Joel Benton

This week's Video Games Industry Memo - sponsored by Sumo Digital Ltd - hit over 2000 inboxes earlier today with an article exploring the economic impact of Roblox creators on the American economy. Between 2017 and 2023, experience makers have added $1.2bn in GDP, supported nearly 18,000 full time equivalents (jobs) and contributed more than $300m in tax. But while the headline figures may be a little less impressive than they sound, the trends driving those figures suggest the UGC economy could be a force for genuine economic value in the years to come. Along with the deep dive into Roblox, VGIM also contained: 📰 News about Russian intelligence agents targeting US gamers for misinformation campaigns 💼 All the big job moves and some great open roles at major games companies 📅 Forthcoming conferences including Nexus in Dublin, Tokyo Game Show and Game Connect Asia Pacific in Melbourne 🎮 Funko Pop Fusion heading up the round-up of the week's releases You can read Video Games Industry Memo now by searching for it on Substack, Google or by clicking the Newsletter link in my LinkedIn profile. And if you're not subscribed, make sure to sign up ahead of next Thursday's edition where we'll take a look inside a building described as the Large Hadron Collider for the Mind...

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This is probably the best story I have ever written in terms of sourcing. Please give it a read and if you hate reading just listen to the audio file. PS: Thanks to Tobias Seck, the Wizard of Oz of our little endeavor, behind the scenes, editing, producing audio files, and just making my writing better.

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Playbook Fusion 🚀 https://lnkd.in/eHask_rU How to engage the audience of tomorrow is a constant challenge across the industry, particularly with how differently the modern generation of players engage with sports. In this article I talk about how Playbook Fusion is looking to help operators solve that challenge

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Gaming for Good is set to take centre stage in 2025, with charities increasingly tapping into the power of gaming to raise awareness and drive donations. With the global gaming industry booming—worth £7.9bn in the UK alone—it's no wonder charities are jumping on board. It's not just about young gamers anymore. Older adults and women are growing demographics in gaming, and charities are getting creative in engaging all ages through live-streaming, interactive games, and even virtual reality. The RSPCA, for example, is using gaming to educate young people about climate change's impact on animals. In 2025, we’ll see even more innovative, inclusive, and purpose-driven gaming initiatives. Charities are realising that gaming is no longer just for fun—it’s a powerful tool for good. #GamingForGood #CharityGaming #GameOnForChange #Gaming2025 #FundraisingInnovation

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No squatch sightings last weekend...but wow...what a week since. A massively productive one for The Glitch (on all fronts), and apparently some other things happened around the industry as well...huh. Alright...let's-a-go: OMY@C 🤘 ⛏ - Metallica will be in Fortnite soon. The event is called "Metallica: Fuel Fire Fury," and it will kick off on June 22nd. The San Francisco band got on the Fortnite Festival stage yesterday - so if you're curious...hop on in there. RIP Cliff. RIP Eddie. 🍎 - Apple's WWDC was this week...and their formal entry into Ai was the big takeaway. "Apple Intelligence," was the name they landed on. Essentially, it's Ai integrated through every aspect of their various OS's...adding personal context to everything. My first reaction was...do I want that though? On one hand, this feels like the first real indication of where consumer Ai is headed...on the other: privacy? A big part of Apple's presentation of their Ai is "setting a brand-new standard for privacy in Ai." So...they're well aware of the line that's being crossed. Apple's 5-minute video overview (on their site) shows you how "Ai for the rest of us" will work...and it's easy to be cynical about it. A squirrel DJ...cool. Custom emoji's...neat. Still...you should watch it. When app devs finally start building for this though...look out. PREDICTION: iPhone 16 will be the best selling iPhone yet. The 6 sold 222M units total...71.5MM units in it's first 3 months...so we'll know by year's end how this crazy statement is trending. 📺 🎮 - Mike Verdu will soon be leaving his role as VP of Netflix Games (and starting a new role with the company). Speculation is rampant about what this means for the games unit. It's possible that it means...nothing at all. I'm still massively bullish on the gaming opportunity for Netflix. My personal opinion is that transmedia is the biggest, most exciting play here...but I've also heard there are internal headwinds on that. 🤷‍♂️ 🍷 ⛵ - I'm not going to Cannes...again. Maybe some day. I'll drink rosé and look important at home...again. I'm not bitter. 📺 🎮 - Follow Friday: Two nerds with a webcam...that you absolutely should be following if you're in the games business: 1) Chris Melissinos (Principal Evangelist for Amazon Web Services (AWS) - Video interviews with games industry legends, deep retro dives, and discussions on the top news. 2) Alexander Seropian (Founder/CEO of Look North World) - Host of "The Fourth Curtain," is always a headliner event. 📺 - Palm Royale (Apple+). Kristen Wiig as a social climber in 1960's south Florida. So good. Save a grasshopper for me. 🎵 - Spotify's "Daylist" - pull the throttle back a bit with your list names though. "90's Indie Twee Friday Afternoon," might be accurate...but it's embarrassing. 🎮 - It's been 2 weeks since I picked up Hogwarts Legacy and Vampire Survivors...haven't started either yet. THAT's how busy it's been.

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Investment news: Keywords Studios is being acquired by Swedish investment firm @EQT in a deal valued at £2.2 billion The agreement, announced on the London Stock Exchange (below), sees EQT acquiring all of Keywords' issued and to be issued shares for £24.50 per share in cash. EQT, already a player in the gaming industry, strengthens its presence with this acquisition. Keywords Studios offers a comprehensive suite of services, from development and art production to quality assurance, localization, and marketing. This acquisition bolsters EQT's portfolio in the ever-growing gaming landscape. The deal, valued at roughly £2.1 billion on a fully diluted basis, will be financed through a combination of equity and debt by EQT. Finalization is expected in the fourth quarter of 2024. This acquisition signifies a major move in the game services industry. Stay tuned for further updates on how this deal will impact Keywords Studios and the wider gaming landscape. (source: https://lnkd.in/ecT8gwf9)

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Premium price point games on mobile. Robert Fahey does a great job of breaking down the woes of paid games on mobile and why RE7 fell flat on its face. It's not just because mobile gamers balk at price points and are trained to prefer and download free-to-play games (but one can't deny how big this factor is). Alongside his thorough analysis and reasonings, I'd like to add the elusive task that developers and platforms have of wooing the tastemakers and first adopters in games. With more mature platforms in PC and console, they've simply had more time (years more) to hone in on who this important demographic slice is, how to "talk" to them and develop some pretty sophisticated programs and strategies. When I was at PlayStation, they were masters of this (and still are). On mobile, this is still not fully understood, and is a different beast when you're dealing with billions of people in your ecosystem, as opposed to hundreds of millions. Why do tastemakers and first adopters matter in the bigger picture? Because these are the folx that are spreading awareness and convincing their friends to play the next cool game, or better yet, play the new hotness of multiplayer games, WITH them. Good old word of mouth still reigns. Even in the world of PC and console, this can still be tricky. No one REALLY knows what that perfect critical mass is of winning over this coveted gaming group that will spark the brush fire of adoption and break out hit. There are so many variables at play and when it all comes down to it- despite how sophisticated we think are with our fancy metrics- we will most likely never be able to fully capture- and measure- word of mouth. And for the record, I love premium games and still think there's a place for them on mobile, despite the challenges.

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The experts' guide to mobile games monetisation: Part one

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Friends, as interest in our community grows, so have questions about how to use all the game support pieces we provide across our three homes. Let me make things simple for you: * amirsatvat.com is your central hub for everything if in doubt—this includes our 19 game resources and a link back to our community on LinkedIn. It also now includes an open public invite link to join our Discord community. * Think of our three homes this way: HOME #1 - amirsatvat.com - The most impactful game resource site on Earth. Come here for all our permanent resources and references. If you are a job seeker, just take 5 minutes and go through a full cycle of our 6 categories of resources. Make sure you are signed up for everything of interest. HOME #2 - Discord - 5,216 members as of August 12th, 2024. Join here: discord.gg/amirsatvat Discord is our real-time support service, complementing our other two homes. Come here for edifying and fun games chats, industry chat across functions, and the live versions of things like mentorships, CV and portfolio reviews, and more that you can also sign up for, alongside broader networks and more resources, at HOME #1. HOME #3 - LinkedIn - The largest Top Voice Games community on the platform - 94,301 members as of August 12th, 2024 Follow here and become a member: linkedin.com/in/amirsatvat LinkedIn is where you will find my regular daily content, key updates, and more. I will also link my LinkedIn posts in the New LinkedIn post channel on Discord. Together, these three homes interact to provide you with a blanket of comprehensive game support, objectively unmatched anywhere in terms of provable statistical impact on: * Jobs enabled (2,400+) * Game community coaching provided (45,000 sessions and counting) * Number of free game community coaches (2,264) * Consolidated public listing of game job seekers (8.143) * Game jobs listed (14,747 across 3,716 game companies) * New games roles workbook (Now live!) * Game org support posts provided (105 layoff situations aided) * Comprehensive game career resources (general planning and early career packs) * Free LinkedIn Premium 2-month trials provided (485) * Free game event tickets given (455 across 7 events) * Eva Tucker's Support Your Indies, Hailey Rojas's #opentonetwork, Alexander Rehm's MVP resources, and Jordan Mazer's Games Jobs Did I mention everything across all three homes is free forever and delivered without any motive other than wanting to see gamers happy? Why should you have to pay for any of this stuff, especially if you are unemployed? You shouldn't. Gamers, welcome home!

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#RegulatoryUpdate Ministry Of Information & Broadcasting convened a meeting with industry associations yesterday on 11 June to discuss compliance with the new guidelines issued by it on 5 June. The industry's request for a time extension is unlikely to be entertained. So the deadline remains 18 June. It has also been reiterated that MIB does not have the locus standi to intervene on the subject, as it merely executes Hon'ble SC's orders. The aggrieved will need to implead before the SC after courts reopen in July. 📀New self-declaration mechanism for Advertising and its compliance obligation from 18 June 2024📀 ⏯ Starting 18th June, advertisers must submit self-declaration forms before running ads on print, TV, and the internet. Specifically, they need to confirm that the ad does not make misleading claims and complies with all relevant regulatory guidelines by submitting a self-declaration form on MIB portals. (The form will include details of ads such as title, description, and full script) ⏯ Context & Sequence of Events ♦ Indian Medical Association filed a case against Patanjali prccs for misleading claims following which the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India issued warnings to Patanjali, and eventually placed temporary bans on its ads. Patanjali was also directed to publish apologies in newspapers etc. ♦ On 7 May 2024, SC extended the scope of the case to all ads, making it sector agnostic, and announced a mandatory self-declaration regime for running ads, urging Ministries to establish procedures that will encourage consumers to lodge complaints. ♦ Specifically, it directs MIB to create a dedicated portal within 4 weeks ♦ On 5 June 2024, MIB operationalizes portals and issues guidelines for compliance ⏯ Nature of Compliance – The Advertiser must upload a self-declaration form on www.broadcastseva.gov.in and www.presscouncil.nic.in before any ad is issued on the TV/print/internet. Proof of uploading is to be shared by the Advertiser with the concerned broadcaster/printer/publisher/TV channel/ electronic media. No Ad is permitted to be run without uploading the self-declaration. These are to be treated as laws declared by the SC under Section 141 of the Constitution of India ⏯ Grey Areas – ♦ The complex and nuanced nature of digital ads esp. via automated tools is yet to be defined. ♦ Clarity on scope – mediums impacted, the format of declaration, the mechanism to operationalize the order ♦ If the self-declarations are made public on the two portals, it will create privacy risks and become anti-competitive ⏯ Compliance burden on small businesses (as always) – Smaller players hugely rely on digital ads for visibility and promoting their business ⏯ Key Recommendations ♦ Extension of go-live date of 18 June ♦ Different approaches for digital ads ♦ Exemption for small businesses ♦ Consider an initial trial period for roll-out ⏯ Next Steps- MIB will convene a meeting on 11 June with key stakeholders to ensure implementation and peruse

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A new debate on the cost of cool, which digs into the environmental impact of increasing vinyl sales and rising concerns among several major artists. In summary, some counter-argue that the tech behind vinyls is significantly evolving, notably with BioVinyl, whilst others mention the environmental cost of storage data from streaming platforms. For me, it is entertainment, it is what consumers want, and it is the same debate as EV cars vs. good old gas. It’s evolution meets nostalgia. What do you reckon? 

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484 Games studios in Scotland!! (disclaimer below) We are *finally* releasing the complete #data from the 2020/21 research project to map the #games #ecosystem in #Scotland. Free to all researchers, academics and organisations across the country. It's a snapshot of the sector over the pandemic and is the first research into the size and composition of the games ecosystem across the country. The spreadsheet you can find here lists all of the games studios, games-related companies and the #colleges and #universities offering games-related courses. * The total of 484 includes companies that have no existence outside Companies House, no discoverable online activity and businesses that clearly have nothing to do with games (cash registers, ticketing, horse wellness...etc.) This data was created with the support of Creative Informatics UK and was the basis of further research with both InGAME: Innovation for Games and Media Enterprise and the University of Glasgow #games #videogames #Scotland #ScotlandsGamesStrategy

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His talk will be about how the BEF and SEF cooperation will contribute to Vision 2030.

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TIGA published a new press release, dubbed: WEATHERING THE STORM: the UK games dev sector continues to grow, despite global sector downturn Highlights: ⭐ Over the 12 months from April 2023 to May 2024, the UK gaming industry grew by 4.8% YoY. ⭐ More than 28,500 people in the UK are professionally involved in game development. Of these, 3,625 are freelancers (their number has increased more than 3 times, apparently, companies are switching to contract work to optimize costs). Overall, the number of people employed in the UK gaming industry increased by 13.9%. ⭐ The number of new jobs exceeded the number of layoffs. From April 2023 to May 2024, 3,932 full-time vacancies were opened. During the same period, 2,353 positions were cut. ⭐ The number of game studios in the UK decreased from 1,801 in April 2023 to 1,757 in May 2024. ⭐ 248 gaming companies decided to close during the survey period. This is 10.4% of all gaming companies in the country - a record (anti-record?). ⭐ In the period from April 2023 to May 2024, 166 startups were launched. In the previous year, there were 251 such companies. ⭐ Companies owned by foreign shareholders employ 62% of all workers in the UK industry. (source: https://lnkd.in/eQSi8HHS)

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I recently created a section on my site, called One Pagers – https://lnkd.in/eR9EbsKB The idea is to capture big and important areas of my life into one page. I’ve kicked things off with a one pager on How to Invest – https://lnkd.in/eKjpCa-v This has been a ten + year journey for me, with many twists and turns. I’ve finally settled on something straight forward, which will help me achieve my long term financial goals. And importantly, is right for me. I’m not saying this is the only way to invest, or that it will work for you. But, I do think it’s a pretty solid medium risk strategy for how most people might want to think about investing for the future. And in any case, it’s not a bad place to start thinking from. P.S. A gigantic thanks to my friend Paraskevas Avraam. He has been a HUGE help in evolving my own thinking on investing, and helped me become more self aware of my tolerance for risk over the last ten years or so. P.P.S The next one pager I will write will be bringing together my stance for how to train and exercise. Watch this space.

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Live music's economic impact is undeniable, and the UK's live music industry reaching a record £6.1bn value in 2023 further solidifies this fact. While the reported value pertains to the top of the live music pyramid, platforms like GigPig play a vital role in the 'seed' sector, nurturing artists who later advance to grassroots venues. This progression is crucial as the 'seed' and 'grassroots' sectors contribute significantly to the economy, laying the foundation for the broader music industry to thrive. Amidst celebrating the positive impact of live music on the music sector, GigPig remains committed to championing the 'seed' level, which adds £2.4bn for venues and £1.3bn to the artist market. These contributions are instrumental in enhancing the economic prosperity of various UK towns and cities, underscoring their immense value often overlooked in the broader market landscape. Kudos to the LIVE (Live music Industry Venues and Entertainment) team and Jon Collins for revealing this pivotal data, showcasing the profound influence of delivering exceptional music experiences. #LiveMusic #EconomicImpact #MusicIndustry #GigPig #UKEconomy

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Deep and insightful thoughts on the state of gaming in 2024 from Matthew Ball (update to his January post). https://lnkd.in/e-3Q6rvn? There has been much hubris in the industry up until 2023, with most believing gaming is recession proof. It's not and never has been (it has dodged a recession or two in the past however). Most of us do not look at macro consumer trends and prefer to stay in the bubble of whatever industry we're in, in this case many people were and still are looking at only gaming trends, even Matthew is doing this in his report here. I love macro trends, and it's a key part of knowing what's coming. If you're in an industry like gaming, focusing on just gaming trends is not going to give you an idea of where to go and what to do. Understanding macro consumer trends around the globe are key for any tech industry to make the most effective choices on strategy and execution. Macro consumer trends suggests people are increasing their preference for more passive social entertainment (like videos) - TikTok, YouTube and others are not declining but growing (The US is the source of 42% of all TikTok's revenue and has the most average time spent of any other social media platform - 55 mins per day). Note: Matthew Ball focuses primarily on the US market, he's also using data from many different sources, one of which is Circana, which many say does not have a full view of the markets. Enjoy! #gaming #gamesindustry #videogames #layoffs

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Galaxy S25 Ultra Rumored To Be Treated To UFS 4.1 Storage, Which Will Be A Useful Upgrade When Running On-Device AI Features Efficiently https://lnkd.in/gB8FJVBj

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