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Roc Nation Joins SL Green and Caesars Entertainment as Partner in Times Square Gaming Bid to Revitalize The World’s Top Tourism Destination

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Roc Nation Joins SL Green and Caesars Entertainment as Partner in Times Square Gaming Bid to Revitalize The World’s Top Tourism Destination

 

Roc Nation, the full-service entertainment agency founded by JAY-Z, will be the official entertainment partner of SL Green and Caesars Entertainment in their bid for a new, state-of-the-art gaming facility at 1515 Broadway in Times Square. The partnership brings together three best-in-class organizations – New York’s largest owner of office properties, the nation’s leading gaming company and the world’s preeminent entertainment company – to deliver a crucial plan for the world’s top tourist destination. As a partner in the project, Roc Nation will help revitalize Times Square by partnering with neighborhood organizations to re-imagine programming in the district’s famous “bow tie.”

“New York is a beacon, the epicenter of culture. We have the opportunity to create a destination at the heart of Times Square, the true crossroads of the world,” said Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter. “My partnership with SL Green and Caesars, this coalition, has all the promise and commitment to economic opportunity, growth and enrichment for the community, and everyone who visits the Empire State.”

“There’s no better partner than JAY-Z and Roc Nation to help Caesars Palace Times Square ensure that Times Square remains a global entertainment hub and an economic engine for New York,” said Marc Holliday, Chairman & CEO of SL Green. “Together, we will bring the nearly 130 million annual pedestrians a stronger and more exciting Times Square to visit, reunifying the bow tie around a new set of innovative programming that will appeal to New Yorkers and tourists.”

“We are thrilled to have Roc Nation and JAY-Z join our partnership to bring Caesars Palace to Times Square. They are one of the most pioneering entertainment groups in the world, with New York embedded in their DNA,” said Tom Reeg, CEO of Caesars Entertainment. “Times Square has been the heartbeat of American Entertainment for over a century. Through our shared vision, we will build a world-class destination specifically designed to complement and elevate today’s Times Square experience, ensuring it remains a magnet for visitors and a hub of creativity for years to come.”

Caesars Palace Times Square will not only provide billions in tax revenue to New York City and State, it will also accelerate New York’s economic recovery through strategic partnerships with area businesses utilizing its industry-leading loyalty program Caesars Rewards, home to more than 65 million members. Caesars Rewards members will be able to use credits at Broadway shows, local hotels, restaurants, retail stores, comedy clubs, entertainment venues, and more, driving more tourists and New Yorkers to area businesses and creating thousands of direct and indirect jobs in and around Times Square, including:

  • 7 million+ net new visits to Times Square annually
  • 600,000+ new overnight visits to local hotels
  • 7 million+ new meals for local restaurants
  • $166 million+ new retail spending
  • More than $65 million in new annual Broadway ticket sales, supporting 500 theater district jobs

Caesars Palace Times Square is supported by a broad coalition of Times Square stakeholders representing construction labor, Broadway labor, restaurants, hotels, small businesses, theater and local residents.

Canada

Exploring Canada’s video Game Market: Survey Insights

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Technology has become a great source of entertainment to many. Video games particularly have garnered interest from all demographics. In Canada, the gaming industry has experienced significant growth, fuelled by increased accessibility to gaming platforms and the growth of online gaming communities.

Statistics indicate that a large percentage of Canadians are engaged in gaming activities, whether it be playing console or PC games, mobile games, or online multiplayer games. The popularity of video games extends beyond leisure pastimes, with many Canadians participating in gaming competitions, attending gaming conventions, and consuming gaming-related content on platforms like Twitch and YouTube.

The number of video game users in Canada reflects how broad the sector is, from mobile games to digital video games, download games and live streaming. In 2024, the gaming sector will see millions of users in each of these categories. Statista projects 13.38 million users for digital video games and 7.35 million users for online games respectively. It estimates that revenue in the Canadian video game market is expected to reach US$3,925.00m in 2024, so it is no surprise to observe the increasing popularity of the sector.

Well-known online casino provider BetVictor has compiled some key points from major surveys detailing the video game market to give further insight into its makeup and potential. The gaming culture in Canada is growing, which means the type of games and genres will grow along with the sector. Statista recently conducted a survey of 1 576 respondents aged 18 – 64 who are avid video game players, with telling results. ​​In December 2023, a survey about preferred video game genres in Canada revealed the top four genres as being Action, Action – adventure, Adventure and casual games accounting for 31% of respondents’ preferences.

David Winter, Marketing Manager at BetVictor notes that “We’ve seen a steady increase in the popularity of action-themed and adventure-themed slots and many providers are exploring how to expand further into this market.”

The popularity of Action games such as platform and fighting games can be attributed to various factors, such as: social interaction, accessibility and inclusivity, social appeal, and cultural influence. With such a diverse audience, all these factors are crucial to understand the appeal of Action games.

In the digital age, gaming has transcended mere entertainment to become a cornerstone of culture, and nowhere is this more evident than in Canada. From coast to coast, a diverse community of gamers is thriving, reflecting the country’s inclusive spirit and passion for technology. Whether it’s the casual gamer enjoying a quick session on their smartphone or the dedicated enthusiast meticulously building a custom gaming PC, Canada offers a welcome haven for all kinds of gamers.

Diving deeper into the Statista results, Strategy games accounted for 29%. This shows us that players have a strong interest in tactical and decision-making games. While role-playing (RPG) and sports games garnered 22% each, simulation and shooters trailed slightly behind at 21% and 20% respectively.

MMO (massively multiplayer online games), as well as MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing games) and MOBA (multi online battle arenas) came in at 13% and 8% respectively, representing a significant but niche following. With such a diverse array of preferences, the survey underscores the multifaceted nature of interests among Canadian gamers. It highlights the need for game developers to cater for a wide range of genres and gameplaying styles in the Canadian market.

From action shooter games to role-playing adventures, the industry has something for every gaming enthusiast in the Canadian market. Overall, the popularity of video games in Canada reflects a growing cultural phenomenon, where gaming has become a mainstream form of entertainment and a significant aspect of modern-day leisure activities.

Statistics anticipate a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.10% for 2022-2027, resulting in a projected market volume of US$24.52bn by 2027. Canada’s online gaming market is experiencing a surge in popularity, with a surging number of Canadian players engaging in immersive virtual reality experiences.

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Knorr and World-renowned Gamer and Streamer, Ninja, Call on Gaming Industry to Supercharge Vegetables in Games

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Knorr – a global leader in bouillons, soups, seasonings, sauces, and more – and world-famous gamer and streamer, Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins, reveal to top gaming publishers a little-known imbalance found in a multitude of their games. While everyone knows veggies are good for you in real life, they’re not so good in the virtual world of gaming.

Ninja and Knorr think it’s high time veggies are powered up to get the recognition they deserve, and they are calling on the gaming community worldwide to join this ambition with its #ModTheVeg petition. Gaming fans are invited to sign a petition to show their support for giving veggies a boost in the virtual world and bring a new balance to gaming sustenance.

With a passion for supercharging veggies in the real and virtual world thanks to its flavorful seasonings, Knorr investigated just how much veggies are lagging in the virtual world and in 15 top games they fell behind significantly. For example, in one popular game munching meat gives a +15HP boost while chomping on cabbage delivers just +10HP. In other games the difference is even bigger, where a beef steak brings +552HP while a hearty bean stew lies in its wake, only patching up to the tune of +61HP.

“Recently, I’ve been more mindful of what I put in my body, I have learned how important balanced meals are for my long-term health. Historically, through games we have been limited to using meat based diets to get you through the main quests or heal faster, while apples or cabbage heal you for way smaller. Wouldn’t it be awesome if veggies counted for more in game? Well that’s why I teamed up with Knorr, they came up with some awesome mods for all our favorite games, which will teach fans the importance of veggies and a balanced diet,” said Ninja.

As part of part Ninja’s partnership with Knorr, he will stream on Friday, March 22 at 2 pm PST to bring the issue to his followers, champion veggie equality and play some exciting veggie specific mods. He won’t be alone as a crack squad of eight streamers from across the globe are joining the mission over the coming weeks.

“At Knorr, we believe in making good food accessible for all, so we’re thrilled to team up with Ninja to show how powerful veggies can be and create a new taste of adventure in gaming. We hope this campaign will catch the attention of gaming publishers and spur them on to re-evaluate their games and give veggies the supercharge they deserve,” said Gina Kiroff, Chief Marketing Officer of Knorr North America.

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Rapper/Actor Ice-T, and YouTube, Gaming Legends, Cliff Bleszinski, Welyn, and Barji to Judge First “Wolves Den” Game Jam Series on Spatial Platform

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Spatial, the web UGC gaming platform bringing the Roblox model to millions of Unity developers, announced that its “Shark Tank” inspired YouTube game contest, Wolves Den, is open for submissions. The judges include Ice-T, Cliff Bleszinski, Barji and Welyn, high profile influencers in the corporate and indie gaming industry, as well as video and music icons. As a gaming platform that advocates for all creators, Spatial’s aim is to use the contest as a way to champion indie developers by connecting gamers with new and upcoming talent.

The contest will give any budding game developer 12 days to submit their winning Unity demo built on Spatial via this link – https://itch.io/jam/wolves-den. Under the theme “Survival Revival”, competitors will create a new game that blends survival with another genre of their choice. Submissions will close on March 22, with the itch.io community voting on the top 25 projects on March 24. This will be narrowed down to 8 semi-finalists by the Spatial team, who will appear on the first episode in April to pitch their games to the Wolves. They will then narrow it down to 4 finalists who will have 30 days to transform their demo into a game to be play tested by the judges on the second episode.

The contest concludes with the final episode airing in May, with the Wolves crowning a winner and cash prizes of $15K up for grabs. The winner will also have the opportunity to become the headline game on Spatial with full engineering, art, design, and marketing support to drive gamers and gameplay.

“We’re fast becoming the YouTube for gamers, giving a platform to champion indie game developers who are not just making games but crafting entire universes on Spatial. We’re building a community-driven platform to democratize the gaming industry, where fans can discover the best games, offer feedback and be part of a community to elevate the creators they love. This activation is beyond just creating games – it marks an opportunity to catapult upcoming talent into the limelight, uniting creativity, support, and innovation, and where gamers truly have the power to contribute to the success of deserving titles and shape the future of online gaming media & entertainment,” Anand Agarawala, CEO and Co-founder at Spatial, said.

Unique vision and talent can come from anywhere. For the first time, the gaming community has an opportunity to make a direct impact on these creators’ futures.

“I’m ready to find the next generation of undiscovered developers and help them bring their games to people all over the world,” said Ice-T.

“I’ve been a fan of shows like Dragon’s Den and Shark Tank and I think we’re long overdue for something like this in the videogame space. I bring 25 years of experience in the industry to the table and I’ve got a solid business sense and I’m excited to see what a new crop of creators can bring to the table,” said Cliff.

“This event is a freeing opportunity for budding game developers to create something they’re truly passionate about. It gives them the ability to build something truly great, while feeling a part of a huge community of like-minded developers,” said Barji.

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