Animation Summit, a property of Ghost Gaming and produced by Skillshot Media, will debut on Thursday, May 23, 2024 to promote professional development and celebrate the growing animation industry in Georgia.
The Animation Summit will be hosted at Skillshot Media at Uptown Atlanta, in partnership with the all-ages Geek Culture Convention MomoCon beginning the following day at the Georgia World Congress Center.
Animation Summit gathers leaders and students from across the animation ecosystem including 2D and 3D animators, visual fx artists, voice actors, producers, marketers and animation studios and IP holders. Announced event partners to date include MomoCon, ASIFA-South, Trap Sushi, Georgia Entertainment, SCAD, Georgia State Creative Media Industries Institute, Women in Animation Atlanta Atlanta Collective, Georgia Game Developers Association, Atlanta Esports Alliance, MOBIUS, and Atlanta Digital World Summit.
In-person and virtual Animation Summit tickets are now available at https://www.animationsummit.live/tickets
ATLANTA — Games Week Georgia will encompass a week of activities and events to celebrate all aspects of the gaming and esports industry in Georgia, December 11-17, 2023.
“Gaming is quietly the largest segment of the $2 trillion global entertainment industry,” said Todd Harris, CEO of Skillshot Media. “Games Week Georgia celebrates the gaming and esports industry, bringing together gaming leaders and experts from around the world alongside a week of consumer events, culminating in one of North America's largest gaming festivals — DreamHack Atlanta.”
The week will kick off at the Plaza Theater (December 11) with a special screening (film to be announced) and gaming panel with leadership from the film, music and gaming industry in Georgia. GirlGamer Atlanta (December 13) will feature women’s teams competing in Rocket League with a chance to represent the USA at the international finals. The annual Esports Summit (December 14) will return for a full day’s programming punctuating the thriving esports industry in Georgia and beyond. A VIP Creative Industry Mixer event (Thursday evening) will host the who’s who of film, music, and gaming around the theme of gaming, esports and digital entertainment. The annual SIEGE conference (December 14- 17), is the largest professional game development conference in the South and will take place as part of DreamHack Atlanta. The week will culminate with the return of DreamHack Atlanta (December 15-17) for the ultimate weekend of everything gaming and esports under one roof. See full details below.
“Hosting DreamHack in Atlanta isn't just about creating an event for the local games community, it's also about building and showcasing the Georgia games industry,” said Guy Blomberg, Senior Director of DreamHack Festivals – Americas. “We want DreamHack and Georgia Games Week to be an important beat on the national and global game industry calendar. There's so much talent and opportunity here, and we want to make sure everyone knows about it.”
As global esports has exploded, Georgia (and Atlanta) is often called the nation’s esports capital by some enthusiasts, including the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). According to the GDEcD, digital entertainment is a $550 million industry in the state, responsible for more than 12,000 direct and indirect jobs.
“A lot of people don’t realize that digital entertainment — video gaming more specifically — makes more money than the film industry globally,” said Asante Bradford, Senior Industry Engagement Manager of GDEcD. “Here in Georgia we have worked hard to cultivate the gaming industry, and I am confident saying that it will grow and thrive exponentially as this industry continues to flourish in our state.”
“Georgia's game industry is booming. Thanks to the Entertainment Investment Act, we have gone from five game studios to more than 160, with over 20 colleges in the state offering game development programs,” said Andrew Greenberg, Director of the Southern Interactive Entertainment and Game Expo (SIEGE). “This has become a major Georgia industry, as well as one of our most popular social pastimes. Bringing all these forces together creates a week of great events not to be missed.”
PLAZA THEATRE | FILM SCREENING & GAMING PANEL | DEC 11
In collaboration with DreamHack Atlanta, the Plaza Theatre will offer a special film screening (film to be announced soon) and a panel featuring leaders from the film, music and gaming industry in Georgia. Event tickets include access to attend DreamHack Atlanta. More details to be announced.
GIRLGAMER ATLANTA | SKILLSHOT | DEC 13
Celebrating women's competitiveness in esports and engaging young women in STEM/STEAM. The top four professional teams will compete in Rocket League onsite. The winning team will represent the USA at the GirlGamer International Finals in 2024. A limited number of free tickets are available for students as part of school field trips. More details HERE.
ESPORTS SUMMIT | SKILLSHOT | DEC 14
The annual Esport Summit will take place, punctuating the thriving esports industry in Georgia and beyond. Esports Summit provides global business leaders and educators a comprehensive view of the entire esports ecosystem, including networking opportunities, presentations from industry leaders, and workshops with some of the largest names in the esports and scholastic esports industry. Esports Summit tickets include a 3-day pass to attend DreamHack Atlanta. More details HERE.
VIP CREATIVE INDUSTRY MIXER | SKILLSHOT | DEC 14 (evening)
The popular evening affair will host the who’s who of film, music, gaming and broadcast around the theme of gaming, esports and digital entertainment. Including directors, producers, and studio executives across film, gaming, music & esports, the invite-only gathering is also an opportunity to honor elected political leaders and government officials to recognize their role facilitating Georgia’s digital entertainment economy. More details to be announced.
SIEGE | GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER | DEC 14-17
This year, the annual SIEGE conference will take place as part of DreamHack Atlanta. SIEGE is the largest professional game development conference in the South to learn about game art, audio, business, design, esports, programming, VR and more. The event will also include a college fair for high school students interested in the Gaming industry on Thursday, December 14. SIEGE tickets include access to DreamHack Atlanta. More details HERE.
DREAMHACK ATLANTA | GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER | DEC 15-17
DreamHack is returning to Atlanta for the fifth edition of its immersive, gaming lifestyle experience where the community comes to life. The festival weekends feature everything gaming under one roof as attendees experience professional esports tournaments, amateur and varsity gaming tournaments, world-famous bring-your-own-computer (BYOC) LAN party, cosplay championship, panels, art, activities, expo, screenings, and more. Tickets are available now at dreamhack.com/atlanta/tickets. DreamHack’s world-spanning phenomenon this year included a number of festivals in several cities around the globe, including the upcoming DreamHack Atlanta in December. In addition, DreamHack has just announced it will return again next year in October 2024.
Media contacts:
Melissa Sanders | 404.909.6726 | Melissa@TadpoleComm.net
Em Fergusson | 478.960.8045 | Em@TadpoleComm.net
Georgia Entertainment, the state’s leading source for news, events and analysis of the creative industry, has announced a far reaching agreement with Ghost Gaming and Skillshot Media. As a result of the agreement, the companies will collaborate on content, reports, events and other initiatives around the gaming and esports industry in Georgia and beyond.
Georgia-based Skillshot Media hosts live events and live stream productions that have served over one billion engagements for some of the biggest names in gaming, corporate, sports, esports and other industry segments. Ghost Gaming, with a roster of professional esports players and content creators, is an Atlanta-based organization providing platforms to create unique partnerships in sports, music, lifestyle and entertainment.
“The gaming industry is approaching $350 billion of revenue and Georgia sits right in the middle of this growth,” said Randy Davidson President of Georgia Entertainment. “The strategic partnership with Skillshot Media and Ghost Gaming allows our business the opportunity to fully immerse our publications, events and programs with impactful content for our readers.”
In Georgia, the creative industries segment represents nearly $40 billion in revenue. The state’s investment via tax incentives for film production, video game development and other areas of the creative industries have been a major boost for Georgia. Besides game development, the state leads the nation when it comes to education-based esports initiatives. Georgia was one of the first five states to adopt esports as a varsity high school sport and there are currently 175 high schools with varsity esports programs. Georgia colleges compete in the Georgia Esports League which includes all our largest institutions and a total of 14 colleges.
“We are excited to join forces with Georgia Entertainment to help spread the benefits of gaming and esports for the state,” said Todd Harris, CEO of Skillshot Media and Ghost Gaming. “The alliance provides unique positioning for our brands within their publications and events reaching professionals throughout Georgia.”
Skillshot Media and Ghost Gaming are official partners of all Georgia Entertainment 100 and Georgia Unscripted events held throughout the state. Georgia Entertainment is an official partner of the Georgia Esports League. The agreement includes content collaborations, resource development and special events to promote gaming and esports.
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ATLANTA – Oct 6, 2022 – It is with great pleasure that Soccer in the Streets would like to announce our new partnership with Ghost Gaming and Skillshot Media as our official esports partners.
The esports market is a massive, rapidly growing industry, and Atlanta is very much an emerging gaming hub, thanks in no small part to the success of Skillshot and the Ghost Gaming team. Founder Todd Harris is a longer-term Atlantan, and this partnership originated with him and his passion for spreading the word of what he calls “Gaming for Good.”
“Skillshot Media and Ghost Gaming deliver esports in a way that transforms screentime into personal and skill development for young people. My first experience with gaming was playing in the arcade with my father (a programmer at IBM) and then learning to use the PC he brought home. With access to that computer and a role model in programming, I learned to code and started developing video games myself. So for me, gaming has always been about that social connection with a significant person in my life and the development of skills such as coding or graphic design that can lead to a great career. Not every young person has access to such technology or instruction today. Skillshot and Ghost Gaming are proud to work with partners like Soccer in the Streets to help deliver this “gaming for good” approach to more kids around Metro Atlanta.” - Todd Harris
Soccer in the Streets is a legacy youth sports nonprofit, and this foray into esports is uncharted territory. We are excited for this new opportunity to reach more kids. Our fields of play are quite different, but we are very aligned in our shared belief in social-emotional learning for the youth of Atlanta. Given the increasing complexity of our culture, both on and offline, this generation needs more tools and resilience to approach the challenges of their time. And the need for such has only increased as a result of the pandemic.
“The team at Skillshot Media and Ghost Gaming, strive for excellence in their craft and throughout their community. We have an incredible opportunity for our kids to be exposed to the growing world of gaming and the pathways for careers within the industry. I am so excited for this partnership and its impact on both our kids and the Skillshot Media and Ghost Gaming teams.” - Chelsea Wood
With the able leadership of our Director of Leadership and Outcomes, Chelsea Wood, Soccer in the Streets will be offering soccer training and other physical activities to Ghost Gaming athletes, and Skillshot and Ghost Gaming will provide our youth soccer athletes opportunities to engage with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) skill-development and career awareness within their state of the art gaming studios. The kids will also receive a bit of exposure to the production side of esports and pathways for inspiring young players about the many career options in gaming and technology.
CONTACT: David Hopings (SITS), 404.594.9547, david@soccerstreets.com
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(Atlanta, GA – April 22, 2021) – The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE), the North America Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF), and Skillshot Media will host and broadcast the spring Scholastic Esports Championship between Friday, April 23 and Sunday, April 25, 2021.
“We are thrilled that this event is the first integration of high school and collegiate esports nationally,” said Todd Harris, founder and CEO of Skillshot Media. “We are appreciative of the participation from NACE universities, NASEF high schools, multiple game publishers, and many partners. Beyond showcasing competition across six game titles and three hardware platforms we are emphasizing student education and skill development throughout the event, truly combining playing with learning.”
All competitions and programming will be broadcast in partnership with Twitch Student on twitch.tv/skillshot per the schedule below:
Friday April 23 at 5pm ET: NASEF (High School)
Saturday April 24 at 5pm ET: NACE (Collegiate Day 1)
Saturday April 24 at 5pm ET: NACE (Collegiate Day 1)
HyperX is supporting the event by awarding a Cloud series gaming headset to every winning player and team.
“We began the spring season with 227 registered university teams, and it all comes down to this weekend,” said Michael Brooks, executive director of NACE. “The finals will be fiercely contested and we are excited that college coaches can also get a view into up and coming high school talent via this combined event.”
During breaks in the competition, event sponsor eHire and other partners will provide video tips to viewers around securing a job inside and outside of the massive gaming industry.
“The NASEF approach uses esports to build life and career skills,” said Gerald Solomon, founder and executive director of NASEF. “Events like the Scholastic Esports Championship allow the thousands of high schoolers participating in NASEF clubs to gain insight into college scholarships, and pathways to higher education and employment.”
Added Christie St. Martin from Queens Collective, “At Queens, our goal is to democratize access to gaming and economic opportunity for women worldwide. We are proud to support the Scholastic Esports Championship and their message of inclusive competition and game-based education for upward mobility.”
Media Contacts:
Skillshot, hi@skillshot.com
Emily Cox, ecox@NACEsports.org
Claire LaBeaux, claire@NASEF.org
Shawn Byrd received a heart transplant and was granted a wish four years ago. He is now giving back
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 14, 2020 (Atlanta, GA)
Four years ago, Shawn Byrd had three open-heart surgeries and in November of the same year, he received a heart transplant that saved his life. Following his transplant, the Make-A-Wish Georgia Foundation granted Shawn his wish to go on a Lord of the Rings Tour in New Zealand. Shawn and his family traveled to the country and toured the Lord of the Rings set. While Shawn has enjoyed a full and healthy life for the past four years, he is currently in the hospital with some complications and may be playing at this event from his hospital room.
Shawn and his father, Wes Byrd (CEO of the esports apparel company Skullz) will be competing in an InvitationATL (IATL) event, joining corporate teams in a Fortnite private match to crown the Invitation ATL Esports Corporate Champion. Matches will be live streamed on Twitch.TV with play-by-play commentary on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020 at 5pm EST.
IATL is a digital event series that combines gaming culture, competition, and celebrity involvement to raise awareness for charities, companies, and causes spearheaded by Skillshot Media.
"Gaming for good is a concept we're always excited to support at Skillshot", said Todd Harris, Skillshot Media’s CEO. "We're excited to have companies across Georgia participating in the first-ever InvitationATL Esports Corporate Challenge.”
The competition fees will grant wishes for local children fighting critical illnesses. For 25 years, Make-A-Wish Georgia has brought transformational wishes to more than 8,000 children and families. The event is considered a casual Fortnite competition that will boost employee engagement and corporate competition from the socially distanced comfort of home.
“Working alongside Todd Harris and the team at Skillshot Media has given me tremendous insight into the selflessness and generosity of the gaming community,” said Tim Earley, Make-A Wish Georgia CEO. “Whenever this community comes together to support the mission of Make A-Wish Georgia through wish granting, fundraising and/or raising awareness, amazing things happen!”
For Wes Byrd and his son Shawn, this event means a lot.
“It is such an honor and pleasure to be able to help give back to an organization that has given so much to us,” says Wes Byrd. “Words cannot describe how much it means to a family that is going through so much. Make-A Wish brings smiles and joy to children and their families who have suffered greatly.”
“Shawn has been in the esports and gaming space and playing at Skullz LAN parties all his life. He is looking forward to using what he has grown up loving as a way to help those who have helped him.”
For more information, visit:
(From left-to-right, top-to-bottom: LAIKA, Missing Peace, Sonic Rebel, King of Sneakers, Skooly, Leah Culver, Favor, and Sage Hammond.)
Skillshot Media, Gamers.Vote and esports organization Ghost Gaming today announced the talent list for InvitationATL—a digital festival on Tuesday, July 21 filled with musical performances, videogame live-streaming and a $10,000 online invitational Fortnite tournament to raise awareness of voter registration and participation across the 133M adult gamers in the US.
“Our mission in July is to get as many gamers registered as new voters as possible” said Gamers.Vote CEO, Christie St. Martin, “With InvitationATL, Skillshot Media and the Atlanta community have embraced this mission with an incredible tentpole event featuring performers from both music and esports.”
Event participation includes Atlanta-based musicians across diverse genres including John Hopkins from the Zac Brown Band, Bill Kelliher from Mastodon, Waka Flocka, Skooly, Isaac Hayes III, Leah Culver, and more, including a world debut performance from new artist Sonic Rebel.
Programming includes casual video-games played by special guests including actor Jesse Usher, and a virtual reality DJ set by KRYOMAN - Spirit Link powered by TribeXR.
The event culminates with a 49 team $10,000 Fortnite tournament showcasing invited competitive players from esports teams FaZe Clan, NRG, Ghost Gaming, and XSET, along with top streamers and invited players from organizations including Atlanta Reign, GamersDoingThings, KontrolFreek, the National Association of Collegiate Esports and many others.
The full talent list and event schedule is available at www.iatl.gg. The live-stream event will kickoff on Tuesday, July 21 at 3pm ET at www.twitch.tv/skillshot.
Twitch.TV is supporting this activation with a custom platform extension that directs participants and viewers to online voter registration. New Georgia Project is the local civic engagement partner.
InvitationATL will be produced by Skillshot, presented by Gamers.Vote and Ghost Gaming, with additional supporting partners including Twitch, HyperX, New Georgia Project, Respawn, Greenberg Traurig, Axis Replay, United In Gaming, KontrolFreek, Skullz, Skinz.gg, Reely, Subnation, SUBSUME, Nexus, Atlanta Reign, GamersDoingThings, Placement Music, Radar Live, Fandom, Represent Us, TribeXR, Atlanta Esports Alliance, MomoCon, and the Georgia Game Developers Association.
Skillshot Media, Gamers.Vote, and esports organization Ghost Gaming today announced InvitationATL—a virtual event on July 21 focused on voter registration and including a $10,000 online invitational Fortnite tournament.
“Our mission in July is to get as many gamers registered as new voters as possible” said Gamers.Vote CEO, Christie St. Martin, “With InvitationATL, Skillshot Media and the Atlanta esports community have embraced this mission with an incredible tentpole event featuring top icons from esports, traditional sports, and music.”
InvitationATL will be produced by Skillshot, presented by Gamers.Vote and Ghost Gaming, with additional supporting partners including Twitch, HyperX, Atlanta Reign, Axis Replay, New Georgia Project, Greenberg Traurig, UnitedInGaming, Radar Live, and others to be announced.
“We’re thrilled to work with Gamers.Vote and top Fortnite players and streamers on InvitationATL,” said Todd Harris of Skillshot Media. “Gaming reaches 133 million US adults. With this event, we hope to support awareness and direct voter registration among the massive gaming audience.”
Twitch.TV is supporting the activation with a custom platform extension that directs participants and viewers to online voter registration in 39 states. InvitationATL partners New Georgia Project and venue Axis Replay will support onsite voter registration on the Atlanta beltline.
“We should take a lesson from gamers right now,” said Nse’ Ufot, CEO of the New Georgia Project. “We are honored to be a part of the gaming community’s connection—a bold example for uniting through civic engagement and voting.”
The online Fortnite tournament will include top streamers and icons committed to helping their communities register to vote, with $10,000 being awarded to the winning teams in the Fortnite competition.
Details on how to participate and watch the July 21 InvitationATL will be posted to www.iatl.gg
About GAMERS.VOTE
Gamers.Vote is a broad coalition of the best gamers, game companies, platforms, and streamers in the world. We ARE gamers and we know the power of focusing the gaming community on voter registration and voting. More information and free streaming, partner, and social kits can be found on our website. Join the movement: www.gamers.vote
About GHOST GAMING
Ghost Gaming is an Atlanta-based organization focused on cultivating and facilitating the best talent in gaming, design and content creation by providing a platform to create unique partnerships in sports, music, entertainment, fashion and tech. We have built a social media community with millions of fans and followers, becoming one of the most popular names in gaming, www.ghostgaming.com
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
- James Baldwin
As the call for meaningful change and reform continues to sweep across the country, Skillshot is teaming up with gaming and esports partners across the city of Atlanta in the fight for social justice. We are standing with 20+ gaming & esports companies for a virtual gathering to celebrate Juneteenth on Friday, June 19, 2020. This event is presented by Axis Replay.
“This is a time to reflect and rejoice in the progress achieved by the African American community and a reminder of what is still left to do. The event will showcase celebrity guests, spark discussion, educate viewers, and highlight esports gameplay & more,” says Ryan Johnson, Executive Director of Cxmmunity, a non-profit organization focused on increasing minority participation in the esports and video game industry.
On June 19th, 2020 7PM – 12AM, the live broadcast of the virtual esports gathering to celebrate Freedom for All will be available on twitch.tv/axisreplay | youtube.com/axisreplay | facebook.com/axisreplay |mixer.com/axisreplay, and hosted on partner broadcasts, twitch.tv/checkpointXP | ESTV and more. The program will include influencers, entertainers, and pro-athletes like: Erin Ashley Simon, Larry Ridley, Jeezy, Desi Banks. Allies for change include: FaZe Clan, Invest Atlanta, the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, NFL Alumni Association, EventsDC, Twitch, Fight Tyme Gaming, Black Salt Coreuption, United Way, Cxmmunity, Axis Replay, RIISE Ventures, Gamers Vote, Vote to Live, Atlanta Esports Alliance, ESTV, NutriGMR, Beasley Esports, Checkpoint XP, Atlanta Inno, Esports Insider, Gamer’s Outreach, Ultimate Gamer, eFUSE, Black Python.
“Juneteenth is the oldest, nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States and a reminder of the pride, resilience and determination of African Americans in American history. Even though COVID-19 has hindered live event celebrations and parades, Axis Replay and our partners are committed to fight for social justice. As an ally, I want to do more, and we do it best by giving our community a way to celebrate and connect, both in-person and virtually. We’re making a difference through our shared love of esports and video games. This is our commitment to the future, and it starts with us. Together we win,” says Allie Young, CEO of Axis Replay.
Through the observance of African American freedom with an emphasis on education, achievement, assessment, improvement and celebration, the event will reflect on this day of independence through the shared voices of the video game community.
“Black history is an essential part of the history of the United States and it is important that we continue to promote awareness, create safe spaces, and be inclusive. In cities across the country, people of all races, nationalities, and religions are joining forces to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that continues to influence and shape our society today. Being sensitive to the conditions and experiences of others is vital for us as a people to make significant and lasting improvements in our society,” says Todd Harris, Chairman of the Board, Atlanta Esports Alliance.
For more information and a schedule of events and want to get involved, visit www.juneteenth.gg.
Editor's Note: The Georgia Department of Economic Development created and published this article on April 16, 2020. It is re-posted here with their permission.
As we confront the effects of COVID-19, the Georgia Department of Economic Development continues to work around the clock arming our partners with the resources they need to navigate these turbulent times. We’re also maintaining our focus on unique growth opportunities with expanding industries to help ensure that the state remains well-positioned to weather the economic impacts of COVID-19.
With stringent social distancing guidelines and requirements put forth in nearly every country across the world, digitally native brands and industries have been experiencing a significant, unprecedented uptick in website visits, streams and virtual interaction. The $1.4 billion esports industry has been no exception. The Atlanta Business Chronicle recently reported that streaming platform Twitch recently saw a 31% increase in viewership, while YouTube Gaming has also seen significant growth of about 15% on its streams.
Georgia has been on the frontlines of developing the global esports economy. Broadly regarded as the esports capital of the nation, the City of Atlanta annually hosts more than 39,000 gamers and esports enthusiasts every November for the world’s largest digital festival – DreamHack.
And while numerous in-person esporting events have also been postponed or canceled to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, undoubtedly causing economic loss and disruption, the industry that was born online is well-versed in hosting events live from their audience members’ living rooms, and generating content-based revenue.
Skillshot, headquartered in Atlanta, recently reported that not only has there been a record number of participants playing online games, but that the number of people watching others compete is also at a record high, especially as traditional sports, leagues, team and players turn to online gaming as an alternative. For example, basketball fans across the country recently tuned in to watch Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young virtually participate in a televised NBA 2k tournament earlier this month.
At the college level, institutions such as Kennesaw State University just launched a spring esports series for students called “Game on KSU.” This digital tournament features three different games for students to compete in or watch, including: League of Legends, Rocket League and NA2k20. Participants can play from their personal computer, Xbox or PS4.
Recently, Skillshot announced the continuation of its partnership with the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the Georgia Film Academy and Georgia State University’s Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII) on a series of in-person and online courses focused on workforce education for the thriving gaming development and esports industries. These industries make up a current combined revenue of $140 billion. The first of many of these courses will begin this fall. The class will count as student credit hours toward CMII’s programs in Game Design Entrepreneurship.
The state’s skilled workforce and unrivaled support for the esports industry have attracted more than 50 of the world’s leading gaming companies and teams. This has helped create more than 12,000 direct and indirect gaming jobs and had a $550 million impact on the state.
In November of 2019, it was announced that Midtown Atlanta would become the new permanent home to professional esports team, Atlanta Reign. The city’s thriving game development and tech industries attracted the team to permanently plant its roots in Georgia. Atlanta Reign establishing its headquarters in Atlanta will create 45 new jobs and generate a $100,000,000 investment in growing the esports ecosystem throughout the region.
The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) recently completed a study demonstrating esports’ dominance in the state, and specifically in Atlanta. The report includes insights from key industry players validating the belief that Georgia’s esports ecosystem will continue to flourish in the coming years.
Georgia Tech also cited that esports continues to grow here not only because the state is home to vibrant game development, tech and entertainment industries, but because of the actions Georgia has taken to welcome the industry. For example, Georgia is home to three different professional franchised esports teams, including the Atlanta Reign (Overwatch League), Hawks Talon GC (NBA 2K League) and the Atlanta FaZe (Call of Duty League). Georgia is also home to three varsity college teams - the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) team, the Georgia State University (GSU) team and the Georgia Southern University (Georgia Southern) team. Not to mention that Georgia was one of the first five states in the nation to recognize esports as an official competitive high school sport.
While COVID-19 has caused a great deal of economic uncertainty, we are confident in our state’s ability to weather this storm. One of the best ways GDEcD can continue to create jobs and enterprise opportunities for Georgians is by building on the strong economic framework that our state has established over the past several decades. We will remain on the frontlines of innovation and growth, and continue to engage groundbreaking industries like online gaming that attract new career and development prospects for our state.
