The Esports Advocate
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Another Former FlyQuest CEO Joins Cloud9
The Santa Monica-based esports organization Cloud9 has appointed Michael Choi as its new chief product officer.
- Cloud9 has appointed former FlyQuest CEO Michael Choi as its new chief product officer to oversee product vision, strategy, and roadmap.
- Michael Choi is the second former FlyQuest executive to join Cloud9, following the appointment of former FlyQuest CEO Tricia Sugita as Cloud9's chief marketing officer in June 2022.
- Following Choi's departure from FlyQuest, the organization appointed Brian Anderson, the former CEO of beastcoast, to take over the top executive role in December 2022.
Migu Sports Secures Three-Year Media Rights Deal for Multiple Esports Leagues in China
Migu Sports, a subsidiary of the telecommunications giant China Mobile, has entered into a three-year media rights agreement with TJ Sports and Tencent.
- Migu Sports, a subsidiary of China Mobile, has secured a three-year non-exclusive media rights deal to broadcast major Tencent-owned esports competitions, including the LPL, League of Legends World Championship, MSI, KPL, and PEL.
- The deal is valued at more than $5.8 million USD (¥40 million) per year, though it does not include the distribution rights that were present in previous industry agreements.
- Huya maintains a separate, parallel deal for exclusive media rights to the LPL, which is valued at $310 million over five years.
Amy Fair Roberts Joins XSET as Director of Public Relations
Gaming and esports lifestyle organization XSET has appointed Amy Fair Roberts as its new Director of Public Relations.
- XSET has appointed Amy Fair Roberts as its new Director of Public Relations.
- Roberts joins XSET from the creative communications consultancy firm Hunt & Gather, where she spent 2022 managing accounts for clients such as Warner Music Fan Experiences, Frontier Communications, and BETA Technologies.
- Her prior professional experience includes a seven-month communications internship at DraftKings and over a year as an account coordinator at Off Wall Street Consulting Group.
XSET Co-Owner Rob Martin Announces Departure From Gaming Lifestyle Company
Rob Martin, Chief Experience Officer and co-owner of the Los Angeles-based gaming lifestyle company XSET, announced his departure from the organization in January 2023.
- Rob Martin, co-owner and Chief Experience Officer of XSET, announced his departure from the company in January 2023 citing personal family health issues.
- Martin joined XSET in February 2022 following the company's acquisition of Astoic Management, a talent and marketing agency he co-founded in 2013.
- XSET CEO Greg Selkoe confirmed the departure is amicable and stated that the company plans to announce new hires and initiatives throughout 2023.
India’s MeitY Releases Draft Amendments Governing Online Gaming
The Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has introduced draft amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, aimed at establishing a formal regulatory framework for the nation’s online gaming industry.
- India’s Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) has released draft amendments to the Information Technology Rules, 2021, to establish a new regulatory framework for the online gaming industry.
- The proposed rules require all online games to be registered with and verified by government-recognized self-governing bodies, which will issue a compliance seal for display to users.
- Game companies must appoint a resident compliance officer in India to handle user grievances and serve as the primary point of contact for law enforcement and government agencies.
Nike Replaced by Li-Ning as Exclusive LPL Apparel Sponsor
Li-Ning has replaced Nike as the exclusive apparel sponsor for the League of Legends Pro League (LPL), the premier professional esports circuit in China operated by TJ Sports.
- Li-Ning has replaced Nike as the exclusive apparel partner for the League of Legends Pro League (LPL), the official professional league operated by TJ Sports.
- Nike’s previous four-year exclusive deal, signed in 2019, was valued at approximately $7.48 million USD (￥50 million) annually.
- The partnership transition follows significant public and government backlash against Nike in 2021 regarding the company's stance on Xinjiang labor practices, which briefly led to the obscuring of Nike branding during LPL broadcasts.
Microsoft Gets Pre-Trial Hearing for Activision Blizzard Acquisition
A federal court has scheduled a pre-trial hearing for January 3, 2023, to address motions and arguments regarding Microsoft’s proposed $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
- Microsoft and the FTC are scheduled for a pre-trial hearing on January 3 to determine the progression of the lawsuit regarding Microsoft's proposed $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
- The FTC filed a lawsuit on December 8, 2022, to block the merger, alleging that the deal would create a monopoly and allow Microsoft to degrade rivals' access to key content like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft.
- Microsoft’s formal response argues that the FTC’s opposition violates its Fifth Amendment due process rights and contends that Sony is attempting to use antitrust laws to protect its own dominant market position.
Philadelphia Fusion Makes South Korea its Forever Home
Comcast Spectacor has officially rebranded its Overwatch League (OWL) team, formerly known as the Philadelphia Fusion, to the Seoul Infernal.
- Comcast Spectacor has officially rebranded the Overwatch League team Philadelphia Fusion to the Seoul Infernal and relocated the franchise permanently to Seoul, South Korea.
- The team will integrate more closely with the T1 organization, a co-owner of the team, by sharing facilities and resources with T1’s League of Legends Championship Korea (LCK) roster.
- The move follows the cancellation of the planned $50 million Fusion Arena in Philadelphia, a project that was abandoned in October 2021 after being stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Workers at Activision Blizzard Studio Proletariat Organize
In December 2022, a supermajority of employees at the Boston-based game studio Proletariat announced their intent to unionize, filing for a representation election with the National Labor Relations Board.
- A supermajority of workers at the Boston-based studio Proletariat have filed for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board, seeking representation through the Proletariat Workers Alliance/CWA.
- If successful, Proletariat would become the third Activision Blizzard studio to unionize, following Raven Software and Blizzard Albany, though it is the first to include the entire studio workforce rather than just QA staff.
- Microsoft, which is in the process of acquiring Activision Blizzard for $69 billion, has signed an agreement with the union to remain neutral regarding organizing efforts.
Chile Greenlights Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard Acquisition
Chile’s regulatory agency, the Fiscalia Nacional Economica (FNE), has officially approved Microsoft’s proposed $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
- Chile’s Fiscalia Nacional Economica (FNE) has approved Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, concluding that the deal would not substantially reduce market competition.
- Chile joins a limited group of jurisdictions that have cleared the merger, including Serbia, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil.
- Microsoft remains in active legal conflict with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over the acquisition, having formally responded to the agency's lawsuit to block the deal.
Chinese Regulators Approve Valorant and 43 Other Imported Games
The National Press and Publication Administration of China has granted publishing licenses to 44 imported video games, signaling a significant shift in the regulatory environment.
- Chinese regulators approved 44 imported games and 84 domestic titles in December 2022, signaling a shift away from an 18-month freeze on new game approvals.
- Riot Games' Valorant received a publishing license, a critical milestone for expanding the title into a global esport within the Chinese market.
- The approval list includes notable international titles such as Pokémon UNITE, Don’t Starve, and the card game Gwent.
Indian Government Officially Recognizes Esports
The Indian government officially recognized esports in December 2022, marking a significant shift in the nation’s regulatory landscape for competitive gaming.
- The Indian government has officially recognized esports by categorizing it as a 'multisports event' under the 370th Amendment of the Allocation of Business Rules of 1961.
- The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) are the primary government bodies overseeing the integration of esports and online gaming regulations.
- The Indian government has explicitly stated it has no plans to implement time-based limitations on online gaming for the country's youth.