William Copus

Disney Calendar Q1 2024 Earnings (FY Q2): DTC streaming business of Disney+ and Hulu had an operating income profit of $47M, ESPN+ lost $65 million. Added 6.3M Disney+ Core subs (117.6M total), excluding Disney+ Hotstar, which lost 2.3M subs. Hulu SVOD gained 700,000 subs (45.8M total), Hulu + Live TV lost 100,000 subs (4.5M total). ESPN+ lost 400,000 subs (24.8M total). Will add an ESPN Plus tile to Disney+ this fall, giving subscribers access to "select live games and studio programming" within the Disney+ app. Disney will begin cracking down on password sharing starting in some markets in June, followed by a wide rollout in September. UPDATED 11:28am EST - Stock is down almost 10%. Earnings release: https://lnkd.in/ea58MB2n -- #hulu #streamingmedia #disneyplus #espnplus #SVOD #AVOD

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Vimeo Q1 Earnings: Revenue of $105 million, flat from Q4 revenue of $106 million and up 1% YoY. Net income in the quarter of $6 million. Expects Q2 revenue to be slightly below $100 million (down ~3% YoY). "Enterprise" customers (which Vimeo calls "Subscribers") had a monthly ARPU of $1,766, up $20 from Q4. Keeping previous 2024 revenue guidance of $385-$400 million, with an operating loss of approximately $3 million. At the low and high range of the guidance, total revenue would be down 8% to 4% year-over-year. Q1 headcount ended at 1,024, down 8% YoY, with a significant majority of the reduction coming from sales and marketing. Ended Q1 with $304 million in cash and cash equivalents. Vimeo's stock is up $0.20 after hours. Shareholder letter: https://lnkd.in/eCCJpMQt - #vimeo #streamingmedia

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The social strategy for Azra Games 🔜 Consensus Austin is simple… Build excitement & community for their brand new action-RPG by consistently showcasing the games development via short form videos on YouTube Shorts. 📈6 month results📈 🎥 Video Views: 396,862 (+9.9K% vs previous 6 months) 🌟 Engagement: 12,581 (+5.1K% vs previous 6 months) 👍 Likes: 11,418 (+9.4K% vs previous 6 months) 💬 Comments: 519 (+674% vs previous 6 months) 📤 Shares: 644 (+1K% vs previous 6 months)

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The latest newsletter from Sporting Crypto is now live! 🎫 US Sues to Break Up Ticketmaster, Enter Blockchain Ticketing? 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗿𝘆𝗽𝘁𝗼: 1. Overview of the Ticketmaster lawsuit ⚖️    b) Ticketmaster’s dominance is real 2. Is this the opening blockchain ticketing needs?    a) Why blockchain, in ticketing?    b) Do the commercials stack up? 3. Analysis & Concluding Thoughts 🧠 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿: ⚖️ 𝗢𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻/𝗧𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: • Live Nation reported its best year ever in 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 in terms of both attendance and ticket sales. • Attendance was up by 𝟮𝟬% compared to 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮, with over 𝟭𝟰𝟱 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 fans attending more than 𝟱𝟬,𝟬𝟬𝟬 events. • Ticketmaster sold 𝟲𝟮𝟬𝗺 tickets, up 𝟭𝟯% compared to 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮. • Revenue was up 𝟯𝟲% to $𝟮𝟮.𝟳 billion; its operating income went up 46% to $𝟭.𝟬𝟳𝗯𝗻; while its sponsorship revenue went up 𝟭𝟯% to $𝟭.𝟬𝟳𝗯𝗻. ⛓️ 𝗢𝗻 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 There have been 160+ blockchain ticketing startups in the last decade, and the large ticketing players in the space — Ticketmaster included — have had  forays into this space themselves. Ticketmaster have acquired a couple of Blockchain ticketing companies, and have also launched token-gated ticketing experiments, most notably with rock band Avenged Sevenfold. But why, in an industry that has so much enthusiasm from the Web3 side, have we seen such little success compared to the major players in ticketing? The problem that Blockchain ticketing hasn’t solved is not a technological one, it’s a business and commercial problem. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀: 1. Behemoths such as Ticketmaster have huge resources to pay partners sums of money that NFT/blockchain ticketing businesses could only dream of. 2. Many ticketing deals are done with venues rather than teams directly, adding to the complexity of how Blockchain ticketing gets their foot into the door. These deals are also done for long periods that could span the entire lifetime of a Blockchain ticketing start-up. Ticketmaster also owns many venues. **** 📌 Read the latest newsletter via the '𝘝𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵 𝘔𝘺 𝘞𝘦𝘣𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦' button at the top of this post or via the comments below!

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Is the gaming industry bouncing back? Andreessen Horowitz is betting on it and just closed $600 million for its second gaming fund. However, to be fair, the $600 million is part of a $7.2 billion raise. Fifty percent is going into the a16z growth fund, 25% into AI and AI infrastructure, 10% into 'American Dynamism,' and another 10% into the gaming fund I mentioned in the headline. 'Survive till '25' is a mantra I often hear at gaming conferences. Since 2022, the gaming industry has seen an unprecedented number of layoffs, leaving too many talented people jobless. Some have started their own companies, while others have found jobs in newly-formed studios. Companies like Andreessen Horowitz seem to position themselves to capitalize on the upswing. 🤔 Do you think this fundraiser is a leading indicator that gaming is on its way up again, or is 10% not a vote of confidence but a cautious bet? I'd love to hear your thoughts and discuss in the comments 👇 Did anyone catch my 'light at the end of the tunnel' analogy? 😅 Link to the full article in the comments.

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Some of the most popular content on Twitch isn’t even gaming. IRL streams are exploding, and here’s why. 👇 IRL (in-real-life) streams are creators broadcasting their everyday lives. In the last 90 days, the Just Chatting category on Twitch (which includes IRL streams) has been watched for 688 MILLION HOURS. Video attached to the post is one of the most popular IRL clips ever - an eagle stealing a sandwich from a travelling streamer, live on Twitch. Here are three reasons why IRL streams are so popular IMO 👇 1️⃣ Personal connection IRL streams give viewers a more personal connection with the creators. A streamer takes their community on an adventure that they can influence through chat. It creates a sense of community. 2️⃣ On the road Not everyone can afford to travel the world. For viewers, IRL streams are a gateway to discovering the world with their idols. It's like virtual tourism, powered by the personality and perspective of the streamer. 3️⃣ The excitement of the unknown Anything can happen during an IRL stream (which might be both good and bad), and viewers love it. From unexpected encounters to hilarious mishaps. The thrill of the unknown keeps viewers engaged. They keep coming back for more So, when the popularity of IRL streams finally drops off, what will be the next big trend in streaming? –  Found this post interesting? Follow me (Wiktoria Wójcik) for more content like this ✨ VIDEO CREDIT: Emil Truszkowski - YouTube: Aiko i Emil - great channel about Japan :) #gaming #gamingmarketing #twitch #livestreaming #influencermarketing

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Match3 is not the best game economy. I know some who would say it’s not even economy! Also, digital board games are just video games with terrible UX. Listen to the episode for more on these hot takes from me and the fellas.

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As traditional sports navigate through myriad challenges and evolve—demonstrated recently by the Jontay Porter scandal in the NBA—esports, too, must tread a path toward greater maturity and recognition. As discussed in an enlightening article, embracing regulated betting within the industry is a critical component for the growth of Esports. Integrating regulated betting into esports aims to boost engagement and viewership significantly and brings about a framework of clarity and regulation that mirrors the operational models of established professional sports. This move could ensure better governance and more transparent operations, fostering trust and legitimacy among fans, players, and regulators. When embraced by the esports industry, regulated betting can serve as a robust economic engine. This not only drives profitability but also sparks innovation across the esports ecosystem. By aligning with the practices that have long supported the growth and sustainability of traditional sports, esports can leverage betting to fund development, enhance prize pools, and, most importantly, attract a broader audience. The esports industry is at a crucial juncture where the adoption and adaptation of regulated betting strategies are not just beneficial but necessary for its growth and integrity. This evolution is not just about securing its future but also about upholding the integrity of its competitions, ensuring that esports continues to thrive as a respected sector in the global sports arena. #Esports #SportsBetting #ProfessionalGrowth #Viewershipgrowth #Sustainability https://lnkd.in/ee8RTGYa 

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Almost all talent agencies in the gaming industry say they're "creator first." I'm not, and I'll tell you why. Creator first mentality means the concerns of your brand partners are last. Even without the challenging economic environment we're in right now, this is a recipe for disaster. I love 💙 each and every content creator on our roster. But I'd be steering our agency, and ultimately our creators, into a disaster if we didn't also prioritize the needs of our brand partners. Content creators often don't understand the economics of influencer marketing. And honestly they don't have to...that's our job. It's our job to educate our roster about economic changes in the industry, overall rate trends, brand KPIs, why "set/legacy" rates don't work, etc. Influencer marketing doesn't have to be, and I'd argue should not be, a zero-sum game. #influencermarketing #gamingindustry #creatoreconomy

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TikTok has 270 ( or is it 269 days ) to sell or it's out in the US... Today is Creator Upload Podcast's SuperBowl. Joshua Cohen and I have been doing this podcast for four years and the last few episodes have been killer. Last week's with Jordan Matter on why he's all in on longform and this week where we discussed the potential ban and its ramifications have all gone to the next level and it's not just because of us! Kaya Yurieff, Matt Bilinsky and Liz Perle all took the time to come on and give us their thoughts. In addition to Jessie Whittington owner of Country Lather Soap Works, Paul Tran co-founder of Love & Pebble, Tiffany Krumins owner (and Shark Tank contestant ) of Opu Probiotics, Jackson Gosnell  a politics- and news-focused creator, Brandon the Plant Guy, who uses TikTok to market his horticulture business plus Brian Nelson at The Network Effect. As long as Tiktok is owned by our number one foreign adversary I believe that it cannot exist in this country. As much as I empathize with Creators and small businesses who rely on it for their livelihoods that cannot trump our national security interests. I know many disagree with me, but I'd argue those people need to spend more time thinking about global geopolitcs (super fun, right??). This legislation passed with what has become incredibly unusual bipartisan support. I don't think it's going anywhere. What do you think? Link to the episode in the comments. P.S. This ep was a bear to put together so I want to take a minute to thank all of the folks above plus our producer Adam Conner, our editor Jason Kang and James Hale at Tubefilter.

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🎮Fandom just released their gaming audience study. It is focused on in-game self-expression. Here are 3 most important insights for marketers 👇 1. Creation, imagination & self-expression as a gaming motivation is becoming increasingly important for the players (46% with 10% YoY increase). 2. Customization is king: the top ways gamers customize: characters (76%), usernames (48%), and gestures (35%). 3. 32% Would like their physical appearance to be more like their gaming presence. With their IRL skill to be as strong as their gaming skills. MARKETER'S POV: If your brand allows for self-expression in real life it can also do that in the virtual one. Example: adidas with their virtual store on Roblox. BUT it's not only about the clothes. Self-expression is how we play and who we are. You can be a part of it (for example in GTA roleplay servers), support those who enable it (eg. parter with game devs) OR those who influence the gaming culture - content creators. As long as you become a part of the fun you are in the clear ;) --- Found this post interesting? Give it a like and follow me ( Wiktoria Wójcik) for more insights on gaming marketing from a Gen Z gamer perspective. h/t to Emilia Gluszek for sharing the report first! #gaming #gamingmarketing #instreamly #roblox #games #genZ

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Suno raised $125 million. I've been surprised by the amount. Are you? Let's dig out 👇 Their CEO plans to reach $120 million in yearly revenue with a $10 monthly subscription. Their goal: disrupt the music industry. They can leverage network effects with AI-generated music, and their infrastructure costs will drop with scale and time. The big question: will people choose AI gen music or stick with Spotify? Maybe Both? What's your take? Read more: https://lnkd.in/gYd9BQXv #AI #MusicIndustry #Innovation #Investment #Technology #Startups

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CMO: "I want to sponsor esports” Me: "Do you know why esports fans should buy from you?" CMO: "I'm not sure, but I want more Gen Z exposure.” Me: "Have you ever spoken to fans and asked what resonates with them?” CMO: "No, I want to run sponsorship campaigns first.” Me: "Maybe you could try them to scale after you get to product/market fit?" CMO: "Yeah, yeah, but I'm not sure whether to sponsor a team or an event." Me: "We'll get to that, but before you should..." CMO: "I want to sponsor esports.” #SponsorshipSuccess #MeasurableFact #Esports #Gaming #Sportsbusiness #Sponsorship

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Are you a gamer? Have you ever wondered what makes the gaming and esports world tick? Forget pixelated walkthroughs because "INNOVATE Gaming & Esports" is here to give you real-life cheat codes, thanks to our publisher Marcus "Esports" Howard! This book isn't your typical 'noob's guide' to gaming. It's more like an exclusive backstage pass to the industry's coolest party. We're talking in-depth interviews with the bigwigs, the visionaries, and the people shaping the future of our play. Think CEOs, esports champions, and tech wizards – all spilling the beans on what makes this multi-billion dollar industry tick. But wait, there's more! Apart from the high scores and flashy tournaments, it dives into the nitty-gritty of what makes gaming and esports such a powerful force. We're talking cutting-edge tech, innovative marketing strategies, and even the psychology behind why we love being owned (virtually) by our friends. It's your peek at the blueprints for the next mind-blowing VR experience, or learning how esports teams use data analysis to create champion-caliber players. Intrigued? Ditch the walkthroughs and power up your knowledge with INNOVATE Gaming & Esports. It's the ultimate guide to the game within the game, and it might just change the way you see the industry forever. Ready to level up? #ThrowbackThursday

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Hey, #LinkedIn friends, Graffiti Entertainment, Inc. will be attending Consensus in Austin, Texas, from May 29th - 31st !!! If you're going to be in the Austin area during these days / if you're planning on attending Consensus, please let either me or Roger Arias know !!! We would love to schedule some time to speak with you about Graffiti Entertainment, Inc. and chat about the cool things we're working on ... … please also give Graffiti Entertainment, Inc. a follow here on #LinkedIn !!! #Thankyou !!! #relationshipsmatter #relationshipbuilding #games #gamesindustry #gametech #edtech #fintech #finance #crypto #cryptocurrency #consolegaming #mobilegames #web3gaming #medtech #gamification #gamificationoflearning #saas #saasinnovation #saasdesign #saasdevelopment #productmanagement #projectmanagement #programmanagement #technicalproductmanagement #technicalprojectmanagement #UX #userexperience #userexperiencedesign #highered #highereducation #skillstraining #skillsdevelopment #financialliteracy #financialeducation #running #runningmotivation #runningcommunity #triathlete #triathlontraining #marathonrunner #marathontraining #fitness #gamedev #gamedevelopment #videogames #videogamesindustry #gameplay #gamedesign #productdesign #leadership #wellbeing #emotionalintelligence #healthandwellness #worklifebalance

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Helldivers 2 has sold more than 12 Million units across PS5 & PC so far 🤑. It should be nearing around $500 Mil. gross revenue by this time 😱, being the fastest selling PlayStation game ever. We couldn't miss this incredible game on the podcast, so we played it in a special episode 😅, read the rundown here 😎. Arrowhead Game Studios started originally with Magicka 🧙‍♂️ in 2011, but you could clearly see its impact on Helldivers 2. This specific combination input is used in both this game and Helldivers 1 & 2 (as seen on the image) Magicka is a coop 4 players adventure game, where you go through the story with your friends, where fun is driven by spell combinations with its special button input and accidental friendly fire ☠. This formed the basis for Arrowhead success formula as you can see that from this point on, they are mastering this expertise of "4 player coop friendly fun game" The studio continued this similar setup with Gauntlet ⚔ in 2014 which is again a 4 player coop game and then Helldivers 1 in 2015 which again is a 4 player coop game. Nearly all of the mechanics/ lore and theme greatly translated from Helldivers 1 to Helldivers 2. Except that it is no more isometric view, but a 3rd person view. A similar shift was done when Warcraft 3 was translated into World of Warcraft . By 2024, the studio now has 13 years ⌛ of genre expertise in their unique genre, where they pretty much did a 4th game with the same overall setup. Therefore the success of Helldivers 2 is no accident, as it can be seen on the surface. Similarly how Larian Studios did the first entry into their Divinity RPG series already in 2002 and then used all those 21 years of experience and 6 released RPGs to create the giant success of Baldur's Gate 3. Helldivers 2 is also a hard earned victory for Arrowhead, after a long time of mastering their genre expertise. Join us as we talk about all of this with 🦩 Matej & Felix and shoot 🔫 some bugs in the process 😎 📺 Watch on YouTube: https://lnkd.in/eur4JjNX 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://lnkd.in/egqbDQVN 🗣 Join the discussion in our slack channel: https://lnkd.in/eCfTUdu9 #gamedev #gamedevelopment #gamedesign #gameindustry #userexperiencedesign #userexperience #gamedeveloper #games #gameart #RPG #PC #Steam #Helldivers2 #Arrowhead #Sony

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Supercell globally launched Squad Busters last week, its first new game in 5 years. Here are some insights into its launch, according to data from AppMagic and Sensor Tower: 🔸 The game generated $1.1M on launch day alone and has generated an overall $9M+ in revenue since its launch. 🔹 On launch day, the United States was the top revenue generator for the game, followed by Germany and France.  🔸 The game currently has 19M+ downloads, with the United States, Indonesia, Brazil, and South Korea taking up the top 4 spots. 🔹 On a 5 star rating scale, the game currently has a 4.1 stars on the Apple App Store (~27K ratings) and 3 stars on the Google Play Store (~130K ratings). For reference, Supercell’s last global launch, Brawl Stars, generated $340K in revenue and 2M downloads when it was released on December 12th, 2018. It’ll be interesting to see how Supercell continues the go-to-market and game cycle for Squad Busters as time goes on. Follow #MoreMark for #Business content in #Gaming, #Esports, and #Creators!

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Thanks to a new case in Florida filed on Friday, there are now seven lawsuits in the U.S. going after most of the biggest companies in gaming (Sony, Nintendo, Roblox, Microsoft, Take Two, EA Epic, Activision, etc) over so-called game addiction. Most of the lawsuits use the same Atlanta-based firm and a lot of the same language. The plaintiffs are typically parents suing on behalf of minors who are said to buy hundreds of dollars of microtransactions and play for hours a day, often at the expense of being able to attend school and are prone to express rage and other withdrawal symptoms. The suits cite patents from some game companies, geared to making games more engaging or to facilitate microtransactions. And they repeatedly state, without proof, that the game companies employ psychologists to make their games more addictive (one company they claimed that about, Activision, specifically denied that allegation to me). Game companies have been filing for dismissals, saying there are no specific allegations, no proof, that the gamers suing are bound by various terms of service to file an arbitration dispute, not sue. And, they say, the First Amendment protects the design of games. The lawyers for the parents are trying to consolidate the cases into one nation-wide suit. They're also arguing that addicting games should be treated as defective products (even have a novel argument that the AI in games = robots = products, since the game companies have said that video games are not subject to product liability laws because they are intangible). The game companies are trying to get these cases dismissed one by one, ahead of a potential May 30 hearing to consolidate them. I'll keep covering it at Game File, so, if you're interested and not a subscriber, you know what to do! And here's my latest on the topic, covering the new Florida suit and Epic Games' aggressive pushback to an Illinois one in which they basically say, wait a minute, our record show your child only played Fortnite for less than an hour three days before you sued... (NOTE that LinkedIn pulls in the image from my newsletter's lead item, which was a profile of the game developer Neil Jones. He has nothing to do with the lawsuits! You're looking for item 2 of the newsletter)

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The Knicks are up 2-0 in the East Semi Finals 🏀 Here’s what it taught me about building in B2C: 1. 👌 Less is more: You don’t need to have a flashy app with $10M in funding and new features in every corner. Sometimes the 6”2, 2nd round pick with more talent than anyone around him is enough to give you that killer feature. 2. 🚨 Hold your winners: When you have a winning tool, make sure you hold it as long as possible. You don’t want to Rick Carlisle it to the bench like Obi Toppin & TJ McConnell in the 4th quarter. 3. 🤝 Closing: If you’ve done the work in onboarding to teach your consumers how to use your tools, there’s nothing to worry about when they’re finally ready to roam free. Just give them the ball like Josh Hart with a couple seconds left and trust they’ll know what to do with it. 4. 🏃 Chase the truth: If consumers aren’t being retained, it’s not because of something they did – it’s because you aren’t providing enough value for them to stay. Don’t pass the blame to others like the refs for missing 78 calls in Game 2. Look inwards and chase the truth of why your team failed on their own. 5. 🧮 The data is always right: Trust your gut but listen to the numbers. If the data is telling you that New York just may have a chance without their all star power forward, lean into it. Your platform just may have the chemistry it needs to go viral on its own. 6. 👬 Double down: When something's working, lean in further. If your best team members all come from Villanova, recruit more from Villanova. Building a locker room culture of success is the single most important thing you can do for your team. 7. 😤 Adversity: Your competitor may have just landed a $7M seed and your star player just went to the locker room for an unknown injury, but you have to rise above it. Put your head down, keep building a great product, and that 10-point deficit will quickly turn into a 15-point swing leading you to a big win. Reminder: After the game ends, there is still a lot of work to do. The journey continues with constant engagement & communication to ensure ongoing consumer success. Follow for more tips. #sales #b2csales #salestips #closingdeals #salesprocess #knicks #basketball #nyc #basketball #consumer #social

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