David Stelzer

Big bet. Disney is banking on the bundle reducing churn considerably and making them into the next Netflix. But they will also have to deploy a ton of capital into sports and content to make that happen. Is a $41b valuation a good deal for DIS shareholders? "According to the Disney filing, if NBCU’s appraisal were “deemed to be valid” and a third appraiser’s equity fair-value determination “were consistent with the NBCU’s appraiser’s valuation,” Disney would be required to pay NBCU an additional amount of approximately $5 billion as its share of the difference between the equity fair value and the guaranteed floor value. That suggests that Comcast’s third-party appraisal valued Hulu in the neighborhood of $40.8 billion."

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A fresh batch of recruitment news here

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Attention investors, investor groups, trade/corp investment teams, and tech visionaries (global and $10M+). If you are looking to invest and work with gaming’s elite, this is your opportunity. I am representing a games peripherals company poised to redefine the future of gaming. Here's the skinny... Team and notoriety - the founding team boasts a who's who of high-profile games, IP, and platform executives. In addition, a top streaming service is not only chronicling the founders' legacy in games and the launch of this new venture but creating a star-studded series to launch late ‘24. The product is set to revolutionise cross-platform gaming and VR/AR interactions within games and our everyday interactions across smart devices, streaming, TV/Film, and more. The innovative approach centres around high-quality, cross-platform peripherals seamlessly integrating with all your favourite platforms, games, apps, and more. Funding-wise, investment has been made to make initial prototypes, and they're now seeking investment to accelerate the development and launch of V2 prototyped peripheral set. Launch expedited for summer '24. This isn’t just a gaming product company — It's a revolution that seamlessly creates a connected ecosystem across games, TV, smart devices, and more. I invite you to explore this transformative investment opportunity further. Let's discuss how you can be part of shaping the future. Reach out to me at business@exec444.com or DM here to book in. #investment #gamesinvestments #techinvestor #gamedev #funding #gamesfunding #gaming

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The saga of FanDuel’s founders reveals the brutal truths about startup equity and investor power. When the company was sold for half a billion, the original founders were left with nothing. Here are five hard-hitting lessons from their experience that every entrepreneur and startup employee needs to understand. 5 Hard-Hitting Lessons from the FanDuel Founders’ Story: 1. Equity Isn’t Equal: Preferred shareholders can cash out first, leaving common shareholders, including founders, with nothing. Know your share class and its implications. 2. Fight for Your Seat: Ensure the board of directors includes voices for all shareholders. Lack of representation can lead to unfair outcomes. 3. Demand Full Transparency: Always insist on clear and honest valuations. Hidden agendas and undervaluations can strip you of your deserved share. 4. Guard Your Stake Fiercely: Understand the power dynamics in investor agreements. Early terms can dictate your financial fate in a sale. 5. Be Ready to Battle: Legal preparedness is crucial. If you’re wronged, be ready to challenge it in court, as the FanDuel founders did.

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Helpful online gaming safety tips for kids. There are a lot of tools available to ensure a fun and safe experience, but ultimately nothing beats talking with your child about what they enjoy playing (and how much / who with), ensuring you’re comfortable with it, and agreeing your own house rules.

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Check out this insightful interview and walkthrough by Pacioli.ai Lead Architect Jason Meyers! Pacioli.ai is a web3 crypto asset disclosure and AI based external validation #DePIN (decentralized physical infrastructure) protocol. Pacioli.ai enables crypto asset issuers and service providers to collaborate and create machine readable white paper disclosures pursuant to emerging crypto asset regulatory requirements and technical specifications. 🛠️ Pacioli.ai validates and generates regulatory-compliant #iXBRL #crypto #whitepapers✅ in compliance with UAE 🇦🇪 #VARA and EU #MiCA 🇪🇺

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Calling Investors: Invest in the original Xbox “Duke” controller… I am working with a new gaming peripherals company set to take the world by storm and they are looking for investors to join the team. Founded by Duke Schnepf, son of gaming visionary, and Xbox founder, Brett Schnepf, backed by multiple founding fathers of the Xbox, this company is pushing the boundaries of the gaming peripherals sector. Their journey began with Brett Schnepf, a luminary whose contributions to gaming history are etched in stone. As a founding member of the Xbox console team, Brett's design prowess shaped modern gaming, with iconic creations like the Sidewinder PC controller and the legendary Duke controller. Today, Duke Schnepf carries forth his father's legacy. Upside and a half!��In late 2024, a major streaming platform will release a series chronicling the founding of a pioneering gaming console (can you guess which one) and the launch of Duke's ground-breaking products, offering an intimate look at the visionary minds behind this revolution. Looking for investments of $10K, $20K, $50K, $100K, $250, $500K, and $1M. Higher investments with equity shares are available for discussion. We foresee full returns and profits delivered within 1 year. If you're interested in being part of this exciting journey, please get in touch to set up a call ASAP. #Gaming #InvestmentOpportunity #Innovation #GamingPeripherals #TechInvestments #gamedev #investors #angelinvestors #gameinvestor #PEinvestment #AngelInvestment

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Today I want to tell a story. I've been holding onto it for a specific circumstance, but in case that doesn't happen, forgive the rough edges. For the longest time, I wanted to be a games journalist. I've known how to play games and deconstruct their mechanics ever since I spent many school summer holidays playing the same Playstation games over and over. I would be the kid that would read games magazines, mostly for the cheat codes, on occasion spotting an article about the next Pokemon game that I just had to tell my friends about. I was never taught or told that being a "critic" or "journalist" was a career, let alone in games. Media Studies wasn't even a subject my high school taught until sixth form options, so I'd have to get by with learning how to deconstruct the written word - often Shakespeare or "Of Mice and Men" - in English Literature class. Jump forward to 2014/5. I was in University, with the freedom to learn about "the media" and online video (YouTube) as I had experienced through college. Despite being on a TV Production course, and though we students all knew the influence social media was going to play in our careers, games were still part of my plan. Through friendships and unsuccessfully trying out for the Student Union's monthly news series as a "games correspondent", I was able to work on a project with a criminology student who also liked games. He ran his own YouTube channel, as I had done under many brands and guises over the years, but he was more consistent. I came on board as his camera operator during EGX Rezzed and we made a few interview videos together. One of which I want to bring to the attention of Hyper Luminal Games. Yes, happy birthday Hyper Luminal! 🎉 We've both changed since this video about Big Crown Showdown! Congrats on releasing Pine Hearts - a wholesome cosy game that is a love letter to the simple life in Scotland. I can't wait to play the full thing - Melissa kindly showed me it at WASD this year, it really was charming! Things have a weird way of coming back around. I don't believe in karma, but I've been watching the work of many studios that I admire and wondered where I fit, thinking maybe there are some answers in my previous work. So, this little story is tale of never forgetting your roots, and celebrating them where you can! Also, if I may be a bit cheeky: If you ever have the availability Hyper Luminal, I would love the chance to join your team! I can assure you my on-screen presence and ability to manage events & communities is far better than what I could manage 10 years ago. I'm happy to work on a relocation plan up to Dundee, be that to work for the core studio under Melissa's expert & bubbly guidance, or having the opportunity to scout for Little Nook's next great wholesome story to share. Here's to both our next chapters! Video:

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Sumo Digital announced a 15% cut in its workforce, roughly impacting 250 individuals. Among these 250 individuals was the team of Timbre Games, which also confirmed that the studio was being shut down. Timbre Games was founded in 2021 and made a part of Pipework Studios. Although Timbre had yet to launch any games, its website indicates that it was in the middle of two game projects. Unfortunately, game developers face more loss than the parent company when something like this happens. Who knows how Timbre's team might be coping after putting in millions of efforts to build the games and losing everything in a single blink? In their support, this is list 2 of some of the Timbreeos who were impacted by the closure. Every bit from the community counts, so requesting you all to help this reach recruiters and game studios currently hiring. Sophie Mallinson — In 2017, she was Arkane Studios' (Lyon) Narrative Designer who worked on Dishonored: Death of the Outsider and Wolfenstein: Youngblood. By 2019, she had become a Principal Narrative Designer for Arkane's Deathloop. It is quite interesting to note that after Arkane, she went on to work for EA on Star Wars and later for EA's own studio - Maxis Studios on The Sims Series. Nadia Lohan — With over a decade's worth of experience in Production, before Timbre, Nadia was a Producer at Blackbird Interactive and worked on Minecraft Legends. Notably, she has experience in the VFX industry and coordinated for blockbusters like Mulan, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Maleficent. Vivek Ramkumar — Here's a talented Game Designer who has worked on titles like Sleeping Dogs and Tryst, built his own first-person indie game, and has experience in LiveOps Design. Prior to Timbre, he was a senior Technical Designer for Relic Entertainment. Gerritt Turner — Before Timbre, Gerritt worked at Wizards of the Coast on a lot of Magic: The Gathering's writing, designing and overall creative. They even have an experience in Brand Writing for Hasbro. Yuliia Bocharova — Prior to Timbre, she was a Lead 3D Artist for Blackbird Interactive and worked there for 3+ years. You should check out her ArtStation portfolio: https://lnkd.in/gKEwykG5 Vincent-Gabriel Canadian — A talented VFX Artist who has worked for Studios like Frima, Behaviour Interactive, and Nesting Games. Vincent specializes in real-time VFX for video games! #layoffsupport

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🎮 On this day in gaming history: 44 years ago, Pac-Man was released for arcade machines! Pac-Man, initially called Puck Man in Japan, is a 1980 maze action game developed by Namco for arcades, released in North America by Midway Games Manufacturing. Players control Pac-Man, who must eat all the dots in a maze while avoiding four colored ghosts. Eating "Power Pellets" turns ghosts blue, allowing Pac-Man to eat them for bonus points. Developed in 1979 by Toru Iwatani and his team, the game was designed to appeal to both women and men with its cute and colorful characters. Renamed Pac-Man for its North American release, it became a massive hit, spawning sequels, merchandise, TV shows, and the hit song "Pac-Man Fever" (I still recall that song by Buckner & Garcia). Pac-Man is now Namco Bandai's mascot and remains one of the highest-grossing and most iconic video games ever. Interestingly, it also inspired the nickname of a world-famous boxer from the Philippines. I recall my first time playing Pac-Man on the Atari 2600 console, a gift from my dad. It wasn’t arcade accurate, but the gameplay was sweet and kept me glued to the screen, munching on wafers and avoiding those pesky ghost monsters. I distinctly remember the satisfaction of gobbling up the ghosts after eating Power Pellets, racking up points—it was incredibly fun! 👻 What was your strategy? I used to follow a specific pattern, prioritizing eating all the wafers over chasing ghosts. To me, advancing to a new level was more beneficial than risking being caught by a soon-to-recover ghost. Pac-Man is definitely one of those games I'll never forget. 🕹️ #JBlaze #PacMan #GamingHistory #RetroGames #ArcadeGames #Game #Gamer #Namco #Atari

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Great article from Blockworks contributor Joey Garcia regarding the risks of keeping your assets on exchanges. Separating exchange from custody is the biggest issue in crypto, that's exactly what BOSONIC achieved with its blockchain-based institutional infrastructure that eliminates all counterparty credit and settlement risks! Bosonic clients used FTX liquidity until it shut down on bankruptcy day. They had no losses or broken trades. Contact our Sales team today to discuss how we can help you! https://lnkd.in/gP2u7w7W #bitcoin #btc #digitalassets #otc #eth #ethereum #btcusd #usdc #usdt #cryptotrading #cryptocurrency #crypto #trading #otcmarkets #cryptocurrencies #cardano #clearing #settlement #riskmanagement https://lnkd.in/ee8RFqFe

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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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“The lawsuit targets the Sam Altman-led company for allegedly transcribing millions of hours of videos for training data. OpenAI has been sued by a YouTuber whose videos were transcribed and used to train its AI system, opening a new front in the legal battle against companies leading development of the technology. With the lawsuit, creators on YouTube join sprawling litigation over the unauthorized utilization of copyrighted material to power ChatGPT. Creators who’ve initiated legal action against AI firms include artists, authors, news publishers and record labels.” Read the full article for more: #OpenAI #YouTube #YouTuber #ChatGPT #Training #Legal #Transcribing #Creators #Videos #Whisper #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Data #Tech #Technology #IP #IntelectualProperty #GenerativeAi #GeAi #Copyright #CopyrightLaw

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Come learn about Xsolla's strategies to improve your mobile games revenue.

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So you're gonna sell 17% of the net revenue in your #Roblox game. But how do you define "the game"? And why does it matter?   Consider these questions: Does "the game" include sequels? prequels? spinoffs?   What if the game is taken down and then re-uploaded under a different Roblox ID?   What about merch? What if the game is ported to another platform?   What if the seller stops promoting and developing the game and instead ports users over to a copy-cat game they own, where they don't have to payout any revenue?   In general, when you are the buyer of the interest in the game, you want "the game" to be defined as broadly as possible. And when you're the seller of the game interest, you want it to be defined as narrowly as possible.   That makes sense, since the buyer wants to capture as much potential game revenue as possible, and the seller wants to transfer as little game revenue as possible.   Remember, #lawyers are trained to think about all the things that could go wrong. They're generally risk averse.   There is always a tension between getting the deal done, and covering every edge-case where you might get screwed.   The terms of the deal are negotiable. You try to negotiate the best deal that you can, and if you don't like it, you walk away. Ultimately one of the most important goals is to #issuespot these things in advance, so you aren't fighting later about whether your purchase/sale of the game includes, for example, sequels.   In my next post I'll talk about anticipating and covering payment issues.   #Robloxlaw #videogamelaw #indiegame #IndieGameDev #RobloxDev #indiedev #MarkowitzHerbold

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Please join us tomorrow for an insightful roundtable discussion on how Jackpot Party’s economy enhances player spending. This exclusive event is co-hosted by Liquid and Grit and Game Economist Consulting, and is available only to our subscribers. We’ll explore the key factors driving revenue and player engagement. With special guest Phillip Black, we will delve into the critical aspects shaping Jackpot Party’s economy, including: - Slots as the app’s biggest faucet, despite being a net negative - Bonuses as the app’s only net positive faucet - The Star Power feature, which rewards players for increased betting over time - The use of two soft currencies that are limited to specific features Additionally, we will share our comprehensive Economy Teardown Spreadsheet, providing in-depth data on Jackpot Party’s economy. If you are a subscriber to Liquid and Grit, please DM for an invite. The full research insights can be found here https://lnkd.in/guaVicFG.

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How does Roblox's DMCA process work?   ➡ If your game’s intellectual property has been infringed, you can send a DMCA take down notice to Roblox, identifying the infringing game.   ➡ Roblox will then notify the owner of the infringing game of the DMCA notice.    🕜 If Roblox believes your DMCA notice is valid, they’ll take down the infringing game within about 24-hours.   ➡ The owner of the allegedly infringing game will then have an opportunity to submit a counter notice if they believe their game is not infringing.   🕜 If they file a counter-notice, Roblox may restore the game within 10 to 14 business days—unless you file a copyright lawsuit against the infringer. Then the game will stay down.   📄 This entire process is spelled out in Section 6d of Roblox’s terms of use.   ❓ But what do you need to include in the DMCA notice and counter-notice? I’ll cover that next time! #Roblox #RobloxDev #IndieGames #Robloxlaw #VideoGameLaw #MarkowitzHerbold

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🎮 Activision Blizzard Hit With $23.4 Million Patent Infringement Verdict A jury has ruled against Activision Blizzard in a patent infringement lawsuit filed by tech incubator Acceleration Bay. The verdict, reached on May 3rd according to Law.com, requires Activision Blizzard to pay $23.4 million in damages. Acceleration Bay initiated the legal action in 2015, claiming Activision's multiplayer titles infringed on their patents related to networking and broadcasting technologies. The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the District of Delaware, specifically cited World of Warcraft and two Call of Duty games. The jury awarded Acceleration Bay $18 million for copyright infringement related to World of Warcraft and $5.4 million for the Call of Duty titles. Jurors were tasked with determining whether Activision Blizzard's games infringed on Acceleration Bay's patents and, if so, the appropriate compensation. While Activision Blizzard has lost this case, it's important to note that this isn't the end of the story. The company has expressed its intention to appeal the verdict, stating they "believe there is a strong basis for appeal" and denying any use of the patented technologies. It's also worth mentioning that Acceleration Bay has a history of filing similar lawsuits against other major players in the tech and gaming industries, including EA, Take-Two, and Amazon Web Services. (source: https://lnkd.in/dAEcDFAg)

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Comparing a screen to a rainforest? WTF does that mean? That was my first reaction when jake harper shared with me his vision for SOOT and why he thought the file system and user interfaces needed to be rethought from the ground up. Current search, feed or file system experiences are inherently linear. Scrolling for days or in some cases you are having to click through multiple pages of content. Perhaps someone gets a bit more fancy and presents information in a grid style structure sorted by one dimension. The experience only allows our brain to consume a very finite set of information in an extremely rigid structure often times searching for hours on end for those series of items we need. A rainforest (or other immersive experiences in nature) allows users senses to be consumed by thousands of sounds and visual stimuli all at the same time. SOOT attempts to recreate this dynamic through a proprietary combination of both advanced AI infrastructure and front end web technology. The feeling is almost like playing a video game as you are able to swim through information efficiently organized across a multitude of dimensions and seamlessly find what you are looking for in a way traditional linear systems just don't support. Seeing is believing, so can try out a tease of what they built through some of the few “playgrounds” they have begun to share that span from reimagining e-commerce with SSENSE where they have created an accessories shop of 15K items to exploring nature like never before. Very soon anyone will be able to build their own SOOT space with any asset type. You can read more about SOOT in Allie Garfinkle's piece in today’s Fortune Term Sheet and stay tuned for so much more that will be coming from household names you know who are already on the journey we at Upfront Ventures chose to go on with the team! https://lnkd.in/gVxgw8Me

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