Esports
NETENT REVENUE SURGES 37% IN Q2 AS LOCKDOWNS HAVE POSITIVE EFFECT
Online casino supplier NetEnt has reported a 37% rise in revenue for the second quarter of 2020.
NetEnt generated SEK 573m ($63.2m USD) in the quarter, up 37% year-on-year. Including its Red Tiger subsidiary, on a proforma basis, revenue was up 15%. EBITDA was up 49% over 2019, at SEK 299m, while earnings after tax came in at SEK 88m, down 27%.
The company’s strong second-quarter results bring its revenue for the first half of 2020 to SEK 1.09bn – up 30% on 2019’s figures. EBITDA for the period was SEK 528m, up 33%, but earnings after tax fell by 29%.
Q2 was busy for NetEnt, with the supplier entering regulated markets in Switzerland, Croatia, and Colombia, a record 19 new slot games released (9 from NetEnt and 10 from Red Tiger), and Evolution Gaming offering SEK 19.6bn to acquire NetEnt.
Reflecting on the results NetEnt CEO, Therese Hillman, said:
“The coronavirus pandemic continues to impact people and companies around the world. There are signs that the rapid changes in consumer behavior caused by the pandemic will further speed up the digitalization of a number of industries, including entertainment such as gaming. Just like in other online industries, the major lockdowns in some of our big markets (UK, US, Italy and Germany) led to a positive effect on revenues in April and May, followed by a more normal pattern in June as those economies gradually opened up.
“Hard work and transformational steps taken in the past year are now starting to create value. We remain fully committed to continue on this path and with growth engines such as USA, Red Tiger and Live Casino, I feel that we are well positioned to continue delivering profitable growth and strong cash flows for the rest of this year and onwards.”
AYO.NEWS says:
2020 might be the worst year in living memory for many businesses, but there’s no doubt that things are looking up for NetEnt. If the acquisition by Evolution Gaming goes ahead, we’ve no doubt the new business will be in an even stronger position to make the most of the rapidly expanding US online gaming market.
‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates.
All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020
Esports
LEXUS SUPPORTS ESPORTS AWARDS FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR
Luxury carmaker Lexus is returning to support the Esports Awards for a third year running
As Official Auto Partner of the awards, the company will be working with the Esports Awards on a number of activations that incorporate their vehicles. Lexus will also sponsor both the Esports Organisation of the Year and Streamer of the Year awards.
Lexus made its esports debut with the Esports Awards in 2019, when it provided several supercars from blockbuster movies, which took centre stage at the Esports Stadium Arlington. Last year, the carmaker collaborated on exclusive content as part of the highly successful virtual ceremony.
“It’s an honour to be able to welcome Lexus as a partner for the third year in a row. After supporting us through a successful virtual ceremony last year, it speaks volumes that Lexus has once again committed to going all-in and driving the esports ecosystem forward. Both of our brands focus on prestige and excellence, and I look forward to showcases our joint values as we return to a physical event in November,” said Michael Ashford, Managing Director, Esports Awards.
READ MORE: EXPEDIA MAKES ESPORTS DEBUT AS SPONSOR OF THE ESPORTS AWARDS
Esports
REKTGLOBAL BRINGS TOP GAMING TALENT TO INFINITY FESTIVAL 2021
ReKTGlobal, the digital entertainment and esports organization, has been named one of the official presenters of gaming content at the 2021 Infinity Festival.
On 3 November, superstar gaming creators Ally Battaggia (a.k.a TheGeekEntry) and Gabby Murray will join Stove’s Kitchen and Paul Shaw in a panel exploring the content creator economy. In addition, ReKTGlobal CCO Kevin Knocke will share his unique expertise in a panel on esports.
Battaggia, who has a growing following across social media, took on streaming during lockdown, joining the fan-favorite NoPIxel GTA RP server. Since then, she’s become a mainstay participant, even crafting a NFT/TCG collection from her beloved GTA RP character. With 9.6M social media followers, Murray has built a fanbase as a multi-talented lifestyle and gaming content creator, with a Discord community that is expanding by the day.
Top gaming creator Stove’s Kitchen (whose real name is Steven Cho), part of the Team RAR (Rare and Ridiculous) internet group, has a devout fan following on his YouTube channel, where he posts gaming and challenge videos. Meanwhile, Shaw oversees Special Projects at TalentX Entertainment, a subsidiary of ReKTGlobal. The four will join forces for Making a Living as a Content Creator: Much More Than Gaming — a panel that explores what sets livestream content monetization and strategy apart from pre-produced content.
Also on 3 November, Knocke will take part in an esports panel with Darin Kwilinski, Lead Content Producer at IGN Entertainment, and Amanda Solomon, CEO at Tyrus Talent Management. The panel, Esports or Esports? Does It Matter? will break down misconceptions about esports to separate the hype from actual substance.
Knocke, who has been competitively gaming since he was a kid, has years of involvement with high profile companies and events in the esports business – specifically Blizzard Entertainment, IGN, SiriusXM, Sony, South by Southwest, E3, PAX, and Ubisoft — giving him a broad perspective on the industry. Before joining IGN, Kwilinski, a lifelong gamer, was a senior editor for esports at ESPN, establishing its vision and voice. Solomon is an executive with a well of expertise in the strategic sales and partnerships realm, specializing in esports, gaming, and talent.
Now in its exciting fourth year, the forward-focused Infinity Festival is the place where Hollywood meets Silicon Valley. The multi-day annual event, held in Los Angeles, brings together Hollywood’s finest storytelling talent with the innovative creators of cutting-edge technology. For 2021, Infinity Festival will blend in-person and virtual events for a unique hybrid experience.
The in-person portion will be held in several adjacent Hollywood locations with most events happening at Goya Studios and the Dream Hotel; the online component will be presented through the easy-to-use FNvirtual event platform. The festival will continue its theme of “Story Enabled by Technology” with an entirely new slate of innovative programming, including industry-leading speakers, panel discussions, an exhibition hall, innovation labs, and a fine art gallery, each with an emerging-tech focus.
For tickets and additional information, visit infinityfestival.com.
Esports
TEAM SINGULARITY TO LAUNCH FAN TOKENS VIA BLOCKSPORT
Danish esports organisation Team Singularity has extended its partnership with Swiss fan engagement platform Blocksport.
The multi-year agreement will see the launch of the $SNG Fan Token, giving holders access to unique opportunities to influence team-related decisions, enter the fast-track at SNG Academy, access exclusive content, train with professional esports athletes and more.
$SNG Fan Tokens are expected to launch in December 2021 with a supply of 3M, and will be priced at €1 each in the initial sale.
Commenting on the news, Atle S. Stehouwer, CEO and Founder of Team Singularity, said: “I am happy that our partnership with Blocksport is officially extended and we can finally announce the next step in our collaboration.”
Vladimir Liulka, CEO and Co-Founder of Blocksport, added: “We are happy to extend our exclusive partnership with Team Singularity and launch $SNG Fan Token for their fans. Singularity has a global and awesome fan community. The Token opens up a new world – an environment in which they have the chance to be very close to their favorites players and team”.
Team Singularity currently fields rosters in CS:GO, Fortnite, Rocket League, League of Legends, FIFA, Apex Legends, Rainbow Six, VALORANT, Free Fire, Teamfight Tactics, Hearthstone, Quake, League of Legends Wild Rift, Call of Duty, Call of Duty Mobile, Call of Duty Warzone, PUBG, PUBG Mobile, DOTA 2, Overwatch, Heroes of the Storm, Battalion 1944, H1Z1, Tekken7, Rogue Company, Brawlhalla, and Clash Royale. In addition to Blocksport, the organisation has commercial partnerships with PWC, Pluck GG, Raven, SCUF, KontrolFreek, Randers FC, Esportal, Challengermode, MYESPORTSCARD, and MYFUTCARD.
Staying with esports and Blocksport.io, just yesterday we reported the platform had partnered with Jordanian sim motorsports organisation Desert Fox Racing.
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