Last Monday, representatives from Sony Entertainment, Microsoft Corporation and Nintendo of America Inc. sent a letter to Joseph Barloon, General Counselman of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), regarding the impact an upcoming Chinese tariff can have on the gaming industry. According to the proposed tariffs, consumer products imported from China will be subjected to a heavy tax that will, not only impact the companies' bottom lines but the industry as a whole.
Monday afternoon, members of the Hearthstone's development team released a blog post that outlined what's to come in an upcoming patch. The three main talking points where: two cards being Hall of Famed, the development team wanting to create class identities and 10 new cards being added to the game in the near future.
On any given day, the most obscure hashtags can trend on Twitter across the United States and the world. This past weekend, #PokeFusion was the newest (or oldest, depending on your familiarity with the term) phrase to take over the internet stemming from the gaming industry. While it's difficult to trace exactly where and how it caught fire on Twitter, fans of the Pokemon franchise began messing around with the site and posting their best mashups on social media. The site, Pokemon Fusion, was created by Alex Onsager back in the early 2010s and the concept is quite simple. Onsager took sprites of the original 151 pokemon and found a way of fusing two of them together into a new abomination that can haunt your memories or provide you with a few giggles. How he did all of this was outlined in a blog post he made back in 2013.
On Thursday afternoon, members of the Heroes of the Storm development team sat down on the game's official subReddit (r/HeroesoftheStorm) to conversate with members of the community. They answered fan questions, provided insight as to what's the come and continued their mission to remain as available to the public as possible. With hundreds upon hundreds of questions asked, it can be difficult to keep track of everything that was said. Luckily, InvenGlobal has highlighted a few of the moment noteworthy responses below to save readers from having to scroll through hundreds of replies for the juicy ones.
This morning, ReKTGlobal continued their expansion into the music industry by announcing their newest investor, Dutch DJ Nicky Romero. One of the most popular music producers in the world, Romero joins Steve Aoki, Tainy and Imagine Dragons as recent parties who have decided to make the crossover into the world of gaming. ReKTGlobal is the parent company of professional esports organization Rogue which has numerous teams in popular titles such as League of Legends, Fortnite, Rocket League and more.
Long-time Hearthstone players all have a favorite class deep down in their hearts. And while it's common to play all nine of them to complete different daily challenges, try out new decks and climb the ladder, everyone has one they prefer playing most for one reason or another. Perhaps the fantasy of being a Hunter in the World of Warcraft universe appeals to you. Or you feel powerful wielding massive weapons that Garrosh holds in his arsenal that attracted you to play Warrior the longest. Maybe you just are a naturally good Shaman player and that has been your go-to class of choice when you want to put your "try hard" pants on.
Friday morning, Clash Royale players in North America awoke to a new cryptic message in their game clients about an upcoming card that is in the works and is set to be released in the next patch. "Like Ram Rider, this new Legendary character will be bringing a unique mechanic to Clash Royale. Keep an eye out for more update information being released over the next couple of weeks. Prepare for Clash Royale Season 1..." Naturally, players' eyebrows were raised as those three sentences spoke volumes to the future of SuperCell's mobile baby. A new Legendary card? A new mechanic that involves an anchor? Clash Royale Season 1? Although very little is known thus far, that didn't stop the internet from coming up with theories about what may be coming around the corner in the near future.
The 2019 competitive Hearthstone year kicks off starting today in Las Vegas with the Master Tour stop, featuring a $500,000 prize pool, half of which was funded by the game's community. 350 competitors, who qualified from around the world, will take place in a three-day event that will award first place a cool $50,000.
You'd be hard-pressed to find a character in Heroes of the Storm over the last few months that have had more requests to be reworked than Chen. The only "Pandamonium" that he has brought to the battlefield for the last couple years has been to the player piloting the panda who has a fondness for drinking brew. More often than not, Chen didn't feel impactful when dropped on the map. His death-by-papercuts damage output was a minor nuisance; his over-reliance on consuming brew to stay alive in fights wasn't particularly interactive; and when it came to the solo-lane, he was out-classed by many.
As E3's final presentation looks to take place at 12 p.m. EDT today, Nintendo fans are chomping at the bit to find out what new toys they will get to play with in the upcoming months. Prior to the presentation even starting, Twitter was abuzz with die-hard Nintendo fans who aired what they want to see, what they NEED to see and what they cannot live without seeing on stream. A common theme when it comes to the messages focus on three franchises in particular: Pokemon Sword and Shield, Animal Crossing and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. As the clock ticks down until the presentation starts, here are the two biggest questions on fan's minds.
During Electronic Arts scheduled EA Play presentation at this year's E3 conference, more information was revealed regarding the upcoming single-player title that looks to reinvigorate a franchise more than 40 years in the making. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, which is set to release on November 15 across numerous platforms, was given a 14-minute gameplay demo in front of a crowd of enthusiasts who are hoping that Respawn Entertainment, the game's developer, will deliver on the upcoming title. In the gameplay demo, fans were treated to an early mission in the campaign where the main character, Cal Kestis, a young padawan, had to infiltrate a clone trooper infested stronghold shortly after Order 66 was carried out in episode three of the franchise.
It's been nearly two weeks since it happened. Nick Young, a 22-year old from Virginia, hasn't touched Heroes of the Storm since. He has too much going on inside his mind. Funeral arrangements, a new living situation, everything around him rehashing old memories that cause him happiness and push him to tears with agony. They say the grieving process varies based on the individual. However, in recent days, Young has found comfort, support, and love within the unlikeliest of places. A location he can see but not touch. Feel the arms of others holding him but not hug back.
I'd classify myself as a simple man with simple interests. When I saw Cuphead, an indie title that has sold over 3 million copies thus far across numerous platforms, advertised at E3 in 2017 I knew I had to have it. The art was stunning, the music can only be described as a time capsule that brought me back to the 1930s and the gameplay was addictingly fun. It didn't take long for me to beat it, about 17 hours according to my Steam account, but the lasting impression it has had on me is a high I've been looking to chase since. I had no remote idea that shooting a flopping Onion while I dodged his tears falling on me would be a vivid gaming memory that would ring fresh in my mind almost two years later.
Currently, the Business Development Manager of Dignitas, one of the largest esports organizations in the world, Bakery's day to day roles drastically differ from when he rose to the top of the Heroes of the Storm scene during his playing days. Instead of grinding matches, dissecting replays and mastering his mechanical craft on the keyboard, Bakery's life now consists of overseeing ways to monetize the company via their website, merchandise, and social media platforms. Upon making an abrupt retirement announcement at the end of 2017, Bakery set his sights bigger than just being good at playing a specific game better than almost anyone else in the world.
There's a misconception in the esports industry that every single person who works in the field also excels at gaming-- as if it is a prerequisite. Just because the best of the best are performing on stage under the bright lights, doesn't mean those who work behind the scenes or on the casting desk can play at a Grand Master level. In fact, it's quite the opposite. A large number of individuals who have found success in the esports space actually stink at the games they love. Does it help if the General Manager of an esports organization can play at a high-level? Sort of. Does it make him any less qualified for the job if he isn't? Nope. At the InvenGlobal Esports Conference [IGEC], you'll hear from a handful of individuals from around the world and esports space who have found their niche, ran with it and succeeded without being all that great at the games they love.
At 2018's annual BlizzCon event, members of the Diablo team posed a question that was not received well by attendees and became an online meme: "You guys all have phones, right?" While meme-y given the context of the situation itself, they weren't wrong. Everyone in attendance and watching online had a cellphone, likely a smart one too. So why hasn't gaming, specifically esports, flocked to that platform when it is the most accessible system? Mobile esports veterans and entrepreneurs descend onto IGEC to discuss trends and future opportunities in mobile gaming. From West to East, our panelist dive into mobile esports infrastructure and leagues, sharing insights and first-hand experiences from marquee events like the Jakarta-Palembang Asia Games 2018, where mobile esports was featured for the first time in history as a demo medal event. We all have a sense of the bright future and potential of mobile esports -- now it is time to act and re-assess our priorities. A crucial panel for forward-thinking investors, content creators, or competitors.
24 hours after the Hearthstone design team revealed their first set of nerfs in the Year of the Dragon card rotation, a blog post was shared that revealed details for an upcoming in-game event. Starting on June 3, players will be able to log in and receive a new free golden Legendary minion, SN1P-SN4P, play with 18 cards that were buffed and experience the next Arena draft rotation as part of the "Mech-vitational" event.
Few esports communities are as misunderstood and underappreciated at the fighting game community (FGC). For over 30 years, the fighting game scene has grown from grassroot competitions in humble arcades to international, high-stakes tournaments that capture the imagination of millions of esports consumers. We'll take a look back at how the FGC has grown and evolved with the veterans who have been there from the scene's earliest days. At the 2019 Inven Global Esports Conference [IGEC 2019], a panel of experts will break down the scene for those looking to understand what it takes for an esport to survive obscure lows and dizzying highs.
Evolved Talent Agency CEO Ryan Morrison, better known as the Video Game Attorney, spoke to Inven Global's Tim Rizzo to provide professional insight on the lawsuit and surrounding situation.
It takes a lot to stand out amongst the crowd of pro gamers and esports hopefuls -- especially with so much white noise enveloping our industry's social media landscape. This analysis will break down what it takes to build a unique, successful brand and encourage loyal audiences when so many people and organizations are aiming for the same success. Learn how to combat low engagement and PR disasters in this practical panel of gaming community experts. At the 2019 Inven Global Esports Conference [IGEC 2019], a panel of experts will shed light onto how making a name for yourself through social media is more difficult than it seems, how different esports organizations approach branding differently and how the gaming landscape has its' own unique challenges.
