eSports
Riva Technology and Entertainment and Galaxy Racer acquires VY Esports in play to own MENA/SEA fan engagement, Raine Ventures senior executive to join their advisory boards
Riva Technology and Entertainment (RTE), the leading gaming and technology investment group, together with its sister company, Galaxy Racer (GXR), the largest esports, gaming and lifestyle organisation in the world, has announced its acquisition of VY Esports.
The VY Esports platform POPC Lounge enables creators to connect with their superfans through monetized digital experiences involving livestreams, 1:1 live video chats, merchandise sales, and other unique online engagements. The company also services the live events industry by creating a hybrid model, adding a new revenue stream so viewers from around the world can access selected live content and interact with talents through digital activations. The POPC Lounge platform will serve as the virtual arm for the upcoming āPOPC Live!ā mega event in Dubai that is beginning in March 2022.
Founder and CEO of Riva Technology and Entertainment, Founder and CEO of Galaxy Racer, Paul Roy, said: āWe are excited to announce Riva Technology and Entertainment and Galaxy Racerās acquisition of VY Esports, which we absolutely believe will bring amazing synergy to our group of companies. We are delighted to work with our new board member from VY Esports and advisory board member from Raine Ventures, as we leverage on their expertise to grow the business. They will play an important role as we continue in our endeavour to develop compelling experiences for our audiences as we head towards global domination in the esports, gaming, lifestyle and entertainment ecosystem. I am delighted to welcome Oleg Butenko to the board of Riva Technology and Entertainment. His extensive experience across technology, esports and entertainment will give us an exceptional cutting-edge advantage and will be an asset to the board.ā
Founder and CEO of VY Esports, Oleg Butenko, said: āWe are thrilled to be part of Riva Technology and Entertainment and Galaxy Racer, as we strongly believe in Paul Royās vision. With the POPC Lounge platform we will push hyper growth across the vast RTE and Galaxy Racer influencer network. As we scale globally, we will bring direct, monetizable, fan engagement to major regions like South East Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the United States by offering a new strategy for monetizing virtual engagements between creators and fans.ā
Managing Partner of Raine Ventures, Gordon Rubenstein, added: āWe are confident with Paul Roy and Oleg Butenkoās strategic vision, their deep industry knowledge and excellent foresight, they will be able to elevate the group to the next level and we believe they have the opportunity to aggressively grow the platform.ā
VY Esports was founded by CEO and founder Oleg Butenko, a digital entrepreneur who has founded businesses focused on music, telecom, and esports. As part of the acquisition, Oleg Butenko, Founder and CEO of VY Esports will be joining the board of Riva Technology and Entertainment. Additionally, Gordon Rubenstein, Managing Partner of Raine Ventures will be joining the advisory boards of both Riva Technology and Entertainment and Galaxy Racer.
Riva Technology and Entertainment (RTE) was founded in 2002 with a global presence stretching from the USA to East Asia. RTE has successfully been delivering the āvision of
tomorrowā. RTE’s group of companies hold an industry advantage in their ability to successfully take every project from concept to execution; all housed under one roof. The complementary companies cover location-based entertainment, brand and Intellectual Property licensing, content development, consumer products, gaming, and esports.
RTE has a 20-year history of dealing with partners in multiple sectors of the gaming industry, evidenced by their highly experienced core team.
Asia
NODWIN Gaming Appoints Atin Suri as the Global Head of Experiential Marketing
NODWIN Gaming, a leader in new-age youth entertainment, gaming, and esports, has announced the appointment of Atin Suri as Global Head of Experiential Marketing. With a track record of delivering disruptive, immersive brand experiences across diverse markets, Atin brings a wealth of expertise to help further NODWIN Gamingās mission to engage and excite audiences across all ages, worldwide.
Atin will be responsible for leading NODWIN Gamingās worldwide expansion efforts in experiential marketing and continued growth while handling the companyās white-label events and activations. His ability to formulate marketing strategies and well-crafted market messaging for a global audience ties in seamlessly with NODWIN Gamingās vision as the company continues to expand its footprint in the industry and deepen its engagement with audiences.
A key focus for NODWIN Gaming is providing holistic entertainment to the global youth with its diverse range of intellectual properties that spans esports, gaming, pop culture, music, and comedy. Atinās extensive expertise in crafting bespoke and immersive on-ground experiences will be key in enhancing consumer experience and brand recall.
āFor me, experience is everything, and Iāve always wanted to push the envelope when it comes to the intersection of technology and immersive experiences,ā said Atin. āAt NODWIN Gaming, I see endless opportunities when it comes to experiential marketing especially when the company is expanding further towards youth-focused experiences across the world.ā
Before joining NODWIN, Atin founded The Experiential Hub, a disruptive agency known for crafting innovative brand events and activations. His experience as a pioneer in experiential marketing includes leading several landmark campaigns.
A decade ago, Atin recognised the untapped potential of esports in India, a foresight that led to his successful collaboration with Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming. Together, they worked on Dew Arena and made it Indiaās Largest Offline Gaming Championship.
Building on this partnership, they went on to bring DreamHack, the worldās largest gaming festival to India. This groundbreaking project won the award for Best Intellectual Property at the prestigious WOW Awards Asia 2019. Atin also played a pivotal role in organising major esports events with the NODWIN Gaming team in India including ESL One, PUBG Club Open, PMPL South Asia and many more.
āWe are thrilled to welcome Atin to NODWIN Gamingā commented Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming. āHaving worked with Atin on previous projects, we have always admired his ability to bring fresh and bold ideas to the table. His passion for tech-driven, experiential events makes him the perfect fit for our vision of creating unforgettable gaming experiences globally.ā
Atin has also been the recipient of multiple honours like the JWT HiP Club Rising Star, the CEO Award from PepsiCo, and the Tech India Award.
eSports
Team Vitality and ALDI collaborate to fight toxicity against women and promote diversity in esports
- Team Vitality and ALDI have collaborated to fight toxicity against women and promote diversity in esports through a powerful video launched today
- The video titled āDes Failles dans La Failleā translates to āRifts in the Rift,ā referencing the League of Legends battlefield, where a significant amount of online toxicity stems from, highlighting the impact of cyberbullying on gamers who are women
- The video features Team Vitalityās women’s League of Legends team, the Rising Bees, alongside TV Host and presenter Marie Palot, and League of Legends Shoutcaster, Nox.
- The video is now available to watch on YouTube
Today, French esports club Team Vitality and ALDI have announced their collaboration to fight toxicity against women, break down stereotypes and promote diversity in esports through a powerful video titled, āDes Failles dans La Failleā. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the daily online harassment received by women in the gaming industry and its impact on their lives. In sharing their experiences, they reveal how certain messages undermine their confidence, harm their mental health, and negatively impact their in-game performance.
Online harassment and sexism are prevalent in gaming, and damage the development of the female esports scene worldwide. While 50% of worldwide gamers are women, only 7% compete in esports (France Esports Barometer 2023). A 2022 Ipsos study also showed that 84% of people harassed online are women, with 51% under the age of 30.
For over four years, Team Vitality and ALDI have prioritised the development of womenās esports, including spearheading the creation of Team Vitalityās women’s League of Legends team, the Rising Bees, in 2023. Together, both organisations are championing the development of a more equal and diverse ecosystem in esports, advocating for esports clubs worldwide to train womenās teams with the same facilities and resources provided to menās teams, as well as raise the overall skill level, allowing more women to pursue professional careers in esports.
The video “Des Failles dans la Faille” centres on the Rising Bees, Team Vitalityās women’s League of Legends team. The title refers to Summonerās Rift, the in-game battleground where players compete and where many women often become targets of hateful and toxic messages.
Appearing in the video to share their experiences include:
- Velouria āVikiā Baty: French player and ADC for Team Vitality
- Madison āCrowmacā Coutelet: French player and Toplaner for Team Vitality
- Alena āTifaā Maurer: German player and Midlaner for Team Vitality
- Marie Palot: TV Host and presenter
- Nox: League of Legends Shoutcaster
- Anne Banschbach: Director of Esports at Team Vitality
In the video, they take turns reading and reacting to various online messages from gamers, covering issues like body shaming, death threats, misogyny, and more. Alongside this, they share their personal stories and emotions, which range from sadness and anger to feelings of isolation and hopelessness. They also discuss how these messages affect their daily lives and ultimately impact their performance, even though they admit theyāve become “accustomed” to these misogynistic attacks.
In the second part of the video, they read messages full of kindness and encouragement, which often get overlooked and lost among the many hateful messages. Team Vitality and ALDI aim to highlight the power of positivity in boosting morale, even amid the often harsh and hostile messages in the esports community.
Throughout the year, Team Vitality also produces and shares content following the Rising Bees’ journey, aiming to break down stereotypes and create inspiring role models for the next generation of gamers.
āDes Failles dans La Failleā is available to watch on YouTube.
eSports
DATA.BET Celebrates Triumph at EiGE Awards 2024
DATA.BET, a distinguished leader in esports betting solutions, was recognised at the European iGaming Excellence Awards, which took place on 15 October in Warsaw, Poland.
The EiGE Awards 2024, organised by Hipther, gathered vital industry leaders to celebrate the achievements of the most influential companies in the iGaming sector all around Europe. Held as part of the European Gaming Congress, the awards served as the highlight of the event, honoring the best-performing companies across the region. The congress itself offered a dynamic format of panel discussions, presentations and workshops, allowing attendees to explore the latest trends, challenges and growth opportunities in the sector.
This award highlights DATA.BETās significant impact on the esports betting landscape, and showcases its ability to deliver reliable and advanced solutions that meet the needs of both operators and bettors. As the popularity of esports continues to grow within the European betting market, this achievement reinforces the companyās position at the forefront of the market.
āWe are honored to receive this recognition. This award emphasizes both our achievements and the progress of our products. Throughout the year, weāve introduced a range of new offerings, including Bet Builder and Widgets, such as Scoreboards and Pitch Tracker. Notably, the Player Props, launched in 2023, has quickly become a favorite among bettors. This acknowledgment reflects our teamās hard work and dedication, continuously striving to deliver top-tier esports betting solutions in the European market,ā said Otto Boning, Head of Sales at DATA.BET.
-
Australia5 days ago
IAGās Andrew W Scott Announced as Latest Conference Chair for 2025 Regulating the Game Conference in Sydney
-
Latest News6 days ago
Veikkaus, Finlandās National Lottery Operator, Selects Optimove, the #1 CRM Marketing Solution for the iLottery and iGaming sector, as its CRM Marketing Solution
-
Asia5 days ago
Esports Makes Historic Debut at Tamil Nadu Government’s Chief Ministerās Trophy Games 2024
-
Africa5 days ago
Amusnet Announces Partnership with Mojabet
-
Latest News5 days ago
GTA 6 Hype: A Look into Rockstar Games’ Ambitious Release
-
Australia6 days ago
Crown Fined $2 Million for Self-exclusion Breaches
-
Conferences in Europe6 days ago
Belatra Games unveils ‘Dragons and Mummy’ inspired booth design for SiGMA Europe 2024
-
Latest News5 days ago
Week 42/2024 slot games releases