SwiftSkill was founded by Anil Kumar Peri of Cranfield University and Shankha Subhra Dutta from Lancaster University because of the lack of advice available to aspiring eSports players.��

Being closely connected to the eSports sector in India, where they first met at the Birla Institute of Technology, Peri and Dutta recognised that gamers from different regions may not have the same opportunity to enter into eSports.��

Those not part of an established team, with dedicated coaches and analysts to improve player performance, can often struggle to build a successful profile in the sector.��

SwiftSkill works by providing a digital analysis tool that gives player’s an insight into their performance. The platform analyses data from matches, providing insight, heat maps and a breakdown of their performance. Players can then identify trends and skills to succeed in future matches.

PC FPS Valorant

PC first-person shooter Valorant (pictured) is the first title available through SwiftSkill.

The funding round comes from Jenson Funding Partners and will allow the business to provide its service to additional eSports game titles, including Counterstrike.��

“Every gamer plays differently and there can’t be a one-size-fits-all training for those eager to become eSports professionals,” said Peri.

“At SwiftSkill, we’re giving aspiring professional gamers the insight they need to play better.��

“Valorant is just the start for us and we are eager to expand our service to other popular eSports titles and across other genres. The funding from Jenson will provide the team and skillset needed to address the unique metrics that each esports title provides, allowing us to service the eSports champions of tomorrow.”

Jeffrey Faustin, CIO of Jenson Funding Partners, said: “The gaming sector has consistently grown in recent years and the pandemic escalated the lucrative investment opportunities present in the industry.��

“eSports presents a huge opportunity and innovative businesses such as SwiftSkill are driving the growth of the industry. SwiftSkill creates an opportunity for aspiring gamers to become professionals, honing their skills in the same way that traditional athletes compete.”

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Research published by institutional stockbroker Arden Partners reveals that the global market recorded a deal flow of $60 billion in gaming and eSports combined, compared to just $34bn in the whole of 2020.��

Overall, there were 635 completed transactions, including 169 M&A deals and 364 private placements. The industry is now worth $170bn, outpacing both the music ($20bn) and film sector ($43bn).����

Arden believes that while the industry is scheduled for a short consolidation period in the second half of 2021, it is set to record exponential growth over the long-term thanks to the rapid acceleration of the ‘metaverse’ and virtual reality that is peaking investor interest.��

Videogame AdTech Admix raises £18m to ‘monetise the metaverse’

Virtual reality is the fastest-growing market segment as UK revenues grew by 31.7% this year and are projected to increase at the same rate over the next five years.����

The rise of virtual spaces where gamers can create and explore with other people through online avatars has led to significant technology conglomerates such as Facebook, Amazon and Google hiring thousands of employees to work on the development�� and rebrand their purpose towards becoming leaders in the space.����

The COVID-19 pandemic and repetitive lockdowns has also helped spark significant growth in the games market, shattering revenues, user, and growth records. Every quarter in 2020 broke its respective revenue record. As a result, the sector has seen a number of AIM IPOs in the UK and Ireland, including Frontier Development, Keywords Studios, Sumo, Codemasters and TinyBuild.

The UK AIM IPO market itself is buoyant right now, outpacing the main market, and Arden considers gaming a very attractive sector for new capital.��

It says a significant proportion of this capital is likely to be invested in cloud gaming. Gaming-as-a-Service is still relatively in its infancy, and in 2020 was worth $1bn, but thanks to advancements in network data farms is forecasted to be worth $30bn by the end of the decade – progressing on a similar trajectory to other sectors adopting cloud technologies such as the banking industry.����

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Alex DeGroote, research director at Arden, explained: “The video gaming industry is set for an explosion of investment over the next decade. The unprecedented growth recorded in 2020, accelerated by the pandemic, has put the sector on a really strong footing and its growth is only set to continue. It’s no surprise that companies want a piece of the pie.��

“By 2025, it is predicted the industry will generate more than $260 billion in revenue as more�� technological breakthroughs occur leading to further investment of capital.”��

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Admix’s Series B round is intended to scale its in-play solution worldwide and establish it as ‘the content monetisation layer for the metaverse’.

Founded in 2018, Admix pioneered in-play advertising, which integrates non-intrusive product placements inside games. Its rendering technology can digitally inject complex 2D or 3D constructs into any 3D environment, with zero impact on virtual world engine performance.

More than 300 global games and thousands of advertisers currently use Admix’s end-to-end platform which utilises drag-and-drop SDKs for game publishers to integrate into their games, a platform for advertisers to access the gaming world, independently verified measurement and data reporting.��

Admix has doubled in size to more than 80 staff this year. It has recently signed deals for in-play campaigns with Calvin Klein, Schuh, Movember and Sky. The company has recently made key hires in the Americas and APAC where its presence will now be expanded further.

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Participating in the round are VCs Elefund, Force Over Mass, DIP Capital, Notion Capital, Speedinvest, Rocket Capital, Colopl Next, Sure Valley Ventures and Sidedoor Ventures as well as growth investor Kuvi Capital and angels from the gaming industry.

The first phase of Admix’s development is on track to deliver 1,000% year-on-year revenue growth, with the fresh capital set to power a set of monetisation tools which it says will form the bedrock of new standards for what it terms the ‘creator economy’.

“We’re delighted to have secured this substantial funding round which signifies the start of Admix Phase 2,” said Samuel Huber, CEO and co-founder.��

“This funding round validates the incredible hard work which the entire team has worked so tirelessly to reach. We see the internet entering a new stage: Web 3.0 or the metaverse, characterised by real-time 3D interactions and a new creator economy, spearheaded by the videogames industry.��

“We are establishing in-play as the monetisation layer for gaming and the metaverse. While many players in our industry are essentially agencies, Admix is building critical infrastructure for creators to monetise their content in the best way possible.”

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Admix COO and co-founder Joe Bachle-Morris added: “This Series B round – the most significant in our industry by far – comes at a time when household name brands and some of the highest-grossing games ever are joining either end of the Admix ecosystem.��

“We’ve built an unbeatable tech stack, proved our model commercially and recently put boots on the ground in North America, LATAM and APAC, where our presence will now be ramped up.��

“Admix is at the forefront of gaming as a media channel and we’re excited to be able to put even greater firepower behind creating the infrastructure that will enable our creators and clients to maximise the opportunity.”

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New developments in technology and communications have built up a strong infrastructure for making dynamic changes in every area.��

The growth of eSports is a key part of this. Today the eSports gaming industry is one of the fastest-growing areas in entertainment. David Beckham launching an e-sports team highlights how much value is ascribed to digital gaming.

But how did this industry evolve, and what are its plans for the future?��

The first eSports events

Today the worldwide eSports industry is worth around $1.08 billion. The term eSports is based on the idea of regional or international video gaming events where players compete against each other.��

Sponsorship and advertising generate huge sums for the industry. Players are also motivated by massive cash prizes.��

But the first stirrings of the eSports industry had a much humbler starting point. Back in 1971, the University of Stanford held an event for students playing the vintage arcade game Spacewar! Known as the first digital game, Spacewar! was dreamt up even further back in 1961.

Ten years later, students got to battle it out in the university competition. However, unlike the eSports of today, there was no cash prize for the top players. The top prize was a year’s subscription to the music magazine Rolling Stone.��

Even though the event was not an official eSports competition, the contest started the imagination and desire for further digital sports.

Credit: Luis Villasmil, Unsplash

Key eSports dates in history��

The first official competitive gaming event took place in 1980. This was the official Space Invaders Championship, . The massive buzz generated by the competition drew a lot of attention, with the media and business developers realising what vast potential the gaming industry had.

In the same year, a massive competition featuring the game at world-famous North American arcade Twin Galaxies took place. Players from all over the world attempted to get into the top 5.��

Another important date in the timeline of the progression of eSports is 1991. That was the year that the Super Nintendo console was first introduced: this was the platform of choice for legendary eSports titles like Super Mario World and Street Fighter 2. The games became extremely popular for tournaments throughout the world.��

Recent development of the eSports industry

Games developers have kept up the advance of the eSports industry in various ways. eSports creators have been inspired by the ingenuity of gaming companies such as 888, who introduced such intriguing features as a . Prize pools and different cash competitions have also proven useful to the eSports world. New modes and features first dreamed up on online gaming portals also helped eSports finely tune their gaming models.��

The continuing evolution of eSports

New technology and changes in communication have had a profound effect on the eSports industry. This is clear in the world of streaming. Today, fans stream their favourite eSports players in huge numbers. The careful implementation of the latest streaming technology – and the associated media events – have created a multi-billion-pound industry.

And it’s an industry that is still growing. Premier League football teams hiring eSports players to engage with fans in sports and entertainment.����

Top football clubs have been keen to utilise the growing spread of eSports as a way to push their brands. By using marketing campaigns focusing on the eSports players, the clubs’ competitive ambitions are highlighted.��

A compelling reason why Premier League clubs are so keen to interact with the world of eSports comes down to age. eSports fans and players still tend to be young, with an average age of 26.��

According to a recent report, the average age of a Premier League football supporter is 42. So, for football clubs looking to the future of their fan base, it makes perfect sense to target a younger demographic.

By connecting with the eSports industry, more established organised sports can hope to gain insight and communicate with a new generation.��

The Twitch era��

Twitch was and still is the number one platform for streaming video gaming and eSports. It is the portal that has transformed the industry perhaps more than any other. Star eSports players, most barely in the twenties, command huge salaries and advertising fees.��

Much of the recent growth of eSports can be put down to Twitch. It brought eSports to a new audience, with personalised views of the world’s best gamers offering intimate insights into how to become a better player. This, plus the biggest events and competitions helped turn eSports into an industry that is only going to get bigger.

eSports offers both players and viewers the perfect way to enjoy digital gaming entertainment. In many ways, it provides the ideal bridge between tech and sport; there are fewer middlemen, fewer distractions.��

The fact that established sports and leagues have noticed the strength of eSports is another clear sign of the industry’s power. It is expected to grow still further and cement its place as a massively profitable proposition.

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The HOST Esports Studio in Salford offers a dedicated training space for local eSports teams and bootcamps, and will support the development of the eSports and XR immersive community in the North West.��

HOST, the Home of Skills & Technology, is partnering with Vexed Gaming, one of the UK’s leading eSports organisations in Manchester, to support local talent at the HOST Esports Studio alongside education partners the University of Salford, to engage with young people interested in the digital and media-related skillsets eSports offers in formal education.

To celebrate the launch of the HOST Esports Studio, HOST is welcoming Manchester’s World Esports Day to MediaCity on Saturday 23 October, in partnership with The University of Salford, Salford Esport and Salford City Council, bringing together Manchester’s eSports student societies.

World Esports Day is a joint initiative set up by the British Esports Association, a not-for-profit organisation that promotes and supports grassroots eSports, along with streaming platform Twitch, the Singapore Esports Association (SGEA) and the Global Esports Federation.

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The HOST Esports Studio will offer a training ground for eSports, sporting local tournaments and act as a central gateway for stimulating skills and employment routes for young people to get into this emerging sector.

HOST is building on its existing technology pedigree to establish an eSports academy as part of its Skills City bootcamps, committed to providing fair access to digital skills training and breaking the barriers faced by those from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds, with links to its immersive labs and the UK Unity Centre of Excellence, a world leader in real-time 3D content.

IN4 Talent – your unique talent ecosystem

Mo Isap, CEO of IN4 Group, operator of HOST, said: “The incredible explosion of the eSports market is continuing at a global scale, and we are excited to be leading on this accessible eSports skills programme with our partners Salford City Council.��

“Our ambition is for MediaCity to be a beacon for eSports talent across the region and to provide the industry with its next generation of pro gaming talent.��

“Being part of the innovation ecosystem allows us to nurture local talent with the digital skills they need and support them into eSports related careers, creating the most diverse, industry-ready talent that will help to drive prosperity in the region.”

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Dr Maria Stukoff, co-chair Esport Industry Partnerships at the University of Salford, added: “This is really very powerful. This unique collaboration brings together local businesses and councils, eSports professionals and educational giants all working together to develop a dynamic platform to engage with our local eSports community and to connect talent straight into the industry.”

Mark Weller, Chief Gaming Officer of Vexed Gaming said: “I am delighted to come on board and to secure a Manchester-based training ground for our professional teams here at Vexed Gaming and to support a local opportunity for young people to foster their passion for eSports.��

“eSports has provided me with a rewarding career, and we’re keen to invest back into our local community to build an eSports ecosystem for everyone within Manchester.”

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Frank��Sagnier��retired from Codies following the��$1.2 billion takeover by US giant Electronic Arts��in��February.��

His career in the videogames industry spans more than 25 years, including leading the��IPO��of Codemasters after joining as CEO in 2014.��

Sagnier��has now taken the non-executive role at��nDreams, behind games��including Phantom: Covert Ops for Oculus headsets and the highly anticipated Fracked for PlayStation VR,��set to launch globally on 20th August��2021.����

nDreams��has also collaborated with Ubisoft and Zero Latency VR on development of the free-roam arcade experience Far Cry VR: Dive into Insanity, that can be experienced worldwide at Zero Latency venues.����

Further developments include��nDreams’ move into third-party publishing and the recent announcement of a second fully remote studio,��nDreams��Studio Orbital, which will focus on developing live service games for VR.����

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“I’m delighted to welcome Frank to��nDreams’ board. I’ve known Frank since he was building up EA Partners and I am certain that his experience, passion and drive will push us forward as we head towards some very ambitious goals,” said��Patrick��O’Luanaigh, CEO and founder of��nDreams.����

“Frank’s energy and wisdom will be significant assets, and the management team and I are excited to work with him.”��

Sagnier��added:��“I am delighted to join��nDreams’ board to help the company achieve its mission to become a world-leading developer and publisher of VR games.��

“Over the past few years, Patrick has built a reputable studio with��highly-talented teams delivering high-quality games.����

“The fast-improving hardware together with immersive and innovative player experiences, means that the VR market is bound to see significant growth and exciting times ahead.”��

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Playdemic,��founded in 2010 and��led by CEO Paul Gouge, is the studio behind hit mobile game��Golf Clash. It was acquired by TT Games, part of Warner Bros, in 2017 in a reported £30��million��deal.��

Golf Clash, which��allows players��on iOS, Android and Facebook��to compete with each other around the world in real time, has amassed��more than 80m downloads to date.����

“We founded��Playdemic��with a focus on creating highly engaging and innovative game experiences. Our success with Golf Clash has proven our approach and demonstrated the ability of our incredibly talented teams to develop and operate best in class mobile games,” said CEO Gouge.����

“Joining EA, one of the most successful games companies in the world, is an important next step in our journey and we are excited to continue to develop both Golf Clash and new titles as part of the EA family.”��

The acquisition��is part of EA’s mobile growth strategy focused on delivering exciting new experiences for EA’s network of nearly half a billion players around the world.����

“Playdemic��is a team of true innovators, and we’re thrilled to have them join the Electronic Arts family,” said Andrew Wilson, CEO of Electronic Arts.����

“In addition to the ongoing success of Golf Clash, the talent, technology and expertise of��Playdemic��will be a powerful combination with our teams and IP at Electronic Arts.����

“This is the next step building on our strategy to expand our sports portfolio and accelerate our growth in mobile to reach more players around the world with more great games and content.”��

David Haddad, President��of��Warner Bros. Games, added:��“We have enjoyed working with the talented team at��Playdemic��as they have grown Golf Clash beyond all expectations into a hit mobile game with tremendous longevity.��

“While we have great respect for the��Playdemic��team, our decision to divest is a part of our overall strategy to build games based on Warner Bros. storied franchises.”��

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Andrew Day had taken a��temporary leave of absence from the business but, following his health scare, has decided to��bring forward a longer-term retirement plan.��

He will therefore be leaving his role as CEO and his position as a director of the board with immediate effect.��

The company is��searching for a successor, with Day��available to the board for an initial period of six months in an advisory capacity to support a smooth transition.��

Jon Hauck and Sonia Sedler will continue as joint interim CEOs.��The firm says��Hauck��provides clear continuity for the��group’s acquisition strategy, while Sedler��has already taken responsibility for the operational performance of the business and driving organic growth.����

“I am deeply proud of the business that we have built together, which over my 12 years as CEO has grown from a privately held company with a single localisation and testing studio in Dublin employing 50 people, to a publicly traded global technical and creative services group with over 9,000 people in 69 studios in 22 countries working passionately with our video games publisher and developer clients to create, adapt and support so many of the world’s leading games,” said Day.��

“It has been a huge honour to lead the wonderful��Keywordians��around the world. Whilst my recent health scare has brought about a reassessment of my priorities and brought forward a retirement that I was otherwise looking forward to in the coming few years, I am pleased to be leaving the group in such a strong position to continue to deliver on its proven strategy.����

“This strategy continues to deliver excellent momentum in organic growth and acquisition execution, thanks to having an extremely capable leadership team in place and a rock solid foundation of dedicated��Keywordians��around the world, with unrivalled breadth and depth of talent, who are passionate about every project entrusted to them.��

“I am confident that the group will continue its march of delivering high quality growth both organically and from acquisitions of the type that has taken us from IPO in 2013 with a market capitalisation of��£50m to around £2bn today.”��

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Keywords reported total revenue growth of 36% for the first four months��of the year and has��acquired��Tantalus Media and Climax Studios��in 2021.����

Ross Graham, Chairman of Keywords Studios, commented:��“Whilst we are sad to see Andrew go, we fully support his decision to bring his retirement plans forward and wish him a very happy retirement.��

“Under Jon’s and Sonia’s direction, the��group has continued to perform strongly whilst also continuing to add scale and reach through the recent acquisitions of the��high quality��businesses, Tantalus Media and Climax Studios.��

“The��group is well placed, with a leading position in the buoyant video games market and a strong balance sheet, to continue to build upon its strong platform both organically and through selective acquisitions from a healthy pipeline of opportunities.”������

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Simon Benson��has been appointed��as��director of immersive technology��at innovation hub HOST – the Home of Skills & Technology – at MediaCityUK in Salford.��

Benson��was previously director of Sony’s Immersive Technology Group where he was a founder member of the PlayStation VR project and supported all��its VR launch titles.��

This follows the announcement of HOST’s partnership with Unity, the world’s leading platform for creating and operating real-time 3D (RT3D) content.��

The Unity Centre of Excellence at HOST is launching the academy in the UK, where learners will receive certified training directly from Unity’s professional instructors.��

With a career in VR, AR and interactive entertainment spanning over 25 years��behind him,��Benson (below) will��support future innovators with the mentorship, partners and technology they need to disrupt the RT3D world.��

With industries beyond video gaming realising the full potential of RT3D content, there has been significant growth in the global demand for skilled Unity developers.��

According to Burning Glass, Unity is one of the most in-demand tech skills and has one of the highest forecasted growth rates, at over 70% in the next 10 years.��

The programme is for recent graduates, career changers or those looking to upskill as a Unity developer, and it is due to start on 21 June. Applications are now open with limited places available.��

The academy offers a 12-week remote learning course to equip students with the technical and soft skills they need to accelerate a career in tech as a Unity Certified Professional Programmer.��

The programme includes real-life industry projects with leading partners from advanced manufacturing, architectural engineering, health and creative media.��

Learners will also receive personal mentoring and dedicated career support, alongside employability workshops and CV assessments, with a commitment of a guaranteed job interview once they have successfully completed and qualified from the course.��

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“With Unity’s UK Centre of Excellence as an integral component of HOST’s capabilities, we are ideally placed to lead the immersive and interactive revolution that is already influencing many industries such as video gaming, architecture, healthcare and manufacturing,”��said Benson.����

“Establishing Unity’s UK Centre of Excellence at HOST brings a fantastic blend of high demand skills generation, cutting edge innovation and unparalleled business support, ensuring that MediaCityUK is the only place to be if you’re in the real-time development space.”��

Nicole Zingg, Global Head of Channel Partnerships at Unity, commented:��“The Unity Centre of Excellence at HOST will define a new premium standard of skills generation in Unity.����

“With the pace of innovation across industries, the academy is built to support the next generation of skills needed both for the roles of today and tomorrow.”��

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The��investment will incorporate a strategic partnership to support����Բ��پ���’s��expansion into the growing Japanese esports sector, and the substantial Asia-Pacific market.����

Marubeni’s investment in��Fnatic��builds upon��12��months of growth, including an 80% year-on-year increase in revenues year-to-date and expansion as a high-performance eSports brand.����

Newzoo��anticipates��the eSports market��will generate��more than $1��billion in revenues in 2021.����

The previous��12��months have also accelerated the growth of the global eSports industry, particularly in cornerstone markets such as China and East Asia.����

To tap into this global and growing market,��Fnatic��has recently strengthened its leadership team with the addition of Georgina Workman (Head of Studios, Previously Appear Here), Julien Dupont (Partnership development, previously Vitality/Havas), Oliver Royce (Head of Apparel, Previously��Gymshark) and Patrick Foster (CFO, previously��Getaround).����

It has also expanded��its digital and physical performance products – revenues from these ranges have increased by 91 per cent year on year in the first quarter of 2021.����

The investment from Marubeni will also accelerate����Բ��پ���’s��growth in the substantial Asia-Pacific market with a new strategic partnership that will incorporate the expansion of����Բ��پ���’s��base of operations in Japan and support for����Բ��پ���’s��Rainbow 6 Siege team who plan to relocate to the country.����

The Japanese eSports industry is a significant and growing market, expected to increase in value by more than 250 per cent between 2019 and 2023. More than 6.9 million people attended eSports events in Japan in 2020, a 42 per cent increase on the previous year.��

The current round includes a range of international family offices and institutional investors, alongside venture debt from Bootstrap. The round comes after����Բ��پ���’s��groundbreaking��crowdraise��in 2020, which was joined by more than 3,500 investors.����

Fnatic��CEO Sam Mathews said: “We’re so excited to have the strategic know-how of Marubeni leading this funding round.�� Marubeni’s knowledge of Japan’s business landscape will be a huge asset to��Fnatic��as we expand our commitment to APAC.”��

Founded in 2004,��Fnatic��has��more tier-1 tournament wins than any other organisation. This focus on performance has enabled the growth of����Բ��پ���’s��pioneering eSports equipment line, which grew 52 per cent in 2020.����

Fnatic��has also expanded its high-performance teams globally, with a worldwide squad of 40 pro gamers across 8 game titles, and more than 100 staff in 6 offices globally.��

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