"Team Bumble" is about to become Fortnite's first all-female pro team.
Gen.G is teaming up with Bumble, the women-first social and dating app, to bring the team together. The initial roster of "Gen.G Empowered by Bumble" (the team's official name) will include current members of the esport organization's Fortnite roster, including Kristen "KittyPlays" Valnicek, Madison "maddiesuun" Mann, Tina "TINARAES" Perez, Carlee "Carlee" Gress, and Hannah "Hannah" Reyes.
Bumble has also announced an individual partnership with Valnicek, who was hired as Gen.G's head of new gaming initiatives in October. Valnicek boasts a community of over 600,000 subscribers on YouTube and organizes her own network of women gamers and streamers, #TeamKitty.
This announcement came just weeks after the conclusion of the first-ever Fortnite World Cup. While the World Cup featured women in its Creative Cup and Pro-Am competition, not a single woman qualified for the 200 available spots in Solos and Duos competition, sparking a conversation about the question of gender equality in esports.
Gen.G CEO Chris Park said that they intend for their new partnership with Bumble to "strengthen platforms for women" and create "more inclusive, supportive environments in which all passionate esports athletes can compete and connect."
In addition to their partnership with Gen.G, Bumble has further ventured into the gaming sphere by adding a "gaming" badge for subscribers on the app's premium service, Bumble BFF. Users will be able to add the badge to their profiles and use it to filter matches. Gen.G and Bumble will also be co-developing merchandise for both Team Bumble and other Gen.G teams.
Gen.G currently fields rosters in "Apex Legends", "PUBG", "League of Legends", "Clash Royale", "Call of Duty: Black Ops 4", and Blizzard's Overwatch League, where the team competes as the Seoul Dynasty.
The UK-based augmented reality startup, Dent Reality, raised the equivalent of $3.4 million USD in its most recent funding round. Dent Reality has created an AR app for smartphones that helps shoppers navigate retail locations by providing a layout of a store's aisles, while showing where to find specific items. The company works mainly with grocery stores but aims to integrate its tech with all types of physical spaces. Dent Reality CEO Andrew Hart joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
It’s no secret that America’s infrastructure is aging. The average American bridge is 43 years old. 49% of our streets and highways are in poor condition. That’s why rebuilding our roads is near the top of President Biden’s to-do list. But repaving is just surface level, some suggest we need to rethink the structures themselves.
We all know drivers in the UK drive on the left side of the road, but what if I told you that’s just where the differences begin. Europe and the United States have evolved to each have a unique set of rules of the road.
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The upcoming HBO documentary, "The Forever Prisoner," zeros in on the Saudi-born Palestinian, and the failures of the CIA torture program. The documentary includes first-hand accounts, classified documents, never-before-seen images, interrogation notes, and testimony that you will have to see to believe. JD sat down with the mastermind behind the lens, director, and narrator of ' The Forever Prisoner,' Alex Gibney to discuss.
'Bing Bong!' has become a rallying cry for Knicks fans and New Yorkers. Cheddar's None Of The Above dives into the origin of the sound in this edition of Tik Talk.
The current supply chain crisis could last well into 2023. Some see this as an opportunity here for retailers to be early adopters of zero-emission technology. The 'Shady Routes' report highlights the relationship between retail companies and their cargo carriers, and how both can make real change from a public health and climate perspective. Angeline Robertson, senior researcher, Stand.Earth Research Group and Dawny'all Heydari, campaign lead, at Ship it Zero join Cheddar News.
Earnings season continues in the week of December 6 - 10, and that's only the start of a slate of events on the calendar that may move markets. We will also see executives from the crypto world and Instagram Head Adam Mosseri testify before members of Congress, and Square's name change to Block officially goes into effect.
Many restaurants across the country have lately turned off delivery and online orders during peak hours, as eateries are still struggling with labor shortages and as many are also seeing more customers return for in-person dining. Wall Street Journal reporter Heather Haddon joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
