Entertainment

Animation Dance E-Sports Entertainment/Celebrity Film Music Radio Restaurants Sports Television Theater Video Virtual Reality
News Release Digital Asset Direct

AT LAST! MEOW WOLF DROPS NAME, THEME AND OPENING DATE FOR HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED THIRD EXHIBITION

Meow Wolf

Meow Wolf, an immersive arts and entertainment company, announced today the highly-anticipated theme and opening date for its third permanent installation: Convergence Station will be coming to Denver September 17, with tickets on sale today at meow.wf/denver-tix. Convergence Station is the first stop on a quantum journey of exploration and discovery as passengers traverse new worlds, and like all Meow Wolf locations, labyrinthine mysteries beckon from its vibrant walls, portals, and wormholes. Twenty-five years ago, a freak cosmic event merged four worlds from different universes, erasing the memories of all residents and spawning the mystifying disappearances of four women. The Quantum Department of Transportation serves as the gateway to these diverse worlds: kaleidoscopic cathedrals, Corinthian catacombs, lush alien habitats, and dazzling and gritty cityscapes. In this hotbed of interplanetary cohabitation, memories serve as both currency and the key to unlocking the story behind the women's disappearances and cause of the convergence--as do multimedia clues that reveal themselves to all of the senses. “Denver’s art scene is active and vibrant, making it the perfect place for our next exhibition,” said Chadney Everett, Executive Creative Director of Meow Wolf Denver. “ Convergence Station is Meow Wolf’s third permanent immersive experience, and it will truly change the way you look at art. This exhibition is unlike anything you’ve ever seen…from The Swamp to The Cathedral - there’s a strong narrative to be uncovered should you choose, alongside truly mind-bending art from the many talented creatives that have worked so hard to bring the vision to life. We can’t wait for everyone to explore.” Meow Wolf has worked with 110+ Colorado-based collaborating artists and more than 200 internal artists for over three years to bring the 79 unique projects within Convergence Station to life. These muralists, sculptors, fiber artists, and technologists to name a few have come together to create a one-of-a-kind installation that will leave visitors appreciating what it really means to be immersed in a narrative. Notable collaborating artists working on this project include Kalyn Heffernan, Christopher Nelson, Everything is Terrible!, Molina Speaks, Sofie Birkin, along with Moment Factory and many others. An evolving hive of creativity, Meow Wolf has been creating experiences that challenge the perception of reality, with three locations to explore in Santa Fe, Las Vegas, and soon Denver. Backed by top creators like Games of Thrones ’ George R.R. Martin, Meow Wolf is recognized globally as a leader in the immersive space and was ranked on Fast Company 's 2020 list of the ‘World’s Most Innovative Companies’, and awarded the #1 spot for Live Events. Following the success of their flagship location in Santa Fe, the arts and entertainment company launched their second permanent exhibition in Las Vegas in February this year which was an instant success, selling 516,899 tickets to date. Opening on September 17th, Convergence Station will be open from 10:00 am until 10:00 pm Sunday through Thursday and from 10:00 am until 12:00 am on Fridays and Saturdays. Hours are subject to change. Tickets are available for pre-purchase for $45 for General Admission ($40 Children / Seniors / Military), and $35 for Colorado Residents. Visitors are required to pre-book a time slot for entry. Recognized in Fast Company's 2020 list of The World's 50 Most Innovative Companies, Meow Wolf is a Santa Fe-based arts and entertainment company that creates immersive, interactive experiences to transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms of story and exploration. The company's first location in Santa Fe opened in 2016 and showcases the THEA Award-winning, international sensation, House Of Eternal Return, where two million visitors have now discovered a multidimensional mystery house with secret passages, portals to magical worlds, and surreal, maximalist and mesmerizing art exhibits. In 2019, Meow Wolf expanded beyond Santa Fe and opened Kaleidoscape, the world’s first artist-driven ride at Elitch Gardens in Denver. Meow Wolf recently opened their second permanent installation, Omega Mart, at AREA15 in Las Vegas and their third permanent installation in Denver is slated to open September 17, 2021. Meow Wolf is proud to be the only certified B-Corporation in the themed entertainment industry, with a team dedicated to social impact and building a more inclusive and sustainable economy. Contact Details Jive PR + Digital Maya Sarin +1 818-422-2248 maya@jiveprdigital.com Company Website https://meowwolf.com/

August 03, 2021 09:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

Cyvatar Launches First-Ever Cybersecurity Side Hustle

Cyvatar

Cyvatar today announced the release of the CydeHustle, a customer referral program that helps everyday people earn extra money on the side by referring organizations in their network to Cyvatar. The CydeHustle is easy work you can do in your spare time. In just a few minutes, you can not only bring in more money for yourself, but you can also enable people from all walks of life to help tip the cyber scales in favor of the good guys by stopping threat actors from breaching the brands and businesses we love. Organizations face more than 100,000 malicious websites and 10,000 malicious files every single day. Last year, malware increased by 358% and ransomware by 435% -- in fact, ransomware alone is now a multibillion-dollar industry staffed with expert researchers, strategists, technologists, and front-line hackers. Cyvatar’s ground-breaking cybersecurity as a service (CSaaS) levels the playing field so that any organization regardless of size or budget can combat threat actors. Joining the CydeHustle means you can enjoy the rewarding experience of keeping the businesses in your network safe... and get paid for it. "The Cyvatar CydeHustle program is a no-brainer, and the corresponding partner portal makes it easy to earn money on the side,” said CydeHustler Chris W. “Just as much as Cyvatar simplifies cybersecurity management for customers, it’s absolute simplicity to earn easy commissions with Cyvatar, even while juggling a full-time position and family responsibilities. Now anyone can be a deal-making machine!" Every CydeHustle referral that becomes a sale earns money for the person who introduces them: 20% of the sale price when the contract is signed, 10% of any upgrades purchased in the first year, and an additional 5% each year the referral renews. It’s easy money. Everybody needs better security, and Cyvatar’s CSaaS enables organizations to get better security outcomes fast. “The CydeHustle is so easy and so lucrative that we’ve already paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to CydeHustlers,” said Edward Preston, vice president of sales at Cyvatar. "Partners get paid for referring companies in their networks, those businesses get a game-changing cybersecurity program, and our world becomes safer from the onslaught of cyber threats.” Importantly, Cyvatar CSaaS is both accessible and affordable: For as little as $20 a month, customers receive out-of-the-box cybersecurity that includes products and services, a platform to manage them, and an expert team to support them -- all for one fixed monthly price. What’s more, Cyvatar sells itself -- it’s one of the 50 Most Trustworthy Companies recognized by the Silicon Review and has won 20 awards for cybersecurity innovation and excellence. CydeHustlers can keep their day jobs or Hustle between classes, after work, or from the far reaches of the world, because the Hustle is real -- and risk-free. Cyvatar keeps individual participation completely private unless participants explicitly choose to share their activity publicly. So what are you waiting for? Make a difference. Make an introduction. Make the world a safer place by keeping threat actors away from the businesses you know and love. All you have to do is sign up. Share the Cyvatar story. And get paid. Sign up and start earning today! About Cyvatar Cyvatar is committed to effortless cybersecurity for everyone. As the industry’s first subscription-based, cybersecurity-as-a-service (CSaaS) company, it’s our mission to transform the way the security industry builds, sells, and supports cyber solutions. We empower our members to achieve successful outcomes by providing expert advisors, proven technologies, and a strategic process roadmap to guarantee results that map to their business drivers. Our approach is rooted in proprietary ICARM (installation, configuration, assessment, remediation, maintenance) methodology that delivers smarter, measurable security solutions for superior compliance and cyber-attack protection faster and more efficiently, all at a fixed monthly price. And because we’re a subscription, members can cancel anytime. Cyvatar is headquartered in Irvine, California with locations around the world. Begin your journey to security confidence at cyvatar.ai and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Contact Details Cyvatar KC Higgins +1 303-434-8163 kc@cyvatar.ai Company Website https://cyvatar.ai/

August 03, 2021 08:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Video

Global Gaming Star and Influencer SypherPK Launches Signature Apparel Line, Metal Umbrella

Metal Umbrella

Born from Sypher PK’s creative vision to fill a void in the apparel market for gamers, Metal Umbrella’s anime and gaming inspired clothing was constructed for the digital generation. Developed as a lifestyle brand, the line is positioned to empower individuals, inspiring them to tap into their confidence. Dropping August 5 th, 2021, exclusively on MetalUmbrella.com, the “Too Young to Worry” Collection features gender bending wardrobe staples in sizes ranging from XS – 3XL including tees, hoodies, joggers, hats, and bandanas, plus a limited edition electric blue “Defy Destiny” hoodie. Capturing a vibe driven by the outspoken generation of today’s emerging leaders in Gen Z, the collection sets out to flip the script on failure. “Failure isn't about how many missteps you make; it's when you let your fear and worry stop you from doing the things you want to do.” Animes like Naruto played a major role in content creator SypherPK's personal development. Sitting in front of the television with his brothers, a young Sypher learned about dedication, passion, and the pivotal importance of following your vision despite other's opinions. Shop the “Too Young to Worry” Collection by Metal Umbrella HERE. "A lot of my passion and drive got sparked in my early years when I was around 13. I was making my first YouTube videos at that time and my motivation was having fun and connecting with people. This drop embodies that passion that I had starting out for creating content that people could connect with." – SypherPK, Creator, Metal Umbrella About SypherPK: SypherPK, aka Ali Hassan, is a professional gamer, streamer, YouTuber and online personality based in Austin, Texas. Recognized for his cross-market and wide-reaching audience appeal, he is one of the most popular faces in the gaming industry. Sypher is most notably known for his educational gameplay on Fortnite, focused on teaching tips and tricks. He is revered for his insightful take on game-winning strategies. The SypherPK YouTube Channel was launched in 2011, and features pro-level Fortnite gameplay videos. Additionally, SypherPK launched Oni Studios this year, as a visionary resource designed to empower creators in the gaming space, transforming their brands into empires. Contact Details Sterling Public Relations Paula Steurer +1 949-200-6566 paula@sterlingpublicrelationsoc.com

August 02, 2021 10:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

Singer-Songwriter Charlie Marie Lyons’ Latest Music Video “Change” Released to Support Dikembe Mutombo Foundation Humanitarian Work in Congo

Dikembe Mutombo Foundation

Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Charlie Marie Lyons’ new music video “Change”, based on her new single inspired by the humanitarian work of NBA Global Ambassador Dikembe Mutombo, was released today on YouTube as Mutombo builds support for construction of a new school in his impoverished home country of Congo. The NBA Hall of Famer and board member at UNICEF USA has worked tirelessly since 1997 to improve primary health care, disease prevention and education in his native land. His latest project is construction of a modern pre-K to sixth grade school in a region where 240,000 children have no access to modern education. Seeing Dikembe’s passion for bringing equal educational opportunities to boys and girls outside the city of Mbuji-Mayi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Charlie was inspired to write “Change”. “The only way to change the world is to contribute selflessly,” said Lyons.“ I wanted to identify a story of hope that will encourage restoration and prove that focus and unity can go a long way to achieving constructive change.” “Your song is a gift of life that you’re giving to the young Congolese people so they can have a better education, and I want to thank you for doing that, and for being who you are,” said Mutombo after seeing the video. Lyons has committed all streaming revenue from the single and music video to support the work of the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation. Named after Dikembe’s late father, a teacher and school superintendent, the future Samuel Mutombo Institute of Science & Entrepreneurship broke ground in July 2020 with opening slated for this October. In its first phase, the school will welcome 440 girls and boys to its classrooms. The school will include a “Change” classroom devoted to music and art. Lyons and the Mutombo Foundation plan a long-term relationship to support the school, and Lyons will help build the curriculum that’s taught in the classroom. In addition to the supplies and equipment necessary for teaching music and art, the classroom will host an artists’ wall of signatures to commemorate all the students who pass through the music and art program. Mutombo eschewed becoming a doctor in favor of a bigger paycheck in the NBA so he could do more for his homeland. “Whether it’s my work as NBA Global Ambassador, as a board member at UNICEF USA or through the initiatives of the foundation that bears my name, I see myself first as a humanitarian,” said Mutombo. “I can’t do it alone, which is why I’m touched knowing that Charlie’s new single and music video are inspired by my work and will earmark all their revenue to supporting the foundation.” A Music Video for the Greater Good The “Change” music video takes a fresh approach to its production, employing the music and lyrics to inform and inspire support for a man and his work for the greater good. And unlike the majority of music videos with their polished, fictional material, content in the “Change” music video is real – drawn from archives and other factual sources. About the Foundation The Dikembe Mutombo foundation was launched in 1997 and in 1999 its first project along with several international and local partners vaccinated 8.2 million children in the DRC, resulting in a virtually polio-free country for four years. That was followed by construction of the Biamba Marie Mutombo hospital in the capital city of Kinshasa. It was the first hospital of its kind built in the DRC in 45 years. Opened in 2007 with 170 beds, the hospital is named after Dikembe’s mother and, to date, has treated almost 600,000 people. The foundation also worked with the U.S.-based Starkey Hearing Foundation to provide free hearing aids to almost 10,000 people. To donate, go to the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation web site at dmf.org. Computer animation of the completed school is available on YouTube. See the “Change” music video on YouTube. “Change” is available on Apple Music, Spotify, iHeart Radio or wherever you stream music. For more on the artist, visit charliemarielyons.com. The Dikembe Mutombo Foundation is dedicated to improving the health, education and quality of life for the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Foundation strives to accomplish this goal through an emphasis on primary health care and disease prevention, the promotion of health policy, health research and increased access to health care education for the people of the Congo. Contact Details SilversJacobson, LLC Paul Jacobson +1 303-548-6684 paul@silversjacobson.com Company Website https://dmf.org

July 29, 2021 01:05 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

CIPIO Appoints AI and Big Data Pioneer Dr. Jin Yu as CTO and Launch 2.0 of Next-Gen Subscriber Experience Platform

CIPIO.ai

CIPIO, an AI company that is Humanizing Subscriptions TM, today announced the appointment of Dr. Jin Yu as its CTO as it gets ready for its next phase of growth with Next-Gen Subscriber Experience Platform TM 2.0. With 25 years of experience in big data, AI, and distributed computing, Dr. Yu is a seasoned technologist and a serial entrepreneur who has co-founded multiple startups including Kyndoo, an influencer marketing software platform with 2,000+ influencers and 90 million social user profiles, eBrain, an AI platform, and Portaura, a social data platform with 100 million location-based social user profiles. He started his career with HP (DEC) Systems Research Center, where he worked with several Turing Award recipients on distributed file systems and other cutting-edge technologies. Dr. Yu, who holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of New South Wales, Masters from Stanford University, and a BS in Computer Sciences and a BA in Mathematics from the University of Texas, Austin, has authored several papers in AI, Big Data and Cloud Computing domain. Dr. Yu is also a serial entrepreneur, co-founded two startups, Portaura in social mobile big data and Martsoft in e-commerce search engine. Early in his career, he spent a number of years in HP(DEC) Systems Research Center, one of the top research labs in the world, where he worked closely with numerous Turing Award recipients in browser technology, search engine, multimedia, and distributed file systems. “We are currently living in a subscription economy, with little insight into the relationship between subscribers and their subscriptions,” said Dr. Yu. “That’s why I’m beyond thrilled to be joining a pathbreaker like CIPIO that obsesses over the subscriber journey. Our next-gen Subscriber Experience Platform TM helps digital subscription businesses and organizations create lifelong customers by strengthening and deepening the connection between a subscriber and their subscriptions. The platform incorporates patent-pending AI technology to supercharge any organization with the equivalent power of hundreds of data scientists.” As digital businesses look beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, they can no longer afford to leave acquisition, retention, and growth to chance. Digital businesses are faced with increasing competitive pressures as consumers have a plethora of choices and switching costs are nominal. CIPIO’s Subscriber Experience Platform TM enables these organizations to shift from a reactive approach to these challenges to a proactive one, allowing them to manage dynamic market pressures as well as aggressive competition. “CIPIO is proud to welcome onboard someone as highly decorated and revered as Jin; it’s an immense honor to have someone of his caliber join us as we reframe the digital subscription economy. Given our mission for Humanizing Subscriptions TM, we couldn’t have asked for anyone better to lead our product and technology roadmap and execute on our vision,” said Sundeep Sanghavi, CEO, CIPIO. “In the new norm, Hyper-Personalization is a must for every digital subscription organization and Jin’s deep knowledge, AI skills, and experience in processing social media data of structure, unstructured and deep learning is the key for our customers to augment their subscriber data and leapfrog in an ever-changing digital world.” On the heels of its explosive growth following its inception, CIPIO is now rapidly gaining momentum and leveling the playing field in media and entertainment, digital fitness, eLearning, eSports, and financial services by providing enhanced AI capabilities to players of all sizes. About CIPIO CIPIO Inc. provides the leading patent-pending AI platform that Humanizes Subscriptions TM for digital organizations. By bringing together human, machine, and domain data, CIPIO arms organizations to sense, learn, predict behaviors and patterns of their individual subscribers leading to a dramatic increase in engagement, retention, and new acquisitions by strengthening the subscriber and subscription relationship. CIPIO impacts both the top and bottom-line financials for some of the world’s leading brands such as happiTV, Zype, InteliVideo, and Jonas Fitness. Learn more about CIPIO here. Contact Details CIPIO Inc. Media Relations +1 315-398-9541 pr@cipio.ai Company Website https://cipio.ai/

July 29, 2021 09:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

Video Image

Logitix Names CEO, Announces New Executive Chairperson, CFO, and Head of Engineering

Logitix

Logitix, the leader in live event ticketing technology and analytics, continues to strengthen its positioning in the marketplace by announcing enhancements to its leadership team. With a deep background in ticketing analytics and product, Stuart Halberg has been promoted to CEO. Sports and entertainment executive Kurt Schneider has been named Executive Chairperson. Additionally, Logitix furthered its leadership team with the hirings of Eric Ingram as CFO and Trent Stewart as Head of Engineering. Logitix optimizes ticket sales through proprietary dynamic pricing and distribution. Its unique platform analyzes millions of real-time data points, providing up-to-the-minute insights within the live event marketplace. Since 2013, Logitix has partnered with 18 concerts and live event promoters, 16 NFL teams, 14 NBA teams, 19 NHL teams, 16 MLB teams, 22 NCAA entities, five primary ticket providers, and more. Halberg has spent the last seven years as Logitix’s SVP of Strategy & Analytics, overseeing data and product strategy, as well as playing an integral role in developing its Pricing Intelligence Platform. He started his career with five seasons at the NHL’s Florida Panthers serving both hockey operations and business analytics. “We have an incredible team here at Logitix and I’m thrilled to take on the role of CEO,” said Halberg. “This is an exciting time as our partners welcome fans back into venues around the world. Our industry is ready for evolution and innovation, and we look forward to bringing our platform and services to our partners.” Schneider is the former CEO of the Harlem Globetrotters, where he rejuvenated the iconic brand and introduced the organization to a new generation of fans around the world producing record revenue and ticket sales year after year. Previously, he was EVP for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) where he oversaw the live events, marketing, international, and pay-per-view businesses. Schneider joins Logitix’s current board advisors, and industry veterans, Danielle Maged and Kraig Fox. “With the thousands and thousands of live events we produced at WWE and the Harlem Globetrotters, I’ve seen the evolution of the ticketing industry from waiting on the box office to open to up-to-the-minute dynamic pricing across all outlets,” said Schneider. “Logitix brings an offering of unique services to benefit every ticket seller in 2021 and beyond.” Logitix focuses on four unique services aimed to provide a single solution to all stakeholders in the live event ticketing industry. Logitix Lift focuses on optimizing pricing and yield management strategy. Logitix List is a distribution and fulfillment automation platform connecting ticket holders with all available sales channels. Logitix Live is a B2b ticket exchange bringing secondary ticket buyers and sellers together and Logitix Insights is a central hub for engagement of ticketing data. “I’m confident we have the team in place at Logitix to continue driving incremental revenue for our partners while protecting their brands and strengthening the core of their business.,” said Jordan Turkewitz, Co-Chief Investment Officer & Managing Partner at ZMC, the New York-based firm founded by Strauss Zelnick. Ingram comes to Logitix after serving seven years as CFO at TractManager, a SaaS provider for insights and compliance in the healthcare sector. During Eric’s time at TractManager, he led several initiatives resulting in 4x revenue growth. Eric previously spent nine years at PriceWaterhouseCoopers. Stewart joins Logitix after spending more than two years with Salesforce as a Director of Software Engineering, where he was responsible for infrastructure build services and leading the development efforts for Salesforce Government Cloud to support the US Government's adoption of Salesforce. Prior to that, he was with Microsoft for close to two decades holding various development and technology roles across the company. About Logitix Logitix is the preeminent monetization engine and ticketing platform for the live event industry, combining optimized pricing, distribution, and inventory management with real-time insights to help sellers and buyers respond to a rapidly changing market environment. The Logitix vision is to automate the entire ticket life cycle and provide data-driven insights to serve the diverse needs of its clients. The company is backed by ZMC and is privately held. For more information about Logitix, visit Logitix.com or find them on LinkedIn. About ZMC ZMC is a leading private equity firm comprised of experienced investors and executives that invests in and manages a diverse group of media and communications enterprises. Founded in 2001, ZMC’s investment philosophy centers on operational value creation driven by targeted investment themes, deep sector expertise, and strong partnerships with industry and operating executives. ZMC approaches its investments in collaboration with management teams and has a successful track record of actively adding value to portfolio companies. ZMC is currently investing out of ZMC III, L.P., which closed on $775 million in commitments. For more information, visit www.zmclp.com. Contact Details Eric Nemeth +1 602-502-2793 nemeth@ericpr.com Company Website https://logitix.com/

July 29, 2021 09:03 AM Eastern Daylight Time

MY.GAMES Q2 Results Build Solid Performance with 18% YoY Revenue Growth for the First Half of 2021

MY.GAMES

MY.GAMES revenue in the first half of 2021 increased by 18% compared to the previous year and amounted to 22.1 billion rubles ($297m). EBITDA for the first half of the year increased by 42% and amounted to 4.1 billion rubles ($55m). Global gaming brand MY.GAMES (part of Mail.ru Group) today announced its results for Q2 2021 - with revenue increasing by 1% and surpassing Q2 2020 in absolute revenues. This is all despite no new internal game launches and no significant studio acquisitions year-to-date, as well as IDFA related changes and the base effect. MY.GAMES received 74% of their games revenue in Q2 2021 outside Russia and CIS with the key markets being the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom. The company currently has more than 20 titles in the pipeline and the investment division - MCVG - also continues to develop the international and domestic business. War Robots, Warface, Hustle Castle, Rush Royale and Grand Hotel Mania were the main revenue contributors in the second quarter of 2021. The mobile segment accounted for 77% of the total revenue of MY.GAMES. The company enjoyed consolidated success in Q2 - with updates to existing games performing well and hit mobile titles Rush Royale, Hustle Castle and War Robots, launching on PC Allods Team has announced the game Blast Brigade vs. the Evil Legion of Dr. Cread, a two-dimensional platformer with elements of metroidvania. The game will be available in early access from September this year. Release dates on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, XboxSeries X|S will be announced soon. The mobile game Rush Royale reached the mark of 9 million downloads, although it was released only in December last year, and monthly revenue in June approached 400 million rubles (5.4m USD), which set the project to one of the most successful launches in MY.GAMES history. The Warface franchise reached 117.4 million players worldwide on all platforms during the second quarter of 2021, and still remains among the top three in terms of revenue among MY.GAMES projects. On consoles, Warface has received a cross-play feature that unites more than 24 million PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch players on shared servers. The game has also been released on the Epic Games Store, which expands the games’ reach further. As part of MY.GAMES ongoing investment in Cloud development June saw a strategic investment in Playkey as well as release of the MY.GAMES Cloud BETA for Mac OS in the Russian domestic market - the platform currently boasts more than 300 games and over 100k monthly active users (MAU). Vasily Maguryan, CEO at MY.GAMES commented: "In the second quarter of 2021, we managed to demonstrate growth against the background of a significant decline in the overall dynamics of the global games market. This was achieved by MY.GAMES strategic approach to portfolio diversification and our focus on organic product growth. The company's revenue grew by 18% in the first half of 2021, despite the effect of the high base of the previous year. In addition, we continue to successfully increase business efficiency — the second quarter of 2021 was the best in terms of marginality (24%) since the beginning of 2020." Overall Highlights for Q2: MY.GAMES Q2 EBITDA stood at RUB 2.7bn ($36.4m), delivering 13% YoY growth, with a margin of 24%, with the division on track to deliver a small margin improvement in 2021 and double-digit organic growth. The games War Robots, Warface franchise, Hustle Castle, Rush Royale and Grand Hotel Mania were the largest revenue contributors for the quarter. Share of revenue coming from markets outside Russia & CIS stood at 74%, with the US, Germany and the UK having the largest share in international revenue. Average MAU stood at 21.4mn in Q2 with a 4.7% share of paying monthly users, roughly unchanged versus the level seen in Q2 2020, during the peak of lockdowns and therefore player engagement. Highlights for the US Market are: Mobile advertising revenue up 117% y/y w mobile MAU up 2% y/y. PC revenue up 34% y/y w paying users share up 64% y/y. CB new users up 193% y/y w MAU up 173% y/y and revenue up 347% y/y. Grand Hotel Mania regs up 57% y/y w MAU up 291% y/y and revenue up 688% y/y. Left to Survive MAU up 7% y/y and revenue up 21% y/y. ARPPU up 12% y/y. Storyngton Hall sales up 18% q/q. Tacticool new users up 91% y/y w MAU up 64% y/y and revenue up 69% y/y. %PU up 15% y/y. Zero City new users up 26% y/y w MAU up 40% y/y and revenue up 39% y/y. Highlights for the mobile portfolio are: The top-5 revenue generating titles in Q2 remained War Robots, Hustle Castle, Rush Royale, Grand Hotel Mania and Left to Survive. War Robots (2014, Pixonic studio) shooter reached 197mn users in June, with average monthly revenue of ~RUB 800mn ($10.8m) in Q2 and significant positive EBITDA contribution. The RPG, Hustle Castle (2017, Nord Studio), reached 70mn downloads, with RUB 400mn ($5.4m) in monthly revenue in Q2. Other highlights from Nord Studio included Zero City (~19mn downloads, RUB 150mn ($2m) in monthly revenue) and American Dad! Apocalypse Soon, which performed well, with 9mn cumulative downloads as of the end of Q2. The Grand Hotel Mania (2020, Deus Craft) - a time management game reached 12mn installs, with ~RUB 300mn ($4m) in monthly revenue in Q2. Left to Survive (2018, Whalekit) shooter reached 38mn downloads and exceeded RUB 200mn ($2.7m) in monthly revenue in Q2, with >20% YoY growth along with almost 2x EBITDA improvement. Whalekit’s other title, Warface: Global Operations (2020), reached 18mn downloads. The Rush Royale (2020, IT Territory studio) a tower defense game reached 9mn downloads since its launch in December with monthly revenue exceeding RUB 400mn ($5.4m) in June, which makes it one of the most successful launches in MY.GAMES history. Tacticool (2019, Panzerdog) top-down pvp mobile shooter game reached ~20mn downloads and achieved a new monthly revenue record of RUB 150mn+ ($2m) in April with >50% YoY revenue growth. Highlights for the PC and Console portfolio are: The Warface (2013, PC/console/mobile) first-person shooter franchise reached 117.4mn players worldwide across all platforms and remains a top-3 revenue generator for MY.GAMES. Warface cross-play became available on console, connecting over 24mn of its players across PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch to the same server. Warface was also added to Epic Games Store, broadening distribution of this key franchise title. Allods Team has announced a new title – Blast Brigade vs. the Evil Legion of Dr. Cread, which is 2D action-adventure platformer with metroidvania elements. It's coming to Steam later this year. Launch dates on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S will be announced soon. Lost Ark (PC, licensed from Smilegate) MMORPG released an update on Russia language servers and also announced an update with a 19th new class Demon Hunter on Russian language servers. Tactical action MMO Conqueror's Blade (2019, PC, licensed from Booming Games) reached 3.4mn in users and showed >50% YoY revenue growth in Q2 after another game update rolled out in March. Free-to-play MMO Skyforge (2017, PC, Allods Team) reached 13mn in registered users. In Q2 MY.GAMES continued to port its own mobile titles to PC on MY.GAMES Store as part of internal cross-selling and cross-integration, with Rush Royale, War Robots and Hustle Castle released in Q2. Highlights for Strategic Investments are: As part of its Cloud development efforts, in June MY.GAMES completed consolidation of Playkey, while also releasing the beta of MY.GAMES Cloud on Mac OS, with 300+ games and 100k MAU. MY.GAMES Store launched MY.GAMES Boost - a crowdfunding service based on the internal Boosty.to service, allowing content creators to receive donations for their work. Follow us on: Facebook LinkedIn Twitter MY.GAMES is an international gaming brand (part of Mail.ru Group) and a leading online entertainment company. MY.GAMES comprises 11 regional offices in Russia, Europe and the US, over 1,800 staff, and 13 development studios. MY.GAMES creates titles for the PC, consoles, and mobile devices. The company operates over 80 projects, with more than 150 titles in its portfolio including War Robots, Hustle Castle, Left to Survive, Skyforge, and Allods Online. MY.GAMES portfolio includes renowned titles like Warface, ArcheAge, Perfect World, Revelation Online, Conqueror's Blade, Lost Ark, and more. Contact Details Renaissance PR Stefano Petrullo +44 7828 692315 stefano@renaissancepr.biz Renaissance PR Emily Britt +44 7530 081191 emily@renaissancepr.biz Renaissance PR Vincent Gallopin +1 323-898-9891 vincent@renaissancepr.biz

July 29, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

Singer-Songwriter Charlie Marie Lyons and Dikembe Mutombo Foundation Ally to Support School Construction in Congo

Dikembe Mutombo Foundation

Los Angeles, July 26, 2021 – The philanthropic work of NBA Global Ambassador Dikembe Mutombo is the inspiration for Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Charlie Marie Lyons’ new single “Change”, and she will donate all streaming revenue from the single to support the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation’s work to build a new school in his home country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). “Not only did I literally look up to Dikembe Mutombo, but I also saw his heart and what he wants to achieve in this world,” said Lyons, whose compositions and performances share unfiltered stories of pain and hope and intimacy. “He inspired me to use my voice as a tool for change.” The new single was released today and is available on Apple Music, Spotify, iHeart Radio and other streaming platforms. “This is not a story about tragedy, in fact, this is a story about overcoming. It’s a story about hope, and Dikembe Mutombo really inspires the people around him to have hope with a presence that encourages selflessness, self-reflection and self-improvement,” added Lyons. Located in a rural area outside the Mbuji-Mayi district, the ancestral home of the former NBA superstar’s parents, the modern pre-K through 6 school broke ground in July 2020 and is scheduled to open this October. In its first phase, the school will welcome 440 girls and boys to its classrooms. Named after Dikembe’s late father, a teacher and school principal, the future Samuel Mutombo Institute of Science & Entrepreneurship will serve a region where 240,000 children have no access to modern education. The DRC spends 1.5 percent of its gross domestic product on education, 166 th in the world. By comparison, the United States spends 5 percent. France spends 5.5 percent. As part of the planned long-term relationship between Lyons and the foundation, the school will include a “Change” classroom devoted to music and art. Lyons will help build the classroom’s curriculum, and the room will include an artists’ wall of signatures to commemorate the student-artists who pass through the program. “This project will build a modern high school in the Congo emphasizing science, technology, engineering, mathematics and the arts,” said Mutombo, who after 18 seasons in the NBA became the league’s first global ambassador. He has devoted his post-basketball career to improving primary health care, disease prevention and education in his native land. “I don’t see myself as a basketball player; I see myself as a humanitarian – someone who wants to see the world get better. I want to create the great leaders of tomorrow, but I cannot do it by myself,” he added. The school is not Mutombo’s first humanitarian project in his homeland. After its launch in 1997, the foundation’s first initiative, along with several international and local partners, was leading a 1999 campaign to stop the spread of polio. In three days 8.2 million children were vaccinated resulting in a near polio free DRC for four years. Next, the foundation spearheaded construction of the Biamba Marie Mutombo hospital in the capital city of Kinshasa. Named after Dikembe’s mother, the 170-bed facility opened in 2007 as the first new hospital of Its kind constructed in the DRC in 45 years and, to date, has treated almost 600,000 people. In addition, the hospital collaborated with the U.S.-based Starkey Hearing Foundation to provide almost 10,000 hearing-impaired people with new hearing aids at no cost. To donate, go to the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation web site at dmf.org. Computer animation of the completed school is available on YouTube. “Change” is available on Apple Music, Spotify, iHeart Radio or wherever you stream music. For more on the artist, visit charliemarielyons.com. The Dikembe Mutombo Foundation is dedicated to improving the health, education and quality of life for the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Foundation strives to accomplish this goal through an emphasis on primary health care and disease prevention, the promotion of health policy, health research and increased access to health care education for the people of the Congo. Contact Details SilversJacobson Paul Jacobson +1 303-548-6684 paul@silversjacobson.com Company Website https://dmf.org

July 26, 2021 06:55 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Image

ASM GLOBAL ENTERS STRATEGIC ALLIANCE WITH HONEYWELL TO CREATE SMARTER AND SAFER VENUES

ASM Global

ASM Global announced a strategic alliance with Honeywell to help create smarter, safer and more sustainable venue operations and more enjoyable audience experiences across ASM’s international portfolio. ASM Global will work with Honeywell to establish new standards related to indoor air quality, safety and regulatory compliance for its VenueShield LIVE proprietary program for venue reopenings and operations. Honeywell will consult with ASM on guidelines related to deploying healthy buildings technology including indoor air quality, safety and security, and personal protective equipment (PPE). Honeywell will also create a custom, real-time Healthy Buildings dashboard for the VenueShield LIVE program to help ASM’s facilities staff quickly identify and correct critical building controls issues. The agreement runs through 2027. Additionally, Honeywell will work with the ASM Global venue network to deploy a variety of technologies that support smarter, safer and more sustainable venues to improve the overall guest experience, including solutions to enhance overall building operations; mobile computing and data capture technologies to expedite ticketing, concessions and retail experiences; and more environmentally preferable products to help the venues’ efforts to reduce their carbon footprint. ASM Global President and CEO Ron Bension said, “Aligning with Honeywell and its state-of-the-art technology will help ASM elevate even further what are already the world’s finest audience experiences at our venues.” “As vaccine programs progress around the world, the desire for normalcy continues to increase. Live events such as concerts, sports and conventions contribute greatly to the vigor and excitement of daily life,” said Jeff Kimbell, Honeywell senior vice president and chief commercial officer. “We look forward to working with the ASM Global team to not only help audiences feel more confident about coming to live events but also in supporting venue modernization and digitization by providing greater automation and insight into the portfolio performance and a more seamless audience experience.” VenueShield LIVE is deployed at more than 325 ASM Global facilities around the world, already providing high levels of cleanliness and safety, while inspiring consumer confidence, all in coordination with leading medical professionals, industry experts and public health officials. “Producing premier entertainment events takes skillful coordination, and the building itself is a critical part of the equation. Our experience in building technologies, services and operations can provide additional value to the VenueShield LIVE offering,” said Doug Wright, president and CEO, Honeywell Building Technologies. “We are excited to work with the ASM Global team to support a safer return to live events and help its diverse network of venues drive critical outcomes to enhance audience experience, improve operations, and meet energy efficiency or safety goals.” Honeywell’s Healthy Buildings solutions integrate air quality, safety and security technologies along with advanced analytics to improve indoor air quality while meeting energy efficiency goals to create a more productive and better occupant experience. ASM Global’s properties produce a vast array of events ranging from professional sports to family entertainment to conventions and premier concerts. More than 200 million people pass through its venue doors annually. The alliance with Honeywell was brokered by AEG Global Partnerships. About Honeywell Honeywell (honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 technology company that delivers industry-specific solutions that include aerospace products and services, control technologies for buildings and industry, and performance materials globally. Its technologies help aircrafts, buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains and workers become more connected to make our world smarter and safer. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit honeywell.com/newsroom. About ASM Global ASM Global is the world’s leading producer of entertainment experiences. The company was formed by the combination of AEG Facilities and SMG, global leaders in venue and event strategy and management. The company’s elite venue network spans five continents with a portfolio of more than 300 of the world’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, conventions and exhibition centers, and performing arts venues. From Aberdeen to Anchorage and Sydney to Stockholm, its venues fuel live entertainment worldwide. Contact Details breakwhitelight (for ASM Global) James Yeager +1 818-264-6812 jim@breakwhitelight.com Honeywell Megan McGovern +1 404-470-6339 Megan.mcgovern@honeywell.com Company Website http://asmglobal.com

July 26, 2021 07:00 AM Pacific Daylight Time

Image

1 ... 209 210 211 212 213 ... 251