Pixel P&L: How to Slice a $70 Million Esports Pie

In 1973, the first-ever video game tournament awarded the winner a year's subscription to Rolling Stone and complimentary free beer. Fast forward to 2025, esports teams and players are now chasing a cut of $70 million.

In today’s Pixel P&L:

💰 Esports World Cup 2025 is breaking the bank with a record-setting prize pool

🎮 Gamers vs. Ubisoft: Who really owns your game?

🤖 An esports org rolls out its own AI chatbot

and more.

📊 Gaming Stocks Today

Global stocks found their footing Thursday after a week-long slide as President Trump's tariff announcement provided unexpected relief. Nintendo shares surged 11.7% after Trump declared on Truth Social he would pause tariffs on more than 75 countries engaged in negotiations, including Japan and Vietnam where the gaming giant manufactures most of its hardware. Fellow Japanese gaming companies Koei Tecmo and Konami rode the same wave higher as investors, who had been bracing for tariffs of 24% on Japanese goods and a punishing 46% on Vietnamese products, collectively exhaled for the first time in days.

Esports World Cup 2025 Boosts Prize Pool to $70 Million

The Esports World Cup Foundation announced Thursday it has increased the total prize money for its 2025 event to more than $70 million, setting a new record for competitive gaming. The seven-week tournament will run July 7-August 24 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and operated by ESL FACEIT Group, the prize money will be distributed across 25 competitions featuring 24 games including Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends, and Valorant. The largest portion, $38 million, goes to individual game championships, while $27 million is allocated to the top 16 clubs in the overall standings. The rest of the prize pool money will go towards MVP awards totaling $450,000 and Qualifiers on the "Road to EWC" worth $5 million.

"This record-breaking prize pool is aligned with a long-term vision to strengthen the industry for generations," said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation.

Organizers report that the 2024 event attracted over 500 million online viewers and 2.6 million visitors to Riyadh. Team Falcons claimed last year's Club Championship, with Team Liquid and Team BDS taking second and third places respectively.

Ubisoft Argues Gamers Don't Own Their Games in California Lawsuit

Ubisoft has mounted a legal defense against California gamers suing over the shutdown of "The Crew," arguing players never truly owned the racing game to begin with, as first reported by Polygon.

In a February filing seeking dismissal, Ubisoft's lawyers contended there was no reason for players to believe they were purchasing "unfettered ownership rights in the game." Rather, the company maintains gamers merely purchased limited access licenses when buying the decade-old title.

The plaintiffs allege eight violations including California's False Advertising Law and Consumer Legal Remedies Act after the online-only game became unplayable when servers were deactivated in 2024 due to "server infrastructure and licensing constraints."

Ubisoft's defense includes packaging photos showing licensing notices, while plaintiffs countered with images showing activation codes valid until 2099, which allegedly "implied that [The Crew] would remain playable during this time and long thereafter."

If Ubisoft prevails, the ruling could set a precedent weakening consumer protections for digital purchases across the industry. A win for the French video game giant would accelerate the trend of treating games as disposable services rather than lasting cultural products.

Ubisoft has until April 29 to respond to the amended complaint.

⚡Quick Bytes

Sony, Bandai Namco Restructure Employee Compensation

According to Japanese business journal Nikkei Business, gaming giants Sony and Bandai Namco have eliminated winter bonuses for some employees, redistributing funds into monthly salaries amid workforce shortages. Sony raised entry-level pay by approximately $330 monthly, while Bandai Namco increased starting salaries from $1,500 to $1,980 starting in 2022. The shift aligns with Japan's broader 5.42% wage growth in 2025.

Moonton Games Considers Franchise Model for MPL Malaysia

MOONTON Games may soon abandon its promotion/relegation system for Malaysia's premier Mobile Legends esports competition. During a press conference, Malaysia Esports Lead Fikri Rizal Mahruddin revealed the company is "seriously considering" a franchise model, citing the success of similar formats in Indonesia and Philippines that have driven record viewership and created "more stability and financial security for teams."

NRG Launches AI Chatbot 'Volt' in Partnership with Theta Labs

Esports organization NRG has unveiled Volt, an AI chatbot powered by Theta Labs' decentralized cloud infrastructure. The digital companion integrates with NRG's Discord and website to deliver real-time match data, player statistics, team schedules, and exclusive promotional content across the organization's VALORANT, Rocket League, Counter-Strike and Apex Legends rosters. 

⚔️Side Quest

📺 Watch: Experience pure 80s gaming nostalgia with The Wizard (1989), a heartfelt cult classic where a troubled young gaming prodigy embarks on a cross-country journey to compete in the ultimate Nintendo championship.

🎮 Play: Into the Dead: Our Darkest Days drops you into a relentless zombie hellscape where you'll scavenge like a desperate survivor from This War of Mine, navigate undead hordes reminiscent of State of Decay, while you plot your escape

📖 Read: The story of how Grand Theft Auto III's landmark open world forever changed game development, player expectations, and the economics of an entire industry.

💡Did You Know

Matt Damon turned down "a bunch of money" to voice Jason Bourne in "The Bourne Conspiracy" video game because he wanted something more intellectually engaging than a first-person shooter. During a Hot Ones interview, Damon confirmed he "lobbied hard" to make the game more like the puzzle-oriented "Myst," which he loved. The developers rejected his creative vision, proceeding without him and casting Jeffrey Pierce (later known for "The Last of Us") as Bourne instead. High Moon Studios ultimately "decided to move away from celebrity involvement" after Damon declined their offer.

📜 Quote of the Day

Was this forwarded to you? Sign up for free here. 

We read every email! Share your feedback by hitting reply.