Episode 76: Discord’s Playing the Dating Game for $10 Billion (News Show)

Mar 27, 2021

Multiple reports put Discord in talks with Microsoft and others. We also review GameStop’s earnings, Sony’s stunning silence on a report that it’s closing three digital storefronts, Majesco’s return to retail, and more.

TIME STAMPS

• [00:02:18] - Sony is reportedly set to shutdown PS3, PSP, and Vita digital storefronts
• [00:09:23] - Sony staffing reorganization
• [00:11:52] - M&A Minute(s)
• [00:20:04] - Quick Hits
• [00:33:26] - Majesco returns to retail
• [00:37:13] - Razer earnings
• [00:42:46] - GameStop Earnings
• [00:59:13] - Discord is reportedly looking for a buyer (and may have found one)

NEW WRITING FROM VIRTUAL ECONOMY

• Discord Wants to Tie the $10 Billion Knot, But Which Suitor is Best? - Mike
• Beyond Tom Nook: Reflecting on Animal Crossing One Year Later - Manda

SOURCES

• Report: PS3, Vita, And PSP Stores To Be Permanently Closed In A Few Months (TheGamer)
• Sony Interactive Entertainment Announces New Engineering and Finance Leadership (SIE Blog)
• Discord exploring sale that could be worth more than $10 billion (GamesBeat)
• Razer FY 2020 Investor Presentation
• GameStop Reports Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2020 Results
• Microsoft in Talks to Buy Discord for More Than $10 Billion (Bloomberg - Paywall)
• Microsoft Is in Exclusive Talks to Acquire Discord (WSJ)

M&A Minute

• ByteDance acquires gaming studio Moonton at around $4 billion valuation: sources (Reuters)
• 2K and Visual Concepts Acquire HookBang Game Division
• MTG acquires leading tower defense gaming studio and publisher Ninja Kiwi, the maker of Bloons
• Amazon Games Opens Development Studio in Montreal (Amazon Games) 
• STUDIO'S ROOTS AND ACTIVITIES (Ashborne Games)
• Mobile monetization firm IronSource will go public through SPAC at $11.1 billion valuation (GamesBeat)
• Social gaming platform Rec Room raises $100M at $1.25B valuation (GamesBeat)
• HiDef raises $9m for metaverse project (GamesIndustry)
• Frost Giant Studios raises $5 million (GamesIndustry)