Krafton Invests $89.3 Million in Streaming Company Spoon Labs
PUBG maker Krafton has made its largest non-gaming investment, . Known for its audio platform Spoon, Spoon Labs recently launched Vigloo, a short-form K-drama video service. Krafton’s investment is driven by the growing potential of the short-form video drama market, valued at $5 billion in China, with strong markets in the U.S. and Japan. This move marks Krafton’s continued diversification into entertainment beyond gaming, as it seeks to expand its presence in emerging international markets.
India Gamer Behavior & Market Insights Report: Key Takeaways
The reveals growing monetization opportunities, with 77.3% of PC gamers reporting higher spending in Q1 2024 compared to the same period last year. Female gamers spend 8.5% more than males on average. Rising disposable incomes and mobile-first esports tournaments are expected to boost engagement and ARPU. Battle royale games like BGMI and Free Fire dominate, with 57% of mobile gamers having played a battle royale title in the past three months. Influencers hold sway, with 57.2% of gamers discovering new titles through streamers, emphasizing the importance of social factors in game selection.
Ex-Sony President Suggests Laid-Off Workers “Drive an Uber” Until Industry Recovers
Former Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president Chris Deering dismissed the idea that recent gaming industry layoffs are driven by corporate greed, stating, “I don’t think it’s fair to say that the resulting layoffs have been greed.” , Deering suggested that affected workers “drive an Uber or go to the beach for a year” until the job market stabilizes. Acknowledging layoffs at Sony’s London Studio, he noted, “If the money isn’t coming in from consumers on the last game, it’s hard to justify spending for the next.” Despite the challenges, Deering remains optimistic, saying, “These things do recover sometimes a lot faster than you might think.”
Ubisoft Announces Offline Modes for Future Crew Titles After Backlash Over Server Shutdown
Following backlash from the shutdown of The Crew‘s servers earlier this year, . The move comes after players lost access to all content, including single-player modes, when the servers were shut down in March. , which advocates for game preservation. In response to the criticism, Ubisoft stated, “We heard your concerns,” and confirmed offline modes are being developed to ensure long-term access for future titles, with more details coming soon.
