Uncategorized
Are Fortnite-style branded collaborations the key to Overwatch 2’s future success?
It’s been a rough month for the launch of Overwatch 2. In the first few days of its release, Blizzard’s long-awaited sequel to the 2016 team-based shooter was plagued with connection issues, leaving millions of players unable to enter matches. While many of the problems relating to server issues have now been addressed, Blizzard now has another challenge on its hands: making enough sales from microtransactions to support the franchise’s move to a free-to-play model.
So far, that’s been pretty difficult. Overwatch 2’s recent Halloween event, Halloween Terror, introduced a variety of themed character and weapon skins into the game for the ‘discounted’ price of 2000 Overwatch Coins each, roughly the equivalent of $20. A legendary skin for the character Kiriko was available for 2600 Overwatch Coins, a discount on the original price of 3700 Overwatch Coins. As you might imagine, this is already causing upset amongst some players, especially as this year’s Halloween update removed the option to earn unlockable skins simply by progressing through the game.
Evidently, some players aren’t willing to spend over $20 for an alternative outfit for their character. However, we do know that players are more than happy to spend roughly the same price in other free-to-play games such as Fortnite to unlock characters from popular franchises, whether that’s Goku from Dragon Ball Z or Marvel’s Spider-Man. This is something that Jon Spector, Overwatch’s commercial leader and vice president at Blizzard, seems well aware of, according to a recent interview with GameInformer.
In the interview, Spector announced that while he isn’t a Fortnite player, he thinks it’s ‘super cool’ and ‘awesome’ to see branded collaborations such as Naruto appear in Fortnite.
“As we look at the Overwatch 2 space, those are things that we’re interested in exploring,” he says.
So, with Overwatch 2’s current monetisation strategies leaving a lot to be desired, could we see a shift towards branded collaborations as a core monetisation strategy rather than the traditional legendary and epic skins? Dropping the price of skins and embracing Fortnite-style collaborations would make a lot of commercial sense for Overwatch 2, especially as the company still seems torn on its pricing, according to a recent survey sent out to select players.
We know that Fortnite’s collaborations with the likes of Marvel, NFL, Nike and Ferrari have been hugely successful for Epic, largely due to the amount of revenue they generate from the sale of cosmetic items such as skins, emotes, banners and emoticons. As an example, the game’s collaboration with NFL resulted in 3.3 million NFL-themed skins being sold for $15 each in November and December 2018, according to leaked court documents from the Apple v Epic case. That’s nearly $50 million in revenue.
The big question now is how easily Overwatch 2 can replicate Fornite’s primary business model, and how well-suited these collaborations are for the Overwatch brand.
One of the biggest challenges facing Overwatch 2 is the fact it’s a hero-based shooter, with each hero boasting their own unique set of skills, traits and playstyles. As is often the case with team-based shooters, players often find themselves favouring specific heroes, whether that’s offensive heroes or defensive heroes that suit their preferred styles of playing.
This means Overwatch 2 will have to think carefully about how it rolls out branded collaborations. As an example, will a Marvel collaboration introduce special themed skins for every single hero in the game, or will it introduce a new limited-time character into the game? The introduction of any new character will have to be calculated carefully, so it doesn’t negatively impact the balance of existing characters.
It’s more likely that Overwatch 2 will introduce themed skins rather than new characters such as those seen in Dragon Ball Z. Depending on the popularity of the IP that Overwatch 2 pursues, I suspect players will be more susceptible to investing $15 or $20 into a skin that turns their favourite Overwatch hero into an alternative version of their favourite anime, film, TV or comic book characters, whether that’s Spider-Man, Darth Vader or one of The Transformers.
The hero-based mechanics of Overwatch 2 could also mean skins are only available for specific characters. While this might cause backlash amongst some fans at first, it could also open up alternative revenue streams. As an example, the style and appearance of the tank hero Reinhardt lends itself well to a Transformers skin. Players that don’t typically choose Reinhardt but are huge Transformers fans may be tempted to purchase a Transformers skin for him and start using him more. In turn, this could lead to a knock-on effect for players who go on to purchase Reinhardt’s wider cosmetic items.
There’s no denying that Overwatch 2 is a great game; the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. If Overwatch 2 continues to struggle with monetisation models, branded collaborations like those in Fortnite might be the answer to its future success. But taking an established franchise that previously carried a full-price retail tag and moving it over to a free-to-play model is no easy task.
Key considerations when choosing your target IP
If you’re a game developer looking to emulate Fornite’s IP success, there are a few things you need to consider before bringing IP into your game.
- Don’t pick a target IP just because it’s a really popular brand or character. Look at your game and your players and ask yourself if it’s something that will resonate with them. For example, a clever partnership between The Walking Dead and State of Survival brought 20 million new players to the game. So a good understanding of your player demographics is a must. Be prepared to prove this to the license holders, too, as they’ll be just as interested to know if there’s any audience overlap.
- It may sound simple, but make sure you do your homework. Different IP rights holders can have very different priorities and strict requirements for usage. Bigger properties, especially ones that are popular with children, can be especially stringent as its in the holders interests to carefully limit their use. So, it’s up to developers to demonstrate their ability to comply with them. Being prepared can give you a huge advantage, and help clear some of the initial screening phases and get in front of the right decision-makers.
- There are more ways to integrate IP into your game than ever. So think carefully about your main goals, as simpler in-game items, like cosmetics and skins, are often much easier to negotiate with rights holders due to less complicated terms, plus, lighter development and creative costs can make them much quicker to roll out. FIFA 23 recently brought Apple TV’s Ted Lasso as well as Marvel cards to Ultimate Team, with these simple, smart deals opening the door for more collaborations in future.
Powered by WPeMatico
BetLeap is thrilled to announce the development of a groundbreaking platform that seamlessly blends the immersive visuals and engaging gameplay of AAA video games with the thrill of a real-money casino. Coming to PC, Mac, and VR, BetLeap is poised to redefine the online entertainment landscape with its unprecedented quality and innovative format.
At a glance, BetLeap looks nothing like a typical online casino. The project is being developed with the same technologies used in cutting-edge video games. The result? A casino experience that feels more like playing at a land-based casino rather than clicking on buttons on a flat screen.
“The online casino industry has remained virtually unchanged for over a decade while video gaming has experienced exponential leaps in quality and immersion,” said Adam Bernath, founder of BetLeap. “We’re not just updating the online casino experience—we’re completely reimagining it by applying AAA game development standards to create something that feels as immersive and engaging as the best video games on the market.”
“The future of online gambling isn’t just about better odds or more games—it’s about creating genuinely entertaining experiences that happen to include wagering components. We’re building for an audience that expects the quality and engagement of modern video games in every digital experience they choose,” added Etibar Namazov, co-founder of BetLeap.
While still in early development, BetLeap is already turning heads with its visual quality and ambitious design.
Why BetLeap Stands Out:
- Next-Gen Graphics: Built with AAA quality visuals.
- Cross-Platform Play: Fully playable on PC, Mac, and VR.
- Designed for Gamers: Movement, interaction, and immersion at the core.
- Real Rewards: Wager real money in a world that looks and feels on par with today’s top video games.
Our reveal video can be found at https://youtu.be/wl9zibRrMvI
The post BetLeap – The Online Casino that Looks Like a Blockbuster Video Game appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Uncategorized
Skyesports Championship BGMI Set for Sixth Edition Featuring INR 40 Lakhs Prize Pool, Grand Finals on May 17–18 in Bangalore
The Skyesports Championship, India’s longest-running homegrown esports IP, is returning for its sixth edition with BGMI and a prize pool of ₹40 Lakhs, culminating in an on-ground Grand Finals on May 17 and 18 in Bangalore.
Leading brands including AMD, Red Bull, GIGABYTE, and Western Digital have partnered with Skyesports for the 2025 edition, reaffirming their commitment to India’s rapidly expanding gaming ecosystem.
Commenting on the return of the IP, Shiva Nandy, Founder and CEO, Skyesports, said, “The Skyesports Championship is an IP we’ve been nurturing since 2018, growing year after year into one of India’s most recognized esports tournaments with a highly engaged youth audience. We are excited to have partners like AMD, Red Bull, GIGABYTE, and Western Digital joining us for this event, allowing us to deliver a top-notch entertainment product for fans with engaging competitive esports action featuring top-tier teams and esports athletes the country has to offer. With initiatives like the new Sky Champ Rule, this tournament is set to be a standout event on the BGMI esports calendar.”
The return of the Skyesports Championship as an on-ground BGMI event builds on the success of its 2023 edition, which recorded over 32 million digital views and attracted more than 12,000 fans to the stadium.
This momentum reflects India’s position as the fastest-growing gaming market across Asia and MENA, as reported by Niko Partners. The Indian games market is expected to surpass $1 billion in 2025, reaching $1.4 billion in revenue by 2028. Mobile gaming continues to lead, accounting for nearly 78% of all revenue. With an expected 277 million new gamers by 2028, India is also on track to overtake China in the highest total number of gamers worldwide.
As the country’s leading esports tournament organizer, Skyesports continues to drive this momentum by delivering high-impact, community-driven esports experiences at scale.
The Skyesports Championship 2025 BGMI Grand Finals will feature an exciting new format:
- Day 1 (May 17) – Sky Surge: Teams will compete across six maps, aiming to accumulate points and reach the Sky Champ point goal of 66 points.
- Day 2 (May 18) – Sky Champ Rule: Once a team reaches 66 points, they must secure a Chicken Dinner to be crowned champions. If no team achieves this within eight maps, the team with the highest points will be declared the winner.
This unique format makes every match extremely crucial, as teams are not only focused on aggressively reaching the point threshold but also on strategically targeting opponents who are close to achieving it or have crossed it already.
The Skyesports Championship BGMI event schedule is as follows:
- Upper Bracket: May 6–9 (16 teams – Top 8 advance to the Grand Finals, bottom 8 fall to the Last Chance Qualifier)
- Last Chance Qualifier: May 10–12 (16 teams – 8 each from the Upper and Lower Brackets)
- Grand Finals: May 17–18 (Top 8 teams from the LCQ join the 8 qualified from the Upper Bracket to compete for the title)
The entire tournament will be livestreamed on the official Skyesports YouTube channel. Stay tuned to the Skyesports Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook handles for more information regarding the on-ground finale.
The post Skyesports Championship BGMI Set for Sixth Edition Featuring INR 40 Lakhs Prize Pool, Grand Finals on May 17–18 in Bangalore appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
A recent survey has confirmed that almost two out of three (63%) of Illinois residents support legalizing online casinos.
The survey, created by casino bonus and online casino review site BonusFinder.com, asked 1,000 Illinois residents their take regarding legalizing online casinos. The focus group covered voters across a variety of political backgrounds, age groups, and different geos.
Despite online casinos currently being illegal in Illinois, and the only way to access them is illegally, the survey found that one in four residents (26%) admitted to having played at an online casino.
According to a separate analysis, which delved into how much US States could be missing out on in online casino tax revenue, it revealed that Illinois could be missing out on up to $788m. Instead of going to the State, this potential tax money is being funneled to unregulated offshore gambling platforms.
When questioned, hypothetically, how residents would prefer the tax revenue to be spent they prioritized: public education (61.4%), mental health and addiction services (54.8%) and improvements in infrastructure (44%).
Other services that were still important, but less of a priority, to those questioned in the survey were: affordable housing (38%), crime prevention (33.1%), community programs (26.2%) and environmental initiatives (22.7%).
“These findings show that Illinoisans are ready for online casinos, as long as it’s done responsibly,” commented Luciano Passavanti, Vice President at BonusFinder.com.
“The message from voters is clear – they want safe, transparent platforms and strict oversight.
“They also want to know that tax revenue from online casinos will directly benefit their communities; whether that’s through education, healthcare, or local infrastructure.
“Illinois is already a major gaming market. Legalizing online casinos is the next logical step.”
While the majority of voters were in favor (63%), 19% were against legalization and 17.5% remained unsure.
The largest age group supporters of legalizing online casinos was the 45-54 age group, with 68.8% being in favor. However, the age group whose least in favor of legalization remained to be those aged 65 and over – with 51.2% being in favor of legalizing online casinos in Illinois.
The second-largest age group in favor of legalizing iCasinos are those aged 35-44 (64.1%), the third-largest group stood to be those in the 18-34 age bracket with 63.7% of voters supporting legalization.
When it comes to the battle of the sexes, men were found to be significantly more open to the idea of legalization, with 70.5% of men in support. However, in comparison, just 58.3% of women were found to be in support of legalizing online casinos in the State.
Furthermore, a variety of correspondents across different political views were also questioned; with findings revealing that Republican voters were slightly more in favor (65.4%) of legalization compared to Democrat voters (63.3%).
The post Online Casino Legalization in Illinois: Study Finds Two-Thirds of Voters in Favor appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Brazil6 days agoLuckBet Launches New TV Commercial Starring Caio Castro on Sportv and Globoplay
-
Balkans6 days ago
SYNOT Games Signs Strategic Partnership with Star Bet
-
Canada3 days ago
ToonieBet Launches its Sportsbook on Apple App Store and Google Play Store
-
Aquisitions/Mergers4 days ago
Nazara’s subsidiary Absolute Sports acquires TJRWrestling.net and ITRWrestling.com
-
BETANO6 days ago
Club Atlético River Plate and Betano Announce Long-Term Principal Partnership
-
CT Gaming6 days ago
CT Gaming Strengthens Its Presence with New Installations in Venezuela
-
Latest News5 days ago
Spinomenal presents new title Majestic Silverback
-
2025 Paulistão Feminino4 days ago
7K Named Official Betting Sponsor of Paulistão Feminino 2025
