codemasters
Take-Two Interactive, the gaming giant which owns 2K and Rockstar Games, is buying another big video game studio for close to a billion dollars. Codemasters, based in Oxfordshire, is a British studio behind the Dirt, F1 and Micro Machines franchises, and specializes in racing games. The stock-and-cash deal will cost around $994 million, and is expected to close at some point in the first quarter of 2021.
Corsair Acquires Gamer Sensei
Corsair Gaming, a leader in high-performance gaming peripherals and enthusiast components, is pleased to announce it has acquired Gamer Sensei, the world’s biggest esports coaching platform. Gamer Sensei connects gamers of all skill levels, from rookies to aspiring professionals, with experienced coaches who are more than just top gamers — they’re great teachers. Ranging from professional gamers, both past and present, to gamers who have climbed the ranks to the very top of their games, Gamer Sensei coaches combine the skills to succeed at the highest level of games, with a patient, tailored and flexible approach to help you improve your in-game performance.
GAMURS Group Acquires Pro Game Guides
GAMURS Group, the leading esports media network, has further expanded its footprint in gaming media with the acquisition of Pro Game Guides, a definitive source for top-level gaming guides. Pro Game Guides, launched in 2018, has quickly grown to be a major destination for gamers looking to gain an edge in their favorite titles. In October, the site drew seven million users who generated nearly 22 million content views — a banner month for a site that has grown dramatically over just two years.
Griffin Gaming Partners Raises $235M
Venture capital fund Griffin Gaming Partners has raised $235 million to invest in game companies and related technologies around the world. The Santa Monica, California-based Griffin Gaming Partners was started in 2019 by general partner Peter Levin, cofounder of Nerdist Industries and former president of interactive ventures, games, and digital strategy at Lionsgate; Phil Sanderson, a venture capitalist with two decades of experience in game investing; and Nick Tuosto, managing director of investment banking firm LionTree.
Updates
HyperX Adds 25 New Influencers to Brand Ambassador Program
HyperX announced its ever-growing HyperX Heroes program now includes 25 global influencers. Comprised of a diverse group of worldwide celebrities, the HyperX Heroes program brings together popular musicians, all-star athletes, professional esports teams, and well-known streamers to capture the HyperX core belief — WE’RE ALL GAMERS.
Malaysian Government Allocated $3.6M for Esports Development
The Malaysian government has allocated over US$3.6 million for the development of the local esports industry, as part of its 2021 Budget. This is the third year that the Malaysian government allocating a dedicated budget for the country’s esports industry, with the practice starting in 2019 with an initial US$2.4 million allocation. However, the newly-announced esports budget for next year is less than this year’s allocation of over US$4.8 million.
NickEh Signs With Luminosity Gaming
Nicholas “Nick Eh 30” Amyoony has signed with esports organization Luminosity Gaming. Under the new deal with the North American giant — announced on Wednesday amid the EGLX show, Canada’s 3-day esports conference that went all-digital this year — the 25-year-old Canadian-Lebanese Fortnite player will diversity his content portfolio and seek collaborations with other competitive players. Known for his family-friendly streams, Amyoony signed to Twitch last year and has since amassed over 2 million subscribers on the Amazon-owned platform. Meanwhile, he boasts over 5.4 subscribers on YouTube.
