Honor of Kings Surpasses 50 Million Global Downloads in a Month
Publisher Level Infinite announced that Honor of Kings surpassed 50 million downloads outside of China within a month of its global debut, though it’s unclear if this includes downloads from its soft launch markets. TiMi Studios released Honor of Kings worldwide on June 20, 2024, for iOS and Android, presenting a thoroughly westernized version of the Chinese original to a global audience.
ESFI Launches NESC24 as Qualifier for AIMAG Esports in Thailand
The Esports Federation of India (ESFI) for the National Esports Championship 2024 (NESC24), which will serve as the qualifier for the esports event at the 6th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in Thailand. AIMAG, scheduled from November 23-28, 2024, in Chonburi, will feature esports as a medal event, including Mobile Legends Bang Bang, Arena of Valor, and eFootball. Due to local bans, India will compete only in the eFootball category.
Ampverse DMI’s College Rivals Forms Strategic Alliance with Orangutan
India’s largest Collegiate Esports IP, College Rivals, owned by Ampverse DMI, has partnered with leading esports organization Orangutan. College Rivals awarded its inaugural professional gaming contract to Sahil Nagpal, a student from Jalandhar, Punjab, for his exceptional performance during Season 1. Nagpal will join Orangutan’s Academy BGMI team, inspiring aspiring gamers nationwide. Ashwin Haryani, Country Head of Ampverse DMI, highlighted the partnership’s goal of building a talent pipeline and enriching the esports ecosystem. The alliance will feature the co-owned youth team Rivals Ape X, including standout players from College Rivals seasons. College Rivals Season 2 will feature over 50 colleges competing across 22 cities in BGMI, Valorant, and EA FC 24, culminating in a grand finale in February 2025 with a ₹50,00,000 prize pool.
Konvoy Ventures Report Highlights Struggles in Games Industry Funding
Konvoy Ventures that while the games industry has growth potential, funding has yet to recover. In the first half of 2024, private funding for games reached $2.89 billion, slightly exceeding 2023’s total of $2.80 billion, primarily due to Disney’s $1.5 billion investment in Epic Games. Excluding this outlier, H1 2024’s funding stands at $1.39 billion, down 9% year-over-year. Venture capital funding also continues to decline, with $492 million invested in Q2 2024, down 20% from Q1 and 7% from Q2 2023. The first half of 2024’s VC funding, totaling $1.09 billion, marks a 20% drop from the same period in 2023.
