Blade Announces Partnership With Charter Communications

Major U.S. Cable Operator Makes Investment In Blade, The Tech Company Behind High-End Cloud-Based Computer Gaming Platform “Shadow”
Investment Will Accelerate Blade’s Growth and Solidify Its Leadership Position
Company Also Recently Announced Partnerships With Ubisoft Nadeo Studio and Esports Group Team Envy

Blade, the tech company redefining cloud-based gaming, officially announced a strategic investment from leading U.S. cable provider Charter Communications, Inc. The new funding comes just a year after Shadow’s successful introduction in the United States and Europe.

“Working with this major technology leader is not just exciting for us as a company but it validates Blade’s technological achievements in the field,” said Asher Kagan, co-founder and CEO of Blade. “Our new partner shares the same vision, values and goals when it comes to the future application of cloud computing and how to scale the ecosystem. Charter is the missing communications link in our service delivery cycle and it is inspiring to be working with them.”

Charter’s involvement represents a key milestone in Blade’s international development strategy, enhancing its reach and supporting its expansion in the United States. Having one of America’s largest cable providers as a key partner will enable Blade to enhance its technology on an advanced fiber-based network, as well as create unique experiences for nearly 28 million customers. The partnership is about combining specialized cloud processing with best-in-class networking to deliver a powerful entertainment platform never seen before in the home.

“Blade’s leading Cloud PC technology is at the forefront of enabling the next wave of immersive experiences for the consumer,” said Andrew Ip, SVP of Emerging Technology and Innovation for Charter Communications.  “The Shadow experience is an example of the service set that can be enhanced by Charter’s state-of-the-art, fiber powered network.  This combination will bring a superior experience to Shadow users on Charter’s network and further differentiate Charter from its competitors by extending powerful computing needs to our customers whether they be the most avid gamer or are simply looking for enhanced personal computing experiences.”

This investment helps solidify a new type of partnership which will capitalize on the growth the company has seen since its launch in late 2017. Blade will continue to hire new talent in Europe and the United States to support its rapid pace of growth.

Blade also recently announced the company is partnering with top gaming studios to grant Shadow users unique content from their titles. The first partnership will be with Ubisoft Nadeo Studio and its TrackMania² Stadium. As part of the deal, Blade will give the full game for free to all users on its platform. The initiative also allows players to activate new in-game modes that empower them to create new and exciting ways to challenge their friends.

At the same time, the company announced a groundbreaking deal with Dallas-based esports powerhouse Team Envy to bring the Shadow platform into a level of esport grade competition. For the first time, at-home players have the ability to play on the same style of system as their favorite esports teams without having to overspend.

Built to meet the demands of dedicated gamers, Shadow brings the highest quality frictionless experience — high speed, low latency, data security and up to 4K resolution — to all gamers, without the high upfront cost of an expensive gaming computer.

About Blade:
Blade was founded in France in 2015 to design and develop the future of the PC, with a simple vision: free users from the constraints of physical hardware by giving them access to a powerful, cloud-based computer.

Blade’s first product, Shadow, is a high-performance PC based entirely in the cloud. This ground-breaking service provides access to a fully featured high-end Windows 10 computer, via any Internet-enabled device, including a laptop, tablet, and smartphone. Free from hardware failures in Blade’s secure data centers, Shadow puts an end to obsolete devices, thanks to regular, no-cost updates of cutting-edge components.

Source: Blade