Gm, welcome to the lobby.

Grab your coffee, ready up, and let’s drop in 🪂
Here’s what we have for you today:

• Disney Gives First Glimpse of $1.5B Payoff with Epic Games/Fortnite Investment at D23 🎮

• Oxygen Esports reportedly to cease operations ❎

• The Latest in UEFN: Fortnite x Fall Guys 🏃

• Genshin Impact x Duo Lingo collaboration 🐦

🎮 Disney Gives First Glimpse of $1.5B Payoff with Epic Games/Fortnite Investment at D23

D23 is Disney’s biennial exposé. The event is the culmination of all things fan experience, and last week we were anticipating a thrilling look at what Epic and Disney could be building together after the news of a $1.5B investment made waves across not just the gaming industry, but all of pop culture.

Those not in attendance at D23’s Disney Experiences Showcase were encouraged to hop into a specially-created Fortnite island to tune into the Disney Horizon panel where viewers were set to learn more about new additions to Disney Parks (actually, really dope stuff coming on that front) as well as what was coming to Epic’s cash cow.

While what we got was not necessarily the manifestation of “an all-new games and entertainment universe that will further expand the reach of beloved Disney stories and experiences,” we did see the trailer for their game’s next big crossover moment as well as a looootttt of new skins, abilities and in-game items.

Panelists:

• Dave Filoni, LucasFilm

• Jennifer Lee, Disney Animation

• Pete Docter, Pixar

• Kevin Feige, Marvel

Reveals and Teasers:

• Disney Villains

• The Incredibles

• The Mandalorian

• Fortnite Season 4 premiere chapter “Absolute Doom”

👀 Our POV

Fortnite is the pinnacle of communal virtual events. From concerts to sneak peeks of footage, these kinds of events bring in millions. The official tally for D23’s attendees in Fortnite hit 1.5M, which is nothing to shake a stick at, but technical hiccups and a rather dull gameplay experience paled in comparison to what these types of moments have come to be known as. A few thoughts specifically regarding this moment in Fortnite history:

1. While yet another integration of IP is now table stakes in Fortnite, keep in mind that the relationship is still in its early stages. The team revealed a ridiculous amount of new in-game content that brings even more of Disney’s popular characters into their universe, as well as some fun crossover characters like Peelverine.
   

2. If nothing else, this reaffirmed that playability needs to be the first priority when designing these custom Fortnite experiences. We are years into the lifecycle of brands developing their own moments and game modes on the platform and as the entire team has pleaded with their various employers, brand is key but secondary. Always. Players aren’t going to give your experience any time of day if it’s not fun. When you don’t keep the gamer at the core of your creation, you get write ups like this.

Regardless, go watch the panel (Island Code 7908-6413-2516) and tout an exclusive Peelverine back bling after the program stops looping and the new season begins Friday, August 16.

- Brandon Painter (Private Lobby)

❎ Oxygen Esports reportedly to cease operations

According to multiple sources that relayed the information to Dexerto, Oxygen Esports is currently in the midst of laying off all staff and ceasing operations completely. This comes after three years after partnering with the New England Patriots owner, Kraft Sports & Entertainment.

Oxygen (OXY) Esports fielded varying teams across differing titles, from VALORANT, Rocket League, Apex Legends, Rainbow 6 and most importantly, created the Call of Duty franchise team, Boston Breach. The organization had merged with Kraft Sports & Entertainment not long after its inception.

In spite of strong attempts from the Esports organization to field competitive teams across these titles, the organization scored middling results with no home championships being brought back to their Helix Esports facility at Patriot Place.

Several Dexerto sources claim that the time is almost up for Oxygen Esports fellows. The organization is in the process of laying off its entire staff and ceasing operations moving forward. For the org’s players, this also means losing complete access to their Esports facility and their homestead.

This situation for the Oxygen organization continues to develop in spite of the news breaking almost a week ago. Many staff members are still left in the dark, awaiting what their next steps are for their career and livelihood.

👀 Our POV 

The Esports winter continues to ravage on. Many non-endemic sports hegemons are realizing the level of commitment, and perhaps even pitfalls, that comes with investing in Esports generally. Many owners expect fast results and quick turnarounds on revenue, but the longer these traditional sports entities stay in the industry, the sooner they realize that this outcome isn’t generally possible in the space.

So what bodes for Esports now? Time can possibly tell still as we’re still in the midst of understanding what the right business model will look like for these organizations. The hopeful side of Kari truly believes that diversifying your portfolio as a gaming company is the most meaningful impact you can bring to the space while seeing a reserved level of consistent revenue. However, I think it is still too early to tell.

- Kariann Tan (Private Lobby)

🏃 The Latest in UEFN: Fortnite x Fall Guys

Fortnite x Fall Guys has officially landed! The August 6th update didn’t just bring creator-made Fall Guys islands into Fortnite—it also rolled out new Fall Guys-themed quests and six official Fortnite x Fall Guys maps.

Just like LEGO Fortnite, Fall Guys in UEFN is making waves. Right now, the top 10 Fortnite x Fall Guys maps are buzzing with around 16,000 concurrent players. Even more impressive, two of these maps have secured spots in the top 50 across the entire Fortnite ecosystem. It’s clear that the community is embracing the quirky, lovable mechanics of Fall Guys in UEFN, adding a fresh twist to the Fortnite experience.

👀 Our POV 

The potential with Fortnite x Fall Guys and what lies ahead for UEFN collaborations is really exciting. It’s incredible to see the community embrace the quirky, lovable mechanics of Fall Guys in UEFN.

I’ve been in the Fortnite scene since 2018, and I know how quickly the community can innovate and push boundaries. I’m excited to see where this goes from here. The next big hit could be just around the corner, and I can't wait to dive in and experience what creators come up with!

- Mackenzie Jackson (Private Lobby)

🐦 Genshin Impact x Duo Lingo collaboration

Hoyoverse has announced a Genshin Impact x Duolingo collaboration. The collaboration was revealed at Anime Expo with Duo with the Duolingo mascot dressing up as Genshin Impact's Klee.

The initially puzzling collaboration tease at Anime-Expo had fans wondering what was to come; however, the collaboration is pretty straightforward, offering fans two artworks of Klee and Duo, a Genshin Impact code, and a one-month free trial of Super Duolingo. The artwork features a chibi Klee and Duo in front of a stone-like figure, hinting at upcoming Genshin Impact events. The collaboration ran from July 11-18, 2024, with codes available through an exclusive redemption site.

This funky collaboration also features a huge wave of UGC and influencer content (100+) that integrates Duo with the Genshin Impact cast across social media.

👀 Our POV 

Never in a million years would I be able to predict this collaboration crossover.

I think from a social media standpoint, this collaboration had a lot of potential to be hilarious. Duo is an iconic mascot known for being vaguely threatening in a very Gen-Z appeal, and Genshin impact has a very creative and fun fanbase and is no stranger to odd collaborations.

I think all in all it was a pretty fun, short collaboration that was good while it lasted.

- Trinity Nguyen (Private Lobby)

💼 Job Board

• Director, Social Media & Editorial for Epic Games (Cary, NC)

• Community Manager for Overwolf (Ramat Gan, Israel)

• Senior Community Manager for Two Point Studios (Farnham, UK)

• Design Lead - Skate for Electronic Arts (Vancouver, Canada)

• Integrated Marketing Manager for Mythic Talent (Remote)

🌞 Share of the Week

🤔 Feedback Loop

🤝 Share Private Lobby

Help your colleagues, friends, and teammates stay up to date on the latest gaming & esports marketing news by sharing our link: https://privatelobby.gg/subscribe

Disclaimer: our views are ours and in no way represent those of our employers.