India’s Women in Gaming Take Center Stage
In today’s Pixel, we report on the Indian gaming industry’s new initiative to expand opportunities for women. We also cover a Quantum Tech Partners report indicating a slowdown in gaming mergers and acquisitions, and spotlight IEM Katowice’s new viewership record.
India’s Gaming Sector Celebrates Female Trailblazers with the First Mabel Addis Women in Games Month
India’s gaming industry is taking steps to address gender imbalances with the launch of its inaugural Mabel Addis Women in Games Month. The month-long initiative aims to spotlight the stark underrepresentation of women in game development, design and leadership roles.
The initiative honors Mabel Addis, known as the first female video game designer and writer, credited with the 1964 interactive title The Sumerian Game. Spearheaded by the M-League Foundation, the month-long campaign will feature workshops, panel discussions, and networking events aimed at mentoring and expanding career opportunities for women in the sector.
Gaming M&A Slowed, Yet Fundraising Surged in 2024
In 2024, gaming mergers and acquisitions declined slightly by 3%, totaling $11.5 billion, according to a Quantum Tech Partners report highlighted by GamesBeat. Despite a post-pandemic slowdown—after a boom driven by low interest rates—the market remained active thanks to major deals like EQT’s $2.8 billion acquisition of Keywords Studios and Playtika’s deal (valued at up to $1.95 billion) for SuperPlay.
At the same time, fundraising experienced a significant surge. Nearly 1,000 deals, each averaging $27 million, boosted average quarterly funding totals to $4.3 billion, a sharp increase from the $2 billion seen in 2023. Looking ahead to 2025, the industry is expected to see modest growth in both mergers and acquisitions as well as fundraising.
⚡Quick Bytes
IEM Katowice 2025 Surpasses 1.3M Peak Viewers, a Benchmark for Non-Major Tournaments
The record-breaking peak viewership set during the Grand Final between Team Vitality and Team Spirit is a new high for non-Major Counter-Strike tournaments. Esports charts data indicates that peak viewership rose by 33.7% and average viewers were up by 32.6% compared with last year’s figures.
Square Enix Reports Revenue Decline, Totals $1.6bn Over Nine Months
Square Enix reported a 3.5% decline in net sales to ¥248.5B ($1.6B) and a 7.7% drop in profit to ¥24.7B ($161.9M) for the nine months ended December 31, 2024. The company confirmed no changes in its forecast for the fiscal year.
💡Did You Know
Journey, the rock band behind “Don’t Stop Believin’,” made an unexpected foray into video games in 1982 with the release of Journey Escape for the Atari 2600. The game, inspired by the band’s 1981 album Escape, challenges players to guide each band member through a series of obstacles, from dodging zealous groupies and stealthy photographers to evading aggressive promoters, in a race to reach their Scarab Escape Vehicle.
Developed by Data Age, Journey Escape marked one of the earliest instances of a licensed band video game, coming nearly 30 years before titles like Guitar Hero: Aerosmith would hit the market. Although contemporary reviews were mixed and the game itself has largely faded into obscurity, its existence serves as a reminder of the innovative marketing strategies that defined the early intersection of rock music and video gaming.
📜Quote of the Day
“Life is cruel. Of this I have no doubt. One can only hope that one leaves behind a lasting legacy. But so often, the legacies we leave behind... are not the ones we intended.”
Queen Myrrah, Gears of War 2
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