For once, here’s a story in the Music Ally bulletin that you can tell a passing 10 year-old, and watch their jaw drop. The publisher of craze-popular game Fortnite is buying the developer of also-hot game Rocket League. That means Epic Games is acquiring Psyonix, for an undisclosed amount, with the deal expected to close in the next couple of months.
The deal brings together two of the most popular games for tweens and teens (as well as adults), but Fortnite and Rocket League are also two of the key games in the burgeoning esports market. Rocket League has more than 57 million registered players, while Psyonix has been building its Rocket League Championship Series for professional gamers to compete in. Fortnite, meanwhile, had 200 million players in November 2018, and has spawned its own ‘World Cup’ pro tournament, as well as figuring highly in other esports events around the world. Both games have also worked with external partners, from Fortnite’s Marshmello concert, Weezer island and recent Avengers: Endgame tie-in to Rocket League’s partnerships with Warner Bros and wrestling body the WWE – and an official, wobbling Deadmau5 mouse-hat for players to customise their cars.
Tools: platforms to help you reach new audiences
Tools: Kaiber
In the year or so since its launch, AI startup Kaiber has been making waves,…