Thunderclap on the French market! Webedia, subsidiary of the Fimalac group, is going to acquire 100% of Oxent by holding ESWC and Toornament brands.
The media group is also becoming the main shareholder of Bang Bang Management, the talent agency. After websites such as jeuxvideo.com and millenium.org, Webedia continues to build up its positions in the gaming and entertainment areas. Within the next days, the group will be given the branding strategy of the Paris Saint-Germain who will enter electronic sports.
Oxent and Bang Bang Management takeover has just been concluded and formalized on Tuesday, October 4th. By now, no amount was communicated about this takeover. According to our information, Oxent should remain an independent subsidiary and Matthieu Dallon, its President, should join the board of Directors at Webedia Gaming.
We were able to be in touch with Matthieu Dallon who informed us about the purpose of this rapprochement: “After 15 years of independent development, it was essential for the ESWC to move up another gear with a group and some means allowing to enter the race with its international competitors. It’s a kind of third birth and the reward of the work of a team which has become a family. For Toornament, it’s also an opportunity to join an international media group – both for the audience amplification effects and the business strength which will allow us to incorporate gaming and editors projects as soon as possible.” Within the next days, Matthieu Dallon will speak in front of our camera to explain in more details the consequences of such a takeover.
The acquisition of Bang Bang Management will allow to establish the group’s position as regards the talents management. Webedia is going to join its strengths with Mixicom’s, the network which handles the rights of the most well-known youtubers such as Cyprien (9.2M), Norman (7.8M) or Squeezie (6.7M). The group will benefit from a range of talents able to address numerous audiences and to better target communities. This is also an opportunity for the talents who will be able to benefit from Webedia’s advertising network. Millenium, which already holds about 40 contracts with pro and semi-pro players, should also follow by putting forward some personalities coming from pro teams and webTVs.
SmartCast’s eye:
What are the challenges around this fusion? With this acquisition, Webedia reinforces its positions and becomes an undisputed leader on the French gaming market. It acquires the Oxent expertise related to events organisation as well as two brands, the Electronic Sport World Convention and Toornament. By confirming their ambition for an international development, they suggest a direct response to the Modern Times Group (MTG) strategy and the organisation of DreamHack throughout the world. This suggests an upcoming competition on the international place.
Nevertheless, the new Webedia subsidiary should logically refine its approach. In the past, Oxent demonstrated its openness and skills by offering new licenses in its competitive circuit. We can as of now assume that they wish to work together with games editors and develop a wider-audience direction. This is a strategy which will be based on the synergies deployed between the media strength of sites such as Millenium and jeuxvideo.com, their talents management through Bang Bang Management and Mixicom, as well as the event expertise of Oxent.
If the alchemy works, all the lights will be green to be successful in supporting the Paris Saint-Germain in the gaming world. If, through its press conference, Webedia did confirm they were working with the capital’s club, the group reserves the possibility to make a further announce. Which structure? Which players? Which games? These questions will get an answer in the next press conference organised at the Parc des Princes.
