*By Chloe Aiello* Former Take-Two CEO Kelly Sumner is looking for the next big game. But rather than investing hundreds of millions, his blockchain-based video game publisher Planet Digital Partners is targeting mid-level games often ignored by big publishers. "Electronic Arts, Take-Two, Activision ($ATVI), etc., they are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on a game, expecting to be ... getting billions. And the kind of middle, where there's sort of really good, exciting games, isn't there," Sumner told Cheddar Friday. Planet Digital launched a Security Token Offering on Thursday with the goal of democratizing game development and funding alternative games. The company is offering 38 million "Rocket Tokens" at $1 per token to accredited investors. Sumner said he expects investors will be paid dividends as soon as the first quarter of 2020. "This raise will allow us to actually go out and find maybe the next 'Grand Theft Auto,' maybe the next 'Guitar Hero,' because they started off ー not as billion dollar franchises ー but they became billion dollar franchises," Sumner said. For investors, the token launch represents investment in a portfolio of games. Three games in the pipeline for distribution so far are Cabela's "The Hunt," "Cooking Mama," and Bass Pro "The Strike." Sumner admitted they aren't games he would necessarily play, but said they have a promising market. "We're not trying to get the next soccer game or the next 'Call of Duty,' etc. We are looking at the opportunity of investing $5 million into a game, $10 million into a game ー a game that will have revenues of $50 million plus, where our competitors ... won't even get out of bed for that," he said. Sumner also said blockchain offers opportunities for Planet Digital, not only in funding and security, but in interactive game-play. He said there's potential to introduce interactive trading features between game players and game watchers, which could unveil a whole new element to game play. "Blockchain brings some really interesting opportunities," he said.

Share:
More In Culture
Paper Raises $270 Million Series D to Further Democratize Access to Academic Support
Online tutoring service Paper recently raised $270 million in a Series D funding round. Paper says its online platform serves nearly two million students and offers unlimited, 24/7 academic support via its multilingual tutors. The company partners directly with school districts instead of families, and says this allows it to provide personalized tutoring to all students regardless of their socioeconomic status. Philip Culter, co-founder and CEO of Paper, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Only 1/3 Of U.S. Employees Are Back In Office
As coronavirus cases decline, many people are going out again, eating at restaurants, taking long-delayed vacations, attending concerts, and more. But, despite social activities returning to normal, many companies are still working remotely. In fact, only a third of U.S. employees have returned to the office, according to Kastle Systems, which monitors building-access cards. Brian Kropp, chief of research for Gartner's HR practice, joined Cheddar's Opening Bell to discuss the state of the return-to-work debate.
E-Bike Maker 'Cake' Aims to Lead Transition to Zero-Emission Lifestyle
Swedish electric motorcycle maker Cake says its mission is to inspire society to adopt a zero-emission lifestyle. The company admits this is a lofty goal that covers a lot of ground - so it's starting with the world of urban mobility and last-mile deliveries. The company also has an agreement in place with NorthVolt to continually improve the environmental impact of batteries for electric vehicles. Stefan Ytterborn, Founder & CEO of Cake, joins Cheddar Climate to discuss.
thredUP President Talks Company's Resale-As-A-Service Platform, Fashion Sustainability
One retailer and publicly-traded company says it is on a mission to inspire a new generation of consumers to think secondhand - first. thredUP is one of the world's largest resale platforms for women's and kids' apparel, shoes, and accessories. The company says it is changing the way consumers shop and ushering in a more sustainable future for the fashion industry. Anthony Marino, President of thredUP, joins Cheddar Climate to discuss.
Load More