Connect with us

eSports

Minute Media, Spotify and SRI execs launch agency to help gaming and esports scaleups

Published

4 years ago

on

Reading Time: 3 minutes

 

Former execs from Minute Media, Spotify and SRI have joined forces to launch Reset, a specialist group that tackles business challenges in gaming and esports. The collective will provide consulting and agency services to rights holders, brands, and investors across the industry.

Responsible for operating teams such as London Spitfire, and having helped dozens of non-endemic brands activate in esports, Reset aims to provide C-Suite in a box solutions to help scaling gaming companies, brands, publishers, platforms and more.

Reset, the specialised agency group focused on the gaming industry, launched. Reset’s unique offering focuses on helping gaming companies turn their investments into stable businesses, provide organisational design and interim operational support, and helps brands activate in gaming with accurate data and measurable results. The Reset team already has a proven track record for its services having supported clients such as Samsung, Kia, BT and Duracell, esports teams London Spitfire and Ellevens, and tournament operators including BLAST and FACEIT in the last year.

Reset was Co-Founded by four executives from the worlds of gaming, sport, media & entertainment: Duncan McMonagle, who has spent two decades working with global brands and rights-holders across sports and gaming, most notably as CRO at Minute Media, where he launched the companies esports platform DBLTAP. He is joined by Ben Brown, veteran of Accenture, Universal Music and Spotify; as well as Chris Jordan and Charlie Stebbings, who together co-founded the leading esports executive search practice at SRI.

Reset has already made key hires starting with Mike Murphy O’Reilly, former Head of Gaming & Esports at Minute Media who joins as Reset’s new Commercial Director. Murphy O’ Reilly brings with him years of experience working on brand partnerships with clients including Kia, H&M, Warner-Bros, Activision-Blizzard and many others.

Taking their extensive gaming and esports credentials enhanced by broader sports and entertainment experience, it is the combination of Reset’s services that makes them a unique solution for companies looking to grow in the gaming industry.

Esports and gaming is flush with companies that are well funded but yet to find the right model to become a commercial success. Reset aims to turn investment into successful businesses by creating structures for growth including business model development, revenue strategy, investor market entry, and more.

For brands, Reset provides strategy, partner identification and creative services to cut through the noise. Leveraging years of experience helping brands activate in gaming with rights holders and content creators, the team believes traditional agencies have struggled to keep up with the pace of change, and understand opportunities in the industry to properly service clients and engage fans. Reset aims to steer clients away from narratives that set false expectations and instead offer transparency, education and proven execution.

Finally, Reset offers Leadership Advisory services to the entire industry, helping companies develop a long term ‘fit for purpose’ structure for their business, taking commercial and operational execution to the next level. The team will offer services such as interim leadership, organisational design and operational support, that will see the team step in to fill the gaps whilst providing advice around permanent needs to help companies grow.

“At Reset, we are fiercely pragmatic and dedicated to results, not just theory,” said Co-Founder & Director, Charlie Stebbings. “Whether you need strategy for new ventures or commercial growth in an existing business, we can support you with interim leadership, partnerships, capital investment management, creative concept development, marketing intelligence and much more.”

“Our vision is to elevate gaming as a commercial property and develop a sustainable ecosystem. One where fans are prioritised, endemic players have sustainable business models, advertisers reach and engage the right audiences, and investors can deploy capital with confidence,” added Duncan McMonagle.

For the past 9 Months Reset has been managing all operations for the Overwatch League Team, London Spitfire. David Harris, Managing Director of Guinevere Capital said:

“Having worked with individual members of Reset in their previous roles across the industry, it’s exciting to see this group come together to service the sector. Over the past year with limitations on travel, they have provided an amazing turn key service for both operational and commercial support on the ground in the UK. They know the industry and key stakeholders meaning they have been able to pick up and run with everything from London Spitfire watch parties & co-streams, to merchandise logistics and go to market sales collateral. They’ve assisted us launching training academies and liaised with University programs working up and down the chain from grassroots to elite level working directly with publishers. We have had no hesitation referring Reset on to work with other groups in the industry and look forward to continuing our relationship in 2021.”

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Asia

Banijay Asia and NODWIN Gaming form Strategic Partnership to Amplify Youth Engagement in India

Published

11 hours ago

on

May 21, 2025

By

banijay-asia-and-nodwin-gaming-form-strategic-partnership-to-amplify-youth-engagement-in-india
Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

Banijay Asia, a part of Banijay Entertainment, and NODWIN Gaming, a material subsidiary of Nazara Technologies, today announced a strategic partnership to revolutionize esports, gaming and youth entertainment in India. This collaboration marks a significant step in blending cutting-edge content with the booming gaming and youth culture ecosystem. As part of this alliance, Banijay Asia will take the helm in producing Playground, NODWIN Gaming’s flagship gaming reality show that has redefined the intersection of gaming, entertainment, and influencer culture in the region. The partnership will also bring new scripted and captive reality shows to daylight, with both companies co-developing new intellectual properties (IPs) and pioneering fresh content concepts across gaming, esports and youth culture.

Deepak Dhar, Founder & Group CEO – Banijay Asia & Endemol Shine India, commented, “This collaboration with NODWIN Gaming is an exciting extension of our vision to create content that resonates with evolving youth audiences. Gaming is not just a sport; it’s a culture, a lifestyle, and a massive content opportunity. With Playground and our upcoming IPs, we aim to redefine engagement and storytelling in this space.” He further added, “I look forward to the creative collaboration with Akshat Rathee, and Joost Roset who we previously worked with, in bringing iconic global IPs to India. This is an invaluable opportunity to create clutter-breaking formats in the youth and gaming space.”

With a diverse portfolio of high-impact IPs including the televised esports tournament – BGMI Masters Series (BGMS), Comic Con India, NH7 Weekender, and more, NODWIN Gaming is a key player in the gaming, esports and youth entertainment ecosystem.

Talking about the partnership, Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder & MD, NODWIN Gaming, said, “Youth entertainment is evolving rapidly, and our partnership with Banijay Asia positions us perfectly to lead that change. With Playground, we’ve just begun to explore what’s possible. Backed by Banijay’s global expertise, we’re now set to scale the IP across multiple languages and markets, with the ambition of building an international format. At the heart of our approach is our philosophy of ‘timeshare of mindshare’. We’re not just creating content, we’re creating cultural moments. The Rusk creative team will stay actively involved as we expand the universe of Playground, aiming to grow from one show to between five and ten each year. This is just the beginning of a bold new chapter in gaming and youth content.”

With gaming emerging as one of the most influential youth-driven industries, this partnership is poised to set new benchmarks in how gaming and entertainment are consumed in India. By leveraging Banijay Asia’s expertise in content creation and NODWIN Gaming’s deep-rooted understanding of gaming communities, the collaboration promises to push creative boundaries and capture the imagination of young audiences nationwide.

Banijay Entertainment has strong expertise in the gaming space, via its global distribution arm Banijay Rights, with successful gaming activations leveraging key brands including Peaky Blinders, Black Mirror, Simon’s Cat and MasterChef.

The post Banijay Asia and NODWIN Gaming form Strategic Partnership to Amplify Youth Engagement in India appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Esportes da Sorte

Esportes Gaming Brasil, the group behind Esportes da Sorte and Onabet, announces Hugo Baungartner as Executive Director for Institutional Relations and Partnerships

Published

2 days ago

on

May 20, 2025

By

 

The executive will focus on expanding the group’s presence in Brazil’s regulated market, with an emphasis on institutional engagement, new business, and compliance.

Esportes Gaming Brasil, the group composed of Esportes da Sorte and Onabet, announces the appointment of Hugo Baungartner as its new Executive Director of Institutional Relations and Strategic Partnerships (Chief Business Officer – CBO). He joins the company’s leadership team with the mission of strengthening institutional engagement with public authorities, regulatory bodies, and strategic partners, as well as driving the continued expansion of the group in Brazil.

Baungartner will be responsible for liaising with institutions such as the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA/MF), the Federal Revenue Service, the Central Bank, and COAF, as well as certification bodies and accredited laboratories. His responsibilities also include preparing the company for developments in the regulatory landscape.

“Hugo’s arrival strengthens our ability to act strategically in a constantly evolving sector. He brings an experienced, technical perspective aligned with the principles of governance and innovation that guide our group’s companies,” said Darwin Filho, CEO of Esportes Gaming Brasil.

“Brazil is going through a crucial moment in regulating the sector, and being at the forefront of this movement with such a relevant group is a challenge that truly motivates me. Our goal is to ensure our operations not only meet legal requirements but also serve as a benchmark for best practices, innovation, and sustainable growth,” said Hugo Baungartner.

With over 28 years of experience in the technology and gaming sectors, Baungartner will also be responsible for developing partnerships with global providers, evaluating merger and acquisition opportunities (M&A), and structuring new projects with full legal and regulatory compliance. He previously held leadership roles at companies such as Grupo Aposta Ganha, RCT Gaming, and Prohards.

The post Esportes Gaming Brasil, the group behind Esportes da Sorte and Onabet, announces Hugo Baungartner as Executive Director for Institutional Relations and Partnerships appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

Continue Reading

eSports

GeoGuessr Joins the Esports World Cup Festival 2025

Published

2 days ago

on

May 20, 2025

By

geoguessr-joins-the-esports-world-cup-festival-2025
Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) and GeoGuessr announced that GeoGuessr will join the Esports World Cup Festival tournament program, a new series of competitive events held alongside the Esports World Cup 2025 (EWC). The Esports World Cup and its accompanying EWC Festival will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 through August 24.

The EWC Festival will play host to a Last Chance Wildcard Tournament for the 2025 GeoGuessr World Championship. Taking place during Week 3 (July 21–27), the last chance tournament will feature a $20,000 prize pool and award two spots for the GeoGuessr World Championship later this year in Copenhagen on August 29–30. 16 of the top ranked GeoGuessr players will be invited to compete for the final two places on the global stage.

Celebrated for transforming online exploration into a competitive experience, GeoGuessr joins the EWC Festival as a global fan favorite. Launched in 2013, the geography-based guessing game gained worldwide momentum in 2020, similar to Chess, which also debuts at EWC 2025 this year. Since then, GeoGuessr has attracted millions of players to its browser-based and Steam platforms, connecting players through exploration of countries, continents, and cultures. Using the widely recognized Google Street View, GeoGuessr makes exploring the world accessible to all.

“We’re excited to welcome GeoGuessr to the Esports World Cup 2025 as part of our EWC Festival tournament program,” said Fabian Scheuermann, Chief Games Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation. “Few games have captured the imagination of players around the world quite like it – its blend of exploration, puzzle solving, and fast-paced competition has turned it into a global phenomenon. Together, we are bringing GeoGuessr’s official tournament to the Middle East to grow global ecosystems, expand opportunities for players and fans, and showcase the diversity of modern competitive gaming on the world’s biggest stage.”

Since launching the official GeoGuessr World Championship in 2023, the game has further elevated itself into a professional esport, with elite players and creators drawing global audiences across competitive circuits and livestreams.

The inclusion of GeoGuessr at EWC represents a major milestone for the game’s competitive scene, placing it alongside iconic titles and opening new opportunities to reach players and fans worldwide. The EWCF remains committed to providing games with strong communities and competitive potential the platform to grow and thrive.

The Esports World Cup Festival is a global celebration of gaming and esports culture. From esports tournaments and live music stages to retro arcades, anime cafes, cosplay shows and creator studios, the EWC Festival invites millions to explore and play together in the heart of Riyadh during the Esports World Cup.

The Esports World Cup 2025 will feature 2,000 elite players and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries, competing in 25 tournaments across 24 games for a record-breaking $70+ million prize pool.

The post GeoGuessr Joins the Esports World Cup Festival 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Trending