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GUCCI AND FACEIT PRESENT GUCCI GAMING ACADEMY, DESIGNED TO EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATION OF ESPORTS TALENT

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GUCCI AND FACEIT PRESENT GUCCI GAMING ACADEMY, DESIGNED TO EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATION OF ESPORTS TALENT
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The World Health Organization (WHO) to provide expertise and support on health topics

Gucci and FACEIT have joined forces to debut the Gucci Gaming Academy, the first initiative of its kind created by a luxury fashion brand, envisioned to empower young esports talents, while creating a healthier playing and competition environment. The development program has been designed to provide support and enhance soft skills – through dedicated coaching sessions and teamworking activities – and help the next generation of esports talent to navigate the increasing amount of mental and physical issues coming from the pressure of in-game performance and online scrutiny.

The Gucci Gaming Academy is kicking off with four CS:GO players who are already competing in the FACEIT Pro League (FPL), Ā a competitive, moderated online league which has proven the springboard for the careers of some of esports’ most decorated pro players, with the intention of growing this number over time. Candidate selection will not only be based on in-game performance, but also on interviews to assess applicants’ personal values and soft skills, including their aptitude for teamwork and approach to conflict resolution. Players will be part of the Academy for up to one year, or until they are signed to a team, thus turning professional.

The Gucci Gaming Academy is filling a much-needed role in the future of the esports talent pipeline, facilitating the shift from amateur to pro in a similar vein to the academy programs seen in traditional sport.

Nicolas Oudinot, EVP New Business and Gucci VAULT CEO said ā€œGucci is at the forefront of the luxury industry’s foray into the world of gaming and as part of our mission to build meaningful relationships with communities in a genuinely authentic way, we are dedicated to supporting the up-and-coming generations of players to help manage the challenges they may face as a result of participating in esports. Understanding the issues that are relevant to them and learning about these from the people they affect are at the core of this collaboration.ā€

ā€œWe are proud to announce the launch of the Gucci Gaming Academy. Together, we identified a need to create a new initiative that would aid the development of new talent. The Academy will offer a clear path to pro structure connecting the dots between the FACEIT Pro League, education and well-being,ā€ commented Co-Founder & CBO of FACEIT, Michele Attisani. ā€œThe physical and mental demands on players looking to compete at a professional level are high. Players have rigorous training schedules, compete in high-pressure tournaments and immense pressure from fans, so it’s important that new talent entering the space are equipped with the right support structure at an early stage in their development. Supporting and empowering young esports talent is at the core of FACEIT’s values and through our shared vision with Gucci, we hope the Academy helps equip the role models of tomorrow.ā€

The program comprises group and individual activities to improve the esports athletes’ skills, within and outside the spheres of their respective game titles, as well as additional benefits, such as:

  • Group sessions facilitated by psychologists who specialise in esports from Mindwork; topics include “Performance under stress”, “How to deal with the spotlight”, “Teamwork” and more
  • Individual sessions with specialised psychologists who will provide support for players as they pursue their competitive journeys
  • Digital training plans designed specifically for each player, supplied via the Gucci Education platform
  • Participation in community-driven experiences coordinated through the Gucci Changemakers Volunteering program
  • Access through FACEIT to professional coaches who will provide training for improving in-game performance and offer practical strategies for how to compete professionally while maintaining a healthy mindset
  • Virtual educational sessions teaching the basics of player contracts and personal branding.
  • Top-of-the-line gaming PCs and monitors for optimal performance and personalised selection of computer electronic peripherals from Logitech G for high-level gameplay and to facilitate learning
  • Access to the vast Gucci and FACEIT esports network for the players’ entire careers

Representing the values of the Gucci Gaming Academy are the ambassadors, commentator James Bardolph, Counter-Strike legend Christopher ā€œGeT_RiGhTā€ Alesund and trailblazer for women in esports Stephanie ā€œmissharveyā€ Harvey. The ambassadors will also act as mentors to the academy players, having 1-on-1 mentorship sessions with each talent monthly.

Gucci Gaming Academy has been designed by Gucci and FACEIT alongside some of the world’s leading mental and physical health organizations and legal minds to ensure every element of the curriculum has been informed by experts.

Significantly, as part of the program, Gucci and FACEIT will also work with the World Health Organization to find ways to support all gamers involved to improve their gameplay while prioritising health and safety.Ā This includes mental and physical health, fighting misinformation online, among other essential topics.

ā€œWe welcome efforts by Gucci and FACEIT to encourage their large online communities to take the necessary steps for better health and well-being,ā€ said Andy Pattison, Team Lead of Digital Channels at the World Health Organization. ā€œWe need to continue to reach people with lifesaving health messages where they are, in the palms of their hands.ā€

Blockchain

First tabletop role-playing game on the blockchain

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On March 30, GRIPNR will launch Ā The Glimmering, a next-generation TTRPG experience designed to be played with Genesis Collection NFT heroes that let players’ character progress live on the blockchain.Ā  The company over a three-day period will mint phase two of its collection of characters, available for 250 MATIC (which gets one much more than a jpeg, I can tell you what holder benefits include) to play on-chain. Unlike countless NFTs that mint with the promise of ā€œfuture utility,ā€ players will take their freshly minted characters and schedule sessions to play The Glimmering starting the same day (this hasn’t been done before).

Recently it was announced that a strategic partnership with famed NFT collector and evangelist Jimmy McNeils, a.k.a. j1mmy.eth to bring several of his Mutant Apes (Bored Apes who have been mutated by Mutant Serum) to The Glimmering as villains in the game. The collaboration will be celebrated with a future Glimmering Mutant Ape derivative collection.

The Apes will be reimagined by GRIPNR Lead Artist Justin “Angryblue” Kamerer and will be included in future adventures of The Glimmering game. Owners of the Glimmering’s Genesis Collection of heroes will be given first dibs to mint the Glimmering Mutant Apes, when they’re released in the spring of 2023.

The Glimmerings takes place in a tiny corner in the far north of a world called Asuwa in the Moonstone Empire. It’s a world that thrums with magic. Danger lurks everywhere in the world of Asuwa; but fame, glory, and riches wait for those willing to take the risk. The first six adventures of The Glimmering will be available for character levels 1-3 and rooted in a modified version of the 5th Edition ruleset, players already familiar with D&D can easily transition to The Glimmering without learning a new system.

Using the Polygon blockchain, all games will be logged, and players can track character development, loot, and campaign progress transparently. As players’ characters level up through gameplay, each character’s artwork will morph visually over time based on in-game outcomes, allowing NFT holders to influence their own rarities. Digital collectibles allow players to resell characters, weapons, armor, treasure, and other items acquired through play or purchase.

The team creating the world of The Glimmering are some of the best in their respective industries, including game design, art, technology, and storytelling.Ā  GRIPNR is a New Orleans-based web technology company bringing tabletop games to the blockchain.Ā  Its mission is to preserve the magic of classic TTRPGs while expanding player capabilities beyond the traditional gaming world and onto the blockchain.

Please let me know if you would like to speak with Brent and/or if there’s anything I can assist you with.

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Movie Games S.A. just announced a much-anticipated co-op mode in the upcoming Drug Dealer Simulator 2

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Movie Games S.A., a game publisher and producer listed on Warsaw Stock Exchange, has just confirmed the co-op mode in Drug Dealer Simulator 2, the highly anticipated sequel to one of the biggest indie hits in the last few years. The series will thus be expanded with a multiplayer element, one of the most important components ensuring the titles’ longevity and the so-called long sales tail.

Players were informed about the new co-op mode on the Steam platform, where the footage was published showing multiplayer gameplay mechanics in a test environment based on token visuals, which will eventually be replaced by final detailed models and textures.
Drug Dealer Simulator 2 is the sequel to 2020’s hit Drug Dealer Simulator, which has been updated with 6 free expansions to date. The release of the last of the expansions in November 2022 generated a peak of over 2,000 concurrent players, which is comparable to the successful launch of the new title. At the time of writing this, Drug Dealer Simulator 2 is in 379th place among the most wishlisted games on Steam (globally) and is constantly improving its position. It is worth noting that the Steam website had its launch 5 months ago, on 17 October 2022. So far, the wishlist growth has been organic without any marketing activities. The announcement of the coop is the start of a more active marketing approach.

“When designing Drug Dealer Simulator 2, we wanted to bring the gameplay to a new level. Our goal was to keep the essence of the original while improving and expanding it in many aspects. The experience gained since the release of part 1 and the better structure of the project, built from scratch, allowed us to expand the game’s sequel with a cooperative mode, which is not only an element desired by fans of part 1, but also, in my opinion, represents the future of gaming, offering a new kind of experience, combining the advantages of single and multiplayer modes,” says Rafal Pecherzewski, creator of the Drug Dealer Simulator series.

“The co-op in Drug Dealer Simulator 2 is a fulfillment of the wishes of a huge community of fans, with whom the dialogue is one of the pillars of our publishing activities. At the same time, as a publisher, we are opening up to the players, offering them the opportunity to see what working on their favorite titles looks like. The strategy of publishing the so-called developer’s diaries worked perfectly for the Alaskan Truck Simulator project. It is also well-suited to games from the DDS universe. These titles have an international and very active community of fans, for whom the value is not only the game itself, but also the interaction with the developers and the opportunity to learn about the behind-the-scenes of production,” says Piotr Gnyp, Chief Marketing Officer of Movie Games S.A.

“The added value from a marketing perspective is that fans of Drug Dealer Simulator, thanks to the recent showcase, had the opportunity to see what the game looks like at the prototyping and testing stage of the mechanics. This addresses the frequent questions and requests from community members to see the various stages of development work. The footage we showed is a glimpse behind the scenes of the work to sublimate the best possible form of designed gameplay even before the final implementation of the content. This is a common practice in the industry and a very effective one to get the best possible product even before the stage of final polishing. In due course, and with pleasure, we will also share with the world and fans the final visuals, which the developers are currently carefully refining behind the curtains,” says Michal Puczynski, Head of Content at Movie Games.

“We are very pleased with the pace of work and the commitment of the team working on Drug Dealer Simulator 2. We are confirming this year’s release date for the sequel to Drug Dealer Simulator with confidence,” adds Mateusz Wcześniak, CEO of Movie Games S.A.

The accepted release window for Drug Dealer Simulator 2 is the year 2023

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Outfit7 Celebrates the First Anniversary of Mythic Legends With New Guilds Feature and Orc Origin

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To celebrate the one-year anniversary of Mythic Legends, Outfit7 and Hyper Dot Studios have today announced two new exciting additions to the action-packed strategy RPG. The new Guilds feature allows players to connect and collaborate with each other, while the newly added Origin unlocks the savage power of the Orcs.Ā Ā 

Ā ā€œMythic Legends is a fast-paced, dynamic game that’s constantly evolving,ā€Ā said Xinyu Qian, CEO of Outfit7. ā€œAnd with the introduction of Guilds and Orcs, we’re opening up whole new worlds of strategic possibilities. Players can now unleash even more powerful Champions, potentially turning the tide of their battles, and connect with other fans to form alliances and lasting bonds in the game.ā€Ā 

With Guilds, players can team up to take on battle challenges and earn rewards. The player who creates the Guild becomes the ā€œGeneralā€ and invites others to join forces and establish their own roles with different responsibilities. Together, they can plan strategies to dominate their enemies in the arena, while plotting masterplans via the in-game chat function.Ā 

Players can now also tap into the power of the Orcs, a new Origin ruled over by the Legend Ghokan. This vicious group of warriors will inspire all-new battle strategies and add fresh blood to the Champion deck. The Orc Sorcerer, for example, can control the minds of his enemies, while the Orc Knight has the ability to taunt ranged enemies, attracting all of their attacks and gaining a defence boost. One that can change the battle outcome completely.Ā  The ferocious new Orc Legend and its Champions can now be recruited through the game’s Token Shop.Ā 

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