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Social Chain-owned GameByte launches first publisher-led e-commerce brand

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The move makes GameByte the only social publisher in the world to own every step of the consumer journey.

The GameByte shop will stock over 1000 products including video games, next-gen consoles and gaming accessories

A proprietary e-commerce platform will provide media buyers with total transparency and insight

84% of GameByte’s surveyed followers* said they want to buy with GameByte

Manchester-based GameByte, the gaming brand owned by global social agency and publishing house, Social Chain, is venturing into e-commerce with the launch of The GameByte shop.

On November 9, GameByte’s audience of more than 6 million gamers will be introduced to over 1000 products including merchandise, gaming accessories, hardware, next-gen consoles and games. The shop will act as an extension of the GameByte website GameByte.com, which hosts its gaming news coverage and features.

Gaming enthusiasts will be able to buy directly from the store or purchase through social by simply clicking on one of GameByte’s Facebook videos, which average more than 25 million views every month.

GameByte’s mantra, ‘by gamers for gamers’, takes centre stage in the creation and launch of the shop, which was ideated based on a survey put to its audience that saw 84% of GameByte’s audience express a desire to buy with GameByte.

GameByte’s head, Rich White, said: “This isn’t just the next generation of GameByte, it’s the next gen of games media. Though it’s never been done before, we’re in the perfect position to launch a gaming e-commerce platform. We know our audience inside-out.”

The same survey found that one-third of gamers discover new brands on social media, emphasising the role that GameByte’s social following will play in the success of the shop.

Four-year-old GameByte has grown until this point by creating fan-centric original content and coverage for household gaming brands like Frontier and Logitech. In a first for games media, the GameByte brand will now become the client, using its tried-and-tested content strategy to market its own products as well as that of its clients.

The GameByte Shop will also act as ad inventory for clients, media buyers and affiliates, who will have the chance to tap into a market of an estimated 2.6 billion active gamers worldwide, a figure that is set to increase by 5% in 2021 to 2.725 billion.

While this is unprecedented in gaming, the move is reminiscent of the beauty brand Glossier’s strategy. Glossier first began as a publisher, Into The Gloss, and soon turned its editorial audience into paying customers, relying on their insight to create smash-hit products.

GameByte, of course, will benefit from the resources of parent company Social Chain, which will assist in content creation across editorial, social-first video and display ads, to promotional posts, performance marketing, driving traffic and customer acquisition.

Social Chain’s business development director, Sam Barrett, added: “We’re already a trusted source of gaming news and entertainment. Now with our proprietary e-commerce platform, we can provide a seamless purchase journey for both our community and for the world’s leading gaming companies, by owning every step involved to help them reach their customers.”

The shop is a natural next step for GameByte, but also hints at the upward trajectory that social commerce is on, with companies like Social Chain at the forefront. What’s more, it promises to demonstrate the power of community and social-first savvy in generating revenue for both the brand and its partners.

*These figures are based on a survey of 1,569 gamers from the GameByte community.

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Carlo Santarelli

Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. Names Carlo Santarelli Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations

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Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. announced that Carlo Santarelli has been appointed Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations, a new position at the Company. Mr. Santarelli will begin his new position on August 18, 2025 and will report to GLPI President and Chief Operating Officer, Brandon Moore.

Mr. Santarelli brings over 25 years of Wall Street experience in Equity Research and Investment Banking to his new role and joins the Company from Deutsche Bank where he was Managing Director of Gaming & Lodging Equity Research. Prior to Deutsche Bank, Mr. Santarelli held similar positions at Bear Stearns, JP Morgan and Wells Fargo. He consistently ranked highly in Institutional Investor and other sell-side analyst research polls as a thought leader in the space, providing unique perspectives on industry events and trends with his data-driven approach and stock picking talent. Carlo Santarelli graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Economics in 2000.

Peter Carlino, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of GLPI, said: “We’ve known and respected Carlo’s research work on the gaming, lodging and gaming REIT sectors for many years. Carlo brings to GLPI an in-depth knowledge of the industry and its participants, having experienced GLPI’s original formation of the gaming triple-net-REIT structure from a research analyst and capital markets perspective. We value his deep network of contacts among institutional investors, sell-side analysts and a wide range of gaming industry operators and we look forward to the value of his contributions.”

In his new role, Mr. Santarelli will work with Mr. Carlino and GLPI’s senior management to develop and evaluate growth opportunities and strategic relationships, and will oversee investor relations interactions.

The post Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc. Names Carlo Santarelli Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Investor Relations appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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VIP Play Announces Departure of Chief Financial Officer

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VIP Play, a technology-driven leader in interactive consumer engagement, announced that Jim Mackey, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, will step down from his role, effective August 8, 2025.

The Company has initiated a transition process and is in the process of identifying a successor. Mackey will assist in an orderly transition over the coming weeks.

“We thank Jim for his contributions to the Company, particularly during a transformative period for our business. We remain focused on executing our strategic priorities, including financial visibility, operating efficiency, and delivering value to our stakeholders,” said Les Ottolenghi, CEO of VIP Play.

The post VIP Play Announces Departure of Chief Financial Officer appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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eSports

Esports Charts Becomes Official Viewership Analytics Partner of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

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Esports Charts, the leading esports viewership analytics provider, has partnered with StarLadder, a pioneering tournament organiser. The Budapest Major 2025 marks a highly anticipated comeback for StarLadder, as it is their first Counter-Strike Major since 2019 and a significant return to the top-tier esports arena.

As the official analytics partner of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, Esports Charts will provide comprehensive, real-time audience data and insights throughout the event. This will empower organisers, teams, sponsors and fans with unparalleled transparency and a deeper understanding of the tournament’s global reach.

Artyom Odintsov, Co-founder and CEO of Esports Charts, said: “We are thrilled and proud to provide viewership analytics for StarLadder for the Budapest Major 2025. Since both Esports Charts and StarLadder are Ukraine-born companies, we share similar values and deal with similar challenges, which brings us even closer.

“It’s genuinely exciting to follow how viewership will develop at this Major. But knowing the expertise, drive, and passion that the organizers are bringing, I have no doubt we’ll witness some incredible things happen in Budapest.

“Esports Charts has always been driven by a mission to provide the esports community with accurate, actionable data, and we look forward to showcasing the impact and audience engagement of this world-class event.”

StarLadder has been a driving force in global esports for almost 15 years now, since hosting its first tournaments in 2011. Renowned for its innovation and reliability, the company has organised some of the industry’s most iconic events. These include the StarLadder Berlin Major 2019, which accumulated over 44 million hours watched and remains in the top 10 CS events by this metric, and the legendary StarSeries tournaments which started back in 2012.

Viacheslav Shcherbakov, Sales and Partnerships at StarLadder, said: “We’ve been working with Esports Charts since their founding and have always valued their professionalism and integrity. In a market where reliable data is essential, Esports Charts provides honest, transparent numbers, exactly the kind of insights sponsors and stakeholders rely on when assessing the potential reach of a World Championship event.

“We’re confident that this partnership will result in a high-quality analysis of our tournament’s performance and the audience data we’ll report to our partners. It’s a collaboration built on trust, shared values, and a deep understanding of what it takes to elevate esports to the next level.”

The Starladder Budapest Major 2025 will be held from November 24 to December 14 in Budapest, Hungary. The event will bring together the world’s top 32 Counter-Strike 2 teams to compete for a $1.25 million prize pool and one of the most prestigious titles in esports.

The post Esports Charts Becomes Official Viewership Analytics Partner of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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