eSports
Skillz Becomes First Publicly-traded Mobile Esports Platform
Skillz Inc., the leading mobile games platform connecting players in fair, fun, and meaningful competition, became the first publicly-traded mobile esports platform, following the completion of its combination with special purpose acquisition company Flying Eagle Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: FEAC). The combined company is named Skillz Inc. and its common stock will begin trading tomorrow on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “SKLZ”. With $250 million in cash and no debt on the balance sheet, Skillz is poised to capitalize on the massive growth expected in mobile gaming.
“We built Skillz on the founding belief that esports are for everyone, and have made significant progress toward our vision of enabling everyone to share in the future of competition,” said Andrew Paradise, CEO and founder of Skillz. “We stand at the intersection of mobile gaming and esports, perhaps the two most exciting growth opportunities of the next decade. I thank the entire Skillz team for their dedication, passion, and creativity, which have led us to this incredible moment on our journey to build the competition layer of the internet.”
With just a fraction of the world’s 2.7 billion gamers on its platform today, Skillz has a long runway for growth in building its service for the 10 million game developers globally. Skillz is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the rapidly expanding mobile gaming market, which is expected to more than double by 2025 to $150 billion. As Skillz moves beyond casual esports into new genres, adds new monetization models, and enters new geographies, the company’s addressable market will increase substantially. Going international is a significant opportunity for Skillz. The international market is four times larger than the North American market and represents less than 10% of Skillz revenue today.
Skillz has pioneered the future of the gaming industry, enabling developers to monetize their content five times better than ads or in-app purchases. The company’s platform enables game developers to expand the reach of their games and scale their businesses. Leveraging powerful network effects built out of the platform’s data science, Skillz drives more user engagement, higher conversion, and monetization. Core to the company’s proprietary advantages is patented anti-cheat and anti-fraud technology designed to ensure trust and fairness.
“I’ve had a front row seat to the video game and entertainment industry’s evolution over the past two decades, from my role as founding investor and board member of Bethesda Games to recently taking DraftKings public,” said Harry Sloan, Chairman of Flying Eagle. “We believe that Andrew has positioned Skillz to lead the convergence of mobile, gaming, and player enablement into the future of entertainment itself.”
This announcement comes on the heels of a year of continued success. Skillz saw consistent growth and further expanded collaborative efforts with game developers, major brands, influencers, and nonprofit organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, World Wildlife Fund, and the NAACP.
The transaction includes the $158.5 million PIPE investment led by Wellington Management Company, Fidelity Management & Research Company, LLC, Franklin Templeton, and Neuberger Berman. As previously announced, Skillz founders CEO Andrew Paradise and CRO Casey Chafkin will continue to lead the company. They will be supported by Skillz’s highly experienced team, including CTO Miriam Aguirre and CFO Scott Henry.
eSports
Red Bull Media House Announces Global Premiere of Counter-Strike Documentary ‘Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years’
- Emmy Award-winning Red Bull Media House-produced Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) documentary is set to premiere on 4 December
- ‘Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years’ features personal insights from legendary talent, including Casper “cadiaN” Møller, Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz, Alexandre “gAuLeS” Borba and more
- Fans can tune in via Red Bull Gaming’s YouTube channel
Red Bull’s deep dive into the glory years of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) continues with the announcement of ‘Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years’, a brand new documentary set to premiere globally on 4 December 2024.
Produced by Emmy Award-winning Red Bull Media House, the new feature-length film closely follows 2024’s ‘Memories of CS:GO – The Early Years’, which charted the origins of one of the world’s most influential games from its grassroots beginnings to its evolution as a global esports phenomenon. Continuing the saga, ‘Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years’ chronicles an emotional journey from the perspective of its key protagonists, recalling the thrilling rise of Team Liquid as Team Astralis’ reign falls, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, all the way to Team Vitality’s victory at the last-ever CS:GO Major.
Hosted by Freya “Freya” Spiers, the brand new 90-minute film features personal accounts from iconic figures including Astralis’ trio of Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz, Casper “cadiaN” Møller, Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen, as well as Team Liquid’s Jonathan “Elige” Jablonowski and Jordan “n0thing” Gilbert. As it explores fierce rivalries, pivotal roster changes that changed the course of CS:GO history, and the perseverance, teamwork and passion that forged the game’s legends, ‘Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years’ also delves into the fierce dedication of the Brazilian community with Alexandre “gAuLeS” Borba and Wilton “zews” Prado, looking back at Brazil’s first-ever Major.
‘Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years’ is a sweeping tale of toil, triumph, and teamwork that offers an insightful look into the remarkable trajectory of CS:GO and the unwavering support and dedication of its community. It’s scheduled to premiere December 4, 2024 via Red Bull Gaming’s YouTube channel.
Event Details:
- What: Premiere of “Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years”
- When: December 4th, 2024
- Where to watch: Red Bull Gaming’s YouTube Channel
eSports
Guilhoto to lead GIANTX in the LEC
The Portuguese head coach signs a two-year deal to guide GIANTX in Europe’s top esports league and aim for the Worlds. Guilhoto embarks on his third tenure with the organization and returns to the LEC after reaching two finals.
Nico Perez and Emi complete the coaching staff
André Guilhoto will be the head coach of GIANTX in the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC), Europe’s premier esports league. Guilhoto returns to the organization to replace Christophe ‘Kaas’ van Oudheusden and lead its League of Legends international project. His goal is to qualify the team for the Worlds. He has signed a two-year contract for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
Guilhoto (Portugal, 1994) returns to both GIANTX and the LEC. Between 2018 and 2020, he coached several teams in the European league, including reaching two finals with Schalke 04 and Origen. He entered the European scene after winning the Spanish league with GIANTX, then known as Giants Gaming.
After his time in the LEC, he coached in North America with Immortals and Team Liquid. In 2023, he returned to Málaga to work with Giants, which later merged with British club Excel to form GIANTX. In 2024, he coached in the Superliga with CASE Esports and Team Heretics, where he won the Spanish championship.
Guilhoto is one of the most experienced head coaches in the scene and a well-known figure within the Spanish-speaking League of Legends community. GIANTX announced his return with a video confirming his new role as head coach.
GIANTX looks to Guilhoto to improve its results in the LEC. The team finished eighth in the winter and spring splits and reached the summer season finals, but missed out on qualifying for the Worlds. The organization aims to achieve this goal with Guilhoto leading the coaching staff.
Joining Guilhoto in Berlin, the home of the LEC, are assistant coach Nico Perez (France, 1998) and strategic coach Emanuel Ursachi ‘Emi’ (Romania, 1995). Nico spent the last year with GIANTX, first as head coach in the Superliga and then as assistant coach in the LEC. Emi, now in his second tenure with the company, will serve as the strategic coach.
The LEC season begins on January 18, 2025. GIANTX will announce the roster under Guilhoto’s leadership in the coming days.
Asia
AMD Announces GameOn 2024: Nationwide Counter-Strike 2 Tournament Offers ₹300,000 Prize, Culminates in Hyderabad
AMD, a leader in semiconductor manufacturing, has unveiled the AMD GameOn 2024, an open-for-all esports tournament for Counter-Strike 2 with a total prize pool of INR 300,000. The Main Event of the AMD GameOne 2024 is set to take place at IndiaJoy 2024 Asia’s premier media and entertainment congregation, in the HICC, Novotel, Hyderabad on Nov. 16 and 17.
Commenting on the tournament, Pramit Khanna, Channel Marketing Manager DIY and Gaming, AMD India said, “As one of the leaders in the computing space, we have been supporting India’s esports ecosystem since day 1, and the AMD GameOn 2024 is another such IP for esports enthusiasts. The open-for-all format ensures every gamer has a chance to compete in the pan-India tournament and make it to the LAN in Hyderabad. I wish the best of luck to all participants and can’t wait to welcome the four finalists in Hyderabad.”
The AMD GameOn 2024 began with the open qualifiers, where the registered teams competed for slots to the Closed Qualifiers. The Closed Qualifier, with 8 total teams, has wrapped up, confirming the four finalists for the AMD GameOn 2024 Main Event at IndiaJoy 2024 on Nov. 16 and 17 in Hyderabad. Skyesports is set to be the esports partner for the event.
The four teams are listed below. They will compete in a single-elimination bracket to determine the champions of India. Matches from the AMD GameOn 2024 Main Event will be livestreamed on the Skyesports YouTube channel.
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True Rippers
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Carnival Gaming
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Gods Reign
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Victores Sumus
Besides the esports action at the AMD booth in the IndiaJoy 2024, players will also be able to experience gaming on AMD Advantage systems, which deliver a supreme and optimized performance by combining AMD Ryzen™ CPUs, AMD Radeon™ GPUs, smart technologies, and AMD software. Therefore, AMD’s experiential zone at the IndiaJoy 2024 will be the one-stop immersive place for gamers, combining esports action and providing a hands-on gaming experience.
Shiva Nandy, the Founder and CEO of Skyesports, said, “We are thrilled to be the esports partner for AMD GameOn 2024, working once again with our anchor brand, AMD. With open qualifiers to give every gamer a chance and invited teams to ensure top-notch esports action, this tournament is a delight for all gamers. AMD has been one of the biggest supporters of esports in India over the years, and this tournament aligns with our vision of bringing Counter-Strike 2 into the spotlight ahead of Skyesports’ $1.7 million prize pool roadmap for 2025, where we will host four on-ground events across the country.”
India currently has about 500 million gamers, a number expected to grow to 730 million by 2028, with a 5-year CAGR of 10 percent, making the country the largest market by the number of gamers. Additionally, 65 percent of gamers either watch esports or compete in tournaments, per Niko Partners, with IPs like the AMD GameOn at the forefront of attracting their attention.
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