Enthusiast Gaming
{{short description|Canadian digital media company}}
{{For|enthusiast computer hardware that is often used for gaming|Enthusiast computing}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Enthusiast Gaming
| trade_name = Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc.
| type = Public
| traded_as = {{TSX|EGLX}}
| industry = Video game journalism
| founded = {{Start date and age|2014}}
| founder = Menashe Kestenbaum
| key_people = Francesco Aquilini (Chairman)
Adrian Montgomery (Interim CEO)
| hq_location_city = Los Angeles
| hq_location_country = CA
| subsid = Luminosity Gaming
| website = https://www.enthusiastgaming.com
}}
Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. is a Canadian digital media company specializing in video game journalism. Founded in 2014 by entrepreneur Menashe Kestenbaum, the company owned the websites Destructoid and Escapist Magazine from 2014 to September 2022, as well the gaming convention Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo (EGLX). The company went public on the TSX Venture Exchange in October 2018.{{Cite news |last=Takahashi |first=Dean |date=2018-10-04 |title=Enthusiast Gaming goes public in Canada to build game fan network |language=en-US |work=Venture Beat |url=https://venturebeat.com/2018/10/04/enthusiast-gaming-goes-public-in-canada-to-build-game-fan-network/ |access-date=2018-11-23}} In January 2020, the company's listing moved to the Toronto Stock Exchange.{{Cite web |last=Gaming |first=Enthusiast |date=January 21, 2020 |title=Enthusiast Gaming to Commence Trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange |url=https://www.enthusiastgaming.com/enthusiast-gaming-to-commence-trading-on-the-toronto-stock-exchange/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=Enthusiast Gaming |language=en-US}} The company was also trading on the Nasdaq from April 2021 to October 2023.{{Cite web |last=Gaming |first=Enthusiast |date=April 20, 2021 |title=Enthusiast Gaming to Commence Trading on Nasdaq |url=https://www.enthusiastgaming.com/enthusiast-gaming-to-commence-trading-on-nasdaq/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=Enthusiast Gaming |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-10-30 |title=NOTIFICATION OF REMOVAL FROM LISTING AND/OR REGISTRATION UNDER SECTION 12(b) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1854233/000153949723001798/n2484_x133-form25.htm |access-date=2024-04-26 |website=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission}} Enthusiast Gaming owns a number of websites and runs an annual convention in Toronto.
Brands
= Websites =
- DiabloII Net & Wiki (acquired 2018)
- Gaming Street (founded 2019)
- Planet Destiny (acquired 2019)
- Steel Media (Pocket Gamer) (acquired 2019){{cite magazine |last1=Blake |first1=Vikki |date=23 January 2019 |title=Enthusiast Gaming seeks to acquire B2B game network Steel Media |url=https://www.mcvuk.com/business-news/enthusiast-gaming-seeks-to-acquire-b2b-game-network-steel-media/ |magazine=MCV/DEVELOP}}
- The Sims Resource (acquired 2019){{Cite web |last=Gaming |first=Enthusiast |date=January 7, 2019 |title=Enthusiast Gaming to Acquire "The Sims Resource", The World's Largest Female Video Gaming Website |url=https://www.enthusiastgaming.com/enthusiast-gaming-to-acquire-the-sims-resource-the-worlds-largest-female-video-gaming-website/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=Enthusiast Gaming |language=en-US}}
- Omnia Media (acquired 2020){{Cite web |last=Settimi |first=Christina |date=August 6, 2020 |title=Enthusiast Gaming Acquires Media Company Tied To Shroud, Pokimane, MrBeast; Wants To Build A Gaming Social Network |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinasettimi/2020/08/06/esports-enthusiast-gaming-acquires-video-game-network-behind-shroud-pokimane-mrbeast-wants-to-create-largest-gaming-social-network/?sh=33a00c612492 |access-date=December 21, 2020 |website=Forbes}}
- Vedatis (Icy Veins) (acquired 2021){{Cite web |last=Seck |first=Tobias |date=May 11, 2021 |title=Enthusiast Gaming Completes Acquisition of Icy Veins – ARCHIVE - The Esports Observer |url=https://archive.esportsobserver.com/enthusiast-acquires-icy-veins/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=The Esports Observer |language=en-US}}
- Tabwire (Tabstats) (acquired 2021){{Cite press release |last= |first= |date=June 24, 2021 |title=Enthusiast Gaming Closes Acquisition of Tabwire |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2021/06/24/2252435/0/en/Enthusiast-Gaming-Closes-Acquisition-of-Tabwire.html |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=GlobeNewswire |language=en}}
- GameKnot (acquired 2021){{Cite web |last=Gaming |first=Enthusiast |date=September 2, 2021 |title=Enthusiast Gaming Announces Acquisition of GameKnot |url=https://www.enthusiastgaming.com/enthusiast-gaming-announces-acquisition-of-gameknot/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=Enthusiast Gaming |language=en-US}}
- Addicting Games (acquired 2021){{Cite web |last=Orr |first=Aaron |date=September 7, 2021 |title=Enthusiast Gaming acquires Addicting Games for $34 million |url=https://www.pocketgamer.biz/news/77165/enthusiast-gaming-addicting-games/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=Pocket Gamer}}
- U.GG (acquired 2021){{Cite web |last=Stubbs |first=Mike |date=November 23, 2021 |title=Enthusiast Gaming Acquires U.GG For $45 Million To Enter 'League Of Legends' Space |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikestubbs/2021/11/23/enthusiast-gaming-acquires-ugg-for-44-million-to-enter-league-of-legends-space/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=Forbes |language=en}}
- Beyond Games (founded 2021){{Cite web |last=Bradley |first=Dave |date=September 15, 2021 |title=Steel Media launches BeyondGames.biz |url=https://www.pocketgamer.biz/news/77198/steel-media-launches-beyondgamesbiz/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=Pocket Gamer}}
== Former ==
Gamurs Group acquired six websites and several brands from Enthusiast Gaming in September 2022:{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/gamurs-group-buying-enthusiast-gaming-sites-report |title=Gamurs Group buying Enthusiast Gaming sites |last=Sinclair |first=Brendan |work=Gamesindustry.biz |publisher=Gamer Network |date=September 30, 2022 |accessdate=September 30, 2022 }}
- Destructoid (acquired 2017){{cite magazine |date=June 22, 2017 |title=Enthusiast Gaming acquires Destructoid |url=https://www.mcvuk.com/business-news/media-pr/enthusiast-gaming-acquires-destructoid/ |magazine=MCV/DEVELOP}}
- Flixist (acquired 2017)
- Japanator (acquired 2017 and merged into Siliconera){{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Siliconera |date=2020-02-11 |title=Siliconera and Japanator Are Teaming Up |url=https://www.siliconera.com/siliconera-and-japanator-are-teaming-up/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=Siliconera |language=en-US}}
- Gamnesia (acquired 2018 and merged into Nintendo Enthusiast)
- Nintendo Enthusiast (founded 2011 by Enthusiast Gaming founder and merged into Destructoid)
- The Escapist (acquired 2018){{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/defy-media-escapist-acquired-enthusiast-gaming-1202886978/|title=Defy Media Sells The Escapist Gaming Site to Canada's Enthusiast Gaming|last=Spangler|first=Todd|date=July 26, 2018|work=Variety|publisher=Penske Media Corporation|access-date=July 26, 2018}}
- Gameumentary (acquired 2018)
- Only Single Player (acquired 2016)
- Operation Sports (acquired 2018)
- PC Invasion (acquired 2018)
- PC Enthusiast (founded 2015 and merged into PC Invasion)
- Siliconera (acquired 2019)
- Upcomer (founded 2021)
- Daily Esports (founded 2018 and merged into Upcomer)
- Xbox Enthusiast (founded 2015, website closed in 2019)
- PlayStation Enthusiast (founded 2015, website closed in 2019)
Esports teams
- Vancouver Titans (Overwatch – Overwatch League){{Cite web |last=Gaming |first=Enthusiast |date=June 25, 2020 |title=Enthusiast Gaming's Esports Team, The Vancouver Titans, Announce New Partnership Elements with Circle K |url=https://www.enthusiastgaming.com/enthusiast-gamings-esports-team-the-vancouver-titans-announce-new-partnership-elements-with-circle-k/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=Enthusiast Gaming |language=en-US}}
- Seattle Surge (Call of Duty){{Cite web |last=Hayward |first=Andrew |date=October 31, 2019 |title=Seattle Surge Team Branding Revealed for Call of Duty League – ARCHIVE - The Esports Observer |url=https://archive.esportsobserver.com/cdl-seattle-surge/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=The Esports Observer |language=en-US}}
- Luminosity Gaming (multiple titles){{Cite press release |last= |first= |date=July 18, 2023 |title=Enthusiast Gaming Announces Steelcase as the Official Performance Seating Partner of Luminosity Gaming |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2023/07/18/2706281/0/en/Enthusiast-Gaming-Announces-Steelcase-as-the-Official-Performance-Seating-Partner-of-Luminosity-Gaming.html |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=GlobeNewswire |language=en}}
Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo
The Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo (EGLX) was an annual gaming convention hosted at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.{{Cite web |last=Makedonski |first=Brett |date=January 20, 2020 |title=EGLX is ready to rock Canada again in October |url=https://www.destructoid.com/eglx-is-ready-to-rock-canada-again-in-october/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=Destructoid |language=en-US}} It is billed as Canada's largest video game convention, with a reported peak of 30,000 attendees.{{Cite web |last=Whan |first=Christopher |date=October 26, 2018 |title=Largest gaming expo in Canada hits Toronto this weekend {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/4598586/eglx-gaming-expo-toronto/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=Global News |language=en-US}} In October 2018, Enthusiast Gaming announced that EGLX will host the World Electronic Sports Games Canadian Championship.{{Cite web |last=Gaming |first=Enthusiast |date=October 22, 2018 |title=Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo "EGLX", Canada's Largest Video Gaming Expo, Takes Place This Weekend |url=https://www.enthusiastgaming.com/1355-2/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=Enthusiast Gaming |language=en-US}} EGLX 2020 was delayed from October to November due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and was hosted live on streaming services. No public plans to resume hosting Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo have been announced.
References
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.enthusiastgaming.com}}
- {{Official website|https://eglx.ca/|name=Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo}}
Category:Mass media companies established in 2014
Category:Video game journalism
Category:Companies based in Toronto
Category:Companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange
Category:Companies formerly listed on the TSX Venture Exchange