Microsoft’s newest large videogame acquisition just isn’t a studio, however an esports platform: Smash.gg, which offers organizational providers and help for newbie {and professional} gaming tournaments, is now part of the Microsoft Content material Providers group.
“Since we began in 2015, our objective has been to construct energetic esports scenes across the video games folks like to play,” Smash.gg stated on its web site. “Right now we’re excited to take the subsequent step in that journey by becoming a member of Microsoft to assist strengthen our current relationships and discover new alternatives. Smash.gg will proceed as a self-service esports platform accessible to match organizers from all recreation communities.”
Smash.gg expanded on {that a} bit on Twitter. “With this acquisition, the Smash.gg neighborhood and match organizers will proceed to profit from the Smash.gg platform, whereas our staff will now profit from further assets and help as a part of the Microsoft Content material Providers staff,” it wrote. “For now, it is enterprise as regular as our mixed staff continues to help our neighborhood and match organizers. We’re enthusiastic about this acquisition’s potential to additional empower the esports neighborhood and increase Smash.gg’s attain and scale.”
Microsoft confirmed the acquisition announcement via its MSN Esports Twitter account.
Huge information everybody! @smashgg is becoming a member of us at Microsoft. Identical nice match group options. Identical superb staff. Much more help and alternatives. Get able to play!December 2, 2020
As acquisitions go, this is not as glamorous because the big Bethesda buyout, nevertheless it’s a really attention-grabbing strategic maneuver. Smash.gg was initially created to help the Tremendous Smash Bros. neighborhood, however has grown from there to grow to be some of the commonly-used platforms in aggressive gaming. The Smash.gg web site says that it now helps greater than 6000 “energetic occasion organizers throughout a broad mixture of video games,” ranging in scale from the Brawlhalla Neighborhood Event Initiative to the Bud Gentle Beer League and EVO. It additionally presents info and tutorials on match organizing, e-commerce, and fundraising. That makes it extra of a spine than a marquee, nevertheless it’s a big behind-the-scenes presence in aggressive gaming, and now Microsoft is simply too.
Thanks, GamesIndustry.