Skillz Weekly News Recap - Tennis Player Taylor Fritz Invests in ReKTGlobal

Skillz Weekly News Recap – Tennis Player Taylor Fritz Invests in ReKTGlobal

Tennis player Taylor Fritz invested in ReKTGlobal. An avid gamer, this marks Taylor’s first investment in the esports industry. (Forbes)

Snapchat will launch Bitmoji TV in February 2020. The cartoon show will showcase each user’s Bitmoji avatar in a full-motion cartoon series that features spaceships, secret agents, and zombies. (TechCrunch)
Valve’s Steam is now available on Apple Watch through an app titled Smoke. The Smoke application gives Apple Watch owners direct access to their Steam accounts. (The Verge)
Samsung is launching “Lite” versions of the popular Galaxy S10 and Note 10 devices. The Lite versions will have minor differences, including a downgraded screen compared to their original counterparts. (TechCrunch)
Dell announced that its customers will be able to connect their PCs with iOS devices through the Mobile Connect app. The application allows users to wirelessly transfer photos and videos through the app. (The Verge)
Samsung recently updated its line of gaming monitors, now featuring 240Hz technology. The new 1000R curve on Samsung’s gaming monitors makes the display deeper than previous models. (CNET)

“Grand Theft Auto 5” was added to Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass. The 2013 title is one of the most-viewed games on Twitch and is consistently in the top five games played on Steam. (VentureBeat)
Twitch is offering 10 games for free during the month of January. These games include titles such as “Ape Out,” “Splasher,” “Dandara,” and more. (Polygon)
Facebook Gaming launched two new Pokémon games exclusive to its platform. “Pokémon Tower Battle” and “Pokémon Medallion Battle” feature head-to-head competition. (The Verge)
For the start of 2020, the Epic Games Store featured three free games on its platform. Available until January 9, the three games are “Darksiders,” “Darksiders 2,” and “Steep.” (Polygon)
Lowkey.gg launched as an esports tournament platform for adult gamers. The platform aims to connect adult gamers through teams of like-minded players competing in games like “League of Legends.” (TechCrunch)

According to Sensor Tower, mobile game spending reached $210 million on Christmas Day. In the United States, 2019 spending across the App Store and Google Play saw year-over-year growth of two percent. (GamesIndustry.biz)
Gaming hardware company Razer applied for a digital full bank license in Singapore. The digital bank will focus on youth and millennial audiences, with hopes to integrate experiences into its platform. (CNBC)
“NBA 2K” team Magic Gaming entered a multi-year partnership with Anheuser-Busch’s Bud Light. The partnership includes a tournament series, allowing for additional content and experiences for players and spectators. (Esports Insider)
India-based Baazi Games will invest $5 million in new game-related companies. The company plans to use these funds to incubate new technology and advance the future of gaming in India. (SportBusiness)