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Admix, Gamestream, Gamebake and PlayLa.bZ Appoint Raptor PR as Agency of Record
Raptor PR, the virtual-first digital PR agency for video games, media and tech brands, today emerges from soft launch into full communications agency mode having secured four retained accounts since January 2021. The quartet includes Admix, a $12M funded in-game advertising platform that is leading the ‘In-Play’ movement, Gamestream, the leading B2B whitelabeled cloud gaming solution, GameBake, the pioneering video games distribution solution, and PlayLa.bZ, the award-winning multi-dimensional motion arts research institute at Ravensbourne University London.
Founded in May 2019 by twenty-year tech PR veteran Rana Rahman, Raptor PR has transitioned from single freelancer status to a fully formed PR agency, offering a laser-focussed set of services designed to help emerging tech, games and media companies cut through the noise. Coinciding with the launch, its new website and gamified branding goes live today. Today Raptor PR is also proud to announce it is now a member of UKIE, the trade association for the UK’s games and interactive entertainment industry.
For its new clients, Raptor PR will be developing their entire global communications architecture, designed to scale-up their reach to meet new, untapped audiences. This includes global corporate messaging, earned and paid media strategy, social media strategy and community management, audio and podcasting, analyst and influencer relations, data analytics, market research, events, branding, web build, content marketing, and advanced copywriting services, powered by a team of veteran freelance journalists and communications professionals.
Rana Rahman, Founder and CEO of Raptor PR, commented:
“With COVID-19 bringing my long freelance consulting career to a halt last year, I had the opportunity to develop a virtual-first model for Raptor PR. There’s a new breed of tech entrepreneur which desires a hyper-agile agency model to mould around their evolving business needs. One which can truly adapt to suit an ever-changing environment. Our virtual model enables us to deliver best-in-class local services with global reach, unshackled by location, time-zone and resource. The goal for Raptor PR is to perfect a diverse, data-driven, virtual agency model that’s capable of adapting to rapidly changing client needs and variable economic conditions”.
Sam Huber, CEO and Co-Founder of Admix, says of Raptor PR:
“As a company with large ambition in the gaming space, it was very important for us to find a PR partner who understands our mission, and is equally as passionate about our industry. Rana and his team have a combination of experience and out-of-the-box thinking necessary to break through the noise and deliver real results.”
Mike Hudson, CEO & co-founder of GameBake, added:
“Gaming is the passion that drives GameBake, and finding a PR partner that has that same passion and drive to not just understand our mission, but to become a true part of the team has really helped unlock the creativity of the whole team to drive our PR machine.”
James Edward Marks, PlayLabZ Co-Founder, SEEDS Mentor, Artivist, Emerging Film Technologies Guest Lecturer, added:
“Raptor’s playful passion to mix shareable stories with byte & its knack for blurring boundaries within the arts, culture & emerging tech for social good third-space, feels like a natural synchronicity with our own. As PlayLa.bZ & GenieMo now look to expand minds and massage the mainstream with our Multi-dimensional Motion Arts innovations at Ravensbourne University London, and explore the rapidly evolving shape of DIY spatial social-cast communication & experiences to come.”
The core team is led by Founder and CEO Rana Rahman, and PR Account Director and audio specialist Rosie Lumley. Content is driven by Simon Judges and Thomas Huxter, AR by Angela May, HR by Utterclub founder Lorraine Barker. Industry partners include Mobidictum, the leading mobile gaming news platform in Turkey, broadcast PR specialist Hound Global, and US-based Briz Media Group. Over the past two decades, Rana has consulted for an eclectic mix of award-winning global PR agencies like JIN (UK, FR and DE), WITH PR, April Six, Borkowski.DO, Bubble Agency, Shine Communications, MSL UK, H+K, 3 Monkeys, Braben, Propeller Group PR. Rana’s previous brand experience includes the likes of PlayStation, Rovio, Philips, Microsoft, IONITY, SafeToNet, Fujifilm, AppLovin, Tappx, EMAP, Buena Vista International, MediaCom and Carat.
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Clarion Gaming film Virtual Tour showing scale of opportunity for ICE and iGB Affiliate exhibitors in Barcelona
Ahead of January 2025’s relocation to Barcelona, ICE and iGB Affiliate exhibitors can share Clarion Gaming’s ‘Vision of the possible’ courtesy of a specially commissioned virtual tour and exhibitor orientation video which can be viewed at: youtube.com
The 10-minute exhibitor film which is narrated by Clarion Gaming Managing Director Stuart Hunter takes viewers on a tour of the venue beginning with an introduction to Fira Gran Via’s integrated metro station which is located between the El Prat international airport (12km) and the historic city centre (3km) and has the capacity to take huge volumes of attendees directly to the heart of the spacious dedicated registration area at the south entrance.
Viewers are then taken on a journey along the elevated arterial walkway which provides a unique bird’s eye view of the 120,000 sqm exhibition space before accessing the contemporary designed meeting areas and plentiful break-out spaces requested by exhibitors, on to the ultra-modern and scalable conference facilities and the venue’s three ‘Sky Gardens’ which facilitate the delivery of a memorable indoor/outdoor festival experience.
The video also explains the new visitor-friendly show floor which has been designed to easily identify the gaming verticals of interest and in the process ease navigation through the five halls that the 2025 editions of ICE and iGB Affiliate will occupy.
Introducing the video Stuart Hunter said: “This is the latest in a series of orientation initiatives which we started in October 2023. This video which is aimed at ICE and iGB Affiliate exhibitors, partners and sponsors will be followed by a dedicated visitor tour to help prepare for this exciting new chapter.
“As a team we could not be more excited about the opportunities offered by our new home at Gran Via and new host city of Barcelona: the film sets-out the size of the opportunity that we have as an industry and shares a compelling vision of what’s possible.”
ICE/iGBA 2025 will use circa 120,000 gross sqm of The Gran Via (ICE 2024 utilised 100,000 gross sqm in London) across Halls 1 (iGB Affiliate) and 2-5 (ICE). An additional 160,000 sqm has been reserved exclusively for ICE/iGBA across the five-year tenancy. The Convention Centre which is located in Hall 8 comprises a modular and versatile space with seating for between 3,000 and 12,000 people.
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José Garcia promoted to General Manager for Innovative Technology Spain
The Spanish branch of Innovative Technology (ITL) have announced that a long-standing member of the team has been promoted to General Manager. José (Pepe) García Escudero previously held the role of Business Development Manager for the region.
ITL Spain has had an office in Barcelona since 1996, headed up by Sales Director Mustapha Hadj-Ahmed. They provide both cash validation equipment and biometric technology to various market sectors including, gaming, amusement, kiosk and retail.
Commenting on José’s promotion Mustapha said, “I would like to congratulate José (known to most of his customers as Pepe!) on this well-deserved achievement. I have worked with him since he joined the company seven and half years ago and he is hard working, a real team player and has an excellent eye for spotting new opportunities. José will be responsible for overall operations as well as continuing his business development tasks. I am sure he will excel in his new role and I am confident he will lead our talented team to new heights! I look forward to exciting and prosperous times ahead.”
Pepe added, “I am so pleased to be given this fantastic opportunity and to play a more operational and managerial role in the business. Each member of the team here in Spain are a key part of our success, and the reason we are known for being a leading provider of cash handling equipment. I am excited to get started and see the business grow even further as we continue to serve our valued customers and develop our technology to response to the changing needs of the market.”
Concluding Mustapha said, “José will be heading up the team at the FIJMA show in Madrid on 7th – 9th May 2024 on stand A49, so if you are attending the show come and say hello!”
Asia
Team ATK Oshun excels at 2024 Online Championships held on 13 April 2024
Mind Sports South Africa’s (MSSA) 2024 Online Championships held on 13 April 2024 showed sterling results.
The championship was yet another chance for many esports athletes to qualify for MSSA’s National Team Trials to be held on 25 May 2024 at which the team will be selected to officially represent South Africa at the African Qualifiers which lead up to IESF’s 16th World Esports Championships to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in October and November 2024..
All Registered Players who have finished in the top three places, or the top 20% – whichever is greater, are entitled to enter trials.
However, it must be remembered that all players must have a valid passport to participate in the National Team Trials.
It was indeed exciting to watch just how much all the female teams have improved.
Team ATK Oshun (ATK Club Sport) being a female team astounded all with their skill and sportsmanship. The team demolished all ATK Club Sport opposition to ultimately won the premier event overall and qualify for the National Team trials to be held on 25 May 2025.
IESF’s 15th World Championships will be played to the following titles:
- Counter-Strike 2
- Counter-Strike 2 – Female division
- DotA 2
- eFootball
- Mobile Legends, Bang Bang
- Mobile Legends, Bang Bang – Female division
- PUBGM
The high standard of play saw 37 Registered Players from six provinces being awarded Provincial Colours. Only Limpopo, Free State, and Northern Cape did not have Registered Players who did not earn provincial colours.
Title | Name of player/team | Club | Provincial Colours awarded |
Clash Royale – Premier | Johan Coetzee | Middies | Mpumalanga |
Clash Royale – High School | Aryan Maharaj | PR0NHS | |
Counter Strike: 2 | ATK Oshun | ||
Kaylee Ludick | ATK Club Sport | Gauteng | |
Jessica Eleez Greeff | ATK Club Sport | Gauteng | |
Christin Brazier | ATK Club Sport | Gauteng | |
Megan van der Westhuizen | ATK Club Sport | Gauteng | |
Kayhla Rose Calder | ATK Club Sport | Gauteng | |
DotA – Premier | ZAG DOTA 1 | ||
Suhail Khan | ZAG Academy | Gauteng | |
Travis John Waters | ZAG Academy | Western Cape | |
Mark Kilian Lehle | ZAG Academy | Gauteng | |
Mohammad Dhooma | ZAG Academy | Eastern Cape | |
Nicholas Dammert | ZAG Academy | Gauteng | |
eFootball – Premier | Aslam Parker | PES Society | Gauteng |
FIFA 24 – High School | Daiyaan Hendricks | PES Society | Western Cape |
Mobile Legends – Premier
|
Mavericks | ||
Matthew Tatalias | Mavericks | Gauteng | |
Damian Bransby | Mavericks | Western Cape | |
Preshan Pillay | Mavericks | Gauteng | |
Mohammad Azhar Ansari | Mavericks | KwaZulu Natal | |
Taygan Gabriel | Mavericks | KwaZulu Natal | |
Luke Green | Mavericks | Western Cape | |
Mobile Legends – Premier – Female
|
AHG | ||
Je’nielle Cavanagh | PES Society | Western Cape | |
Inez Pringle | PES Society | Western Cape | |
Salma Parker | PES Society | Western Cape | |
Ra’isha Prout | PES Society | Western Cape | |
Fatimah Prout | PES Society | Western Cape | |
Mia Anthony | PES Society | Western Cape | |
PUBGM
|
Team uEnvy | ||
Richard Henry | ZAG Academy | Eastern Cape | |
La-eeq Arendse | ZAG Academy | Western Cape | |
Kyle Dudley | ZAG Academy | Western Cape | |
Clayton Leak | ZAG Academy | Western Cape | |
Rocket League – Premier – 1 v 1 – Premier | Nathan Strange | Hoërskool Klerksdorp | |
Rocket League – Premier – 1 v 1 – High School | Luther Peens | Hoërskool Klerksdorp | |
Street Fightter V – Premier | Marnus van der Merwe | Hoërskool Klerksdorp | North West |
Tekken 8 | Stasch Cloeta | Team PlayBell | Western Cape |
Valorant – Premier
|
TuksValorant | ||
Tapiwanashe Keith Matema | TuksEsports | Gauteng | |
Kyle Halvorsen | TuksEsports | Gauteng | |
Jaden Connor Swarts | TuksEsports | Gauteng | |
Ronald James Tyler Wheeldon | TuksEsports | Gauteng | |
Alejandro Luca Sartini-Kruger | TuksEsports | Gauteng | |
Armand Pierre van der Colf | TuksEsports | Gauteng | |
Sportsmanship Award | Je’nielle Cavanagh | PES Society |
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