When they first emerged in the home entertainment scene, video games were largely underrated in terms of both their cultural value and their business potential. How things have changed! These days, gaming is a major global powerhouse of an industry; 3 billion people across the world play games on a regular basis, and brands, celebrities and even government entities alike all want a piece of the gaming action.
With gaming now well and truly a mainstream activity, there are a handful of brands who are driving its development and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the digital realm. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at five of the most prominent that are generating major advancements in the sectors of eSports, video gaming and even iGaming.
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Take-Two Interactive
If you’re a keen gamer, you might just have heard of this video gaming monolith. Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. — to give the company its full title — owns two of the most prominent games development studios in the world; RockStar Games and 2K. Its core franchises include Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, as well as the sports series NBA 2K.
Take-Two has played a pivotal role in increasing the quality of video game production. The Grand Theft Auto series, for instance, is often listed as being one of the greatest of all-time thanks to its pioneering immersive environments and its focus on in-game monetisation.
Just recently, the company leveraged its position in the market to acquire a the development studio behind social gaming hits like Farmville, in a deal worth $12.7 billion. With this new acquisition under its umbrella, Take-Two is well primed to conquer the mobile gaming space.
PokerStars Casino
The PokerStars brand has long been a leader in the iGaming sector. Since the early 2000s, the company has been synonymous with high-quality online poker tournaments and gaming experiences, and, last decade, it launched a full-scale, immersive online casino.
The brand has become known for innovation in the range of slots, roulette and table titles available on its online platform. It was one of the first entities in the iGaming sector to introduce progressive jackpots, with Millionaires Island as a cornerstone. It is no wonder, then, that PokerStars Casino was awarded the Gaming Intelligence Casino Operator of the Year award in 2020.
Team Liquid
If there’s one eSports team that can deliver a masterclass in branding, it’s Team Liquid. Owned by aXiomatic Gaming, Steve Arhancet and Victor Goossens, Team Liquid is home to the cream of the crop when it comes to eSports competitors. Since its inception in 2000, the organisation has collectively won the highest prize payouts in the history of eSports.
Liquid may be active competitors in over fifteen different games, including Fortnite, Dota 2 and Call of Duty, but the organisation has also expanded its portfolio to become a full scale media enterprise. Under the Team Liquid umbrella, you’ll find the 1UP Studio – specialising in video content – Liquidpedia and even Liquid Media – a talent agency specialising in influencer management.
Epic Games
It’s hard to imagine the gaming industry without Epic Games. More than just a software development company, Epic has truly expanded the possibilities of virtual gaming. The ubiquitously popular MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) game, Fortnite, is just one game in its stable, but the impact Fortnite has had on the gaming and entertainment industries cannot be overstated.
While Fornite kicked off a new century with new possibilities in gaming, Epic cemented its place as a trendsetting gaming brand by launching and releasing Unreal Engine 5. The latest version of this renowned 3D creation tool includes even more groundbreaking features that open up new realms for discovery. Not only that, the tool was pivotal in Securing a partnership between Epic and the high-fashion label Balenciaga, bringing the maison’s designs to life across billboards in London, Tokyo, New York and Seoul.
With plans to release Unreal Engine to filmmakers and further expansion to Fortnite’s virtual concert series, Epic Games is on a roll toward becoming a dominant force in mainstream entertainment.
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