Legends
FILE PHOTO: A girl broadcasts live from a phone as she holds a selfie stick with a sign of the live-streaming platform DouYu during an event celebrating the new year in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, December 31, 2018. Picture taken December 31, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer
April 23, 2019
By Julia Fioretti
HONG KONG (Reuters) – China’s largest live-streaming platform DouYu International Holdings Limited, backed by social media and gaming giant Tencent Holdings Ltd, has filed for a U.S. initial public offering (IPO) of up to $500 million.
DouYu, which primarily focuses on the live-streaming of games, is one of several Chinese start-ups in the growing market for live-streaming in China, along with U.S.-listed rival Huya Inc and Huajiao.
The rapid growth of the live-streaming sector has seen China’s tech heavyweights – Tencent, Alibaba Group Holding and Baidu Inc – open their wallets to back a slew of firms in the hope it can boost existing services in e-commerce, social networking and gaming.
DouYu has exclusive streaming rights to 29 major tournaments in China, including League of Legends, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, and DOTA2, according to the draft prospectus which was uploaded to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission website overnight on Monday.
DouYu was the largest game-streaming platform by average total monthly active users (MAUs) on both mobile and PC during the fourth quarter of 2018, according to the prospectus. The company had 159.2 million MAUs in the first quarter of 2019, representing year-on-year growth of 25.7 percent.
It set a placeholder sum of $500 million for the IPO, which is used to calculate registration fees. The final IPO size could be different, though sources have previously told Reuters DouYu was looking to raise around $500 million.
DouYu’s IPO could be one of the largest this year by a Chinese company in the United States, together with that of Starbucks challenger Luckin Coffee which also filed overnight.
Chinese companies have raised $271 million through U.S. IPOs so far this year, with the biggest deal being that of Ruhnn Holding Limited which raised $125 million, Refinitiv data showed.
LOSS MAKING
China is the world’s largest game streaming market, with approximately 4.9 times the monthly active users of the U.S. market in 2018, the prospectus said.
DouYu’s active users spent an average of 54 minutes per day on the platform in the fourth quarter of 2018.
DouYu is still loss-making and reported a net loss of $127.4 million in 2018, up from $91.33 million in 2017. Revenues jumped 94 percent to $531.5 million last year.
The company significantly increased its sales and marketing expenses – which jumped 73 percent in 2018 – as well as its research and development expenses which increased 55 percent.
Most of DouYu’s revenues come from live-streaming through the sale of virtual gifts, accounting for 86.1 percent of its revenues, with the rest coming from advertisements and some revenue sharing with game developers and publishers, the prospectus showed.
Bank of America Merrill Lynch, JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley are the underwriters for DouYu’s IPO.
(Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
Source: OANN
FILE PHOTO: Michele Verroken, founding director of Sporting Integrity sports business consultancy smiles during a discussion on doping in football at the Soccerex Global Convention in Manchester, Britain September 5, 2017. REUTERS/Phil Noble
April 17, 2019
By Alan Baldwin
LONDON (Reuters) – Targeted testing of esports competitors is leading to a rethink about drug cheating in online gaming and which stimulants are more widespread, according to anti-doping expert Michele Verroken.
The former head of anti-doping at UK Sport, Verroken now runs the Sporting Integrity consultancy and carries out tests at a number of tournaments for the Esports Integrity Coalition (ESIC).
Adderall, a prescription amphetamine used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has long been a concern since a gamer in the United States claimed in 2015 that it was the drug of choice.
In an interview with Reuters at an anti-doping conference organized by the Partnership for Clean Competition (PCC), Verroken suggested however that test results and player surveys indicated changing attitudes.
“The trend is to say ‘yes, we thought that Adderall was the problem but actually we’re beginning to now think that the testing has had an impact and people who might have been considering it are not doing it’,” she said.
“Now the players are saying we’re not so sure. We think you should be aware more about marijuana use as well.”
Marijuana, usually classified as a recreational drug, can be performance-enhancing in esports if it helps a player relax in a stressful quick-fire environment where being too tense is a disadvantage.
Adderall, sometimes referred to as the ‘Study Drug’ because of student misuse, also has properties that keep the user calm, awake and energized.
Verroken carries out oral fluid tests, rather than urine as in traditional sports, targeting those stimulants that gamers are most concerned about.
“We asked the players what they thought should be on their prohibited list and they told us,” she said. “Those drugs are easily tested orally, and in a much cheaper way.”
Doping, along with match fixing and betting fraud, are ESIC’s main area of concern as competitive gaming, with multiple players performing in live-streamed matches, becomes ever bigger.
Esports now has its own star performers and leagues with tournaments that sell out stadiums and offer prizes worth millions of dollars, with online audiences also in the several millions.
Verroken’s tournaments include popular games League of Legends, Counter-Strike and Star Craft.
WILD WEST
David Howman, the former head of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), described esports at the conference as ‘The Wild West’ — a young world lacking a uniform anti-doping policy and governance.
The South Korea-based International esports federation (IESF) is an official signatory of WADA but ESIC has said the anti-doping agency’s ‘one size fits all’ approach to banned drugs is inappropriate for esports.
Verroken, who has now conducted more than 300 tests on players and coaches, said she had yet to sanction anyone but was in discussion with a team about “what looks like party drugs. MDMA at a very low level.
“We call them in, talk to the team, say this is your warning — next time you are going to be targeted. And when I say targeting, I mean targeting,” she added.
Welfare issues are meanwhile coming more to the fore with increasing concern about screen time and the health of players, often youngsters, spending hours in darkened arenas or in front of computers.
But at a time when athletes in conventional sports are seeking a far greater say in the decision-making processes, Verroken said esports was encouraging active engagement and doing things differently.
“I ran the UK anti-doping program, but it just didn’t seem to have the right structure to me. And now I work with esports where there’s huge engagement with the players. It really is good,” she said.
“If they think somebody’s cheating, it will be on social media. They are not going to be afraid.”
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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FILE PHOT: Apr 6, 2019; Augusta, GA, USA; Jennifer Kupcho of Westminster, Colo. plays her tee shot on the 13th hole during the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur golf tournament at Augusta National GC. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
April 14, 2019
By Amy Tennery
AUGUSTA, Ga. (Reuters) – More than a week since Jennifer Kupcho hoisted the trophy as the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur winner, the impact of that moment, once unthinkable to the club’s old male guard, still reverberated through the hallowed home of the Masters.
“A few guys would turn in their grave because a lot of them stood up in front of these guys and said, ‘I will never allow a woman to be a member’,” recalled the three-times Masters champion Gary Player.
“So they will be watching that, from wherever they are.”
For years, controversy swirled around the club over its long-standing tradition of not admitting women as members, drawing outrage from women’s groups as its leadership remained adamantly opposed to permitting a female presence until 2012.
The inaugural Women’s Amateur championship marked another major breakthrough at Augusta National, with its long-standing reputation as a haven for rich, white, well-connected men.
For advocates of women’s sports, it was more than just a welcome addition to Masters week.
“I think that what’s so important is it’s just moving the needle,” said Women’s Sports Foundation CEO Deborah Antoine. “The pride of going down Magnolia Lane and standing where legends have stood and for the first time making this about women.”
On the third day of the men’s competition on Saturday, Masters patrons said they welcomed the change and noticed a shift in gender balance among the crowd at Augusta National, even days after the women’s competition had ended.
Vickie Newell and Pam Bryant, of Clemens, South Carolina, who have attended roughly a dozen Masters, joked that Augusta National was the only place where the line for the men’s restroom was longer than that of the women’s.
“I think that [the women’s tournament] will make a difference,” said Bryant, who believes it will have an impact on the sport beyond Augusta.
“Who knows? Maybe even [women] being in the Masters is next,” Bryant said.
“Obviously the women need the same opportunities as the men,” said Charles Breithaupt, who, like other golf patrons at Augusta, felt a women’s Masters was in reach.
“The people at Augusta National Golf Club are looking at … diversifying opportunities.”
“I think it will happen,” added Rick Cornutt, who traveled from the Memphis area in Tennessee to attend the Masters. “The women’s game has made great strides.
“There are a lot more women here this year.”
Following Kupcho’s landmark feat as the first woman ever to win at Augusta, questions over when the Masters will see a women’s professional competition lingered.
And supporters of a women’s Masters may well have to wait as Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley tossed cold water on the idea, saying that the club was not planning to introduce a women’s professional event.
But regrets? Perhaps Augusta National’s had a few.
“I think that everyone, no matter what the issue is, you know, we can always look back and say we could do better. No question,” acknowledged Ridley.
“It’s always instructive to look at the past.”
(Reporting By Amy Tennery; Editing by Ian Chadband)
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FILE PHOTO – Elton John performs during his “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” final tour at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, U.S. January 22, 2019. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
April 9, 2019
By Stephanie Nebehay
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (Reuters) – Elton John is the big draw at this summer’s Montreux Jazz Festival, part of an eclectic line-up packed with big names that also features Sting, Janet Jackson, Chick Corea and Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke.
The former The Police singer will open the 53rd edition of one of Europe’s most celebrated summer music festivals on June 28, while veteran producer Quincy Jones will host the closing concert – an orchestral soundtrack of his 80s hits – on July 13.
In between, Sir Elton, Anita Baker and Joan Baez will appear as part of their respective farewell tours.
The English singer-songwriter was initially booked for two nights, but those appearances have been merged into single show for 15,000 fans on June 29 at Saussaz stadium, a new venue for Montreux.
It will be the first ever open-air performance at the festival, better known for the intimacy and superb sound quality of its concert hall settings.
Janet Jackson, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last month, will perform days after the 10th anniversary of her brother Michael’s death from an overdose of an anesthetic he used as a sleep agent.
For jazz purists, multiple Grammy winner Corea brings a flamenco flavor with his Spanish Heart Band, while New Orleans trumpeters Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah and Terence Blanchard will open for drummer Billy Cobham, celebrating his 75th birthday.
“When you see the strong personalities booked at (the main) Stravinski Auditorium, maybe that is the guiding principle of this year … – all artists who marked a moment in music,” festival director Mathieu Jaton told Reuters.
“There is an equilibrium between legends, returning acts, (and) the young stars.”
The latter include Canadian Jessie Reyez and U.S. rapper Lizzo, in the charts with her third single “Juice” and opening for actress and singer Janelle Monae – returning after a Grammy album of the year nomination for “Dirty Computer”.
Melody Gardot is making her first appearance in the cabaret 600-seat Club. “Shotgun” singer George Ezra, who won the British Male Solo Artist at the BRIT Awards in February, moves to the main stage.
Lauryn Hill is expected to revisit Nina Simone classics and her own R&B hits.
(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; editing by John Stonestreet)
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FILE PHOTO: Nov 29, 2018; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence (90) on the bench with defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli in the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Saints at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
April 6, 2019
The Dallas Cowboys and franchise-tagged defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence agreed to a five-year contract worth $105 million with $65 million guaranteed, multiple media outlets reported Friday.
Lawrence’s deal reportedly will pay him more money in the first year ($31.1 million) than any non-quarterback contract in NFL history, breaking the mark set by Khalil Mack last fall.
According to The MMQB, the deal also sets new benchmarks among defensive players in percentage of total and full guarantees on a long-term contract. Mack, the NFL’s highest-paid defender at $23.5 million annually, received $90 million guaranteed for injury and $60 million fully guaranteed at signing.
Earlier Friday, NFL Network reported Lawrence and the Cowboys were making progress after negotiations were at an “impasse” last week.
–He may or may not be on the trading block, but Arizona Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen is planning to report for duty when the team’s strength and conditioning program begins on Monday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
According to Schefter’s sources, the Cardinals have not actively shopped around Rosen with any teams ahead of the NFL draft that begins April 25, though they have been approached.
Speculation around the league is that the Cardinals will take Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray with the first overall pick.
–The Cleveland Browns signed quarterback Garrett Gilbert and safety Morgan Burnett, who was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday.
Gilbert became available when the Alliance of American Football suspended operations earlier this week. The former sixth-round pick of the Los Angeles Rams had led the AAF with 2,152 passing yards and 13 touchdowns this season, playing for the Orlando Apollos.
Burnett is expected to play safety after serving primarily as a dime linebacker for Pittsburgh last season.
–A day after getting released by the Oakland Raiders, wideout Seth Roberts agreed to sign with the Baltimore Ravens on a one-year deal.
Roberts, 28, was set to make $4.45 million this season with the Raiders. He caught 45 passes for 494 yards and two touchdowns in 15 games last season (seven starts).
The Ravens also worked out former Packers and Seahawks running back Eddie Lacy, who was out of the league in 2018, according to Pro Football Talk.
–The Raiders signed unrestricted free agent safety Jordan Richards.
Richards played in 15 games, making a career-high 12 starts, for the Atlanta Falcons last season. He set a career high with 37 tackles.
Oakland also signed defensive end Alex Barrett, who had two sacks for the San Diego Fleet in the AAF.
–Minnesota Vikings cornerback Holton Hill has been suspended four games for violating the NFL policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Hill, 22, had 36 tackles and one interception in 16 games (three starts) last season as an undrafted rookie. He reportedly failed a drug test at the 2018 NFL Combine and at least one drug test as a college player at Texas.
The Vikings also signed two defensive backs from the AAF, safety Derron Smith and cornerback Duke Thomas of the San Antonio Commanders.
–The San Francisco 49ers signed former AAF defensive end Damontre Moore to a one-year deal.
Moore had seven sacks while starring for the San Diego Fleet, a half-sack back of the league lead.
Moore, 26, has 10 career sacks in 54 games over parts of six NFL seasons.
–Former Arizona Hotshots running back Jhurell Pressley is facing a two-game suspension by the NFL for “a pending issue,” according to an NFL Network report.
The report added Pressley is scheduled for workouts next week with two unnamed teams.
Pressley led the AAF in rushing, with 96 carries for 431 yards and one touchdown.
–The Chicago Bears will work out former AAF kickers Younghoe Koo and Nick Rose on Wednesday, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Per the report, a third kicker could join the workout.
Koo and Rose each went 14 of 14 on field-goal attempts with the AAF, although all of Koo’s attempts were from 38 yards or closer. Rose hit one from 54 yards and another from 50.
–The Pittsburgh Steelers signed former AAF teammates J.C. Hassanauer and Jack Tocho.
Hassanauer played center for the Birmingham Iron, while Tocho was a defensive back on the same squad, notching six pass breakups and an interception.
–The Carolina Panthers signed former AAF offensive linemen Parker Collins and Kitt O’Brien.
Collins played center for the Atlanta Legends, while O’Brien was a guard for the Iron.
–The Indianapolis Colts re-signed offensive tackle J’Marcus Webb.
The 31-year-old missed most of last season after sustaining a hamstring injury in the season opener.
–The New York Jets claimed wideout/return specialist Quadree Henderson off waivers from the Giants.
Henderson, 22, returned nine punts for 68 yards (7.6-yard average) and five kickoffs for 112 yards (22.4 average) in five games last season. He did not catch a pass.
–Field Level Media
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FILE PHOTO: Mar 3, 2019; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Hotshots running back Jhurell Pressley (26) runs the ball against the Atlanta Legends during an AAF football game at Sun Devil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports – 12280141
April 5, 2019
Former Arizona Hotshots running back Jhurell Pressley is facing a two-game suspension by the NFL for “a pending issue,” according to a report by the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Rapoport added that Pressley is scheduled for workouts next week with two unnamed teams.
In eight weeks of action in the AAF, Pressley led the league in rushing, with 96 carries for 431 yards and one touchdown.
He entered the NFL in 2016 as an undrafted free agent out of New Mexico and signed with the Minnesota Vikings. He had stints with the Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Giants before joining the AAF.
–Field Level Media
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Mar 29, 2019; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Denis Shapovalov of Canada returns a shot back to Roger Federer of Switzerland during the men’s semifinal at the Miami Open at Miami Open Tennis Complex. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
March 30, 2019
(Reuters) – Experience triumphed over youth in the Miami Open semi-finals where a pair of veterans held off talented Canadian teenagers whose time to shine will have to wait.
Denis Shapovalov, 19, and 18-year-old Felix Auger-Aliassime saw their exuberant runs in the tournament halted by their older counterparts but not before showcasing their talent that bodes well for the future.
For Shapovalov, his matchup with 20-times Grand Slam singles champion Federer was something he had long dreamed of.
“It’s surreal, being on the court against him,” Shapovalov told reporters after losing in straight sets. “Obviously I wasn’t trying to focus on the fact that it’s Roger on the other side. I was just trying to play as good as I can, and he did a good job today. I’m just going to try to learn from this and move forward.”
Shapovalov had practiced with a Federer, 37, on a couple of occasions, but stepping into a competitive arena against him was a learning experience and one that could serve him well.
Shapovalov, who defeated Rafa Nadal nearly two years ago in Montreal, said he could see a change of guard coming in tennis.
“Yeah, there is definitely a lot of talent coming in,” Shapovalov told the Daily Express. “It’s just that point in the ATP, you know, you still have kind of the legends, you know, Rog, Rafa, still there on top, but you have a lot of newcomers with talent kind of gunning for them.”
Auger-Aliassime could be one of those newcomers after becoming the youngest men’s semi-finalist in the Miami Open’s 35-year history.
The young standout had chances to serve out for wins in both sets of his 7-6(3) 7-6(4) defeat to American 33-year-old John Isner but was ultimately undone by costly double faults.
“The biggest lesson was to stay in the present and believe in yourself, because you can always dig deep and find resources within yourself,” Auger-Aliassime said of his run.
“So I think that’s a huge lesson to not give up, stay calm, and just work every day.”
“His (Shapovalov) results and mine are pushing each other. I think, yeah, a lot of belief, a lot of positive things happening, and I think it’s just pushing us.”
(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; editing by Sudipto Ganguly)
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Mar 2, 2019; Los Angeles, CA, USA; MLS commissioner Don Garber speaks during David Beckham statue at Legends Plaza at Dignity Health Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
March 19, 2019
By Hilary Russ
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Major League Soccer said on Tuesday that Roar Digital LLC, a joint venture between MGM Resorts International and GVC Holdings PLC, would be its exclusive sports betting partner, the league’s first.
The multi-year deal also makes MGM the league’s first official gaming partner, though not an exclusive one. It also provides MGM and Roar access to league data for fans and sports bettors, according to a statement.
“Major League Soccer is proud to partner with MGM Resorts to bring existing and new fans close to our sport in innovative and immersive ways,” MLS Commissioner Don Garber said in the statement.
Marketing rights are also included, with the sportsbook operators allowed to post visible signs for more than 100 nationally broadcast MLS games.
The deal makes MGM a partner with yet another major sports league after it inked similar agreements with the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball.
The National Football League named Caesars Entertainment Corp as its first casino partner in January, but that deal did not include sports betting.
The deals come in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in May 2018 that allowed states to legalize, regulate and tax sports wagering.
Less than a year later, eight states now offer legal sports wagering, including Nevada, which was always allowed to offer such bets.
Bookmakers, casinos, leagues, teams, media companies, data providers and others are seeking to capitalize on the brand new U.S. sports betting market that is now evolving state by state.
Professional sports leagues, which previously fought legalization because of fears it could lead to match fixing, now hope that the spread of legal sports betting will help engage fans and drive up the value of their teams.
MLS’ partnership will also develop a free game that can help “drive adoption of sports betting” in states that have already legalized it and build a base of potential bettors in those that have yet to adopt it, the statement said.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
(Reporting by Hilary Russ, editing by G Crosse)
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FILE PHOTO: Members of the Los Angeles Valiant team play during the final day of Stage 3 title matches of the Overwatch League at the Blizzard Arena in Burbank, California, U.S., May 6, 2018. REUTERS/Andrew Cullen
March 14, 2019
By Hilary Russ
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Competitive video game advertising revenues in the United States are expected to surpass $200 million by 2020, according to a report released on Thursday.
Such esports ad revenue will grow 25 percent to $178 million this year and to more than $214 million in 2020, marketing research firm eMarketer said in its first ever U.S. esports and gaming forecast.
From beer brewers and computer companies to mortgage lenders and sports apparel makers, brands across the spectrum are trying to figure out how best to market to esports fans, who tend to be young, tech savvy and affluent, as the professional video gaming industry is expected to balloon in coming years.
A February study by gaming analytics firm Newzoo projected that global esports revenue would hit $1.1 billion this year, up 27 percent from last year, as money comes pouring in for advertising, sponsorship and media rights.
Marketers are hoping to reach the throngs of fans who like to tune in live as professional gamers battle each other in their favorite game, be it League of Legends, Overwatch or others.
In 2019, 30.3 million people in the United States will watch an esports event at least once a month, a more than 18 percent increase over last year, eMarketer said.
Viewership, which now mostly occurs on YouTube and Twitch, is likely to grow by more than 50 percent to 46.2 million through 2023, the firm said.
Once an under-the-radar activity, esports is now a “multimillion-dollar business in the U.S., with implications for game developers, players, leagues, teams, live venues, streaming platforms, TV networks, audiences and marketers,” eMarketer principal analyst Paul Verna said in a statement.
(Reporting by Hilary Russ; Additional reporting by Sheila Dang; editing by Bill Berkrot)
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FILE PHOTO: An Electronic Arts (EA) video game logo is seen at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 17, 2015. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo
March 13, 2019
By Arjun Panchadar
BENGALURU (Reuters) – What are a few hours playing videogames and a handful of tweets worth? $1 million if you are Tyler Blevins, known to millions as “Ninja,” the world’s most-followed computer gamer.
Blevins was one of a few select professionals with huge followings pulled in by videogame giant Electronic Arts Inc to play and promote its latest title, “Apex Legends,” in the first hours of the launch last month, generating a buzz that notched 10 million signups in the first three days.
The 27-year-old, famous for his hair color changes – currently a bright, turquoise hue – tweeted about the free-to-play game early on Feb. 5 and streamed the action to his more than 13 million followers on game-streaming site Twitch. For this he was paid around $1 million, a source told Reuters.
The amount underlines the increasingly cut-throat fight for dominance of the free-to-play battle royale genre that, through Epic Games’ global smash hit “Fortnite”, has pushed major publishers like Electronic Arts to change how they do business.
Representatives for EA and Ninja declined to comment on how much he had been paid, but the amount named by the source is more than twice media reports of Ninja’s monthly earnings from streaming his regular appearances on Fortnite and way above what was speculated on a number of internet discussion boards.
EA also paid popular Polish-Canadian streamer “Shroud,” who has nearly six million Twitch followers, to play Apex Legends but declined to disclose the terms of the deal.
“They did a fairly comprehensive job at pulling together all of the relevant game influencers in this genre,” said Kevin Knocke, a vice president at esports infrastructure firm ReKTGlobal.
“This was a really well coordinated poaching of the top influencers the likes of which has not been seen so far in esports,” he said, suggesting that EA had also roped in streamers better-known for playing other blockbusters like “Call of Duty” or “PUBG”.
The Ninja deal also points to the growing possibilities for teenagers who grow up hooked in their bedrooms on the industry’s big titles, as well as a shift in promotional strategy, with the use of popular gamers replacing expensive TV ad campaigns.
EA’s stock price and market value rose 16 percent, or $4 billion, in the three days after Apex Legends launched and a month later the game has 50 million users, a quarter of Fortnite’s 200 million.
“We really wanted to create a day where you couldn’t escape Apex if you cared about games and we wanted it to feel like an event was happening everywhere around the globe on that day,” Drew McCoy, lead producer at the EA studio that created Apex Legends, said in an interview.
“We had streamers from all over Europe, LatAm, North America, Korea, Japan so that we could get our message out there and people would see the game,” he said.
Joost van Dreunen, co-founder of Nielsen-owned gaming research firm SuperData, estimated that in 2018 Fortnite raked in $2.4 billion in revenue, more than any other single title.
If each user registered so far bought the most basic Apex Coin package, with which kids and teenagers can buy character skins and other upgrades, EA would take in $500 million. Analysts’ estimates hover around that figure in revenue annually.
Ninja, who reportedly plays Fortnite for 12 hours a day from his basement studio outside Chicago, has been one of many to benefit from its massive success.
He has streamed himself playing alongside major celebrities like rappers Drake and Travis Scott, has sponsorship deals with Red Bull and Uber Eats, and often appears on Instagram and Twitter alongside soccer players Neymar Jr and Harry Kane.
(Reporting by Arjun Panchadar in Bengaluru and additional reporting by Hilary Russ in New York; Editing by Sai Sachin Ravikumar)
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