The gaming industry is poised for further growth, even after lockdowns ease, but insiders expect its future will look far different as companies add more social and interactive features and expand their worlds beyond a single platform.
<p>That was the consensus from a panel at dot.LA's recent summit, where four heavy hitters from L.A.'s gaming industry traded thoughts on what they're preparing for. Panelists included Ophir Lupu, head of video games at talent agency UTA; Lisa Anderson, SVP of studio operations at Jam City; Rob Ricca, VP of corporate development at Scopely; and Gregory Milken, managing partner at March Capital, where he focuses on gaming investments. </p><p>Here are four key takeaways: </p><h2>Gaming Less About Winning, More About Partnering
</h2><p>Already, games like Fortnite and Animal Crossing are providing users with virtual experiences that one would be hard-pressed to call a "game." Fortnite has hosted virtual concerts attended by millions, while Animal Crossing has provided a virtual venue for weddings, graduations and funerals. </p><p>"What's come to the fore in the pandemic is really that gaming is social," said Milken. </p><p>More than that, Anderson noted that COVID has underscored players desire to find meaningful connections through their consoles and apps. As a result, Jam City is exploring ways for players to find their friends more easily and join social groups, whether with IRL friends or ones they meet online. </p><p>Similarly, Ricca noted that many players of Scopely's "Star Trek Fleet Command" have turned the game's "Alliances" feature into "their core experience in the game," opting to partner up with others to game on an ongoing basis rather than linking up with an ad hoc group or going it alone.</p><p>As to how this trend will shape Milken's investment strategy, he said he'll be looking to place bets on cooperative gameplay experiences in the future. </p><h2>Gaming Will Be Everywhere
</h2><p>As Anderson put it, "the ultimate goal is that players can experience their favorite game on the device of their preference. Looking to other mediums (like streaming services), consumers can already do this (PC, TV, Mobile, tablet, etc.) and it feels like gaming is a natural extension of that conceit."</p><p>This sort of "cross-play" already exists to an extent, but the industry is evolving further away from the closed ecosystems that rely on a single console. That reality won't fly with younger generations, who've grown up with a more open ecosystem that has shaped their expectations.</p><p>"They will expect all game environments to be open for all of their friends and other players to join and experience rich social interaction with each other, regardless of where they are physically located and the number of other players they want to interact with," Ricca said. </p><p>Lupu surmised that as more game-streaming services come on the market to rival incumbents like Playstation Now or Google Stadia – which give console and PC gamers near-instant access to titles without requiring downloads – the industry may see large platforms build better access for players to move across different platforms and interact.</p><p>As a hypothetical example, Lupu said: "You could imagine how Amazon's new streaming game service Luna could connect with Twitch and allow viewers to 'jump in' or somehow interact with their favorite streamers playing games. (Same with Stadia and YouTube, etc.)." </p><h2>Esports Will See More Cooperation and, Possibly, Consolidation
</h2><p>For all the hype that esports generates, it's a rather small business, generating just north of $1 billion per year – a fraction of the $150 billion-plus gaming market. Its function often appears to be more of a marketing tool than anything, whether for the game titles themselves or for teams that leverage their roster's followings to sell other items like merchandise. </p><p>Unlike a traditional sport, games have an owner – Riot Games owns League of Legends, for instance, but nobody owns soccer. This potentially weighs the scales of influence in favor of game developers and publishers, and away from esports teams. But as the teams grow more famous and build more brand equity of their own, their leverage will continue to grow.</p><p>This leads Milken to conclude: "I think we'll see further development between teams that operate and game developers and publishers and thinking about how they jointly work together to create value." </p><h2>Fans Mix with Celebrities in the Metaverse
</h2><p>Although it's still anyone's guess what will be the ultimate version of the metaverse – a parallel virtual world, kind of like a more immersive version of the internet – what appears unambiguous is that the metaverse offers a unique opportunity for IRL stars to engage with their fans. </p><p>"It creates incredible touch points for non-gaming clients – certainly mostly in the music space," said Lupu. "It provides a really unique and interesting opportunity for talent of all types to interact with their fans." Expect these to continue, in other words. </p><p>But such interactions won't be exclusively between fans and stars. Milken said he sees the metaverse introducing a new level to in-game interactivity that is an increasingly important component of what gaming offers consumers. </p><p>"The metaverse as a hangout place, where you're experiencing things together, is really interesting to me," he said. </p><p>When asked to place their bets on what consumers are most likely to see in the industry, the panelists unanimously chose the concert of the metaverse, agreeing that in their various lines of business it is a future that has to be taken seriously. That nobody has much idea of what exactly it will entail suggests that the metaverse will emerge over a prolonged period, with a series of incremental changes that eventually transform gaming. See you there. </p>
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Here are the latest headlines regarding how the protests around the killing of George Floyd are impacting the Los Angeles startup and tech communities. Sign up for our newsletter and follow dot.LA on Twitter for the latest update.
Today:
- TikTok addresses 'tough but fair questions' about treatment of black creators
- L.A. VC's react
- L.A.'s top health official: racism fuels health inequities
- L.A.'s music industry will shut down for 'Black Out Tuesday'
- Hollywood, streaming services nod to Black Lives Matter
- Snap and Twitter reportedly used by ill-intentioned protesters to organize theft
- Snap CEO talks reparations and heartbreak
- Airmap's Santa Monica headquarters destroyed by looters
- Santa Monica, Beverly Hills announce 1 pm curfews for business districts
TikTok addresses 'tough but fair questions' about opportunities for black creators on the platform
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzI4MTA2NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMTI4NDc0M30.F2EmQwLKpL0bqpvqRnKtfsESZGRp-fL7HNtQzPApv1I/img.jpg?width=980" id="f162f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d10c53cd90b55e4e7c6590db465caf9f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p> TikTok sent a message out to "our black community" on Monday addressing what the company called "tough but fair questions" about whether the platform allows all creators the opportunity to have their content viewed.<br> </p><p> <a href="https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/a-message-to-our-black-community" target="_blank">In a message to its black community,</a> Vanessa Pappas, TikTok's U.S. general manager and Kudzi Chikumbu, director of creator community, said "we hear you and we care about your experienced on TikTok. </p><p> "We acknowledge and apologize to our Black creators and community who have felt unsafe, unsupported, or suppressed. We don't ever want anyone to feel that way." </p><p> The company, which is owned by ByteDance, a Beijing-based internet technology company, said that on May 19 black creators and their allies changed their profile pictures and connected on the platform to speak out against how they felt marginalized on TikTok. Then, last week, "a technical glitch made it temporarily appear as if posts uploaded using #BlackLivesMatter and #GeorgeFloyd would receive 0 views." </p><p> TikTok said that the company understands that many assumed the bug to be an intentional act to suppress the black community's experiences and invalidate their emotions. It's unclear why TikTok wrote about the glitch Monday, or if had intended to do so before recent demonstrations in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death. A Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck while he pleaded for his mother and to breathe.</p><p> The company, which has its U.S. headquarters in Culver City, said it is donating $3 million in honor of black creators to nonprofits that help the black community, which has been disproportionately affected by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. TikTok also said it is committing $1 million to fighting racial injustice and inequality. </p><p> TikTok said it will standing in solidarity on Tuesday by participating in Blackout Tuesday, turning off all playlists and campaigns on its "Sounds" page to observe a moment of reflection and action. The company said it is also investing in technology. and better moderation strategies with a more user-friendly appeals process. It's also establishing a creator diversity council and developing a creator portal to expand communication and opportunities. </p><p> "We know we have work to do to regain and repair that trust," the post said. </p> <pre class="redactor-script-tag" style="display: none;" async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></pre> <pre class="redactor-script-tag" style="display: none;" async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></pre><p> <em data-redactor-tag="em">-- Tami Abdollah</em> </p>Los Angeles VC's react
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjg0MTIxNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwNjg3NTAxMH0.U1VUyLAY54twd9MfdUzdAJpJJSan3OtlEXdxM_MB_1A/img.jpg?width=980" id="54091" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="94a0002556c56ffba7075464172455ad" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Women in tech " />Art by Candace Navi<p> It has been notoriously difficult for people of color to break into the insular world of venture capital, where who you know and previous success are are highly prized. <a href="https://tpinsights.com/2019/08/12/black-investment-firms-gain-ground/" target="_blank">Just 2% of investment professionals are black</a>, which in turn makes it hard for black founders to get funded. Here is a sampling of some of the reaction from the Los Angeles VC community, many of whom have offices in Santa Monica near protests and looting: </p> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><script async="" src="<a href=" https:="" platform.twitter.com="" widgets.js"="" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><a href="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js</a>" charset="utf-8"> </script><script async="" src="<a href=" https:="" platform.twitter.com="" widgets.js"="" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><a href="<a href=" <a="" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js</a>" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><a href="<a href=" https:="" platform.twitter.com="" widgets.js"="" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js</a>" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><a href="<a href=" https:="" platform.twitter.com="" widgets.js"="" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js</a>" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><a href="<a href=" https:="" platform.twitter.com="" widgets.js"="" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js</a>" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><a href="<a href=" https:="" platform.twitter.com="" widgets.js"="" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js</a>" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><a href="<a href=" https:="" platform.twitter.com="" widgets.js"="" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js</a>" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><a href="<a href=" https:="" platform.twitter.com="" widgets.js"="" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js</a>" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"> </script><p> <em>-Ben Bergman</em> </p>LA County public health director calls police violence "a public health issue"
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e2f358b93cf1a7b7b3b7d4f6c23fe9ac"><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=3132778153449319" data-allowfullscreen="true"></div></div><p>Los Angeles County top public health official Barbara Ferrer linked the unrest that has rocked the region to the deep health disparities that black Americans experience. Ferrer, who has been providing somber daily updates on coronavirus deaths and its spread, called police brutality a public health issue that must be addressed.<br></p><p>"It's important to comment on the connection between these two concerns the death of a black man at the hands of police and the experience of COVID-19 in L.A. County," she said in starting her briefing. "We know that black Americans fare worse than other groups on virtually every measure of health status. And it has become all too common to blame this on individual behaviors, when in fact the science is clear, the root cause of health inequities is racism and discrimination."</p><p>"Science also tells us that lifetime stress associated with experiences of daily acts of discrimination and oppression, play a major role," she said. "It starts at birth with higher rates of black infant mortality and shockingly higher rates of maternal mortality among black women and extends to adulthood, when we see black residents in L.A. County experiencing earlier onset of heart disease, hypertension and diabetes and earlier deaths."</p><p>"When I report each week that we have seen elevated numbers of black deaths in this county due to COVID-19, I am reporting on the consequences of these long standing inequities. And it's not just the direct victim of violence, the person who's beaten, or shot or asphyxiated who pays the price for brutality. It is an entire community that lives with the fear that the next time, it could be them or their son or daughter neighbor or friend. It is a consequence of that fear that we are seeing when we report instance after instance of inequality and health outcomes," she said. </p><p>"As the department responsible for public health in L.A. County and in acknowledgement of our national association, the American Public Health Association, declaring that addressing law enforcement violence is a public health issue, this rush to justice has to be part of our prescription, as well. </p><p>Los Angeles county and city declared a 6 p.m. curfew on Monday. </p><p>-<em>Rachel Uranga </em></p>L.A.'s music industry will shut down for 'Black Out Tuesday'
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://dot.la/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzM2NTIwNC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NTgxNTE3M30.8Y-F6HTO8W0CPx8s3KrT7hRwb83Z4eCk5G85GYWHktQ/image.png?width=980" id="e1efa" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="395bddc54cde2e4a77da645d5ed20d77" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p> Many organizations in the music industry are pledging to close on Tuesday as part of a 'Black Out Tuesday' campaign. Participants include the three major labels: Warner Music Group, Sony Music and Universal Music Group, along with many of their associated sub-labels.<br> </p><p> The initiative started with a pop-up <a href="https://www.theshowmustbepaused.com" target="_blank">webpage</a> calling for the music industry to shut down on Tuesday, published by Jamila Thomas, a marketing executive at Atlantic Records (owned by Warner Music Group), and Brianna Agyemang, an artist campaign manager at Platoon (owned by Apple). </p><p> "It is a day to take a beat for an honest, reflective and productive conversation about what actions we need to collectively take to support the black community," the post said. "The music industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. An industry that has profited predominantly from Black art. Our mission is to hold the industry at large, including major corporations + their partners who benefit from the efforts, struggles and successes of Black people accountable… This is not just a 24-hour initiative. We are and will be in this fight for the long haul. A plan of action will be announced." </p><p> The post includes a list of links for suggested actions to take on Tuesday. </p><p> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheShowMustBePaused?src=hashtag_click&f=live" target="_blank">#TheShowMustBePaused</a> has traveled widely through the music industry's social media. Santa Monica-based Interscope (owned by Universal Music) pledged to delay releasing new music this week. </p> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p> <span style="background-color: initial;">Other organizations have been posting messages of solidarity to their social media accounts including </span><a href="https://twitter.com/sonymusic/status/1267171054910349316/photo/1" target="_blank">Sony Music</a><span style="background-color: initial;">, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/ColumbiaRecords/status/1267164123680440320" target="_blank">Columbia Records</a><span style="background-color: initial;"> (owned by Sony), </span><a href="https://twitter.com/UMG/status/1267256132524838912" target="_blank">Universal Music</a><span style="background-color: initial;">, and </span><a href="https://twitter.com/AtlanticRecords/status/1266850797771505664" target="_blank">Atlantic Records</a><span style="background-color: initial;"> (owned by Warner).</span><br> </p><p> <a href="https://twitter.com/Spotify/status/1266727451029319682/photo/1" target="_blank">Spotify</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/AppleMusic/status/1266940744356503557/photo/1" target="_blank">Apple Music</a> have also issued brief statements on their social channels.</p><p><em>— Sam Blake</em></p>Hollywood, streaming services nod to Black Lives Matter
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://dot.la/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzM2NTIwMS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MTA3MDYxM30.xZLAH8xHQPPhubNfjhkXPzcRGQfX0YO-efKO4nvE1fs/image.png?width=980" id="5ad4b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f21dfe8e913e6389f31db1ad549c2b2f" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p> Over the weekend, several streaming companies took to social media to show support for the peaceful protests. <br> </p> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>Some streaming platforms have changed their social media profile names and descriptions to express solidarity, including <a href="https://twitter.com/hbomax" target="_blank">HBO Max</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Quibi" target="_blank">Quibi</a>. Other organizations with similar messages on their social media pages include <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCUniversal/status/1267481089431539720/photo/1" target="_blank">NBCUniversal</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/Disney/status/1267224613152571393" target="_blank">Disney</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/hulu/status/1266913549512658946" target="_blank">Hulu</a>.<br></p><p> On Sunday, various Hollywood union leaders weighed in as well.<br> </p><p> SAG-AFTRA leaders Gabrielle Carteris and David P. White issued a statement. "The murder of George Floyd is deeply emblematic of a corrosive inequality and injustice at the heart of America," it began. "It's not enough to demand change. We must recognize that racism lives in our culture and only we can change that." </p><p> WGA West President David Goodman said: "As demonstrations continue today across America, our union stands with those who peacefully protest the racist, extrajudicial murders of George Floyd and other Black people...National outrage about bigotry, discrimination, and injustice is the only way we will ever see real change." </p><p> ViacomCBS <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSLA/status/1267559820787421185" target="_blank">announced</a> on Monday that several of its networks, including Nickelodeon, BET and CBS Sports Network, would go dark for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in tribute to George Floyd and "other victims of racial violence." </p><p><em>— Sam Blake</em></p>L.A.'s gaming companies express support for BLM
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzM0NjQ0OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MzcxNzA2M30.RZmGsnE7xfT0iSt7f47FiD7YJlOWtBMPSFD8m2mPMZc/img.jpg?width=980" id="c72e6" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="078c7039c95b61c89427ab9317e2de27" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />live.staticflickr.com <p> Several Los Angeles gaming companies have weighed in to express solidarity and sympathy with social activists. </p><p> Culver City-based <a href="https://twitter.com/JamCityHQ/status/1267552773232455680/photo/1" target="_blank">Jam City</a>, a mobile game developer founded in 2010, took to social media to stand with Black Lives Matter. Santa Monica's <a href="https://twitter.com/ATVI_AB/status/1267300339104968709/photo/1" target="_blank">Activision Blizzard</a> and West LA's <a href="https://twitter.com/riotgames/status/1267143804890513408" target="_blank">Riot Games</a> also posted on social media, as has startup <a href="https://twitter.com/EsportsOneInc/status/1266933026174324736" target="_blank">Esports</a> <a href="https://dot.la/esports-one-aims-to-provide-fantasy-sports-vibe-for-competitive-gamers-2645979049.html" target="_blank">One</a>. </p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p> Gaming and lifestyle company FaZe Clan, based in Hollywood, published an "honest message" to its fans:</p> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p> FaZe Clan is donating all profits from a retail campaign to a Memorial Fund created in George Floyd's name. </p><p> <em>— Sam Blake</em> </p>Snap and Twitter reportedly used by ill-intentioned protesters to organize theft; Snap CEO talks reparations and heartbreak
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://dot.la/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzM2NTA5OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2ODAyNDE1MX0.Ow8SO3tLUrSSoYaok3PE_ZpjWMmIyO9-WBsfl9fvQ8c/image.jpg?width=980" id="5cc47" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ed739aec6f94f9e685fe42972f83f784" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Photo by Tami Abdollah
<p>Twitter has long been the social media platform of choice for people protesting an abuse of power -- during the Arab Spring uprisings it proved crucially useful as a way to get around and deal with internet blackouts.</p><p>So too has it been used this past week, by groups organizing mostly peaceful efforts to express their anger at George Floyd's death. But as Twitter has upped its efforts to counter violence on its platform, notably by placing a warning label on a tweet by President Trump for glorifying violence, those with less peaceful intentions have also taken their messages to Snapchat to urge their contacts and the broader public to engage in violence, theft and property damage.</p><p>A Snap spokesperson said the company's <a href="https://www.snap.com/en-US/community-guidelines" target="_blank">Community Guidelines</a> "prohibit content that incites or glorifies violence, hate speech and discrimination of any kind. We have in-app reporting tools that Snapchatters can use to quickly report any content that may be in violation of our guidelines to our Trust and Safety team, who then reviews the reports and takes appropriate action."</p><p><a href="https://press.snap.com/we-stand-together" target="_blank">On Sunday evening, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel sent a letter to staff</a> in which he said "we simply cannot promote accounts in America that are linked to people who incite racial violence, whether they do so on or off our platform.</p><p>"Our Discover content platform is a curated platform, where we decide what we promote. We have spoken time and again about working hard to make a positive impact, and we will walk the talk with the content we promote on Snapchat. We may continue to allow divisive people to maintain an account on Snapchat, as long as the content that is published on Snapchat is consistent with our community guidelines, but we will not promote that account or content in any way."</p><p>The self-described camera company is currently protected from financial liability for such messages by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act that that has been broadly interpreted by the courts over the years as shielding internet sites and apps from being financially liable for what user tweets, posts or generally publishes on their platforms.</p><p>Last week, <a href="https://dot.la/snap-tiktok-grindr-section-230-2646118991.html" target="_blank">Trump signed an executive order that may change all of that</a> by enabling federal regulators to punish social media companies for how they moderate content on their sites. Lawmakers and internet freedom advocates called the action illegal and improper under the First Amendment.</p><p>Such a change could have far-reaching impacts on Santa Monica-based Snap and smaller companies with an online presence that lack the budgets to moderate every single message or post on their apps.</p><p>Spiegel said he is "heartbroken and enraged by the treatment of black people and people of color in America." He called for the establishment of a diverse, nonpartisan "Commission on Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations" to investigate the criminal justice system and take action on reconciliation and reparations.</p><p><em>— Tami Abdollah</em></p>Airmap's Santa Monica headquarters destroyed by looters
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://dot.la/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzM2NTA1NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MjY0MTczMH0.-O5tmfWQ8LM1b4hNTi9Vt3GR3HQMU4JyrNvIIVKGycs/image.jpg?width=980" id="c90e6" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c09777bd410d377ad598210d2c701fbf" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />Greg McNeal/Twitter
<p> Airmap's headquarters on Santa Monica boulevard near the Third Street Promenade was destroyed by looters Sunday night, according to co-founder Greg McNeal, who recounted the damage in a series of Twitter posts. The company, founded in 2015, is the world's leading airspace services platform for unmanned aircraft. </p> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><p>AirMap co-founder and chairman Ben Marcus added this on Twitter: "Last night, the AirMap office in Santa Monica was consumed by fire. Thankfully, nobody was hurt. What hurts is the unending racism & injustice in America. We all must work harder to make our union more perfect. We're all brothers and sisters. Let's treat each other with love, respect, & dignity, and create opportunity for all who choose to make a positive impact." <br></p><p><em>— Ben Bergman</em> </p><script async="" src="<a href=" https:="" platform.twitter.com="" widgets.js"="" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><a href="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js</a>" charset="utf-8"> </script>Santa Monica, Beverly Hills announce 1 pm curfews for business districts
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://dot.la/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzM2NDg5NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxNzI3NDcyN30.oX2HPoykVnc2p7yt-G-qSQuaUpCgxJHAvjGoszbcego/image.jpg?width=980" id="ca930" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6015a8e6f6e784527f3f74b2c3ba04f9" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /><p>Santa Monica and Beverly Hills announced 1 p.m. curfews for their business districts on Monday, as shop owners and residents began sweeping the glass off the street and assessing the damage after a night of peaceful protests turned into fires, looting and vandalism over the death of George Floyd, who was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis. Citywide curfews will go into effect at 4 p.m. The chaos went to the heart of Silicon Beach, home to tech companies like Snap Inc and venture capitalists like Upfront Ventures, whose office overlooks the Pacific Ocean. </p><p>Long Beach issued a similar curfew. </p><p>"Sunday was one of the most distressing days in Santa Monica history," said Santa Monica Mayor Kevin McKeown in a statement. "We know better than to let the looters obscure the message of the protesters, who have indeed been heard."</p><p>Downtown L.A., Beverly Hills, Fairfax District and the Grove shopping center all got hit by looters over the weekend as police cars were set ablaze and the national guard was called in. News outlets reported that some chanted "eat the rich" as they marched along Rodeo Drive, one of the most expensive slices of commercial real estate in the region. </p><p>Floyd's death caused anguish in communities that have seen a number of black men die or be hurt by police officers who often suffer few consequences. Meanwhile, blacks and Latinos have higher arrest and incarceration rates. The deep disparity extends beyond the criminal justice system to education, housing and other areas.</p><p>And the frustration over it played out during the protests. Unlike the 1992 civil unrest after the release of Los Angeles police officers who beat Rodney King, demonstrations hit some of the wealthiest parts of the city. In 1992, looting and fires devastated South Central, further impoverishing an already economically disadvantaged area.</p><p>"Pretty wild to see the epicentre of this chaos at my office," Laurent Grill, an investor at Santa Monica based Luma Launch wrote on Twitter Sunday. "Quite a divide... on one side we had massive peaceful protests and 3 blocks away, people are looting & burning stores in my community. Makes me extremely sad." </p><p><em>— Rachel Uranga</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Here are the latest headlines regarding how the novel coronavirus is impacting the Los Angeles startup and tech communities. Sign up for our newsletter and follow dot.LA on Twitter for the latest updates.
- Jam City launches GoFundMe initiative to help employees impacted by COVID-19
- Comcast's stock slides on troubles linked to COVID-19, but can Peacock save the day?
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Jam City launches GoFundMe initiative to help employees impacted by COVID-19
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://dot.la/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzE3OTMyMS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MzQzNzA4Mn0.iacHBKP8CWghvrokcacL1vlqSeYTkByCc8aQ6gFBDXI/image.png?width=980" id="53b9b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3f9faebe193c795f81d96931f9c5c690" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" /> <p>Jam City, the mobile gaming force behind <em><a href="https://dot.la/jam-city-mobile-esports-gaming-2645424106.html" target="_blank">World War Doh</a> </em>and <em>Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery</em>, is on a new mission to help employees that have been hard hit by the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Culver City-based company launched the <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/jam-city-step" target="_blank">Stronger Together Employee Program (STEP)</a> as a way staff donate to a GoFundMe account to help co-workers that are struggling financially. Jam City started the program with a large corporate donation to the fund by putting $10,000 into the fund, and pledges to match every donation after that — dollar-for-dollar — for up to $50,000. So far, the GoFundMe initiative has raised about $26,000, out of a $25,000 goal.</p><p>"Jam City has always been very proud to have a company culture rooted in compassion and kindness. We are fortunate to be in an industry and at a company that is continuing to do well, but we also realize this may not be the case across other industries, and our employees have family members that are experiencing hardships," said Rob Zakari, Jam City's executive vice president of corporate development and general counsel. "To help, Jam City created a fund for those employees whose families have been impacted, which will help them receive essential items."</p><p>The company, which also includes the 2018 acquisition of Bogota, Colombia-based mobile game developer Brainz, has 700 employees based in nine studios across five countries including Burbank, San Diego, San Francisco, Berlin, Buenos Aires and Toronto. The company said it has not laid off or furloughed employees since the pandemic struck. Any of the funds not used to help employees will be donated to local charities in support of coronavirus relief efforts. </p>Comcast's stock slides on troubles linked to COVID-19, but can Peacock save the day?
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjkzNDc3Ni9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MjA3MzkzM30.BzTjxiCmRr1-PV03UGRMJNKg7shyGXcetP8pk3WRR1M/img.gif?width=980" id="93ac1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4b487b9b4b4fd7b793ef7d604326111c" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />NBCUniversal
<p>Comcast Corp. -- the media behemoth that controls NBC, Universal Pictures, and countless other properties -- had some good news on their first-quarter earnings call. The cable and broadband segment of the company added 477,000 new subscribers during the period, most of it coming as Americans clamor for Internet service in an era of being stuck at home and hungry for content. The surge came during the last three weeks of the quarter, and represented a 27 percent year-over-year increase. But that may be a temporary bump.</p><p>Wall Street remained worried, and punished the stock with an 8 percent slide in midday trading after the company reported both profit and revenue were down during the quarter. And its second-quarter projections were generally weak. The problems: Universal Pictures will have a tough time getting movies into theaters if cinemas aren't open and the Universal Studios theme parks are shuttered in the U.S. and Japan. The company called out that the current environment is a "difficult comparison" to the previous year's relative success and "theater and entertainment venue closures as a result of COVID-19."</p><p>The company said broadcast TV was up, "reflecting increases in content licensing revenue and distribution and other revenue." And NBCU CEO Jeff Shell noted that <a href="https://dot.la/nbc-peacock-streaming-service-2645721883.html" target="_blank">early signs of Peacock</a>, the new streaming service recently rolled out to a subset of Comcast customers, are "very, very encouraging, particularly the amount of time each person is spending watching." Comcast CEO Brian Roberts noted that Peacock has exceeded internal projections of both view time and monthly active users, but did not provide numbers.</p><p>And in the wake of a prominent mid-week spat with AMC theaters over his comments about future film release strategy, Shell seemed to backtrack a tad by emphasizing that theater releases will remain a "central element" of NBCU's studio business. </p>
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