Circle of Games Raises $1M Funding From Nazara Technologies and The Hashgraph Association
Circle of Games (COG), the leading Web3 multi-gaming platform, has raised $1 million in equity funding from strategic investors Nazara Technologies FZ LLC (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Nazara Technologies Limited) and The Hashgraph Association, a Swiss-based nonprofit corporation at the center of global digital enablement for Hedera. The most popular distributed ledger technology in the world is Hedera. It points to the possibility of a Web3 gaming Renaissance. Nazara is the sole listed gaming company in India and the largest in terms of eSports, sports media, gaming studios, and adtech. The business recently promised to invest USD 100 million in cutting-edge brands and IPs in the web3, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence spaces.
COG secures $1M strategic funding
With this funding, COG hopes to expand internationally in the Middle East and Africa, Asia, the United States, and the European Union in 2024. Furthermore, it looks to expedite its go-to-market strategy and enhance platform capabilities. By Q4 2024, COG, which has over 250,00 registered users, intends to increase the number of games available on its platform from the current six to over ten. COG hopes to reach millions of players in the worldwide casual and hyper-casual gaming scene with this expansion.
In addition to the investment, COG is dedicated to utilizing its current network of strategic alliances and partnerships with leading global Web3 projects and ecosystems, including TheFishVerse, KGeN/IndiGGMetarun, Chingari, Solana, Foundership, and numerous Gaming Guilds/DAOs. With these alliances, COG has immediate and exclusive access to more than 500 million gamers across more than 50 nations.
COG’s multi-chain technology implementation
By implementing multi-chain technology, COG is giving players complete ownership and control over their in-game assets and tokens, with Hedara serving as the main net where the majority of on-chain transactions take place. By the end of Q2 2024, COG plans to launch its native token, the $COG Token, offering a better and more creative user experience. COG, a blockchain-based game development company founded by veterans of the gaming and tech industries, creates skill- and casual-based games featuring play-to-earn reward systems.
Through its Distribution Infrastructure Network (DIN), COG will have numerous opportunities to utilize these resources globally as a result of this partnership. A key component of COG’s multi-gaming platform, the DIN is intended to efficiently globalize the distribution and monetization of gaming content.
Here’s what they said
Rabilal Thapa, CEO and Co-Founder of Circle of Games, said,
“This strategic partnership not only represents a significant endorsement of COG’s mission and potential but also places the company in a prime position to exploit the expansive capabilities of Web3 gaming innovations, globally. This collaboration goes beyond mere capital investment; Nazara will offer strategic guidance, support and access to its extensive network to help the company grow and Hedera will provide COG access to their vast collections of games, ecosystems, and substantial users and their cutting-edge technology. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Nazara, Kamal Youssefi, President of The Hashgraph Association, Stefan Deiss, Co-Founder & CEO of The Hashgraph Group – the service delivery and venture building arm of THA and Anindya Roychowdhury, Head of Ventures of THG (whose relationship with Nazara goes back 25 years), for their invaluable and comprehensive support in the development of this strategic partnership”
Kamal Youssefi, President of The Hashgraph Association added
“We are pleased to further empower the global Web3 gaming industry through our co-investment with Nazara Technologies in Circle of Games – the leading Web3 multi-gaming app aiming to onboard the next billion users onto the Hedera network.”
Read More: NODWIN Gaming Announces Partnership with Global Esports Federation As Portfolio Management Company
NODWIN Gaming and JSW Sports Partner to Transform Indian Esports Industry
NODWIN Gaming, the world’s leading emerging markets gaming and esports media company, has formed a strategic partnership with JSW Sports. JSW Sports is India’s largest sports promoter and sports management company. The partnership represents a critical turning point in the development of the Indian e-sports industry. It seeks to transform and commercialize the gaming, e-sports, and cultural intellectual property (IP) landscape.
NODWIN Gaming and JSW Sports Collaborate to Revolutionize e-sports
Known for being a sports media company, NODWIN Gaming strategically partners with JSW Sports, taking advantage of their vast knowledge of sports management and promotion. The partnership combines JSW’s robust presence in sports, especially in their commercial vertical, which boasts partnerships with more than 150 clients in sports marketing, with NODWIN Gaming’s unparalleled experience in esports operations and content creation.
Transforming the Esports landscape
This partnership has the potential to completely transform and strengthen the nation’s quickly developing esports scene. This strengthens NODWIN’s strategic emphasis on a sports media business. This partnership combines NODWIN Gaming’s experience in esports operations and esports content creation with JSW’s experience and footprint across sports, particularly their commercial vertical, which has established itself as one of the best in the nation working with more than 150 clients on sports marketing. Sports and esports have very large audiences and media overlaps in India.
Esports-centric IPs in India
This partnership aims to launch new e-sports-centric intellectual properties in India, expanding its scope beyond the current esports audience. In addition, the joint venture seeks to create the best possible platforms for brand and advertiser partnerships. Furthermore, it also seeks to educate stakeholders and the market. Having arranged some of the largest esports competitions in India, NODWIN Gaming has amassed quite a collection over the years. These competitions include the BGMI Masters Series, ESL India Premiership, Dew Arena, DreamHack India, and numerous other events. In addition to creating many thrilling gaming moments for some of the biggest brands, NODWIN hopes to further solidify its strategic focus as a sports media company with this partnership with JSW Sports.
Read More: UM’s uplay Unveils Brand Growth Potential Through the Power of Gaming
The press release claims that NODWIN Gaming’s esports IP is praised for its allure and provides a dynamic array of content to meet the community’s entertainment demands. Additionally, this partnership hopes to satisfy the constantly changing tastes of the gaming public. It does so by showcasing a compelling narrative in the e-sports space. To optimize the value of gaming and e-sports content, a comprehensive framework encompassing sponsorship, media rights, activation, and influencers has been developed. With an estimated 150 million viewers, India is home to a sizable e-sports market. The partnership aims to capitalize on this market, with projected revenues of $124.8 million in 2024 and predicted exponential growth in the years to come.
Here’s what they said
Akshat Rathee, co-founder and MD of NODWIN Gaming said,
“We at NODWIN Gaming are thrilled to announce our partnership with JSW Sports, a momentous milestone in the esports ecosystem. NODWIN Gaming’s technical know-how and leadership in the esports and gaming domain, combined with JSW Sports’ commercial expertise, positions us to unlock unprecedented opportunities in the distribution and monetisation of esports content. Our shared goal is not only to empower the esports ecosystem but also to establish new benchmarks for the future. While there’s much work ahead, the excitement and possibilities are boundless!”
Divyanshu Singh, COO of JSW Sports, said,
“India has one of the largest esports viewing audiences in the world, estimated at roughly 150 millions viewers. That number swells up to 290 million when you combine it with both, esports playing titles and fans. Talking more numbers, In 2024, the revenue in the esports market is forecasted to reach$124.8m, and that number will only grow exponentially in the years to come. In JSW Sports and NODWIN, we see two market-leaders with the kind of synergies to capitalise on these trends, and change the game when it comes to distributing and monetizing esports content.”
Read More: Nazara Tech’s Nodwin Gaming Acquires Comic Con India for Rs 55 Cr
UM’s uplay Unveils Brand Growth Potential Through the Power of Gaming
Dubai, UAE – February 28, 2024 – In a dynamic display of innovation and strategic vision, UM MENAT introduced its tentpole event for 2024 with the debut of uplay. Exclusively designed for UM clients, partners, and team members, uplay took place earlier this week at the Theatre of Digital Arts (TODA), exploring the transformative influence of gaming and revealing its untapped potential. The event also championed collaborative efforts between brands and agencies to redefine the regional gaming landscape in 2024 and beyond.
The event commenced with a welcoming address from UM MENAT’s CEO, Joe Nicolas, who set the stage for an immersive exploration into the world of gaming, followed by a panoramic view of the gaming landscape through insightful presentations and panel discussions. The event offered actionable insights and creative case studies, equipping attendees with strategies to navigate the dynamic realm of gaming marketing. Renowned Turkish gamer and influencer Can Sungur mesmerized the audience by unveiling the multifaceted nature of gaming, while James Dutton, UM MENAT’s Chief Product Officer, dissected the essence of gaming, culminating in the innovative framework known as uplay, poised to elevate brand strategies within the gaming sphere. Simone Clark, representing IPG Media Lab, underscored the burgeoning opportunities in gaming advertising within the MENAT region, while Emre Sayin, Co-founder of a Turkish-based gaming and Esports marketing agency, advocated for active brand engagement in gaming and alignment with broader objectives to secure a competitive edge with the next generation of consumers.
The event featured two engaging panel sessions. The first, moderated by Abdelnabi Alaeddine, Regional Director at UM MENAT, brought together industry experts Samantha Billingham, Nabil Moutran, and Arshiya Faraghat to delve into the key regional opportunities, emerging trends and technologies, and effective brand integration strategies within the gaming world. Later, John Tippins, Regional Strategy Director at UM MENAT, led a panel discussion with speakers Can Sungar, James Dutton, Simone, and Can Ozcan, UM Turkey’s Strategy Director, focusing on guiding brands to successfully navigate the gaming world.
Here’s what they said
Reflecting on the significance of uplay, Joe Nicolas, CEO of UM MENAT, stated,
“The launch of uplay marks a pivotal moment for UM MENAT, reaffirming our steadfast dedication to innovation and commitment to leading advancements in the gaming community. At UM, we have identified over 625 ways in which brands could activate in the gaming space across diverse audiences and through various methods. This highlights the complexity of the gaming landscape, and uplay serves as a solution to address this complexity – it is a collective of experts assembled to adeptly navigate and activate tailored solutions for each brand within this complex gaming-verse with confidence.”
uplay is also an exciting opportunity for our clients to inspire us with their ideas, and to push our boundaries in creating innovative gaming solutions,” he added.
With uplay as a catalyst for change, UM MENAT remains at the forefront of gaming marketing, poised to lead brands into a future where endless possibilities await in the boundless expanse of the gaming universe.
ABOUT UM
UM is a global media agency committed to Futureproofing our clients’ businesses for the now and the next. We leverage the transformational power of rich business analytics and real-time intelligence to maximize growth and activate the full consumer journey across content and connections. Our consultative approach and agile model, rooted in diversity, equity, and belonging, drive better business outcomes for brands. As the leading global media network in IPG Mediabrands, UM operates in over 100 countries, with more than 5,000 people innovating on a roster of global clients including Emirates, Accenture, American Express, stc, General Mills, GoPro, Henkel, Johnson & Johnson, Levi Strauss & Co, Mattel, and Upfield.
ABOUT UM MENAT EVENTS
UM MENAT has consistently held the prestigious title of the region’s foremost media agency for six consecutive years, a recognition bestowed by RECMA. This impressive achievement reflects UM’s unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation, infusing creativity into every endeavor, and boldly changing the game to emerge victorious. At UM, our passion is to continually elevate the media landscape and establish new industry standards.
In pursuit of this ambition, we regularly host a variety of workshops, comprehensive training programs, and large-scale thought leadership events. These initiatives are not merely about fostering knowledge sharing; they are about immersing ourselves in the collective wisdom of global experts, forward-thinking individuals, and creative minds. We recognize that it is through this exchange of ideas and experiences that we can collectively shape the future of the media industry. Join us at UM MENAT’s events, where innovation, creativity, and knowledge converge to pave the way for a brighter and more dynamic media landscape.
Read More: UM MENAT Elevates Global Expansion for Clients Through Google’s International Growth Agency Program
Nazara Tech’s Nodwin Gaming Acquires Comic Con India for Rs 55 Cr
Nodwin Gaming, the esports subsidiary of Nazara Technologies, announced a major move on January 24 by acquiring a 100 percent stake in Comic Con India for a substantial sum of Rs 55 crore. This strategic cash and stock deal involves Nodwin Gaming paying Rs 27.4 crore in cash and swapping Rs 27.5 crore worth of Comic Con India shares with its own.
Comic Con India, founded in 2011 by Jatin Varma and Karan Kalra, has become synonymous with pop culture festivals that target the youth demographic across India. These festivals celebrate a wide array of popular culture elements, including comics, cosplay, movies, television shows, merchandise, and gaming. The events have been held in major cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Chennai.
Despite the financial challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, which reflected in Comic Con India’s financials, Nodwin Gaming plans to leverage this acquisition to expand the number of festivals and extend its reach to more cities in India and other countries.
Nodwin Gaming has been on an expansion spree in recent times, making strategic acquisitions and investments to strengthen its presence in both Indian and international markets. This includes a 51 percent stake in Singapore-based live events firm Branded, a significant stake purchase in the gaming and adjacent IP businesses of OML Entertainment, and the acquisition of a game marketing agency named Publishme. The company also raised $28 million in May 2023, with new investors like Sony Group Corporation and Innopark, propelling its valuation to $349 million.
The acquisition of Comic Con India adds another dimension to Nodwin Gaming’s portfolio, promising an enhanced experience for fans with a broader array of events celebrating the convergence of gaming, esports, comics, and popular culture. With this latest move, Nodwin Gaming aims to solidify its position as a leading player in the interactive entertainment sector, both in India and on the global stage.
Read more: Nazara Technologies Announces 10.77% Stake in Influencer Platform Kofluence
And what they said
Akshat Rathee, co-founder of Nodwin Gaming said in a statement released,
Integration of Comic Con India will amplify and diversify the offering of Nodwin to all opportunities that target the youth in India. With the continued intersection of Gaming/ Pop Culture/ esports into one interactive entertainment sector, Nodwin will add a strong and robust IP that is scalable both in India and Internationally.
For more than a decade, we have worked tirelessly to build a unique space in India for promoting and celebrating popular culture. And with that goal in our mind, I am very excited to join hands with Nodwin Gaming in taking the next step and building upon this goal together.
Jatin Varma, founder of Comic Con India said,
For more than a decade, we have worked tirelessly to build a unique space in India for promoting and celebrating popular culture. And with that goal in our mind, I am very excited to join hands with Nodwin Gaming in taking the next step and building upon this goal together.
Inside Rey Tiempo’s Gaming Odyssey: A Tale of Creativity and Strategy
Enter the dynamic world of creativity, advertising, and gaming with Rey Tiempo, a seasoned leader boasting two decades of experience across global networks. He has not only led teams to unparalleled success but has etched his name as the country’s preeminent Creative Director, consistently ranking among the region’s top creatives. His accolades, spanning renowned platforms like Cannes, One Show, Adfest, and more, underscore his mastery in crafting award-winning campaigns.
Recognized as the Experience and Innovations Lead for the work that gave the Philippines its historic first Cannes Lions in Gaming, Rey’s leadership roles transcend prestigious awards: as former President of the Creative Guild of the Philipines, where he spearheaded Creativefest Now, the all online creative event; as a jury member on esteemed panels in global award shows; and as recipient of the Alumni Achievement Award for his alma mater. Rey’s influence extends far beyond the confines of traditional advertising.
Beyond the corporate scene, Rey dons the hats of a musician, gamer, and columnist, innovating with his “Game On” column at Adobo Magazine. Join us for an engaging conversation as we delve into Rey’s journey, from award-winning campaigns to the ever-evolving intersection of gaming and marketing. Get ready for a peek into his treasure trove of rich experiences and expertise!
Tell us something about your journey and how your career has evolved since its inception?
I started as a junior copywriter, fresh from dropping out of law school. (a whole other telenovela worth of stories there). Eager to start getting into creating commercials (I marvelled at the idea of people actually writing ads I see on TV, I’ve always thought the commercials just wrote themselves!) Having studied literature, I quickly realized it didn’t align with ad writing. I had to unlearn my four years (sorry, Mom and Dad!) and just went at it like a sponge, at first imitating my copywriting heroes around me. Over time, I improved, earning leadership roles in creative teams across major local and global networks.
I’ve observed the industry changing over the years, witnessing roles within agencies evolve. Today, a creative leader must not only grasp the big picture but also navigate and shape technological advancements, even predicting the future. Adapting quickly is crucial in this fast-paced landscape, making the most successful creative leaders those who evolve rapidly.
From a “traditional” leadership role, I now lead a team of experience-based creatives, who are tasked to create campaigns that string together and bring to life the entire brand and customer experience. So that includes what we now term the “classic” creatives (TV/ Film, Print, Radio), along with CRM, PR, Influencer, Ecommerce, Tech, and yes… Gaming!
Gaming has, in fact, become a primary focus of the team, as more and more brands have now started to embrace its creative and business opportunities. As one of only very few local creative leads who have been pushing for gaming and marketing work, I have launched my own column for Adobo Magazine, called “Game On” and it’s the first of its kind, tackling the intersects between gaming and marketing. I have been working with brands and my teams, connecting with game publishers and gaming companies, and sitting down with industry leads as well as fellow passionate gamers, to truly understand in-depth and celebrate the full eXperience that straddles the ever-blurring line between these disciplines – hence the term gamingXmarketing.
How has the rise of mobile gaming impacted the overall gaming market?
When discussing mobile gaming and its current impact, it’s essential to explore the evolution of handhelds—devices enabling gaming on the go. Since the inception of video games, the urge to play anywhere and anytime has fueled both gamers and creators.
Growing up, I played on the Nintendo Famicom home console and the Nintendo handheld Game & Watch (there goes my age reveal!). I saw both as proper video game systems that satisfied my gaming itch. As technology advanced and video game systems pushed processing capabilities, handhelds also evolved into peak performers. Flash forward to the current Nintendo Switch system, which I believe is the pinnacle of current handheld gaming (yes, the Steam Deck and other handheld PCs are more powerful, but they owe their existence to the innovations of the Switch). Until a certain generation, handhelds offered solo gaming. The current ones support multiplayer but aren’t communication devices; primarily, they connect players in the gaming realm.
Our telecommunication devices have swiftly evolved, from rotary landlines to early cell phones (telecoms going mobile!), monochrome display phones, to today’s ultra-powerful smartphones. These devices’ processing power advances bring us to video games! Now, we have video games that are not only super advanced in capabilities but also in telecoms. That’s the beauty of mobile gaming—it’s on devices primarily designed for communication. These are handheld games on devices enabling social connections, a crucial ingredient that has made mobile gaming the powerhouse it is.
A powerhouse? Absolutely. With mobiles becoming more powerful, rivaling console counterparts (the new iPhone is notably marketed as THE only gaming console you’ll ever need!), advancing connectivity speeds, and big triple-A game developers backing mobile gaming, it’s poised to become even stronger with no stopping it. Gaming is the new social, fully supported by the new mobile devices. We are increasingly living in a society where gaming is inevitably intertwined with our mobile phone and telecom activities.
Bringing this back to the handheld conversation – we may well end up in a future where the handheld gaming market merges with the mobile gaming market! It’s exciting and looks very promising for gaming, making it a win-win situation for us – what a time to be a gamer!
How do cultural factors and preferences influence advertising and monetization strategies for games in the Philippine market?
In the Philippines primarily, the one significant cultural factor is and always will be economics. Decision-making around gaming (and really, for everything else) revolves around the spending capacity of the market. While the console, PC, and physical and digital games-buying market have shown growth, particularly during and post-pandemic, the numbers suggest that the mobile gaming market will see more significant growth in terms of engagement, reach, time spent, and advertising/marketing strategies. This shift is driven by the business models adopted and expertly implemented by most mobile games, refined over the years. Free-to-play mobile games still have the biggest draw, among all ages, from casual and hyper-casual gamers. In-game activities, like unlocking extras and in-game purchases rake in the most time spent, and garner the most eyeballs (and thumbs!
Advertisers ultimately have to understand: that gaming environments are relatively closed-loop systems. Meaning, as gamers, everything we really need is fulfilled within these games—our escape, refuge, solace, and entertainment. Real-world brands take us out of the experience, and only the most well-thought-out, authentic brand campaigns will get the most welcome reception. It’s a platform built out of passion – and if we don’t see similar, authentic passion coming out of brands, then the risk of alienation is high.
Fortunately, gaming is more than just playing—it includes viewing gaming content, community engagement, and social connections, forming a substantial part of gamers’ behaviour. This landscape evolves as we speak, with advancing technologies, offering new venues for play and connection.
In your experience, what are some successful examples of brands effectively integrating their products or services into gaming environments? How can marketers strike the right balance between brand promotion and providing an enjoyable gaming experience?
Having been to Cannes Lions before, this time I delved into the action, covering the winners, juries, and game changers. This coincided with Cannes introducing a new Lion category I love – Entertainment in Gaming! Back in 2012, at my first Cannes Lions, I won a game console from a booth raffle (you can find the full story in one of my Game On articles), sparking my love for gaming in marketing. Fast forward twelve years, not only did Cannes Lions introduce a gaming category, but I also covered it and was part of the team that secured the country’s first-ever Lions in gaming!
As a new category, gaming, in the minds of Cannes Lions and the creative fields, has much room to grow and evolve. Brands have taken creative steps even before the official category existed. For instance, in 2019, Cannes Lions introduced the Social and Influencer category, and Wendy’s Fortnite work won the Grand Prix—a gaming case despite the absence of a dedicated category. This stands as an exemplary instance of branded gaming work, showcasing breakthrough creativity activated through a gaming-endemic brand experience.
As someone deeply immersed in gaming, music, and comic books, how have these personal passions shaped your creative approach to marketing? Can you provide instances of how you’ve integrated these interests into your professional work?
I strongly believe that the creativity in your work depends on your passions. Keep fueling your bottomless cup of passion, and your work will never run out of ideas. I live by the mantra of “playing while working,” incorporating play into everything I do and striving to have fun at work. For me, “play” means video games, gaming culture, music, books, and comics. My scripts, stories, and jokes are influenced by comic book tropes, superhero and villain archetypes, and fantasy worlds created by my favorite authors.
I love working on radio and audio—it’s my way of giving voices to the wild characters in my head! Besides releasing original music online through my bands (Find Mistula and Pork&Bean on Spotify and other music streaming sites!), I’ve dabbled in playing around with audio. One such project involved using Dolby Atmos audio tech to team up with the amazing Japanese voice artist Ami Yamasaki, showcasing the plastic pollution problem in a unique cinema activation.
Working with the National Economic and Development Authority, we were able to use numbers gathered from the country’s GDP, and then turned the data into an actual song!
I have been a huge gamer since forever, and true to my mantra of “playing while working”, have now went full-on gamingXmarketing creative, championing the creative marketing opportunities in gaming. My team was able to work with Facebook Gaming to promote education in the game streaming platform, in this fun and inspiring work:
This latest work feels both like a culmination, as well as the start of something really magical in the gamingXmarketing world. I feel proud to have worked with a team with authentic gamers’ sensibilities, but prouder still, knowing that this strong gaming work came from Asia, and the Philippines, where gaming culture is one of the strongest in the world.
In a few days, I’ll be covering one of Asia’s largest gaming conventions for an upcoming column. I’ll be previewing upcoming games, connecting with fellow enthusiasts, meeting gaming clients, and exploring the latest in gaming tech and culture—a perfect blend of “playing while working.” Wouldn’t have it any other way!
As Head of Experience and Innovation at Digitas, what role do you see data and analytics playing in the gaming marketing landscape? How can marketers leverage data-driven insights to better understand their target audience and optimize their campaigns?
Not just in gaming, but data and analytics play huge, pivotal roles in today’s advertising and marketing landscape. Data is everywhere, and everything is information. If you know where to look and more importantly HOW to look at data, then you literally have the world in the palm of your hands. Because more than having the data (and currently, there are lots of studies out there on gaming and the gaming audience) the challenge really for marketers is to interpret the information, to come up with the most authentic insights. And that’s where the experience and intellect of an instinctively sharp marketer come into play. But not just any marketer – in the gaming world and to the gaming audience, authenticity is crucial. It will take a marketer who is also a gamer to understand the context, a gamer who is deeply steeped in the communities and the lore of the games, and the behind-the-scenes gossip (yes, that counts as info too!) and the relationship between developers, and publishers and players, to be able to know how to really connect all the dots. Find these people, mine these people – chances are, they’re already embedded in your teams!
As the recipient of the Philippines’ first-ever Cannes Lions in the Entertainment Lions in Gaming category, can you share the key elements that made your campaign successful? What do you believe sets it apart from other entries?
Crafting impactful gamingXmarketing requires careful planning and integration of agencies through Publicis Groupe Philippines’ “Power of One.” The collaboration of Digitas, MSL, Leo Burnett, Prodigious, and gaming communities exemplifies thought leadership. Contrary to a creative gaming myth, “Unbranded Menu” disproves the need for big budgets and cutting-edge tech, emphasizing a strong, gaming-endemic idea.
The first real breakthrough came realizing McDonald’s was just reclaiming what was inherently theirs in the gaming world. For gamers, it’s common to find game developers parodying McDonald’s in various genres, making it instantly recognizable. No need for costly partnerships with game publishers—McDonald’s “unbranded” branding was already woven into these game worlds. Our task was simply to REMIND gamers of this hiding-in-plain-sight fact!
The second breakthrough was taking the idea to social, and engaging gaming communities. Partnering with communities’ spokespersons and “celebrities”,(and they can be micro and hyper-targeted Twitch and Discord groups),we were able to engage their already dedicated followers of gamers. We sparked a “hunt” for McDo food-alikes in their games and turned it into a mini-game, keeping gamers in their gaming world. Gamers just needed to screengrab and share the food-alikes on their social feeds.
The final breakthrough involved the creative process. Despite “traditional” advertising and marketing instincts urging us to add more elements, we resisted and kept the campaign organic. We questioned the simplicity, thinking, “It can’t be this simple, right?” But it was, and it should be. Award show juries consistently praise the work for its simplicity. So, yes, keep everything simple!
In your perspective as a gamer, what stands out as the critical factor for marketers aiming to engage the gaming community? How can brands establish genuine connections with gamers, fostering enduring relationships grounded in mutual trust and aligned values?
Participation, participation, participation. Just go and play: there’s an endless list of titles, genres, styles, levels of difficulties, aesthetics, and moods of games out there, you will definitely find something you’ll like, I guarantee it. If you don’t know where to start… then maybe a gaming shaman can help. Email me at gameonshaman@gmail.com!
Explore the comprehensive and insightful details of Rey Tiempo’s interview in our exclusive blog-“Navigating the Creative Cosmos with Rey Tiempo: A Deep Dive into Gaming, Marketing, and Beyond” to know more about the secrets behind the Philippines’ first-ever Cannes Lions in Gaming and the success stories from Cannes.
Vi and Team Vitality Collaborate for Indian Esports Ecosystem
Vodafone Idea (Vi) and Team Vitality, an internationally recognized esports organization based in Paris, have announced a long-term partnership to strengthen India’s esports ecosystem. The two companies hope to provide chances and exposure for esports spectators and gaming enthusiasts through this partnership. The collaboration is an intricate affair that involves gaming events, content partnerships, brand sponsorships, and the development of original, large-scale experiences.
India’s gaming market
The State of India Gaming Report 2022 projects that by 2027, the Indian esports market will be worth $140 million. Esports as a category have become more well-known in recent years, particularly since they were first recognized as official medal sports on numerous international sports platforms.
Unlocking Opportunities
Vi users will be able to participate in esports and get special access to well-known Team Vitality teams and competitions thanks to this collaboration. Through the partnership, up-and-coming esports talent across the country will have access to professional players, master classes, meet-and-greets with esports celebrities, and a host of other exciting opportunities.
Expanding the gaming portfolio
Vi already has a foothold in the mobile gaming market. It offers users a wide selection of extremely casual games via Vi Games on the Vi app. Conversely, Team Vitality is a well-known esports organization across the globe.
With this partnership with Team Vitality, Vi now hopes to intensify its esports coverage in India. By holding free-to-play competitions for well-known games like Call of Duty: Mobile, Free Fire Max, Asphalt 9, and Clash Royale, the company has already established itself.
Read More: Nazara Technologies Partners with 4 Gaming Studios to Publish 5 Games
Team Vitality’s success in Esports
Locally, the all-Indian Call of Duty: Mobile (CODM) squad from Team Vitality placed among the top 16 teams worldwide. It earned a spot in the CODM World Championship 2023, which took place in Atlanta, Georgia, on December 15–17. With a combined YouTube subscriber base of 20 million, the organization previously employed well-known game content creators. They include Nischay “Live Insaan” Malhan, Rachit “Rachitroo” Yadav, Nitin “Classified YT” Chougale, Shagufta “Xyaa” Iqbal, and Pratik “Aurum” Mehra. Vi and Team Vitality intend to introduce many gaming competitions and events. With this, they want to take advantage of this rapidly expanding sector and to establish a closer relationship with customers.
Avneesh Khosla, CMO, Vi said
Gaming has always been our strategic focus area and we have continuously strived to strengthen our gaming portfolio with right partnerships and relevant offerings. Over the last few years, esports has revolutionized the mobile gaming arena especially with younger audiences, and hence, deepening our focus in this space was a natural progression for Vi Games. We are excited to partner with one of the leading esports organizations of the world – Team Vitality. Together, we aim to drive and democratize access to the esports ecosystem in India. In the coming months, we will introduce some exciting esports and other youth centric content for our consumers to experience.
Randall Fernandez, managing director, of Team Vitality India added,
We are exhilarated to announce our partnership with Vi. We are at a juncture where technology will catapult gaming to the next level and eagerly look forward to our journey together. We will unlock new horizons searching for aspiring gaming talent across the length and breadth of the country, set new precedents and create indelible marks within the esports industry.
Read More: How Live Service Gaming is Taking Brand Marketing to New Heights!
Gamers8 2023: Riyadh’s Premier Esports Event Powered By Generative AI
Given the success of the 2022 event, there is a great deal of excitement surrounding the commencement of this year’s Gamers8 event. As a significant player in the industry, Gamers8 has cemented Riyadh’s status as the region’s esports hub. The Saudi Esports Federation is in charge of the tournament. The goal of this year’s ‘Land of Heroes’ is to outperform last year’s in every way. This includes the size of the prize pool as well as the scope of the sports and activities held in Riyadh. Moreover, by using generative AI capabilities, the Gamers8 2023 event is setting new benchmarks.
New Industry Standards at Gamers8 2023
In 2023, Gamers8 succeeded in bringing gaming and esports to Riyadh and established a new benchmark for the industry. But for the 2023 season, the Extend AdNetwork-which is in charge of strategy, planning, and execution—took a bold step to raise awareness and encourage significant participation in the event. This was accomplished by breaking down barriers and questioning accepted wisdom, substituting the conventional method for tech-driven, content-centered integration. Additionally, it aims to foster a closer bond with the tech and gaming industries.
Extend AdNetwork – Smartifai’s Generative AI integration
Extend, in collaboration with Smartifai, announced a plan aimed at captivating users and raising awareness of events. The core of this strategy is ChatGPT’s integration with contextual technology. It will bring Gamers8 unprecedented prominence. It is also intended to grab users’ attention and will make use of generative AI. It did this by integrating three different visual messages into the ChatGPT ad format, which allowed it to navigate consumers to ad content while providing quick and clear content summaries in both Arabic and English. This strategy promoted deeper involvement and improved the reading experience. It also formed alliances with publishers of video games, sports, music, and entertainment.
ChatGPT Ads campaign launched on a global scale
In order to launch the campaign globally, in-screen and in-image advertisements were used in international markets. It focused primarily on ChatGPT Ads in regional markets like the UAE and KSA. The outcomes are nothing short of extraordinary. With 4.7 million distinct persons connected to the campaign, it had excellent reach and generated half a million ad interactions. Interaction rates increased as the campaign went on, reaching a stunning 16.6% in the last week. It outperformed regional display and social expectations. The social context of the audience—especially that of people who are actively involved in gaming and tech communities—was understood through the use of addressable context.
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A unique generative AI-led ad format
The ChatGPT-led format was carefully designed with Gen Z and Generation Alpha in mind. With over 21,000 unique content summaries and an astounding 7% interaction rate, it effectively catered to their need for rapid satisfaction. Remarkably, about seventy percent of these exchanges started in Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, the natural language processing method performed a good job of interpreting the sentiment of the text. By using engaging content summaries and call-to-action prompts, it made it possible to understand the audience’s reading context and start a conversation with Gamers8. This tailored strategy made sure that Gamers8 connected with its intended audience more deeply. Moreover, using Motion Context enabled the hyper-personalization of Gamers8 messages by utilizing real-time gaming events. It gave each person a dynamic and captivating experience.
A successfully executed campaign
The Gamers8 event’s physical site saw over 3500-foot traffic as a result of the campaign’s success. The Saudi Esports Federation’s Head of Marketing and Branding, Adel AlMeqren, underlined the achievement’s historical significance. He declared that Saudi Arabia will become a global hub for gaming and esports thanks to Gamers8. He went on to say that Gamers8’s openness to doing something completely different and novel in the market shows how committed the company is to innovation and how flexible its marketing tactics are. His comments highlighted Gamers8’s willingness to adopt and successfully implement innovative concepts, illuminating their resolve to stray from conventional marketing techniques. This innovative strategy sets Gamers8 apart and establishes Saudi Arabia as a trailblazing esports and gaming innovation hub.
Beyond smashing records, the 2023 Gamers8 event created a road of success and paved the way for a future in which gaming and esports take center stage in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and beyond. Gamers8 is still at the front of this evolving gaming industry, pushing the boundaries and setting records for success.
Here’s what they said
Tareq Al Awar, Head Of Digital Media at Extend, said,
This is a testimony to push our efforts to stay at the forefront of innovation and bring a unique execution to our clients, introducing the latest tech as an early adopter in the Saudi market. We are continually striving to establish ourselves as a key differentiator in our digital offerings to our clients. When we proposed this first-of-its-kind execution, we were confident of achieving exponential results by applying a unique use-case of technologies like Generative AI and its applications to advertising that enhance the user experience and set new industry standards for creativity and engagement.
Herman D’Souza, Co-Founder of Smartifai said,
Extend’s supervision and strategic contributions significantly influenced the campaign’s innovative approach. Their involvement was crucial from the campaign’s inception, actively participating in the development of launch strategies that seamlessly integrated advanced technology. Tareq’s hands-on engagement continued throughout the various phases of the campaign, offering valuable insights and expertise to ensure its smooth execution. This highlighted the significance of a strategic partnership that understands the client’s vision and objectives, enabling them to embrace cutting-edge technologies, adapt to changes, and elevate our region to meet global standards. Islam Haggag, Media Manager, played a vital role in orchestrating the campaign’s media presence and impact, further reinforcing the synergy between collaboration and execution in achieving remarkable outcomes through the Gamers8 unique activation.
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True Gamers invests $13.5 million in the UAE Gaming Scene
Image Credit: Hypernia
True Gamers, a Moscow-based leading eSports company is geared up to completely reform the cyber games landscape in the MENA region. They plan to launch a series of first-of-its-kind projects to establish a network of gaming lounges across the region. This $13.5 million dollar investment will take place by the end of 2023. It will be used to organize tournaments attracting gamers and organizers from around the world.
Anton Vasilenko, co-founder, and CEO of True Gamers said,
Over the next two years, we’ll be investing significantly in the future development and expansion of eSport lounges in the UAE and across the broader Middle East region. By the end of 2023, we plan to invest $13.5 million into developing our gaming centers in the UAE alone.
Mr. Vasilenko had recently announced a partnership with Baz Station Interiors, a Dubai-based gaming room design company as an entry plan in the Emirates. Baz Station Interiors will provide True Gamers with portable interiors that could be transferred and installed in distinct locations. The eSports company intends to renovate the eSports industry to help with social good. Their commitment to innovation resulted in the launch of robot waiter dogs. People with disabilities will be able to remotely control them. However, the CEO stated that the company’s joint venture with Baz is only limited to interior development.
Rise in GCC Gaming Landscape
According to a report by Boston Consulting Group titled ‘Game Changer,’ about 60% of the population in the Middle East identified themselves as gaming enthusiasts, driving half the share of mobile gaming app downloads. The Middle East and North Africa region, more specifically, the GCC arena has observed a significant progression. It has developed into a nerve center for the gaming and eSports industry. As a result, this flourishing sector has drawn the attention of both players and spectators alike. It has also fascinated investors, organizations, and sponsors.
The availability of high-speed internet and the progressive gaming frameworks have been the major contributors for the surge in the eSports and gaming industry. The GCC countries have witnessed a substantial amount of investment in technology and connectivity. Because of these developments, gamers can participate in a seamless online gaming experience. Additionally, the region hosts dedicated gaming facilities for hosting competitions, and events and increasing visibility. At the same time, modern and hi-tech equipment, expert training, and space to connect with fellow gaming enthusiasts allow players to compete in major international tournaments.
Apart from that, the government’s encouraging policies and initiatives have nurtured the industry’s growth. One such noteworthy example is the DMCC gaming center, launched by the Dubai Multi Commodities Center. This space provides a platform for professionals to connect, team up, and discover new opportunities.
All eyes are on Abu Dhabi
True Gamers has opened gaming spaces in 6 locations in Dubai, including the reputable Dubai Mall. The company now looks to expand its reach and assess potential markets in the rest of the Emirates. They currently have their sight set on Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi enjoys the benefits of in-house support and events like Yas Gaming Month, because of its partnership with industry players like Ubisoft and Unity. AD Gaming, an initiative by the Abu Dhabi government for driving and creating self-reliable gaming, pledges to make Abu Dhabi the principal gaming hub in the UAE. They have forged a relationship with SAWA, to localize gaming video games, especially the ones developed in China. The objective is to make the vast gaming library more accessible for Arabic speakers. This cooperation will facilitate the Chinese eSports company to expand internationally via Abu Dhabi.
Plans of expansion in the MENA region.
The plan to arrange the very first tournament in the True Gamers club and launch new lounges in Dubai is currently in the pipeline. The company is in talks with charities and businesses for funds to make the dream of entering the UAE market a reality.
The company plans to penetrate the Saudi Arabian market. They have already taken measures to research the market and understand the customer needs. According to the BCG’s report, Saudi Arabia is the industry leader in the gaming sector. Saudi Arabia has approximately 45% market to its name. It boasts a value that exceeds $1.8 billion dominating the mobile gaming market. It contributed to 65% of the revenue. They even plan to expand in Egypt. As such, they are looking for prospective local partners.
By 2027, the gaming industry in the Middle East and North Africa region is predicted to reach $6 billion. These figures are expected to be double what it was in 2021. This just suggests that there is a ton of room for growth in these untapped regions.
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