Gaming
Anzu Completes $48 Million Series B Funding Round From Bandai Namco and Others
Round brings new investors on board, including Emmis, PayPal Ventures, Bandai Namco Entertainment 021 Fund, Evolution, and Simon Equity Partners
Anzu, the most advanced intrinsic in-game advertising solution, announced a $48 million Series B funding round, significantly increasing its valuation and adding several new high-profile investors. The new round will also include converting the SAFE notes and investors exiting with a 10x valuation increase.
The funding round was led by Emmis Corporation, one of America’s most respected media, sports, and entertainment companies, with additional investments from PayPal Ventures, Evolution, Simon Equity Partners, and Bandai Namco Entertainment 021 Fund, a corporate venture arm of a Japanese multinational entertainment company, Bandai Namco Entertainment. Existing Anzu investors include Sony Innovation Fund, NBCUniversal, WPP, Bitkraft, Samsung Next, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) Ventures, Axel Springer and Marquee Ventures — the venture capital fund anchored by the parent company of the Chicago Cubs.
In-game advertising continues to grow as more advertisers and developers become aware of the enormous opportunity it presents to reach a new market of gamers. On the heels of Anzu’s recent hire of Nerissa MacDonald, EVP Global Sales, the company will use the funding to continue to build out its global leadership team. Anzu will also seek to grow its U.S. footprint by developing teams across the country. The funding will allow Anzu to remain independent and fully focused on its mission to make advertising in games better.
“We are thrilled to close our Series B funding round and bring some exciting new investors on board,” said Itamar Benedy, Co-Founder and CEO of Anzu. “We are confident that in-game advertising has the potential to be a multi-billion dollar market, and Anzu is perfectly positioned to take advantage of this huge opportunity. Over the past year, we have achieved some significant milestones towards our vision, and have connected with more exclusive AAA games and premium content, expanded our measurement capabilities for advertisers, and secured patents for our unique intellectual property.”
On the new funding, Emmis Corporation Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Smulyan said: “In-game advertising is ready to become the next major advertising category as marketers connect their brands with billions of cloud, PC, console, and mobile gamers worldwide. We look forward to partnering with Anzu as it delivers the technology and business system to make in-game advertising a large part of every marketer’s media buying plans.”
PayPal Ventures Managing Partner James Loftus said: “As the clear market leader in the nascent space of in-game advertising, Anzu brings highly sophisticated advertising into complex, 3D environments. We’re excited to support Anzu as they build on their proprietary technology, broaden their robust ecosystem of partners and expand their team in the U.S. and globally.”
Gaming
PopOK Gaming Unveils “First Balloon” in the Thrilling Crash Series
PopOK Gaming is excited to announce the release of “First Balloon,” the latest game in its popular Crash series. This new addition promises to take players on an exhilarating adventure, where they will soar through the skies and experience breathtaking moments and enticing rewards as their balloon ascends.
“First Balloon” offers a unique and thrilling gameplay experience that will keep players on the edge of their seats. As the game begins, players place their bets and watch as the multiplier starts increasing from 1x and continues to rise. The goal is to cash out at just the right moment to secure a multiplied payout. However, there’s a catch: if players don’t cash out in time, they risk losing their bet.
The excitement builds as players navigate the challenge of timing their cash-outs to maximize their winnings. With the potential to win up to x10,000, “First Balloon” offers the chance for massive rewards.
How does it work?
Place a bet
Watch the multiplier increase from 1x upwards
Cash out anytime to get your bet multiplied
“First Balloon” is designed to provide a thrilling and immersive gaming experience, combining the excitement of risk and reward with the beauty of a soaring balloon journey. It’s the perfect game for those seeking adventure and the thrill of high-stakes gameplay.
Don’t miss out on the latest addition to PopOK Gaming’s Crash series. Start your adventure today with “First Balloon” and experience the excitement for yourself!
Gaming
SimplePlay has launched a new Table Game: Beauty and Gorilla King !
One day, the Beauty, whom Gorilla King is deeply in love with, gets captured and locked inside a tower. To save the love of his life, Gorilla King needs to avoid the deadly hunters on every floor of the tower and make his way to the top to win his precious back!
Beauty and Gorilla King” is a mini-game where players are given a tower with rows of covered squares with either beauties or hunters. Players need to start from the bottom row. Whenever a square of beauty is unveiled, players move one floor up and the winning multiplier increases. Players can choose to continue their progress to move upwards and win more, or to leave this round and take the accumulated winnings! However, if a hunter is unveiled, all the winnings will be lost and players have to start a new round. Get to the top of the tower to unravel huge riches!
Come and experience “Beauty and Gorilla King” now!
Gaming
Big Screen Gaming Summit Joins PG Connects Helsinki, Spotlighting PC and Console Development
The Big Screen Gaming Summit, a new two-day event dedicated to PC, console, web3, VR, and AR games, will debut alongside Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki on October 1-2, 2024. One ticket, two events!
This expansion of the world’s leading independent games conference series aims to provide a comprehensive forum for the evolving landscape of multi-platform game development.
The dedicated summit will feature eight specialised tracks covering crucial industry topics, including market trends, UGC, live service games, discoverability, practical AI, and more. Each track will offer in-depth discussions, panels, and presentations from industry experts, providing attendees with valuable insights into the latest trends, technologies, and business strategies shaping the future of games. The summit will also explore emerging markets in Latin America, Asia, and MENA, which are expected to drive future player growth on PC and console platforms.
“As the games industry continues to evolve, we recognise the continuing importance of PC and console platforms alongside mobile,” said Dave Bradley, COO of Steel Media. “The Big Screen Gaming Summit represents our commitment to serving the entire games industry, offering a unique opportunity for professionals to explore the challenges and opportunities across all major platforms.”
The event will also host The Very Big Indie Pitch (PC + Console Edition), providing indie developers with a platform to showcase their projects to a panel of experts. This competition offers valuable feedback and exposure for up-and-coming developers in the PC and console space. Indie developers are encouraged to apply early, as spots are limited.
Both the Big Screen Gaming Summit and Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki will take place at Wanha Satama, Helsinki, as part of the Finnish Games Week. Finland is famous for its mobile games, but it’s also home to renowned studios like Housemarque and Remedy Entertainment, showcasing the country’s strength in PC and console game development.
Early bird tickets offering savings of over £300 are currently available, providing access to both events. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with industry professionals, gain insights from leading experts, and explore the expo area. The event will also feature a MeetToMatch online meeting platform, facilitating valuable connections among participants.
In addition to the main conference tracks, the summit will include roundtable discussions, networking events like Investor Connector and Publisher SpeedMatch, and a party in downtown Helsinki. As part of Finnish Games Week (30 September – 4 October), the Big Screen Gaming Summit and Pocket Gamer Connects Helsinki will join the IGDA Leadership Day, W In Games and more activities celebrating the regional games scene.
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