Krafton invests $89.3 million in streaming company Spoon Labs
PUBG maker Krafton has made its biggest non-gaming investment. Known for its audio platform Spoon, Spoon Labs recently launched short-form K-drama video service Viggle. Krafton’s investment is driven by the growing potential of the short-form video drama market, which is valued at $5 billion in China, with strong markets in the US and Japan. The move reflects Krafton’s continued diversification into entertainment beyond gaming, as it looks to expand its presence in emerging international markets.
India Gamer Behaviour and Market Insights Report: Key Takeaways
This reflects 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 men on average. Rising disposable income and mobile-first esports tournaments are expected to drive increased engagement and ARPU. Battle royale games such as BGMI and Free Fire dominate, with 57% of mobile gamers having played a battle royale title in the past three months. Influencers dominate, with 57.2% of gamers discovering new titles through streamers, emphasizing the importance of social factors in game selection.
Former Sony president suggests laid-off workers “drive Uber” until the industry recovers
Chris Deering, former president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, dismissed the idea that recent layoffs in the gaming industry are driven by corporate greed, saying, “I don’t think it’s fair to say that greed is the reason for layoffs.” Dearing suggested that the affected workers “Drive Uber for a year or go to the beach” until the job market stabilizes. Acknowledging layoffs at Sony’s London studio, he said, “If money is not coming from consumers in the previous match, it would not be justified to spend for the next match.” Despite the challenges, Dearing remains optimistic and says, “Sometimes these things heal faster than you think.”
Ubisoft announces offline mode for future The Crew titles after criticism over server shutdown
after the strong reaction following the closure of CrewEarlier this year, the company’s servers were breached. The move comes after players lost access to all content, including the single-player mode, due to a server shutdown in March. which advocates for game preservation. In response to the criticism, Ubisoft said, “We hear your concerns” And confirmed offline modes are being developed to ensure long-term accessibility for future titles, with more details coming soon.
