Happy Holidays - Here's Some News
We deliver some late-day presents for those who enjoy reading words.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, or happy Sunday/Monday to you. It’s been a productive year for myself and The Esports Advocate staff—next week we’ll talk more about the biggest stories we broke in 2023, and I promise you that in 2024 we are going to turn that dial up to 10—because we’re just getting started!
For those of you who have stuck with us this year—from this newsletter to a full blown website—we thank you and appreciate you coming along for the ride. I love my readers!
But for now, enjoy these stories, celebrate the people who found new work in the last week or so, and if it’s a happy holiday time for you, be of good cheer!
On to the news! - James. 👊💗🙏🏼
Bobby Kotick Out as Microsoft Reshuffles the Executive Deck at Activision Blizzard
As is typically the case with a major acquisition (in this case Microsoft’s $68.7B USD acquisition of Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard King) and the inevitable consolidation of operations, Microsoft is making some key personnel changes and adjustments ahead of the new year. Most notably, longtime Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick will leave the company on Dec. 29. His role will not be filled; instead executives at Activision Blizzard will report directly to Microsoft Game Content and Studios President Matt Booty. The news was revealed by both Matt Booty and Microsoft EVP of Gaming Phil Spencer in internal company memos this week
Other big changes: Activision Blizzard Chief Communications Officer Lulu Meservey will leave the company at the end of January, and Blizzard and King Vice Chairman Humam Sakhnini will make his exit at the end of this month. Blizzard President Mike Ybarra, Activision Publishing President Rob Kostich, and Activision Blizzard Vice Chair Thomas Tippl will now report directly to Matt Booty. READ MORE.
Skyesports Reveals 2024 Counter-Strike 2 Roadmap
India-based tournament organizer Skyesports announced Monday its 2024 roadmap for Counter-Strike 2 competitions domestically and internationally. The company will operate six major competitions (or global IPs, as it calls them) in India and other regions, with an overall prize pool of $1M USD. These events will feature a mix of international and Indian teams, and will happen at LAN events in the country and internationally. READ MORE.
The company also announced Saturday that nearly 6,000 players have signed up for the fourth edition of the Pova Cup, a Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) competition (Dec. 24 & 25). It also announced that the following teams are taking part in the semifinals: Blind Esports, Revenant Esports, Team Soul, GodLike Esports, Entity Gaming, Big Brothers Esports, Reckoning Esports, Aerobotz Esports, Insane Esports, Team Tamilas, Team XSpark, Medal Esports, Team Autobotz, Orangutan Gaming, Team Empire, WSB Gaming, Marcos Gaming, Numen Gaming, TEAM RANVEER, Enigma Gaming, SILLY ESPORTS, Hyderabad Hydras, ANONYMOUS ESPORTS, and GLA ESPORTS. Find out more here.Fans can catch all the action live on the Skyesports YouTube channel from 7PM IST onwards.
Expose on Esports Charity Leads to Lawsuit
Esports journalists Jacob Wolf and Hunter Cooke released an expose earlier this week on esports and gaming charity company Brandfluence (formerly Softgiving) in which several claims were made about the company’s business practices, its disclosure policies, and the amount of money (they claim millions) it allegedly collected when working with charities and high-profile, gaming-focused content creators (you can read the entire report here). The gist of the report is that “the marketing agency behind some of Twitch's most successful fundraising streams quietly collected 42 percent of donations.”
The company vehemently denied these and other claims made in the report. Wolf noted in his reporting that, prior to its release, a law firm representing Brandfluence warned Wolf and other parties involved in the story that it would sue them in court for defamation (among other things) if the report was published. That lawsuit was filed in the Fulton County Superior Court in Georgia on Dec. 14.
The lawsuit names Jacob Wolf; current Web Engineer at Devolver Digital and former Tiltify Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships Josh Belkin; CEO and Co-Founder of Tiltify Michael Wasserman; former Global Director of Social Impact at Twitch Alyssa Sweetman; and gaming charity company Tiltify, Inc. Curiously, Hunter Cooke is not named in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit claims defamation, tortious interference, unfair competition, violations to the Georgia Fair Business Practices Act, and civil conspiracy. Brandfluence is seeking a jury trial, an injunction, attorneys' fees, and damages.
🚌 People on the Move 🚌
Lulu Cheng Meservey will leave her role as EVP corporate affairs & chief communications officer at Activision Blizzard in January.
Dan Sutton starts a new position as VP of global marketing at Riot Games.
Alexandra Hehn was named senior team manager at GIANTX.
Reba Robinson joins Immortals as its new social media coordinator.
Alyssa Duran takes on the role of interim esports director at Shenandoah University.
Matt Atwood starts a new position as PR Lead for North America at Razer.
Jonathan Calvete joins Blizzard Entertainment as its new workplace assistant project manager.
Ashley Jones joins Full Sail University as its new course director for its Game Business & Esports Bachelor of Science program.
Farrell Sweeney starts a new position as VP of marketing strategy, planning, and operations at ESL FACEIT Group.
Stefy Bau (Init Esports founder and CEO) joins the Global Esports Federation board and will chair the Athletes and Players Commission.
John DeHart recently joined Allstar as its new director of business development.
Jibril Talbi recently joined DVM Esport as head of esports.
Keeyoun Aasness starts a new position as studio recruiter at Studio Wildcard.
Alexander Rehm leaves Creative Assembly and his role as creative director of live operations.
Cristian Thompson leaves his role as senior animator at Opti Games.
Amanda Tersigni leaves her role as director of product at Rivalry.
Joao Saraiva joins Betfair as its new senior commercial manager.
Elliott Lorincz returns to the X Games as a digital producer for the upcoming Aspen 2024 event.
Christopher LaBonty takes on a new role: senior manager of creative film services at The Walt Disney Company.
Vatsala Srivastav starts a new position as senior account executive at Edelman.
Chris Kissack starts a new position as senior business development manager at Acclaim Limited.
Genya Smagin takes on a new role as global partnerships & strategy at SK Telecom.
✍🏼 Partnerships ✍🏼
Social Media Company now working with Xen Quinn and MonsterDFace.
GIANTX partners with Shikenso Analytics.
Resolve partners with GRIDSERVE for its Rocket League team.
Global Esports Federation and International Esports Federation sign an MOU.
Nativz Gaming partners with Rí-Rá Irish Lager.
📢 In Other News 📢
❌Activision Blizzard will end work from home.
😈 Versus Evil fires staff, shuts down.
👋🏼Evil Geniuses abandons the Louvre Agreement.
👊NRG Esports snaps up former EG Valorant pros.
🛑 China cracks down on gaming.
🤔Also see: China rethinks cracking down on gaming.