VentureBeat reports: “The Venture Reality Fund said it is tracking over 550 companies on the virtual reality landscape. The major growth areas for investment in VR were gaming, location-based entertainment (LBE), next-generation reality capture, enterprise, and health care.”
The Verge reports: “Microsoft and Sony unveiled a surprising partnership last week that will see the companies collaborate to develop future cloud solutions for game and content-streaming services. While both companies have spent more than 15 years battling it out over PlayStation and Xbox sales, Sony is now looking to Microsoft’s vast cloud experience to help power its existing and future streaming services, and Microsoft is teaming with a rival to fend off far larger gaming threats.”
TechCrunch reports: “Fan reaction to Game of Thrones‘ final season may be mixed, but the show has been undeniably good for HBO’s network — and for its over-the-top streaming service, HBO NOW.”
Hypebot reports: “Two copies of a PledgeMusic presentation apparently designed to attract investors show that the crowdfunder lost nearly $11 million dollars between 2016 and 2018, despite generating more than $77 million in revenue during the same period.”
Forbes reports: “Factions of the media and advertising world have been presaging the end of the television advertising upfronts for decades. It hasn’t happened and it isn’t happening soon – it’s a market that still works for buyers and sellers. But what about the fancy schmancy upfront presentations?”
The Verge reports: “Spotify is beginning to roll out a new design for its mobile app that puts a much larger emphasis on podcasts. The redesign, which the company is rolling out to a limited number of users and was first reported last week by Bloomberg, is proof that Spotify is all-in on podcasts.”
Variety reports: “Brazil’s Grupo Globo and Sony Pictures Television have closed a milestone multi-title production-distribution alliance to co-develop and co-produce two English-language scripted dramas, with a third project forthcoming, all aimed squarely at global markets.”
Variety reports: “Riot Games, makers of “League of Legends,” said Thursday it won’t be changing its use of mandatory arbitration in cases of sexual harassment and sexual discrimination until after its ongoing litigation wraps up, rejecting the demands made by workers who walked out from three locations over the issue last week.”
TechCrunch reports: “Despite a $5.7 million FTC fine and changes to restrict its use by under 13-year-olds, TikTok retained its No. 1 position as the most downloaded app on the Apple App Store for the fifth consecutive quarter, according to a new report from Sensor Tower.”
Forbes reports: “A ticketing firm that got its start offering a modern alternative to the antiquated way Broadway theatergoers bought their discounted tickets (standing in line outside a booth in Times Square) has received a $73 million equity investment led by Great Hill Partners.”
