Paris, 21st June 2022 - Blacknut, the leading independent cloud-gaming provider, today announced a strategic investment from gaming juggernaut SQUARE ENIX® as it looks to meet the increasing worldwide demand for cloud gaming services. The investment will support ongoing R&D to cement Blacknut’s technological lead, accelerate the market reach of its B2B solution, and further expand Blacknut’s portfolio of games which already boasts more than 500 games from a host of well-known publishers. According to research by Newzoo, cloud gaming generated more than $2 billion from 24 million subscribers in 2021.
“We are very proud to welcome Square Enix, a company that’s genre defining franchises continue to win over generations of gamers. It’s decision to invest in Blacknut is a real endorsement of our vision, technology and market approach.” said Olivier Avaro, CEO at Blacknut. “Square Enix understands the potential of cloud gaming, as players continue to transition away from physical formats, finding new ways to deliver disruptive gaming experiences from the cloud.”
The strong partnerships Blacknut has built with publishers through its mutually beneficial ecosystem will be further reinforced by the Square Enix investment in Blacknut, and the company will contribute considerable experience and knowledge to the company’s leadership team.
“Blacknut is a company at the forefront of cloud gaming, with a unique combination of technical expertise and a vision for the future of gaming,” said Hideaki Uehara, Director of Business Development at Square Enix. “We are excited by the potential of cloud gaming and this partnership will allow us to stay on top of new developments in the space, as well as expedite our future growth.”
With most households owning multiple connected devices, Blacknut’s extensive game catalog is available as a click-to-play experience across all internet-connected screens. The service is available on computers, mobiles, smart TVs and set-top boxes, or directly through the Webapp on Chrome and Safari.
The service is live in 45 countries spanning Europe, North America, South Asia and most recently expanding into Latin America and the Middle East. Over the course of the last fours years Blacknut has experienced exponential growth thanks to major B2B partnerships with ISPs, device manufacturers, OTT services and media companies, including Telecom Italia, AIS in Thailand, Hutchison Drei in Austria, POST Telecom in Luxembourg, Telecall in Brazil, or the latest launch for Celcom in Malaysia, and M1 in Singapore.
Find out more at www.blacknut.com
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About Blacknut
Blacknut is the world's leading pure player cloud gaming service dedicated to the general public, distributed both directly to consumers and B2B through ISPs, device manufacturers, OTT services & Media companies. Blacknut offers the most extensive catalog of premium games with 500+ titles carefully selected for the whole family - all included in a simple monthly subscription. Blacknut is available across Europe, Asia & North America on a wide range of devices, including mobiles, set-top boxes and Smart TVs. Blacknut was founded in 2016 by Olivier Avaro (CEO) and is headquartered in Rennes, France, with offices in Paris, Seoul and San Francisco. In 2021 Blacknut was recognised by Red Herring as one of Europe’s Top 100 start-ups. For more information, please visit www.blacknut.com
About Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd
Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, is the holding company leading the group of Square Enix companies (the “Square Enix Group”) with a diverse range of content and service businesses. The Square Enix Group publishes, distributes and licenses entertainment content around the world under its internationally renowned brands including SQUARE ENIX®, EIDOS® and TAITO®. The Square Enix Group includes a global network of leading development studios located in North America, Europe and Japan. The Square Enix Group also boasts a valuable portfolio of intellectual property including: FINAL FANTASY®, which has sold over 168 million units worldwide: DRAGON QUEST®, which has sold over 84 million units worldwide: TOMB RAIDER®, which has sold over 88 million units worldwide; and the legendary SPACE INVADERS®.
More information on Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd., can be found at https://www.hd.square-enix.com/eng/.
For further information, please contact:
Big Games Machine
Charlie Eaton
Email: charlie@biggamesmachine.com
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