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☆ China's tech crackdown cost over $1 trillion. But the economy is in such deep trouble that the country's cozying up to its tech firms again.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

China's tech crackdown wiped $1.1 trillion off the valuation of its Big Tech firms. China's economy is struggling to recover after three years of on-off COVID-19 lockdowns. China cracked down on the country's tech sector in 2020, taking down its Big Tech, whose market value has been wiped by $1.1 trillion. But now, authorities are laying out the red carpet for the same firms because the economy is in deep trouble. Local governments in China are wooing tech giants with at least five recent deals to build on the so-called "platform economy," the South China Morning Post reported on Sunday.

Persons: NetEase, Yin Li, Kuaishou, Yin Yong, Daniel Zhang, Lei Jun, Alibaba, Jack Ma Organizations: Big Tech, Morning, China Morning Post, Sunday, Communist Party Locations: China, Beijing, Hangzhou, Tianjin, Shenzhen

Below, you'll find our live coverage of all of the best Prime Day deals on sought-after gaming laptops, PCs, consoles, SSDs, headsets, and more. Amazon gaming deal quick links:Prime Day gaming laptop dealsDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. $999.00 from Walmart Originally $1,649.00 Save 39%Prime Day gaming PC dealsDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. $1,029.99 from Amazon Originally $1,079.99 Save 5%Prime Day SSD dealsDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. $469.99 from Amazon Originally $599.99 Save 22%Prime Day Nintendo Switch dealsDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt.

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We're seeing discounts of 20% or more, and we've sorted through the selection to find the best Prime Day monitor deals. And check out all the best Prime Day PC gaming deals for even more chances to save on computer gear. Top 3 monitor dealsBest Prime Day monitor deals LG's UltraFine 4K monitor is being discounted right now for Prime Day. $164.00 from Amazon Originally $209.00 Save 22%Best Prime Day gaming monitor dealsSamsung's Odyssey has an ultra-wide screen that makes it great for gaming. For more details on how to find a great monitor, check out our guides to the best computer monitor and best gaming monitor.

Persons: We've, it's, Price LG, it'll, Price, Price Dell Organizations: Samsung, LG, Dell, Asus, Amazon, Prime, SAMSUNG, Deal LG, Netflix, YouTube, AMD, Price Samsung, Monitor Samsung, Computer Locations: it's

☆ Read the pitch decks from these creator economy startups that helped raise millions of dollars
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Sydney Bradley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Here are the pitch decks that 24 startups used in Series A, Seed, and pre-Seed rounds. The phrase "creator economy" skyrocketed as a buzzword in 2021 as creators, VCs, and entrepreneurs rushed to cash in on a booming industry. So, how do creator economy startups land those investments? They broke down the pitch decks they used to secure millions of dollars in funding. Read the pitch decks that helped 24 creator-focused startups to fundraise millions of dollars:

Persons: —, Alexis Ohanian's Seven, Tony Tran, Tran, Jessica Wolf, who've Organizations: United Talent, Intelligence Locations: Skye

☆ Singapore is taking 'baby steps' with new events like Olympic Esports, says minister of state
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSingapore is taking 'baby steps' with new events like Olympic Esports, says minister of stateAlvin Tan, Singapore's minister of state for culture, community and youth, as well as trade and industry, says "we're bullish about esports, we're bullish about the melding of virtual and physical worlds."

Persons: Alvin Tan Organizations: Singapore

☆ Singapore kicks off the world's first Olympic Esports Week
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Audrey Wan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

An athlete warms up before the cycling finals on the second day of Olympic Esports Week in Singapore. Yong Teck Lim | Getty ImagesSINGAPORE — Singapore is hosting the inaugural Olympic Esports Week where over 100 athletes from around the world are competing across 10 virtual sports. It builds on the success of the Olympic Virtual Series staged before the Tokyo Summer Games in 2021, which attracted 250,000 participants, the IOC added. Singapore is no stranger to esports competitions, launching the Singapore Games Association to develop the country's esports ecosystem. The Singapore Tourism Board said the country has the potential to become a "top-of-mind destination for esports fans globally," CNA reported.

Persons: Yong Teck Lim, Alvin Tan, Tan, Halimah Yacob, Newzoo Organizations: Getty, SINGAPORE —, Olympic, International Olympic, Olympic Games, Straits Times, International Olympic Committee, Tokyo Summer Games, IOC, Singapore Games Association, Singapore Tourism Board, CNA Locations: Singapore, SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE — Singapore, Suntec City, Esports, Asia Southeast Asia, Statista

☆ EA's CMO reveals how he'll keep the video game giant's soccer franchise rolling without FIFA branding
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-22 | by ( Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

EA's "FIFA" series is a big revenue driver, but its next soccer video game won't have that branding. CMO David Tinson reveals his plan to drive fans to EA's new soccer franchise EA Sports FC. Electronic Art's marketing muscle is going to have to do some heavy lifting this year to build a new powerhouse brand around its soccer video game series. In 2022, EA and FIFA ended a licensing partnership that lasted nearly three decades and helped make the "FIFA" video game series the most popular sports franchise of all time. This is a key component to making sure fans of the "FIFA" franchise glom onto the new one.

Persons: David Tinson, Andrew Wilson, Tinson, we've, hadn't Organizations: FIFA, EA Sports FC, EA, FC Barcelona's Camp, Manchester United, FC Barcelona, Nike Locations: FC Barcelona's Camp Nou, Real Madrid

☆ Gamers meet Games in inaugural Olympic Esports Week
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Edgar Su | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Workers set up the venue for the inaugural Olympic Esports Week in Singapore June 19, 2023. Building on the Olympic Virtual Series, the Olympic Esports Week is part of a drive under IOC President Thomas Bach to remain relevant to young people and embrace technological advances. "We've launched the brand Olympic Esports, and Olympic Esports Week here in Singapore is the first ever - super excited about it." "But they're also sharing a lot of similar values, and the Olympic values, like friendship, respect and excellence are all part of both worlds. "In esports we can see the same synergies, we can see the same values, and this is what we want to see during this Olympic Esports Week."

Persons: Edgar Su SINGAPORE, Siti Zhwyee, wiling, Zhwyee, Thomas Bach, Vincent Pereira, We've, Pereira, they're, Edgar Su, Nick Mulvenney, Peter Rutherford Organizations: Workers, Olympic, REUTERS, Elite, Convention, Exhibition, Ubisoft, Reuters, International Olympic Committee, Thomson Locations: Singapore, Suntec, esports, Hangzhou

☆ Michael Jordan is selling his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan responds to a question during a news conference at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, Oct. 28, 2014. Basketball legend Michael Jordan has agreed to sell his majority stake in the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Hornets to wealthy investors Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall, a representative for Jordan confirmed Friday. Jordan took a majority stake in the Hornets in 2010 for $275 million. Under the ownership of the six-time NBA champion Jordan, the Hornets have struggled, only making the playoffs two times. Plotkin acquired a minority stake in the Hornets in 2019 and has served as an alternate governor on the NBA Board of Governors.

Persons: Charlotte, Michael Jordan, Basketball Association's Charlotte, Gabe Plotkin, Rick Schnall, Jordan, Plotkin, Schnall, Clayton, Dan Sundheim, J, Cole, Eric Church Organizations: Charlotte Hornets, Spectrum Center, Basketball Association's, Basketball Association's Charlotte Hornets, Hornets, NBA, of Governors, Tallwoods, NBA's Atlanta Hawks, Hawks, D1, North Carolina, Hornets Sports & Entertainment, G League, Greensboro Swarm, Spectrum, Forbes Locations: Charlotte , North Carolina, Dubilier

☆ Coca-Cola launches new flavor for gamers
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

New York CNN —Coca-Cola is launching a new limited-edition flavor for gamers, a demographic increasingly pursued by mainstream food and beverage brands. For this new flavor, called Coca-Cola Ultimate, the soda maker partnered with Riot Games, which publishes the multi-player online battle arena game League of Legends. Coca-Cola Ultimate bottles. As in most of those cases (Marshmello’s flavor had notes of strawberry and watermelon) Coca-Cola won’t share what Ultimate is actually supposed to taste like. And the relationship between Riot and Coca-Cola is deeper than the limited-edition flavor.

Persons: Coke, Rosalía, “ We’re, Oana Vlad, James Quincey, they’re, ”, Gen, Ava Max, Vlad, Red Bull, Eric Krause Organizations: New, New York CNN, Riot Games, of, League of, Coke, PepsiCo, League of Legends Locations: New York, Dreamworld, Fortnite

☆ Six Flags plans a summer 'strollerpalooza' to get families back to its parks
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Six Flags plans a "strollerpalooza" this summer to bring families back, The Wall Street Journal reported. Jeffrey Siebert of Six Flags Fiesta Texas said it had revamped designs and added kid-friendly rides. Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Six Flags Fiesta Texas's president Jeffrey Siebert said the company was planning a "strollerpalooza" this summer, referring to plans to increase the numbers of families visiting its attractions. He also said he was trying to turn Six Flags customers from "the Kmart, Walmart to maybe the Target customers." Shares in Six Flags have fallen 62% over the past five years, leaving the company worth just over $2.2 billion.

Persons: Jeffrey Siebert of, —, Jeffrey Siebert, Siebert, Selim Bassoul Organizations: Street Journal, Service, Wall Street, Six Flags, Six, Kmart, Walmart Locations: Texas

☆ This Asian MMA promotion wants to crack the US market -- without the blood and trash-talking
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Andrew Mcnicol | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Could 2023 be the year mixed-martial arts (MMA) in the United States finally returns to its pure, humble beginnings nurtured in Asia nearly 5,000 years ago? “I can’t wait for the US fans to be exposed to true martial arts. Fighting on American soil, it’s amazing to be able to headline this landmark event,” said the former longtime UFC champion, who joined One in 2018. Courtesy Aaron Pan/ONE ChampionshipWhat “true martial arts” means in new-era combat sports is certainly up for interpretation. That’s more true to the spirit of martial arts and its traditional values.

☆ Twitter users have found a loophole to get their legacy verified blue ticks back just by writing a few key words in their bios
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Aditi Bharade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

People have found a way to get their Twitter blue checks back for free — though it's just a temporary fix. Legacy verified Twitter users have found a temporary fix to get their blue tick back for free — just by adding in a few words to their bio. Cheryl Teh, a news editor from Insider — who lost her blue tick when Twitter CEO Elon Musk axed the legacy blue tick program on April 1 — confirmed that writing "former blue check" in her bio restored the blue tick. But Musk replaced it with a subscription-based service, where legacy verified users could keep their checkmarks by signing up for the Twitter Blue subscription program. The posthumously installed blue tick beside these celebrities' names on Twitter erroneously claims: "This account is verified because they are subscribed to Twitter Blue and verified their phone number."

☆ Mihoyo's new video game tops download charts as big launches return to China
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Josh Ye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The blockbuster debut bodes well for several other games due to launch this summer in the world's largest video games market. As of Thursday, the Shanghai-based company's strategy game "Honkai: Star Rail", where anime characters battle space monsters, had amassed 20 million downloads across smartphones and personal computers, miHoYo said. 1 on the iOS game download chart in more countries than any prior game," Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad said on Twitter. It is scheduled to test action game "Valorant" in May ahead of its official release this year. Tencent will invest in launching an esports league in China for the game.

☆ Discord users say Jack Teixeira only leaked documents to show off. That's a problem for the US military, which uses the app as a conduit for recruitment: reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Jack Teixeira, a 21-year-old airman, was accused of leaking US intelligence documents on Discord. The US military uses Discord to recruit young people who are enthusiastic about video games. Jack Teixeira, a 21-year-old junior-ranking US National Guard airman, was arrested on Thursday in connection to the leak of classified Pentagon documents. Some Republicans — most prominently Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene — have hailed Teixeira as a national hero, but members of Thug Shaker Central said otherwise. A spokesperson for Discord and the Defense Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

☆ Elon Musk dreams of Twitter's AI power
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Emilia David | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Elon Musk's personal AI ambitions. Elon Musk was one of the more prominent names on an open letter calling for a pause in AI development. My teammate Asia Martin points out that Musk's position on AI is contradicted by Twitter's investment in generative AI. Twitter's recent purchase of hardware normally used to develop generative AI products shows the extent of this ambition. Read more on Elon Musk's AI ambitions.

☆ A gaming historian talked to us about the last 2 decades of the industry. Here's what he's seen change.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Sponsor Post | Created Insider Studios With Dell Technologies | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

From the beginning, said Goyanes — an official Alienware brand historian — "our founders were gamers" who "took insights from gamers very, very seriously." Yet when Goyanes began working for Alienware, social media was in its infancy. But mostly, he stresses, gamers today are a diverse community. "What you can do with lighting, I think it's certainly the best thing we've ever released on a gaming laptop in our entire history," Goyanes said. Learn more about the new Alienware x16 Gaming Laptop.

☆ Activision Proposes Settlement in DOJ Lawsuit Over Esports Pay
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Denny Jacob | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The U.S. Justice Department is reviewing a proposed settlement to its antitrust lawsuit against Activision Blizzard Inc. after accusing the company of imposing rules that limited competition and suppressed wages for players in two of its videogame franchises’ professional esports leagues. The department alleged that in two of the esports leagues owned Activision, the company and the independently owned teams in each league implemented a so-called Competitive Balance Tax. The tax was structured to penalize teams in the “Overwatch” and “Call of Duty” leagues if a team’s player compensation exceeded a threshold set by Activision, the complaint alleges.

☆ Justice Department Sues Activision Over Esports Leagues
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Denny Jacob | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The U.S. Justice Department on Monday said it filed an antitrust lawsuit against Activision Blizzard Inc. alleging that the company imposed rules that limited competition for players in two of its videogame franchises’ professional esports league and suppressed wages for players in those leagues. The department said its complaint alleges that in two of the esports leagues owned by the videogame company, Activision and the independently-owned teams in each league implemented a so-called Competitive Balance Tax. The tax was structured to penalize teams in the “Overwatch” and “Call of Duty” leagues if a team’s player compensation exceeded a threshold set by Activision, the complaint alleges.

Industry Insight Insights in Action: Corporate law departments find their outside firms’ innovation lagging, but there may be little incentive to changeZach Warren March 24, 2023

☆ A 27-page report breaks down where the money is flowing in sports tech and the investors to watch. Here were 5 key takeaways.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Ashley Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Investment bank Drake Star broke down dealmaking in 2022 and what it means for the year ahead. Sports tech M&A activity in 2022, from Drake Star's Global Sports Tech Report 2022. Drake Star Global Sports Tech Report 2022The fourth quarter saw a surge in M&A volume with 67 deals, the most in the sector's recent history. More sports tech companies could explore public listings in the second half of the year. "Some of the IPO ready sports tech companies are expected to explore IPO/SPAC listings."

☆ Brands like Pepsi, Ally, Mondelēz, and Coty reveal how they've scored big returns by advertising in video games
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Ryan Joe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

More than half the US population plays video games, and advertisers are pouring billions into the space. Brands as diverse as Pepsi, Ally, Mondelēz, and Coty have all been successfully using video games as an advertising medium to drive big results. Advertising in video games represents a big opportunity for brands to get in front of a large, engaged audience. Video game advertising requires a lot of collaborationOne of the biggest challenges brands face when advertising in video games is getting alignment across the company. Another difficulty brands face is developing a video game campaign that's not just a one-off.

FaZe Clan has laid off 20% of its staff as it found itself with less capital than expected. Esports organization FaZe Clan has laid off roughly 20% of its employees in a restructuring that began in December, a company spokesperson confirmed. In the memo to staffers, FaZe CEO Lee Trink wrote that the company expects to report a year-over-year revenue increase of more than 25% for 2022. As I described, I'm extremely proud that we expect to report the revenue growth for 2022 will show an increase of over 25% from 2021. As we embark on 2023 with a more streamlined, nimbler organization, our key focus is on the core aspects of what makes FaZe FaZe, and what has allowed the brand and the business to grow at an incredible pace over the past five years.

☆ Ferrari names Lorenzo Giorgetti as chief racing revenue officer
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MILAN, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Ferrari (RACE.MI) said on Tuesday it had appointed Lorenzo Giorgetti to the newly-created position of chief racing revenue officer, tasked with boosting long-term relations with sponsors across all racing activities. Among his previous posts Giorgetti has been chief commercial officer at Serie A soccer club AC Milan and head of commercial management in the sports division of Italian publisher RCS Mediagroup (RCSM.MI), Ferrari said in a statement. He will directly report to Ferrari's CEO Benedetto Vigna and will also cover the booming Esports field of videogame sport competitions. It comes just after Ferrari appointed Frenchman Frederic Vasseur as its new Formula One team principal in an effort to regain competitiveness in its flagship competition. Ferrari's revenues from 'sponsorship, commercial and brand', which include those earned by its Formula One racing team through sponsorship agreements, rose 11% last year to 479 million euros ($512 million).

☆ I'm a college student with a YouTube side hustle that brought in $31,000 in 2022. Here's how I found editing and producing gigs.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Leonardo Orantes-Paz, 23, is a YouTube producer and editor who also attends college full time. He worked as a producer for the esports organization NRG's YouTube channel and as a video editor. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Leonardo Orantes-Paz, a 23-year-old YouTube-channel producer and video editor from Las Vegas. They were launching a new channel, NRG Speedrunning, and they needed a video editor. For example, I met one of my friends, who is also a video editor, while he was livestreaming on Twitch.

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