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Stephen Colbert's fiery interview with Oliver Stone about Putin has one fatal flaw

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Oliver Stone Stephen Colbert Scott Kowalchyk CBS

On Monday night, "The Late Show" host Stephen Colbert interviewed Oliver Stone about his two-year journey to interview Russian President Vladimir Putin, and let's just say things were a little tense. 

Stone's interviews with Putin have been put into a four-night event on Showtime called "The Putin Interviews" (it premiered last night), in which the director touches on everything from Edward Snowden to the accusations that Russia meddled in the 2016 presidential election.

As Colbert does with guests who have a movie or TV show to plug, he opened showing a brief clip from Stone's documentary. It showed Stone bringing up how Putin's influence could affect something like the US election if he publicly supported one candidate over another, which led to Putin saying he doesn't interfere with domestic affairs of other countries. Stone has no follow-up question — instead he thanks Putin and ends the interview session for the day.

After touching on the criticism that Stone was too soft on Putin, Colbert pounces on the clip he showed and why Stone didn't give any follow-up question.

"That doesn't seem like an interview, that seems like an opportunity for him to merely propagandize," Colbert said.

"In the fourth hour I pressed him on the election coming up for him in 2018 and I also pressed him on this issue of Mr. Trump, the whole hacking thing, and cyber warfare," Stone said. "This is important, the cyberwarfare is very complex, I don't take it lightly."

the putin interviews showtimeThings got even more tense when Stone gave his thoughts about Putin, saying the leader has been "assaulted and abused." This led to groans from the audience. Stone quickly added "abused in the press, in the media," which led to even more groans and snickering.

Colbert then asked, "Anything about him negative you found?"

“What is wrong with détente with Russia? Why would you be against it? I don’t understand this mentality. Maybe it’s because you hate Trump,” Stone said, referring to Colbert's countless jabs at Trump on his show.

“Hate is a strong word. I don’t trust him,” Colbert replied.  

“You don’t trust him,” Stone said. “So therefore Russia is convenient as an excuse for hacking the election.”

Colbert replied: “I don’t understand why our president will never say anything negative about Vladimir Putin given that Putin is an oppressive leader of his country who suppresses the free press, and arrests his enemies. That is not something that I, as an American and member of the press, can respect. And I’m surprised that you do respect that,” 

"The Late Show" audience cheered. Stone then said, “Well, you know I’ve always been for free speech.”

“Yes, and it doesn’t seem like he would be a hero of that,” Colbert said.

It's the kind of back-and-forth late-night hosts dream for. But there's a major issue: Colbert said on two occassions that he had not seen "The Putin Interviews" yet.

That's a major loss of points for Colbert in this instance. If you are going to go after someone and how they do their work but don't take the time out to see it beforehand, you lose all credibility in conducting an interview.

Sure, there are many avenues you can go down when talking about Putin and the Russia investigation, and Colbert certainly stays in his lane, but if he wants to hold Stone accountable, the host should also do the due diligence before criticizing the director's work.

Watch Colbert's entire interview with Stone below (which is horribly edited to fit the show's running time — let's hope the show releases the full interview):

 

SEE ALSO: John Oliver: The most important thing in James Comey's testimony

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6 things that happen in 'House of Cards' season 5 that mirror the Trump presidency

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The latest season of Netflix's political drama feels a little too real in today's political world. There are a number of plot points and details that are strikingly similar to things that have happened around the 2016 election and that are currently taking place in the Trump presidency. Here's a look at a few of the similarities. WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.

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A real Pokémon game is coming to the Nintendo Switch and it's time to get hyped

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pokemon

Pokémon fans, it's time to celebrate: A real, true, "core" Pokémon game is coming to the Nintendo Switch, fulfilling the hopes and dreams of Poké-maniacs everywhere.

The announcement was made by Nintendo in a YouTube broadcast ahead of the E3 conference. The game won't be ready for a "year or more," says the company.

Earlier in June, Nintendo announced "Pokkén Tournament DX," a fighting game in the style of "Mortal Kombat," would be coming to the Nintendo Switch later this year. This announcement was a letdown for lots of Nintendo fans, who were hoping for a more traditional Pokémon game to come to the hybrid console.

Also of note is that this Pokémon game would also be the first in the main series for a Nintendo home console — previous mainline Pokémon games have only appeared on Nintendo's portable systems. Home consoles like the Nintendo Wii U have previously only recieved spinoffs, like the "Pokémon Rumble" series. This new one is confirmed to be a role-playing game, in line with the classic Pokémon titles.

While the Nintendo Switch can be detached to play away from a TV, Nintendo considers it a TV console first and foremost. 

So while the wait for this new Pokémon will be painful, it's going to get a lot of Nintendo Switch owners very hyped. And it's sure to give a lot of folks a reason to buy a Switch.

SEE ALSO: The Nintendo Switch is getting its first Pokémon game

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The first major 'Super Mario' game for Nintendo's Switch arrives on October 27

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Nintendo's first major "Super Mario" game for the Nintendo Switch just got a release date: The game arrives on October 27. 

It's called "Super Mario Odyssey," and it's a new 3D Mario game along the lines of "Super Mario 64" and "Super Mario Galaxy." It looks outrageous.

Super Mario Odyssey

The game puts Mario in control of a top hat-shaped air ship, a means of conveying him from world to world. What you see above is a food-based area (that's a radish Mario's carrying), but it's just the first of several levels Nintendo's shown of the game previously.

One of the most bizarre worlds is named "New Donk City" — a reference to the Donkey Kong theme running through everything. It's a floating island that's at once a slice of 1930s New York City and a bizarre Nintendo world.

Super Mario Odyssey

Nintendo announced the release date during a livestream on Tuesday morning, part of the company's presence at the annual E3 video game trade show in Los Angeles, California.

Beyond just offering the date, Nintendo published a crazy new trailer. It showcases the main new mechanic in "Super Mario Odyssey": using Mario's hat (named "cappy") to take control of various things and people in the world. It also showcases his new ship (named "odyssey"), which Mario uses as a means of getting from world to world.

You'll collect a type of fuel for your ship by completing objectives, which will enable you to progress forward to new worlds. It's not clear how many worlds are in the game, but it's clear that they're all pretty distinct. We've seen at least three or four thus far.

Super Mario Odyssey

Yes, that is Mario with a dinosaur! Here's the full trailer:

SEE ALSO: Nintendo's next major 'Super Mario' game is a fresh take on a classic — here's what we know

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NOW WATCH: Nintendo’s ‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’ is amazing — here’s what it’s like

HBO's programming president says 'think pieces' are a good measure of a show's success

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game of thronesAttention bloggers: HBO loves your "think pieces" and wishes you would write more of them.

While the “think piece” — and its cousin the “hot take” — are often-mocked staples of writing on the internet, HBO thinks their proliferation bodes well for a show.

“I like a show that generates think pieces,” Casey Bloys, HBO’s programming president, said at the ATX Television Festival, according to The New York Times. The audience then started to laugh. “Honestly,” Bloys added.

Why does Bloys consider think pieces to be a metric of a show’s success? Because a bumper crop of think pieces means that the show is making people dig deep. It shows “that people are thinking about, analyzing, debating, and that’s important,” according to Bloys.

For TV execs like Bloys, it’s not just about the ratings, it’s also about the depth of the connection someone has with a show. This is especially important for a company like HBO, where people choose to subscribe to individually, either by add-on to their cable package or a-la-carte with HBO Now.

Craig Erwich, Hulu’s head of content, backed up this line of thinking at the same festival.

“It’s not so much how many people are watching,” Erwich said, according to the Times. “It’s what’s their intensity of a relationship to the show. You might have the show that might not have the biggest audience, but if it’s a bunch of those people’s favorite show and if the economics bear out, it’s a show that can stick out.”

Passion is a key metric for TV execs, especially those who work at places like HBO, Hulu, and Netflix, and think pieces can be one way to measure that.

So, bloggers, next time a bad take of yours gets flamed on the internet, remember that HBO’s programming president is still happy you wrote it.  

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Two major additions are coming to the incredible 'Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild' — here's what we know

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"The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" is an enormous, excellent game.

Exploring the open world of Hyrule is a massive adventure, with mystery around every corner — and even some mystery flying overhead. 

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Even so, many players have spent dozens of hours exploring its every nook and cranny. And for those people, Nintendo has good news: There are two major expansions coming to the game, and the first one arrives this month. 

It's called "The Master Trials," and Nintendo announced on Tuesday morning that it arrives on June 30, with the second arriving in "holiday 2017." Here's everything we know.

SEE ALSO: The 5 best reasons you should play the incredible new 'Legend of Zelda' game

DON'T MISS: 10 need-to-know recipes for surviving in 'The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild'

You wanna know how much it costs, don't you? Let's start with the bad news up front: You'll have to shell out $19.99 for access to The Master Trials.

But there's good news too! By paying $19.99, you get both of the upcoming expansions to "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild." You're paying for what is called the "Expansion Pass" — essentially a key to unlock both upcoming expansions.

Sadly, there is no way to buy them individually. That said, getting both expansion packs for $10 apiece is a pretty solid deal — many games charge $19.99 for each major addition. 



Now, how about some more good news? The Master Trials looks rad. The best thing might be the new Hard Mode.

I know, I know — "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" is already a pretty difficult game. I get it. But after 50-something hours with the game, that's no longer the case. Hard Mode offers crazy people like myself an option to play more "Breath of the Wild" with a greater challenge than ever before. 

So, what's different? Here's how Nintendo describes the new, more difficult setting:

"In Hard Mode, the 'ranks' of enemies in the game are increased (i.e. Red Bokoblins change to Blue), and players might even encounter higher-ranking enemies they wouldn’t find through normal play. Enemies will also slowly recover health in battle, forcing you to defeat them more quickly. They will also more easily spot Link as he approaches them, making these enemies tougher to sneak up on. In addition, floating planks held aloft by balloons will be scattered around Hyrule. By successfully reaching these planks, players can battle enemies and collect treasure."



Beyond the option of making the game more difficult, there's another new mode called "Trial of the Sword." In this mode, you'll face dozens of waves of enemies. But if you persist, there's a killer reward.

One of the best aspects of "Breath of the Wild" is the excellent combat. There are dozens of ways to take down any given enemy, and "Breath of the Wild" encourages your exploration of those options. 

In the "Trial of the Sword" mode, you'll enter a dungeon with 45 enemy-filled rooms. Another twist: You start "without any armor or weapons," and must figure out how to get through. But, if you survive? "The true power of the Master Sword will awaken and always be in its glowing, powered-up state." Not too shabby!

To be completely clear, that means an end to weapon destructability. No more swapping weapons when one breaks — you can just use the Master Sword in perpetuity. And that is a pretty big deal.



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Lachlan Murdoch of News Corp. and 21st Century Fox to speak at IGNITION 2017

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Lachlan Murdoch, son of Rupert Murdoch, CEO of News Corp. and 20th Century Fox arrives for the annual Allen and Co. Conference at the Sun Valley, Idaho Resort July 9, 2013. REUTERS/Rick Wilking

Want to stay up to date with this year's IGNITION conference and all things media? Subscribe here to receive our free weekly IGNITION newsletter.

Business Insider is excited to announce that Lachlan Murdoch will speak at IGNITION 2017: The Future of Media.

Lachlan, the son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, serves as the executive cochairman of News Corp., the executive chairman of 21st Century Fox, and the executive chairman of Nova Entertainment Group.

Since taking over for his father two years ago, Lachlan and his brother, James, who serves as the CEO of 21st Century Fox, have made a concerted effort to overhaul a company culture that for decades overlooked poor behavior as long as the profits were rising, according to The New York Times. There may not be a better example of this than the firing of Fox News' superstar host Bill O'Reilly earlier this year after a multitude of sexual-harassment allegations became public.

We are thrilled to hear Lachlan's thoughts on the future of media given his extensive experience leading one of the most successful media empires on the planet. We can't wait to hear his thoughts on the effects of the struggling cable industry and the plateauing movie-theater industry on 21st Century Fox's business as well as on News Corp.'s continued push into the digital world.

Lachlan joins HBO CEO Richard Plepler and Verizon executive Marni Walden as speakers at this year's IGNITION conference. We will continue to announce new speakers throughout the summer, so continue to check in to see who else will be attending.

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Business Insider IGNITION 2017 will take place November 29-30 at the Time Warner Center in New York City. Don't miss out on an opportunity lock in your discounted Early-Bird or group rates to hear from the most influential people in media!

 

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After 26 years, Nintendo is bringing back a forgotten classic 'Metroid' game for a gorgeous remake (NTDOY)

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metroid samus returns

Nintendo just announced "Metroid: Samus Returns," a new game in the classic series, coming to the Nintendo 3DS family of handheld systems later this year.

This game is a remake, or "re-imagination," of "Metroid II: Return of Samus" — the largely-forgotten second entry in the series, released for the original Nintendo Game Boy in 1991. The game's plot will see Samus infiltrate the planet SR388 in a quest to eliminate every last one of the titular Metroids. 

Like its inspiration, "Samus Returns" is a two-dimensional, side-scrolling adventure game. But the game has been completely rethought for the new generation. Samus has a bunch of slick new moves, including the ability to aim while firing, and a melee counter ability that lets you get up close and personal with your foes.

Here's the reveal trailer:

And if that's not enough Metroid for you, Nintendo also announced "Metroid Prime 4," a brand-new entry in the franchise, coming to the Nintendo Switch at an unannounced date. 

On a final note, the reveal of "Metroid: Samus Returns" might go a ways towards explaining why Nintendo shut down "AM2R," a fan project with a similar goal of remaking "Metroid II," last year.

SEE ALSO: A real Pokémon game is coming to the Nintendo Switch and it's time to get hyped

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NOW WATCH: Nintendo dropped another trailer for 'Super Mario Odyssey' — and it looks amazing


Here are all of the new games coming to the Nintendo Switch

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nintendoswitchsupermarioodysseypresentation2017scrn07bmpjpgcopy

On Monday, Nintendo announced a slew of new games coming to its Switch console.

Many of the games Nintendo has planned will revive classic franchises like Pokémon and Metroid. Others are sequels to newer games.

Release dates have also been given for two highly-anticipated Switch titles: the upcoming "Super Mario Odyssey" and the first downloadable expansion to "The Legend of Zelda: Breadth of the Wild."

Here are all of the new games that we know are coming to the Nintendo Switch:

SEE ALSO: Everything we know about the two major additions coming to 'Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild'

To kick things off, Nintendo showed a trailer for "Xenoblade Chronicles 2," the sequel to the original game that was released for the Wii U. This next installment will be released for the 2017 holiday season.



An entirely new Kirby game is coming to the Switch in 2018. It looks like there will be lots of fun co-op playing opportunities with this one.



Nintendo surprised everyone by teasing "Metroid Prime 4," the first update to the beloved series in 10 years. Details are scarce, but we can't wait for this new installment.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Nintendo and Microsoft are making the right moves to cut into Sony's lead in video games

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Beware, Sony: The competition is closing in. 

At E3, the annual video game trade show that's taking place in Los Angeles this week, the big three console makers — Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony — each touted their visions for the near-future of video games. After all three had wrapped up their press briefings, it was clear that while Sony may have a sales lead now with its PlayStation 4, its rivals are making smart moves that could help them cut into that lead.

Xbox vs Playstation

Of course, the competition has a lot of ground to make up. Sony has sold more than 60 million PlayStation 4 consoles, which is more than double the number of Xbox One machines Microsoft has sold. Sony has also left Nintendo in the dust. Though it's off to a good start, Nintendo's new Switch console has only been available for a few months, and its previous game machine, the Wii U, was a bust. And Sony's also having a lot of success getting PlayStation 4 owners to buy other things. Nearly 30 million of them are paying for PlayStation Plus, Sony's online service.

Still, things can change quickly in the games business — something Microsoft and Nintendo are counting on. 

SEE ALSO: Here are all of the new games coming to the Nintendo Switch

Microsoft continues to push a narrative of Xbox as a platform, regardless of hardware.

The headline news at Microsoft's E3 event on Sunday was the unveiling of its powerful new console, the Xbox One X, which is aimed at Sony's high-end PlayStation 4 Pro.

But the company made another important announcement that was easy to overlook.

Microsoft company announced it's adding backwards compatibility with the original Xbox. Soon, you'll be able to play games designed for the first Xbox on the Xbox One. 

It's admittedly a small addition to the Xbox One. Owners of the console could already play Xbox 360 games on the machine.

But the move is a big step toward allowing Xbox customers to build a library of games that don't disappear each time they buy a new console.

That's something smartphone owners and people who use services like Steam have come to expect. Their digital libraries generally exist in perpetuity and are typically available on all devices that run on the same platform, be it Apple's iOS, Android or Steam. But on gaming consoles, digital libraries are a relatively new concept, and Microsoft is leading the way. 

Steam

Microsoft's support for backwards compatibility stands in stark contrast to Sony. In a recent interview with Time Magazine, Jim Ryan, Sony's head of global sales and marketing, said:

"When we've dabbled with backwards compatibility, I can say it is one of those features that is much requested, but not actually used much. That, and I was at a 'Gran Turismo' event recently where they had PS1, PS2, PS3 and PS4 games, and the PS1 and the PS2 games, they looked ancient, like why would anybody play this?"

But backwards compatibility isn't the only step Microsoft is taking to combat Sony. It has a bunch of new games coming — "Metro: Exodus" looks great!  — and plenty of them are exclusive. 

And then there's the Xbox One X, which will play games in ultra high-definition 4K.

The new box, which costs $500, won't replace the Xbox One. Instead, Microsoft will sell it — and the Xbox One S — alongside and as an upgraded model of the older console.

All three boxes will play Xbox One games. If you want to play games in HDR, you can get an S model. If you want games in HDR and 4K resolution, you can get an X model.

And going along with Microsoft's theme of allowing users to create a digital library they can take everywhere, you can also play Xbox games on your PC. Microsoft has made all its first-party Xbox games available on Windows 10. 

 

So Microsoft has a flashy new console. But more importantly, it has a vision.



Nintendo delivered on promises and is listening to fans!

Nintendo came out swinging in a major way, building on the already intense hype around its new hybrid game console, the Switch. 

At its presentation on Tuesday, the company promised fans they'd see a steady cadence of major game releases for the new game machine. 

Perhaps the most anticipated of those will be "Super Mario Odyssey." Nintendo plans to release the ambitious game on October 26, just in time for the holiday season.

But by the time "Odyssey" launches, there'll be a half dozen major first-party Switch games that make it all the more appealing as a gift. Among them are "Splatoon 2," due out on July 31, and "Arms," which will hit store shelves on June 16.  

Nintendo Switch

There's more coming. Nintendo teased a handful of new games that are on the horizon— the kinds of games that Nintendo fans are clamoring for. In the works are a new "Metroid Prime" game, games that will include major characters like Yoshi and Kirby, and a new entry from the "Fire Emblem" series.

And get ready for "Pokémon" on the Switch; a major version of the game is on the way.

Overall, Nintendo convincingly showed how its intending to make the Switch a real contender.



Sony brought updates to games you've already heard of, many of which are coming out next year.

Unlike its rivals, Sony seemed to be spinning its wheels, focusing on next year and hoping to coast past this year's show.

Sony's presentation — which was essentially an hour-long video of trailers, punctuated with a few remarks from PlayStation head Shawn Layden — lacked any message beyond, "There are games coming!" That's a good message for a video game company, and I don't mean to sell it short. But when you compare it to the visions that Microsoft and Nintendo are showcasing here at E3 2017 — the biggest game show of the year — it comes up lacking.

Most of the games Sony showed won't be ready until next year. It didn't make any tentpole announcements, or show any meme-worthy videos poking fun at the competition. And it didn't announce any new features for the PlayStation 4 or PlayStation Plus.

It sounds silly, but this stuff matters in the overall narrative coming out of E3. The perception companies create at the conference can affect holiday sales season and the overall momentum of their game systems. 

To be sure, Sony did offer fans some things to look forward to, showcasing a wide variety of gorgeous-looking, unique games, some of which are exclusive to the PlayStation 4. Among the highlights: 

-The new "God of War" looks like it will be excellent, with compelling graphics, storyline and gameplay. 

-"Days Gone" appears to be coming along nicely. A tactical open-world apocalypse survival game? Sure! 

-A re-re-make of "Shadow of the Colossus," which was already terrific and looks especially cool in its latest incarnation.

-More "Horizon Zero Dawn," arguably the best game of 2017 so far! Who could say no?

-Whoa "Spider-Man"! That dude sure is limber!

Unfortunately, with the exception of the "Horizon Zero Dawn" expansion, everything I mentioned above is slated for 2018 or very late this year ("Days Gone" is planned for Dec. 29).



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The eSports competitive video gaming market continues to grow revenues & attract investors

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eSports Advertising and Sponsorships

What is eSports? History & Rise of Video Game Tournaments

Years ago, eSports was a community of video gamers who would gather at conventions to play Counter Strike, Call of Duty, or League of Legends.

These multiplayer video game competitions would determine League of Legends champions, the greatest shooters in Call of Duty, the cream of the crop of Street Fighter players, the elite Dota 2 competitors, and more.

But today, as the history of eSports continue to unfold, media giants such as ESPN and Turner are broadcasting eSports tournaments and competitions. And in 2014, Amazon acquired Twitch, the live streaming video platform that has been and continues to be the leader in online gaming broadcasts. And YouTube also wanted to jump on the live streaming gaming community with the creation of YouTube Gaming.

eSports Market Growth Booming

To put in perspective how big eSports is becoming, a Google search for "lol" does not produce "laughing out loud" as the top result. Instead, it points to League of Legends, one of the most popular competitive games in existence. The game has spawned a worldwide community called the League of Legends Championship Series, more commonly known as LCS or LOL eSports.

What started as friends gathering in each other's homes to host LAN parties and play into the night has become an official network of pro gaming tournaments and leagues with legitimate teams, some of which are even sponsored and have international reach. Organizations such as Denial, AHQ, and MLG have multiple eSports leagues.

And to really understand the scope of all this, consider that the prize pool for the latest Dota 2 tournament was more than $20 million.

Websites even exist for eSports live scores to let people track the competitions in real time if they are unable to watch. There are even fantasy eSports leagues similar to fantasy football, along with the large and growing scene of eSports betting and gambling.

So it's understandable why traditional media companies would want to capitalize on this growing trend just before it floods into the mainstream. Approximately 300 million people worldwide tune in to eSports today, and that number is growing rapidly. By 2020, that number will be closer to 500 million.

eSports Industry Analysis - The Future of the Competitive Gaming Market

Financial institutions are starting to take notice. Goldman Sachs valued eSports at $500 million in 2016 and expects the market will grow at 22% annually compounded over the next three years into a more than $1 billion opportunity.

And industry statistics are already backing this valuation and demonstrating the potential for massive earnings. To illustrate the market value, market growth, and potential earnings for eSports, consider Swedish media company Modern Times Group's $87 million acquisition of Turtle Entertainment, the holding company for ESL. YouTube has made its biggest eSports investment to date by signing a multiyear broadcasting deal with Faceit to stream the latter's Esports Championship Series. And the NBA will launch its own eSports league in 2018.

Of course, as with any growing phenomenon, the question becomes: How do advertisers capitalize? This is especially tricky for eSports because of its audience demographics, which is young, passionate, male-dominated, and digital-first. They live online and on social media, are avid ad-blockers, and don't watch traditional TV or respond to conventional advertising.

So what will the future of eSports look like? How high can it climb? Could it reach the mainstream popularity of baseball or football? How will advertisers be able to reach an audience that does its best to shield itself from advertising?

Robert Elder, research analyst for BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has compiled an unparalleled report on the eSports ecosystem that dissects the growing market for competitive gaming. This comprehensive, industry-defining report contains more than 30 charts and figures that forecast audience growth, average revenue per user, and revenue growth.

Companies and organizations mentioned in the report include: NFL, NBA, English Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, NHL, Paris Saint-Germain, Ligue 1, Ligue de Football, Twitch, Amazon, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, ESPN, Electronic Arts, EA Sports, Valve, Riot Games, Activision Blizzard, ESL, Turtle Entertainment, Dreamhack, Modern Times Group, Turner Broadcasting, TBS Network, Vivendi, Canal Plus, Dailymotion, Disney, BAMTech, Intel, Coca Cola, Red Bull, HTC, Mikonet

Here are some eSports industry facts and statistics from the report:

  • eSports is a still nascent industry filled with commercial opportunity.
  • There are a variety of revenue streams that companies can tap into.
  • The market is presently undervalued and has significant room to grow.
  • The dynamism of this market distinguishes it from traditional sports.
  • The audience is high-value and global, and its numbers are rising.
  • Brands can prosper in eSports by following the appropriate game plan.
  • Game publishers approach their Esport ecosystems in different ways.  
  • Successful esport games are comprised of the same basic ingredients.
  • Digital streaming platforms are spearheading the popularity of eSports.
  • Legacy media are investing into eSports, and seeing encouraging results.
  • Traditional sports franchises have a clear opportunity to seize in eSports.
  • Virtual and augmented reality firms also stand to benefit from eSports.  

In full, the report illuminates the business of eSports from four angles:

  • The gaming nucleus of eSports, including an overview of popular esport genres and games; the influence of game publishers, and the spectrum of strategies they adopt toward their respective esport scenes; the role of eSports event producers and the tournaments they operate.
  • The eSports audience profile, its size, global reach, and demographic, psychographic, and behavioral attributes; the underlying factors driving its growth; why they are an attractive target for brands and broadcasters; and the significant audience and commercial crossover with traditional sports.
  • eSports media broadcasters, including digital avant-garde like Twitch and YouTube, newer digital entrants like Facebook and traditional media outlets like Turner’s TBS Network, ESPN, and Canal Plus; their strategies and successes in this space; and the virtual reality opportunity.
  • eSports market economics, with a market sizing, growth forecasts, and regional analyses; an evaluation of the eSports spectacle and its revenue generators, some of which are idiosyncratic to this industry; strategic planning for brand marketers, with case studies; and an exploration of the infinite dynamism and immense potential of the eSports economy.

Interested in getting the full report? Here are two ways to access it:

  1. Subscribe to an All-Access pass to BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report and over 100 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you'll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensure you stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally. >> START A MEMBERSHIP
  2. Purchase & download the full report from our research store. >> BUY THE REPORT

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RANKED: The 10 highest-grossing summer blockbusters of all time

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Jaws

The modern summer blockbuster began in June 1975, when a young director named Steven Spielberg made us scared to go back into the water thanks to the thriller "Jaws." 

Since then, audiences have happily braved the dog days of summer for decades to stand in huge lines for movie spectacles like "Star Wars," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Jurassic Park," all its sequels, and more recently, all those Marvel movies.

By feeding people's hunger for franchises and action, this is the time of year when the movie business gets a good portion of its annual revenue. But only a handful of the blockbusters have stood the test of time as Hollywood's biggest summer earners ever.

Below are the highest-grossing summer movies at the domestic box office of all time:

Note: All figures are from Box Office Mojo and adjusted for inflation.

SEE ALSO: The 10 biggest box office bombs of 2017 so far

10. “Jurassic World” (2015) - $698 million

Unadjusted gross: $652 million



9. “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) - $782 million

Unadjusted gross: $248 million



8. “The Lion King” (1994) - $788 million

Unadjusted gross: $422 million



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I traveled to Waco, Texas to see the town that's been transformed by HGTV's hit show 'Fixer Upper' — here's what it's like

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Chip and Joanna Gaines

After four successful seasons of "Fixer Upper" on HGTV, Joanna and Chip Gaines are most well-known for their show where they sell houses and style them for lucky clients in Waco, TX.

But the Gaineses have come a long way from their small business flipping houses. Nowadays, it's safe to say they've built a nationally recognized lifestyle brand.

They opened a bakery, publish a quarterly journal, and are now launching a home paint and wallpaper line, among other things. 

Along the way they've stayed true to their roots in Waco, often lifting up other small business owners with them.

A longtime fan of the show, I recently decided to get off my couch and head to Waco to check out its "Fixer Upper" transformation. 

First, I had to get there. I flew into Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, rented a car, and drove about 100 miles north to Waco. It's about equidistant from the Dallas airport.



Back before "Fixer Upper" the TV show, while Chip Gaines was flipping houses, Joanna Gaines had a dream to run a boutique home goods shop. The original Magnolia store she opened still stands off a busy street, but they recently moved their business to a bigger store. You can drive by but the store itself is closed to the public.



Now you can visit the Magnolia Market at the Silos instead. The Silos were an abandoned fixture in Waco until Joanna and Chip bought them and relocated their shop next door.

To read more about the journey from small Magnolia shop to the Silos, check out "The Magnolia Story," Chip and Joanna's recently released memoir. 



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Stephen Colbert talks to 'Melania Trump' about how she's settling into the White House

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Stephen Colbert Melania Trump

After almost five months living apart, President Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump are now living together in the White House. 

The First Lady moved in on Sunday after staying back in New York City in Trump Tower so their 11-year-old son Barron could finish his year of school.

On Tuesday's episode of "The Late Show," Stephen Colbert checked in on how Melania is settling into her new home by bringing back actress Laura Benanti for her great impression of Melania.

“It was so lonely in New York doing whatever I wanted whenever I wanted," Benanti as Melania said. "I called it my prison of freedom."

Colbert then asked if she was all moved in. She said she was and showed off some of the things she brought with her, like a toothbrush and a framed picture that shows her apparently swatting away her husband's hand during their trip to Tel Aviv in May.

“This picture of the most cherished moment of marriage to my husband,” Benanti said about the image, which instantly went viral online.

When Colbert asked her if that was in fact the picture of her slapping away her husband's hand, she corrected him: “His hands are so small I thought it was a mosquito.”

And when Colbert brought up the rumors of her husband possibly being impeached, she said she's ready for a long stay in the White House.

"Here’s the thing, America took a vow and Donald Trump is our president, for better or worse, for richer or even richer, in sickness and in no health care," she said. "And we must honor that no matter how often America fantasizes about being with Justin Trudeau.” 

Watch the entire "The Late Show" bit below:

 

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I played Nintendo's insane new 'Super Mario' game for the Switch — here's what it was like in person

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LOS ANGELES — The new "Super Mario" game coming to the Nintendo Switch is fantastic. That's the most important thing you take away from this. 

Would you expect any less from a game that looks as weird as this?

Super Mario Odyssey

Just as "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" was a massive evolution of the long-running, celebrated "Legend of Zelda" franchise, "Super Mario Odyssey" appears poised to challenge and evolve the Super Mario formula.

The game arrives this October exclusively on the Nintendo Switch, but Nintendo offered attendees of the annual E3 video game trade show a chance to play a 20-minute demo. I played that demo this week during E3 2017, and am here to tell you that it was rad.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo and Microsoft are making the right moves to cut into Sony's lead in video games

"Super Mario Odyssey" is an open-world, non-linear Super Mario game. Remember "Super Mario 64"? How about "Super Mario Galaxy"? Those are open-world, non-linear Super Mario games.

If you're thinking "Grand Theft Auto," that's not entirely accurate. "Super Mario Odyssey" is segmented into worlds. "New Donk City," seen above, is one of those worlds — it's a massive open environment that you can explore to your heart's content. There's no timer; your only limitation is survival. 



In traditional "Super Mario" games, your goal was to reach a flagpole that symbolized the completion of a level. In "Super Mario Odyssey," your goal is open-ended: Collect moons, of which there are many in each area.

In "Super Mario 64," little Mario entered paintings that acted as doors to massive, distinct worlds. In those worlds, there were six stars. After collecting each one, Mario would be whisked back out of the painting. You could choose to jump back in and go after another star, or you could move on (if you had enough stars to open the next area). 

"Super Mario Odyssey" works very similarly. Each area has a number of moons. Those moons are used for powering your ship (seen above), and that ship is how you reach new places.

So it goes: You could go to, say, New Donk City and focus on collecting as many moons as possible. Or, you could collect just enough moons to power your ship to the next area. 



Little Mario here has collected a fat grip of moons.

There are two major differences here that I noticed which make the moon system in "Super Mario Odyssey" distinct from the star system in "Super Mario 64": 

1. You can collect as many moons as you want in one run. You're not "reset" as it were — a short, celebratory animation plays when you grab a moon, and then you're able to continue exploring. Similar to "Super Mario 64," moons you've already collected will continue to appear as ghost items (you'll get a few coins for grabbing them again — no biggie).

2. There are many, many moons in each area. They're all over the place — hidden inside of girders, across perilous gaps, on top of seemingly insurmountable buildings. There's a focus on exploration in "Super Mario Odyssey" that I did not expect.



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During trial, Cosby’s lawyer turns to his wife Camille and says she ‘deserved better’

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Camille Cosby

During the closing arguments of comedian Bill Cosby's sexual assault trial on Monday, Cosby's leading lawyer turned to his client's wife, Camille Cosby, and said that she "deserved better."

The jury at the trial is currently deliberating whether Cosby, 79, is guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault for allegedly drugging and molesting former Canadian basketball player Andrea Constand more than a decade earlier.

After Constand's accusations went public in 2015, dozens of women have come forward alleging that Cosby also drugged and assaulted them over the decades.

During the trial, the prosecution spent five days presenting a case that included testimony from Constand, along with police and expert witnesses. Cosby's defense presented its entire case in just over six minutes, with Cosby opting out of his chance to testify.

Cosby's lawyer Brian J. McMonagle argued his case by saying Cosby was indeed unfaithful to his wife and frequently slept with multiple women — but that such actions alone do not constitute a crime, according to The New York Times.

"You danced outside your marriage," McMonagle said to Cosby while turning to Cosby's wife of more than 50 years in the first row. “And you deserved better."

McMonagle did not deny that Cosby slept with Constand but argued that the relationship was consensual

“They’ve been intimate,” he said. “Why are we trying to make it something it’s not?"

After hearing the closing arguments, the 12-person jury is currently in its third day of deliberations. If found guilty, Cosby could potentially be sentenced to prison for the rest of his life.

SEE ALSO: The Latest: Cosby joined by wife Camille at 6th day of trial

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Inside the secret version of Tinder for celebs and other VIPs — here’s what the invite-only 'Tinder Select' is like

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master of none tinder dating apps aziz ansari netflixFor the last few months, I’ve been testing Tinder Select, a secret version of the popular dating app that my colleague Rob Price once described as Tinder for “celebrities, models, and millionaires.”

To be clear, I am none of those three things. But Tinder Select has definitely made it easier for me to match with people, thanks to its supercharged algorithm.

Tinder has never officially acknowledged Tinder Select exists — Tinder declined to comment for this article — and there’s a lot of misinformation out there about it. But here is what Tinder Select is actually like, from someone who has used it.

tinder select logo

It’s not a VIP section

The way some press reports have described Tinder Select is like a virtual VIP section of the app, where celebs and high rollers can pop metaphorical overpriced bottles, and talk about how this club is “okay, but really only in the VIP."

TinderS3.PNGThat’s not really what it is.

The first thing to note about Tinder Select is that it functions more or less the same way regular Tinder does. There is no separate feed where you can swipe only other denizens of Select World.

So when you fire up Tinder Select, what you get is a Tinder feed that looks the same as your normal one except for a few color changes. The most visible difference is that when you run across someone who is also a Tinder Select member, they appear with a blue border around their picture, and a badge that says “Select” along the top.

These people are few and far between, even in New York City, which suggests it's very much still in beta. In fact, there are so few people in Tinder Select, that when putting together this post, I couldn't find the profile of a Tinder Select member to screenshot and blur. That said, most of the Tinder Select members I’ve seen in the past worked in tech or in PR.

However, there's a supercharged algorithm

But even though you can’t filter the feed, there is a huge way that Tinder Select changes your experience: the algorithm. In short, if you are a Tinder Select member, the algorithm is stacked in your favor — and I’m not talking about a little bit. It feels like some giant Cupid is sitting on your side of the scale.

The first evening I got Tinder Select, I swiped a few people, and it didn’t seem that different. My feed felt a bit more curated, and front-loaded with people who likely were popular on Tinder. But it wasn’t that noticeable. All in all, the experience felt largely the same.

But then I went to bed and woke up with over 20 new matches. I'm certainly not normally that popular, and that hadn’t ever happened to me before.

My theory is that Tinder Select pushed my profile toward the front of the feeds of people I had swiped "yes" on, and it was working through my back catalog of swipes. Speaking with other Tinder Select members who wished to remain anonymous, they all said they noticed the same thing. That apparent boost has continued over the last few months using Tinder Select, and I’ve found that often if I spend some time swiping, a few hours later matches will start to pop up.

But it’s not just people I have already swiped right on. I also feel like I run across more people who have “liked” me already as well. But it’s hard to tell. One indication that my profile is getting preference in other people's feeds, even those I haven’t yet come across, is that more people are “super liking” me than used to before I was in Tinder Select. Other Select members told me they've also noticed an increase in super likes.

In short: Tinder Select makes it easier to get matches, across multiple fronts.

How do I get in?

As to how you get on Tinder Select, there’s no way to apply. You have to be invited by either Tinder, or by someone who has invite privileges. I have no insight into how Tinder makes its decisions, but it could have something to do with your “Elo score,” or a secret rating of desirability, based on the number of people who swipe right on you and other metrics.

I got in via invite, not from Tinder, and the company might kick me off when they read this. (However I’d appreciate it if you didn’t, Tinder, if you’re reading this.)

The future of Select

It’s hard to say what plans Tinder has for Tinder Select.

Right now, Tinder Select simply seems like a way to make its top users happy, and perhaps more likely to stick around on the app. It could also be a response to private dating apps like Raya, which caters to celebs and prominent Instagram users, and The League.

If Tinder does open up Tinder Select to more people, and gives you the option to browse a Select-only feed, the business possibilities are easy to imagine. The most obvious is that Tinder could sell a higher-priced advertising unit, which would appear only in the Select feed.

But Tinder Select has been around for months in a murky beta, so it doesn’t seem like Tinder is in a hurry to get it out the door.

Here’s a short walk-through of what it’s like:

SEE ALSO: The biggest US banks have backed a new service that lets you pay friends faster than Venmo

On your main menu page, you have a different little button to indicate you're a Tinder Select user.



If you click it you get to a page where you can toggle Tinder Select on and off. Presumably, one day that could get you to two distinct feeds. If you get to "nominate" people to be on Tinder Select, those will appear here. I have 0.



When you're actually in the feed nothing changes all that much, except the new algorithm. There is also a little "S," but that seems purely cosmetic.



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Celebrities have made these 11 diets go viral — here are the ones that actually work

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breakfast woman eating croissant juice

Eat like a baby. Cook like a caveman. Snack on one color of the rainbow each day of the week.

These habits belong to some of the viral diets that celebrities from Beyoncé to Taylor Swift have sworn by.

Oddly enough, some of these eating plans contain nuggets of wisdom that could help you lose weight. Still, the bigger danger with any diet is that it sets us up for unhealthy habits we can't maintain, says Andy Bellatti, a registered dietitian and the cofounder of Dietitians for Professional Integrity.

"I know many people who’ve gone on some kind of crash diet for a week and lose a bunch of weight and a few months later they’re back to square one."

With that in mind, here's the dirt on the strangest viral diets along with some science-backed wisdom about what actually works if you want to lose weight and keep it off.

SEE ALSO: 11 fitness myths that are doing more harm than good

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The Alkaline Diet

The hype: Actresses including Jennifer Aniston, Kirsten Dunst, and Gwyneth Paltrow, have all reportedly done the pH or "Alkaline" diet, which advocates swapping so-called acid-forming foods like meat, fish, dairy, and grains with alkaline ones like fruits, nuts, beans, and vegetables.

The truth: The diet is based on the misleading idea that you can change your blood pH with food. While the pH of the stomach is acidic, the blood is slightly alkaline, something the food you eat can't change. Still, one positive part of the diet is that it advocates eating more fruits and veggies, something most dietitians agree we should all be doing.



The Master Cleanse

The hype: Beyoncé reportedly used the Master Cleanse to slim down before the movie "Dreamgirls." The cleanse involves drinking a lemon juice-based mixture to allegedly clean out the system and speed weight loss.

The truth: Any diet that's based around the idea of detoxing is probably bogus, since our bodies naturally detoxify themselves

 



The Paleo Diet

The hype: Singer Tim McGraw sticks to a paleo diet, a meal plan free of dairy, legumes, refined sugar, alcohol, and grains.

The truth: The US News and World Report ranks the paleo diet 36 out of 38 diets, saying that it can be tough to follow and is somewhat "nutritionally incomplete."



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

'Rough Night' is the woke R-rated female comedy we need right now

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Rough Night 3 Sony final

Not unlike superhero blockbusters, R-rated comedies have been dominated by men. And when a female-centered comedy does get through the cracks ("Bridesmaids," "Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising," "Bad Moms"), they are generally directed by men.

That's what makes Sony's hard-R comedy "Rough Night" (in theaters on Friday) such a standout. And it’s just a lot of fun.

Directed and cowritten by Lucia Aniello (a writer and director on “Broad City”), this comedy has all the great gross-out humor that you’ll find in a party-like-we-did-back-in-the-day movie but with a unique, socially aware twist.

Scarlett Johansson, Jillian Bell, Ilana Glazer, and Zoë Kravitz play best friends from college who meet up in Miami for a wild bachelorette weekend. Johansson plays Jess, the bride, who has gotten into politics since leaving college. Bell is Alice, a teacher who longs for the college days. Glazer is Frankie, who spends her days fighting any cause that will keep her from getting a real job. And Kravitz plays Blair, who is dealing with a divorce and a custody battle over her child. Rounding out the group is Kate McKinnon, who plays Pippa, an Australian Jess became best friends with when she traveled abroad.

The movie gets right into the fun hijinks with the introduction of the characters and connecting in Miami, which leads to some bumps of cocaine and lots of partying. But things get out of hand when a man comes to the door of their rented condo. Presumably the stripper they ordered, he dies mid-performance.

Rough Night 2 Sony finalThis is where the real fun begins, with a "Weekend at Bernie's" scenario playing out. But instead of coming up with an unbelievable premise for how to dispose of the body — like dressing the guy in dildo sunglasses and driving him around South Beach (okay, that does happen) — Aniello tries to come up with challenges that the girls would have to go through in real life to ditch the body.

Meanwhile, Jess’s fiancé Peter (Paul Downs, also of “Broad City” fame) is worried sick about her while at his bachelor party after he believes her frantic call means she’s having cold feet about marrying him. This leads him to interrupt the mellow wine-tasting portion of his party and decide to pull a “sad Astronaut.” Which means strapping on an adult diaper, taking some uppers, and driving nonstop from South Carolina to Miami to win her back (imitating the lengths former astronaut Lisa Nowak famously took when attempting to kidnap her boyfriend and the woman he was cheating with in 2007).

There’s a lot of “The Hangover” vibe in the movie, but there are also smart callouts to female struggles: Jess is losing her race for office because people can’t get enough of her male opponent’s dick pics, Frankie cites real police cases in which women are the victims to explain why they can’t turn themselves in.

And the casting is perfect. Johansson dives right into the raunchy material and owns it. Bell, who's often the scene-stealer in movies, gets a little more character development than usual.

Aniello and Downs, who wrote the script between seasons of “Broad City,” give the movie an incredibly fun (and woke) update to the party-hard movies of the past.

 

SEE ALSO: The 30 best movie endings of all time, ranked

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