Defining Moments of the 2021 Video Game Industry
2021 has been a banner year for the video game industry. There were record investment, record mergers and acquisitions and record public listings. 2022 promises to be the best year yet for both the industry and its investors. As we approach the new year, here are some of the defining moments of 2021.
Supply chain nightmare:
The supply chain crunch has caused more than just headaches at ports and merchants. Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft experienced supply issues that have caused their consoles to be incredibly hard to find. Coming into the holiday shopping season, all three companies will have experienced at least some pain in console sales. The shortage will last well into 2022.
Frat party at Activision Blizzard:
Perhaps the biggest media story in the gaming industry has been the chaotic and juvenile nature of company culture at Activision. This past July, the California Department of Fair employment and Housing filed a lawsuit claiming the company allowed an atmosphere that fostered sexual harassment and frat-boy shenanigans. As a result, ATVI stock was slammed, and company higher-ups are skating on thin ice.
Microsoft’s Big Splash:
Back in March, Microsoft announced it had purchased ZeniMax Media and all its subsidiaries for a whopping $7.5 billion. The acquisition immediately made Microsoft one of the industry’s powerhouse game publishers, with Bethesda, id Software, Arkane Studios, Tango Gameworks and others now falling under the umbrellas of Xbox Game Studios.
Apple v. Epic:
Epic Games took Apple to court earlier this year after Epic claimed Apple’s 30% App Store fees were outrageous and constituted a monopoly. Epic won the case against Apple on “outrageous” part, but the court found that Apple is no monopoly.
TCI Acquisition:
Back in May, TCI Acquisition Company (doing business as TCI Entertainment) announced the acquisition Stocket, a patented e-Commerce gaming platform. The acquisition was independently valued at $10,757,000 in a stock and cash transaction. TCI Entertainment now hopes to take this patented e-Commerce platform to the masses. The platform can allow for real-world transactions to occur within video games, where gamers and big brands can sell items like shoes, plumbing services and sports tickets. Or any traditional e-Commerce items, within video games, for that fact. The technology bridges the e-Commerce and video game industries into one new mega industry, in-Game commerce.
Read more about the biggest gaming news stories of 2021, HERE
Or, learn more about TCI’s plans to take their patented e-Commerce gaming platform global, HERE
Source: https://www.slashgear.com/the-video-game-stories-that-defined-the-industry-in-2021-24703704/