Welcome to Sheppard Mullin’s Weekly Web Wrap-Up, a quick list of the past week’s top news in the social media, gaming, and virtual goods and currencies industries curated by Social Media & Games Team. Here are some of the stories that we’ve been reading:
Facebook and Activision Level Up Gaming Partnership
Live streaming is big business these days. In a follow up to last month’s announcement that Activision’s e-sports platform MLG.tv would begin broadcasting live competitive gaming tournaments directly on Facebook, the titans announced a further collaboration that will allow players to live stream gaming experiences using Facebook Live. Blizzard will integrate a Facebook Login into its games and Blizzard will introduce a “Go Live” button to let players stream in-game content directly to their Facebook profile. The new features are expected to arrive by next month.
BBC Pioneers Exploration of VR’s Broadcasting Applications
When it comes to the practical applications of VR there is no rulebook . . . yet. The integration of every new technology begins a quest to find out what works and what doesn’t, which features are mere gimmicks and which have a profitable future. BBC’s R&D department is in the dark with the rest of the industry. But with public funding comes the freedom to experiment with the challenges VR brings. Here are some its experiments—from 360 news videos compatible with HTC Vive and Oculus Rift headsets to interactive experiences that would be at home in the science museum. Say hello to the future of broadcasting.
Daily Fantasy Sports: Coming Soon to a Nevada Casino Near You?
The Gaming Control Board voted unanimously this week to recommend to the U.S. Gaming Commission the licensing of Las Vegas race and sports-book pioneer Vic Salerno and his company, US Fantasy, for an off-track, pari-mutuel sports system operator’s license. If Salerno wins final approval from the Gaming Commission, he would be the first to offer betting on fantasy sports contests through Nevada casinos.
E-Sports Bandwagon Keeps Rolling
Italy’s largest gaming company SNAI has partnered with Betradar to offer the first regulated e-Sports betting option to Italian customers. Italian regulators Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli (ADM) have committed to the philosophy that the best way of channeling customers away from black-market gambling is to offer the products they want. The ADM has created numerous safeguards to ensure the system’s integrity—from fraud detection to censorship of graphic violence.
SPACES and Songcheng to Bring VR and MxR to Popular Theme Parks
Los Angeles-based SPACES, a developer of virtual reality content announced a $30M joint venture with Chinese theme park operator Songcheng Performance Development Co. Ltd. to bring virtual and mixed reality to Songcheng’s theme parks and stage shows.
