Skillz Launches Cross-Platform eSports Tournament Management System
First cross-platform multiplayer system enables eSports competitions for over 2 billion mobile gamers worldwide
Jan 20, 2016, 09:00 ET
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Skillz, the worldwide leader in mobile eSports, today announced the launch of the first ever cross-platform multiplayer system for mobile games. The latest release from Skillz allows Android and iOS gamers to compete directly against each other in the company's 150,000 daily eSports competitions.
eSports have grown rapidly over the past year. The most popular eSports competition in 2015 drew over 36 million spectators, more than twice as many as the final game of the 2015 MLB World Series. With over 7 million registered players and over 1,100 developer partners, Skillz has established mobile gaming as a major driver for the industry's growth. In 2015, Skillz paid out over 20% of the $80,000,000 awarded across all eSports, according to data from eSportsEarnings.com.
While mobile has rapidly become the most popular platform in gaming history, the lack of crossplatform competition has fragmented the mobile player base. By unifying the competitive audience across mobile platforms and ensuring fair and fun competition, Skillz is empowering developers to create the next generation of electronic sports.
"As eSports achieve mainstream adoption, multiplayer competitions should be accessible to all 2.1 billion mobile gamers worldwide," said Andrew Paradise, founder and CEO of Skillz. "Just like the AFL - NFL merger in 1966, or the ABA - NBA merger in 1976, we are unifying the competitive ecosystems of the two most popular mobile eSports platforms. This is a seminal moment in the future of sports."
eSports have recently attracted significant investments from MLB, NBA and NFL team owners. In June, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban invested in daily fantasy sports site Unikrn, and in September, Skillz announced $15,000,000 in new funding, including investments from the owners of the New England Patriots, Milwaukee Bucks and New York Mets.
Players interested in competing can visit www.skillz.com on their mobile device.
Developers interested in implementing the Skillz Tournament Management System can visit: www.skillz.com/developers.
Want to become a Skillz affiliate? Please visit: www.skillz.com/affiliates.
About Skillz
Skillz is the worldwide leader in mobile eSports. Skillz has hosted more than 70 million mobile eSports tournaments for players in over 180 countries. More than 1,100 game studios use the Skillz Tournament Management System, which pays out over $2 million in cash prizes to players every month. The company believes in making mobile games more fun and competitive for players while making game creation more lucrative for developers. Founded in 2012, Skillz has offices in San Francisco and Boston and has raised over $28 million in funding. To learn more, visit www.skillz.com.
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