How does an SF board game store exist in a digital world?

In 1985, Nintendo launched its Nintendo Entertainment System gaming console in North America in what's remembered as a watershed moment for video games. That same year, San Francisco resident Robert Hamilton invested in hobby games, which are largely analog, when he opened Gamescape in the Western Addition. It was a bit of a gamble. Gamers were getting more into video games like Super Mario Bros. and Excitebike, and he already had a game store, Gambit — which he opened in the 1970s — close on him.

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PlayNetwork

PlayNetwork is a consumer engagement company that helps brands use entertainment media to connect with customers, in-store and beyond. Entertainment media (music, video, and other content formats) is a powerful brand component that adds what other things can’t: emotion.

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Technologies, Business

Metaverse: Transforming B2B Businesses with Technology

Article | August 3, 2022

In the 3D interactive space of metaverse, nothing is impossible. People from various corners of the world can create, share, and explore virtual worlds in this space. They can also interact, trade, and do business. What does metaverse offer B2B businesses, though? Let us take a look. From Virtual Storefronts to Digital Employees While metaverse is still in the early stages of development, businesses can have their own virtual storefronts, digital employees, and virtual currency in a virtual reality. Business exclusive metaverse platforms like Sansar, Somnium Space, and Decentraland offer companies an option to establish their virtual presence. How is Metaverse Transforming B2B Businesses? Metaverse presents businesses with the unique opportunity to build client relationships face-to-face. Branded experiences like product announcements, product showrooms, company updates, educational sessions, conferences, and networking events can be done in metaverse. Let us explore other ways in which metaverse can enrich B2B businesses: Richer Customer Experience Immersive buyer experiences influence prospects to make purchase decisions faster. B2B sellers in metaverse can create such experiences through interactions that surpass traditional sales approaches and focus on visually attractive sales presentations to convert prospects. Effective Marketing and Advertising New marketing and advertising opportunities in metaverse are developing with every passing day. Over time, companies may be able to sponsor events or create targets ads to attract a certain demographic. The companies that establish themselves in the metaverse might have a bigger advantage in this regard compared to the companies that venture into it later. Higher ROI and Sales Increasing sales and ROI are crucial for every business. Reaching new markets and tapping into new revenue sources is easier with metaverse. It will allow salespeople to host multiple meetings with buyers living in different parts of the world without having to leave their actual office, saving multiple costs while conveniently still creating client relationships that last. Improved Workforce Efficiency Metaverse-based training simulations help employees upgrade their skills. Additionally, customer service associates can create avatars to provide business customers assistance in real-time. Metaverse encourages employees to communicate better and allows remote employees to virtually connect for projects, meetings, and feedback. Last Word B2B businesses can capitalize on the convenience of metaverse and harness this latest technology to offer their customers visually immersive experiences.

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Technologies, Virtualization

FILM PRODUCERS FLIP BARGAINING TABLE WITH UNIONIZING EFFORT

Article | August 2, 2022

Movie producers often find themselves negotiating with talent and crew members, and/or their production union representatives, over pay and benefits. But a group of 108 producers flipped the script Thursday in announcing they were looking to form a union of their own.Higher minimum pay and health benefits were cited as the two major reasons. While the group, called the Producers Union, boasts some heavy hitters such as Chris Moore (Manchester by the Sea) and Rebecca Green (It Follows), they made it clear that the traditional image of a Hollywood producer is misleading. Many are just getting by, project to project, looking for a breakout hit to up their quote. According to a survey released this year, 41% of producers made less than $25,000 in the pre-pandemic boom times of 2019. The Producers Union has developed a constitution with provisions for dues and diversity initiatives, with the aim of eventually negotiating a collective bargaining agreement with distributors and other film financiers. Previous efforts by producers to unionize have been thwarted by the courts and the National Labor Relations Board, according to Variety, as the NLRB saw them as supervisors and employers – which creates a high barrier to organizing.

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Technologies

New Doom VR Mod Releasing Soon For Oculus Quest

Article | February 14, 2022

The release will feature 5 sets of VR weapons and a launcher that will allow you to mix and match different Doom mods with ease. There’s support for smooth locomotion and teleport movement options, plus you’ll be able to switch between a couple of different walking speeds for the former. The person behind the mod is DrBeef, who has previously completed a number of well-known Quest ports and VR projects. He was behind the Lambda1VR mod for Oculus Quest, as well as QuakeQuest and many others.

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20 GAMING COMPANIES IN ATLANTA ADDING NEW ELEMENTS TO A DECADES-OLD INDUSTRY

Article | April 20, 2020

Considering Atlanta is known for its status as a burgeoning entertainment capital, it’s no surprise that the city boasts a large number of gaming professionals. According to reports, the video game market in America was estimated at $17.69 billion in 2016, with the global market valued at $75 billion that same year. Esports in particular have increased in popularity, leading to the rise of games like “Fortnite,” “League of Legends” and “Overwatch.”

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PlayNetwork

PlayNetwork is a consumer engagement company that helps brands use entertainment media to connect with customers, in-store and beyond. Entertainment media (music, video, and other content formats) is a powerful brand component that adds what other things can’t: emotion.

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ComingSoon Expands Entertainment News Coverage

PR Newswire | October 05, 2023

Evolve Media LLC, a passion-based publisher of some of the most influential internet brands since 1996, announced that its marquee entertainment site ComingSoon is continuing to grow and expand its coverage areas. ComingSoon will expand to new coverage areas, including Bollywood With traffic up 79 percent since April 2023, ComingSoon is expanding in order to continue its rapid growth since a redesign was launched in December 2022. The site is now broadening its entertainment coverage into new areas, including Indian films and television, Korean dramas, reality television, documentaries, and true crime. All of these new verticals will be easily accessible in the site's revamped navigation bar as coverage is rolled out. ComingSoon will also further commit resources to delivering top-notch anime, documentary and horror coverage, which have become key elements of the entertainment site. It will also continue to produce top-quality features and reviews that are just as engaging as they are informative, while also conducting interviews with some of Hollywood's biggest directors and stars. "Our goal is to make ComingSoon a one-stop destination for media consumers all over the world," said Todd Jacobs, Director of Content & Operations at Evolve Media. "With these strategic investments, ComingSoon will exponentially expand their global audience." "Thanks to streaming, we've seen entertainment around the globe become pop culture phenomenons," said Tyler Treese, Frontpage Editorial Manager of Evolve Media's Entertainment and Gaming Division. "International hits like Squid Game and Jawan have shown that Korea and India are producing incredible content, while anime continues to grow in popularity. We'll finally be able to cover these areas with the news coverage they deserve, and help fans figure out the next show to binge or what film to invite their friends over to watch." About Evolve Media, LLC Evolve Media is a premium publisher of leading enthusiast destinations for influential men and women. Leveraging proprietary advertising and publishing technologies, as well as hundreds of talented content professionals, Evolve Media offers premium and engaging content to its readers, while offering marketers the tools needed to execute custom, content-led marketing solutions that reach its audience of over 78 million people globally each month.

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Products

Voicemod and CORSAIR Expand Collaboration to Drive the Future of Social Audio in Interactive Gaming and Content Creation

Voicemod | October 19, 2021

Voicemod, the world leader in augmented voice and interactive audio, today announced the expansion of its strategic B2B relationship with CORSAIR, a world leader in high-performance gear for gamers and content creators. Voicemod’s voice morphing technology is now directly integrated into the CORSAIR iCUE software platform, making it more easily available to CORSAIR’s 10 million users to create and shape dynamic social interactions and real-time engagement. Voicemod builds audio tools that make it easy for anyone to create a unique sonic identity. This collaboration with CORSAIR solidifies Voicemod’s B2B expansion strategy and mission to cultivate an ecosystem around the company’s interactive audio technology and voice avatars. Social gaming has dramatically evolved over the last 19 months, as the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed movement and made virtual connections more appealing. By utilizing Voicemod’s audio technology, gamers can shape and enhance their sonic identity for more engaging conversations with their teammates over the internet, regardless of location. The iCUE integration enables easy configuration of RGB effects and audio, creating richer experiences that drive participation and turn extended gameplay into meaningful and creative social interactions. We are delighted to integrate Voicemod functionality into CORSAIR iCUE, enabling users to configure all keyboard keys with easily accessible voice changers and soundboards.Working with the team at Voicemod has been fantastic and beneficial to us both, as Voicemod has already become the most popular app for Elgato Stream Deck. We're excited at the prospect of further collaboration and integration of more Voicemod functions in future CORSAIR products.” Matt Dresser, senior software product manager at CORSAIR. “We’re delighted to strengthen our bond with CORSAIR who share our vision forging the future of real-time engagement,” said Voicemod CEO and co-founder Jaime Bosch. “As our digital experiences move closer to an immersive metaverse, we want to enable users and content creators to shape how they sound and to create, use, and own their unique voice avatars and sonic identities. This collaboration with CORSAIR is an important stride toward that goal.” About CORSAIR CORSAIR is a leading global developer and manufacturer of high-performance gear and technology for gamers, content creators, and PC enthusiasts. From award-winning PC components and peripherals, to premium streaming equipment and smart ambient lighting, CORSAIR delivers a full ecosystem of products that work together to enable everyone, from casual gamers to committed professionals, to perform at their very best. About Voicemod Voicemod is the leader in real-time audio augmentation. Developers trust Voicemod’s audio technology to help end-users create virtual voices and define their sonic identities. As companies strive to build a responsible metaverse, Voicemod is the tool that helps gamers, content creators, and professionals of all skill levels find the voice that best expresses themselves as they play, work, create, and entertain.

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Female-Owned Canela Media Secures Seed Round Funding To Support The Expansion Of Canela.TV

prnewswire | October 19, 2020

Canela Media, an industry-leading, Latina-owned digital media company announced today that it has closed a $3 million Seed round, bringing total funding this year to $5 million. The investment represents a significant growth milestone for the company that has primarily bootstrapped its way to #4 in Hispanic audience market reach. The majority-female and BIPOC syndicate was co-led by BBG Ventures and Reinventure Capital and joined by Mighty Capital, Angeles Investors, Portfolia's Rising America Fund, and Alumni Ventures Group. The new capital will be used to drive the continued growth of the recently launched free streaming service Canela.TV, that provides culturally relevant content to U.S. Latinos.

Read More

Applications

ComingSoon Expands Entertainment News Coverage

PR Newswire | October 05, 2023

Evolve Media LLC, a passion-based publisher of some of the most influential internet brands since 1996, announced that its marquee entertainment site ComingSoon is continuing to grow and expand its coverage areas. ComingSoon will expand to new coverage areas, including Bollywood With traffic up 79 percent since April 2023, ComingSoon is expanding in order to continue its rapid growth since a redesign was launched in December 2022. The site is now broadening its entertainment coverage into new areas, including Indian films and television, Korean dramas, reality television, documentaries, and true crime. All of these new verticals will be easily accessible in the site's revamped navigation bar as coverage is rolled out. ComingSoon will also further commit resources to delivering top-notch anime, documentary and horror coverage, which have become key elements of the entertainment site. It will also continue to produce top-quality features and reviews that are just as engaging as they are informative, while also conducting interviews with some of Hollywood's biggest directors and stars. "Our goal is to make ComingSoon a one-stop destination for media consumers all over the world," said Todd Jacobs, Director of Content & Operations at Evolve Media. "With these strategic investments, ComingSoon will exponentially expand their global audience." "Thanks to streaming, we've seen entertainment around the globe become pop culture phenomenons," said Tyler Treese, Frontpage Editorial Manager of Evolve Media's Entertainment and Gaming Division. "International hits like Squid Game and Jawan have shown that Korea and India are producing incredible content, while anime continues to grow in popularity. We'll finally be able to cover these areas with the news coverage they deserve, and help fans figure out the next show to binge or what film to invite their friends over to watch." About Evolve Media, LLC Evolve Media is a premium publisher of leading enthusiast destinations for influential men and women. Leveraging proprietary advertising and publishing technologies, as well as hundreds of talented content professionals, Evolve Media offers premium and engaging content to its readers, while offering marketers the tools needed to execute custom, content-led marketing solutions that reach its audience of over 78 million people globally each month.

Read More

Products

Voicemod and CORSAIR Expand Collaboration to Drive the Future of Social Audio in Interactive Gaming and Content Creation

Voicemod | October 19, 2021

Voicemod, the world leader in augmented voice and interactive audio, today announced the expansion of its strategic B2B relationship with CORSAIR, a world leader in high-performance gear for gamers and content creators. Voicemod’s voice morphing technology is now directly integrated into the CORSAIR iCUE software platform, making it more easily available to CORSAIR’s 10 million users to create and shape dynamic social interactions and real-time engagement. Voicemod builds audio tools that make it easy for anyone to create a unique sonic identity. This collaboration with CORSAIR solidifies Voicemod’s B2B expansion strategy and mission to cultivate an ecosystem around the company’s interactive audio technology and voice avatars. Social gaming has dramatically evolved over the last 19 months, as the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed movement and made virtual connections more appealing. By utilizing Voicemod’s audio technology, gamers can shape and enhance their sonic identity for more engaging conversations with their teammates over the internet, regardless of location. The iCUE integration enables easy configuration of RGB effects and audio, creating richer experiences that drive participation and turn extended gameplay into meaningful and creative social interactions. We are delighted to integrate Voicemod functionality into CORSAIR iCUE, enabling users to configure all keyboard keys with easily accessible voice changers and soundboards.Working with the team at Voicemod has been fantastic and beneficial to us both, as Voicemod has already become the most popular app for Elgato Stream Deck. We're excited at the prospect of further collaboration and integration of more Voicemod functions in future CORSAIR products.” Matt Dresser, senior software product manager at CORSAIR. “We’re delighted to strengthen our bond with CORSAIR who share our vision forging the future of real-time engagement,” said Voicemod CEO and co-founder Jaime Bosch. “As our digital experiences move closer to an immersive metaverse, we want to enable users and content creators to shape how they sound and to create, use, and own their unique voice avatars and sonic identities. This collaboration with CORSAIR is an important stride toward that goal.” About CORSAIR CORSAIR is a leading global developer and manufacturer of high-performance gear and technology for gamers, content creators, and PC enthusiasts. From award-winning PC components and peripherals, to premium streaming equipment and smart ambient lighting, CORSAIR delivers a full ecosystem of products that work together to enable everyone, from casual gamers to committed professionals, to perform at their very best. About Voicemod Voicemod is the leader in real-time audio augmentation. Developers trust Voicemod’s audio technology to help end-users create virtual voices and define their sonic identities. As companies strive to build a responsible metaverse, Voicemod is the tool that helps gamers, content creators, and professionals of all skill levels find the voice that best expresses themselves as they play, work, create, and entertain.

Read More

Female-Owned Canela Media Secures Seed Round Funding To Support The Expansion Of Canela.TV

prnewswire | October 19, 2020

Canela Media, an industry-leading, Latina-owned digital media company announced today that it has closed a $3 million Seed round, bringing total funding this year to $5 million. The investment represents a significant growth milestone for the company that has primarily bootstrapped its way to #4 in Hispanic audience market reach. The majority-female and BIPOC syndicate was co-led by BBG Ventures and Reinventure Capital and joined by Mighty Capital, Angeles Investors, Portfolia's Rising America Fund, and Alumni Ventures Group. The new capital will be used to drive the continued growth of the recently launched free streaming service Canela.TV, that provides culturally relevant content to U.S. Latinos.

Read More

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