• Former Playboy model Karen McDougal filed a lawsuit to get out of a gag order she allegedly signed to keep silent about an extramarital affair she says she had with President Donald Trump.
• She joins adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who has also filed a lawsuit to be able to speak about her own alleged affair with Trump.
• Both Daniels and McDougal say Trump's longtime personal lawyer Michael Cohen was involved in paying them for their silence.

Former Playboy model Karen McDougal filed a lawsuit to get out of a gag order she allegedly signed to keep silent about an extramarital affair she says she had with President Donald Trump.

The New York Times reported on Tuesday that McDougal is suing a media company run by a friend of Trump's in order to get out of the 2016 nondisclosure agreement.

McDougal is now the second woman to file a lawsuit in order to get around a gag order about an alleged affair with Trump. McDougal alleges that she was paid $150,000 by American Media, Inc., parent company of the National Enquirer, to keep quiet about the alleged affair.

Adult film actress and director Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, filed a lawsuit against Trump earlier this month to break her NDA. Trump is counter-suing Daniels for $20 million— the amount his lawyers say is the number of times she broke the agreement.

McDougal claims that Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen was secretly involved in talks with the company.

She said she was misled about the contract and payout, and her lawyer is alleging "a multifaceted effort to silence Karen McDougal."

"The lawsuit filed today aims to restore her right to her own voice," lawyer Peter Stris told The Times. "We intend to invalidate the so-called contract that American Media Inc. imposed on Karen so she can move forward with the private life she deserves."

McDougal's affair story is similar to Daniels'. The Times reports McDougal also allegedly met Trump at a golf tournament in 2006 and at a Beverly Hills hotel. Trump was married to first lady Melania Trump at the time.

In February, The New Yorker published an investigation into McDougal's alleged affair, which reportedly lasted months.

American Media bought the exclusive rights to McDougal's story, The Wall Street Journal reported in 2016. But, the company did not run any stories on the story — a tactic The New Yorker notes media outlets commonly use to kill a story.

The White House claimed the incidents discussed in the document did not happen, with a spokesperson telling The New Yorker, "The President says he never had a relationship with McDougal."

Like McDougal, Daniels was also offered a payout to keep quiet about her alleged affair, and Cohen paid her $130,000 shortly before Trump launched his 2016 presidential campaign.

Questions have arisen about whether Daniels' payout constituted a violation of campaign finance laws.

SEE ALSO: Trump emerges from the shadows in the Stormy Daniels case and is now seeking $20 million in damages

DON'T MISS: Porn star Stormy Daniels says she had an affair with Trump a year after he married Melania — here's a timeline of the president's many marriages and rumored affairs

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NOW WATCH: Henry Blodget: Will arming teachers with guns help stop school shootings?

• Twitter users are poking fun at an assertion that Marvel's "Avengers: Infinity War" is "the most ambitious crossover event in history."
• People from CNN anchor Jake Tapper to actor Zach Braff have joined in on the fun.
• The results are clever and hilarious, ranging from Power Rangers/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to 'Supernatural'/Scooby-Doo.

Is Marvel's "Avengers: Infinity War" the "most ambitious crossover event in history?" Not if you ask people on Twitter.

Users have taken to the social platform to share their own ideas of what is actually the most ambitious crossover event ever, and the results are hilarious. 

We don't know exactly where the joke originated, but it doesn't appear to have come from a claim Marvel or Disney actually made publicly. That said, there has been massive hype around the movie.

"Infinity War" may recruit nearly every character introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe so far, but there are still plenty of crossover events in history that could rival it, and Twitter users from CNN's Jake Tapper to Zach Braff are eager to remind the internet of that.

Here are some of the funniest and best responses: 

SEE ALSO: 9 characters who could die in 'Avengers: Infinity War,' ranked by how likely they are to meet their end

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NOW WATCH: You can connect all 9 Best Picture Oscar nominees with actors they have in common — here's how

For over 20 years, the director Wes Anderson has given us some of the most interesting movies the medium has seen — often doing it with beautifully detailed set designs, playful scores, and scripts that dance between drama and comedy.

Recently Anderson has used stop-motion animation to pull this off. Almost a decade after wowing us with "Fantastic Mr. Fox," he returns to stop-motion with his latest movie, "Isle of Dogs" (opening Friday). This movie follows a Japanese boy's journey to find his dog, with the help of other dogs.

Here we look at Anderson's nine feature-length movies and rank them worst to best:

SEE ALSO: 9 characters who could die in "Avengers: Infinity War," ranked by how likely they are to meet their end

9: "The Darjeeling Limited" (2007)

Family has always been a major theme in Anderson's movies, and this one is no different. But things like story creativity, unique production design, and character development that make his other work shine don't land right in this one. Mainly the characters. There's a certain point in this movie when you just don't care anymore about the three brothers' (played by Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson, and Jason Schwartzman) bonding journey through India.

8: "Bottle Rocket" (1996)

Anderson's debut feature is understandably his least ambitious work, but the drive to be one of the most creative storytellers working today is there. You can see it in the entertaining dynamic between the friends Anthony and Dignan (played by the brothers Luke and Owen Wilson) and in the execution of the movie's great robbery scene.

7: "The Royal Tenenbaums" (2001)

Anderson kicked up his ambitious vision with regard to costumes and production design in this movie and has pretty much not looked back since. Looking at three gifted kids of a New York City family, and how they all grow up to have lives that never match their potential, the movie is a work that if you don't fully love, at the very least you respect. It also possesses Gene Hackman's last great performance before his retirement.

• The Weinstein Company filed for bankruptcy on Monday evening.
• A stalking horse bid for the company has been made by private equity firm Lantern Capital.
• The hope is that the bid will lead to better offers, but media analyst Hal Vogel told Business Insider that TWC is "more trouble than it's worth."

On Monday, The Weinstein Company filed for bankruptcy and the Dallas-based private equity firm Lantern Capital has made a stalking horse bid for the company. 

The hope is that the bid by Lantern Capital will lead to better offers for the movie and TV indie studio in a bankruptcy court-supervised auction. But some are very skeptical the Weinsteins will be getting many attractive offers.

Though estimates of the company value it between $500 million and $1 billion, Lantern Capital put in a cash bid of only $310 million (plus $125 million in assumption of liabilities and $15 million in fees related to current projects), according to Deadline. This is after a pre-bankruptcy deal of $500 million for the company by an investment group led by Maria Contreras-Sweet, the former head of the U.S. Small Business Administration, fell through at the eleventh hour earlier this month.

According to Hal Vogel, media analyst and founder of Vogel Capital Management, now that bidders are getting a chance to "look inside the car" with the 254-page document The Weinstein Company filed for the bankruptcy, it's less attractive.

"People have looked at it and it's more trouble than it's worth," Vogel said. "Unless they put it all up for auction like a garage sale and sell individual pieces, but the goal is still to sell it as a whole and people are not eager to buy it as a whole."

Along with 277 film library titles, the company also has the TV show "Project Runway," which individually would be attractive to some, but taking all of TWC needs a special kind of taker.

This is especially true given the fact that along with filing for bankruptcy, TWC also announced that it had canceled all its nondisclosure agreements the company's former head, Harvey Weinstein, initiated with women who had accused him of sexual misconduct.

More than 70 women have accused Weinstein of varying degrees of sexual misconduct — including harassment, assault, and, in some cases, rape. The lifting of the NDAs could potentially mean more accusations, which would mean more litigation costs for a potential buyer.

"It has a lot of major unknowns," Vogel said of The Weinstein Company.

SEE ALSO: How "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" went from a punchline to one of Sony's biggest box-office hits ever

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NOW WATCH: You can connect all 9 Best Picture Oscar nominees with actors they have in common — here's how

When it comes to big games on the Xbox One — which is to say, games that aren't available on the PlayStation 4 — the list is pretty short. 

This week's launch of "Sea of Thieves" is an outsized addition to that list.

Over 20 years after Rare created classics like "Goldeneye 007" and "Perfect Dark" for Nintendo, the veteran game studio is back with something completely different: A massive, open-world pirate game that's only on the Xbox One and PC.

And with "Sea of Thieves," Microsoft has an amibitious new addition to its list of console exclusive games.

It's an online-only game, meaning you can only play the game in an open world full of other pirates (actual human players). The game never holds your hand, instead depending on players to teach each other and themselves how to play. And there's no one narrative — the story of the game is what happens while you take on and complete quests. 

In my brief few hours with it so far, I've found a lot of promise and charm in "Sea of Thieves." Here's why I think you should give it a shot.

"Sea of Thieves" nails the concept of emergent narrative storytelling — the "story" is the tale of how you completed your quest, not the quest itself.

This morning, I was sailing in a galleon — a large, three-sail wooden ship — with three other player-controlled pirates. We were headed toward a small tropical island that was said to contain a treasure chest. 

The mission was simple: Sail to the island, trek to the X on the map, and dig up the treasure chest.

When we got to the island, we grabbed the chest and started to head out. But what was that ship in the distance? Should we stop? Should we fight?

We headed in its direction, and it turned out that it was a much smaller ship (a "sloop," to be technical).

Just as we were arriving, its sails dropped and its crew of no more than two hightailed it. But we were already within firing range, and I nailed the ship's lower rear with a cannonball. As the ship filled with water, its small crew were forced to address the damages rather than even try to sail away from us. As our ship closed in, three of us manned cannons and turned its hull into Swiss cheese.

I could tell you the rest of that pirate tale, but we should probably move to a tiki bar. 

Stories like this are at the heart of "Sea of Thieves." The game itself isn't heavy on narrative, but its world is rich with narrative for the taking — if you're up for adventure, that is.

"Sea of Thieves" goes all-in on the sailing thing.

Are you ready to handle some freakin' ropes? How about playing sea shanties with your drunk friends? Maybe you're more of a spyglass person? Oooh, or how about reading maps?

Get ready for all of that and more, as "Sea of Thieves" is, first and foremost, a game about navigating the sea in an old ship. I mean that in the nicest way possible, as it's tremendously fun to play.

Remember that story I told about getting a treasure chest? Here's how that went in terms of gameplay:

-First, we had to pull up the anchor. Even with all four of us working at it, it still took about 10 seconds.

-Next, we had to lower the sails and angle them. While my buddy took the helm, I ran from rigging to rigging, carefully lowering and angling the sails for as much wind as possible.

-Meanwhile, another player went below deck to our map table, where he compared his treasure map (which depicts the island's shape) to the larger map in front of him. When he found the right island, he marked it on the map.

-Then, he explained to my buddy on the helm which direction to head. He also warned of potential obstacles in the way. 

That's all before we start talking about the process of stopping the ship, repairing the ship, or fighting enemy ships.

None of this stuff is technically demanding — it all operates like normal video game stuff — but if you're looking for a game that's focused on shooting blunderbusses and cutting down foes, this ain't it.

"Sea of Thieves" doesn't hold your hand whatsoever, which is both great and not so great.

At first, "Sea of Thieves" was downright confusing. There's no introduction whatsoever, no form of tutorial. You don't even know which buttons are which if you don't go looking in the settings menu. 

As I soon realized, the game is mostly intuitive. Of course you have to lower the sails before the ship will move! And the controls are mostly standard video game controls for a first-person game — A to jump, X to interact, and what have you.

In this way, "Sea of Thieves" seemingly trusts players to figure it out by themselves. Better yet, it asks players to help each other. Unless you're piloting a small ship by yourself (which is dangerous), "Sea of Thieves" requires multiplayer cooperation. There's simply no way to manage steering a massive galleon by yourself without getting overwhelmed.

In the vast majority of my time with "Sea of Thieves" thus far, this forced cooperation has been very positive. Strangers help me, I help them, and everyone wins. 

Unfortunately, in the very first group I joined, I was immediately voted into the ship's brig, for no readily apparent reason other than to be cruel. There is no way out other than quitting the game — or if the very people who locked you in vote to let you out. I didn't wait to find out.

It was a great reminder that multiplayer games are best played with friends instead of strangers.

• Cryptokitties, one of the first successful games on blockchain, just raised $12 million from investors at Andreessen Horowitz and Union Square Ventures.
• The game, which was developed as part of a development studio, is breaking off as its own company thanks to the funding.
• Cryptokitties lets users buy, sell, and "breed" digital cats which people collect for fun, just like they would baseball cards or Beanie Babies. 

Cryptokitties captured the hearts of Ethereum enthusiasts with its adorable digital collectibles. Now, it's captured $12 million from venture capitalists who believe it can turn into a profitable company.

SEE ALSO: This ex-Credit Suisse exec is using blockchain to sell partial ownership of luxury goods like Porsches and vineyards

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: In 50 years we'll have 'robot angels' and will be able to merge our brains with AI, according to technology experts

This is a preview of a research report from BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about BI Intelligence, click here.

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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• The actor Jim Carrey tweeted on February 6 that he was dumping his Facebook shares because the company profited from Russian interference in US elections.
• Facebook shares have fallen more than 9% over the past two sessions after news surfaced that Cambridge Analytica accessed data of more than 50 million users without their permission.
• Follow Facebook's stock in real time here.

The actor Jim Carrey dumped his Facebook shares at exactly the right time.

"I'm dumping my @facebook stock and deleting my page because @facebook profited from Russian interference in our elections and they're still not doing enough to stop it," Carrey tweeted on February 6. "I encourage all other investors who care about our future to do the same. #unfriendfacebook."

Facebook shares closed at $185.31 on February 6 but have fallen more than 9% this week to their lowest level since September following news over the weekend that Cambridge Analytica accessed data from 50 million users without their permission. The stock closed at $168.15 Tuesday.

The sell-off in Facebook shares has been fast and furious. They have shed 9% in just two days, erasing roughly $50 billion in market cap. During the sell-off, Facebook has slipped one place in the rankings of the most valuable US companies, to sixth from fifth, and is now behind Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway.

Facebook shares are down another 1.35% ahead of Wednesday's opening bell.

SEE ALSO: A bubble you didn't even know existed could be bursting

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NOW WATCH: Neo-Nazi groups let a journalist in their meetings and rallies — here's what he saw

• Microsoft's got something special with "Sea of Thieves," a crazy new game you can only play on Xbox One and PC.
• You could pay $60 for the game, and that would be perfectly reasonable — but there's a much less expensive way to play it: The Xbox Game Pass.
• Microsoft's push into subscription-based, Netflix-style gaming services is showing serious promise with games like "Sea of Thieves."

Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass program offers a Netflix-style subscription, but for video games. You pay $10 each month, and you're granted access to a massive library of games on the Xbox One.

It's a really good deal!

That's never been more apparent than right now: The brand new game "Sea of Thieves" costs $60, but you can play it — and every other Xbox Game Pass game — for just $10. That's pretty ridiculous (in a good way).

That's because of Microsoft's commitment to putting every game it publishes on Game Pass at launch — a change to the service since it debuted in mid-2017. 

Every game series published by Microsoft, from "Halo" to "Forza" to "Gears of War" to "Sea of Thieves," arrives at launch in the Xbox Game Pass library. There are no exceptions — "Sea of Thieves" is the first major game to debut on the service at launch. 

It's a risky move for Microsoft, as consumers could sign up for the service just to play "Sea of Thieves," then immediately cancel after they've gotten their fill. There's no contract for Xbox Game Pass. Like Netflix, Hulu, and every other major subscription-based service, you can opt out whenever you want. 

But "Sea of Thieves" is exactly the type of game that could keep players using Game Pass — it's an online-only, open-world, multiplayer game. Unlike narrative-focused, linear games (like "Halo," for instance), "Sea of Thieves" is a living online world — the kind of game players return to over and over again, across long periods of time. 

In other words, it's the kind of game that makes a lot of sense for a subscription service like Xbox Game Pass. 

Regardless, Xbox Game Pass is — by far— the least expensive way to check out "Sea of Thieves." And given how much fun "Sea of Thieves" is, $10 is a steal.

Check out what the game looks like in action right here:

SEE ALSO: The creators of some of Nintendo’s best-loved classics just released this insanely ambitious pirate adventure for Xbox One

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NOW WATCH: These bionic arms make kids feel like superheroes

Netflix's latest docuseries, "Wild Wild Country," depicts the scandals surrounding a "crazy sex cult" that in 1984 committed the largest bioterror attack in US history. 

The series traces the controversial history of the Indian mystic Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and the spiritual movement he founded in Mumbai in 1970.

In 1981, Rajneesh fled political resistance in India and led his thousands of followers ("Rajneeshees") to construct a utopian city in the desert of Wasco County, Oregon.

When the new, expansive commune came into conflict with local ranchers and the Oregon government, many shades of trouble ensued. 

The following is a brief history of the Rajneeshee movement and its controversies, as depicted in Netflix's "Wild Wild Country" through six hour-long episodes of archival footage and interviews: 

SEE ALSO: All your favorite Netflix original shows that are coming back for another season

In 1970, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, also known as Osho, founded a spiritual movement and commune in Mumbai, India. His teachings — which featured "an odd mix of capitalism, meditation, ethnic and dirty jokes, and open sexuality" — earned him an international following and reputation as a "sex guru."

Source: Slate

In the early 1980s, Rajneesh faced increasing pressure from Indian authorities over his group's sexual rituals and controversial practices. In 1981, he fled the country and gathered around two thousand of his followers to establish a utopian city on a 64,000-acre plot of land in Wasco County, Oregon.

Source: Oregon Live

The utopian commune, called Rajneeshpuram, immediately came into conflict with the small enclave of ranchers residing in the nearby town of Antelope.

"They're invading," an Oregonian says in footage from the series. “Maybe not with bullets, but with money and, um, immoral sex."

• A recent test screening of "Deadpool 2" scored a 98 out of 100, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
• That's better than the original's 91 score.
• That movie went on to earn over $783 million worldwide.

Fans of "Deadpool" just got a major indication that its sequel could live up to the massive hype surrounding it.

The movie has had three test screenings leading up to its release by 20th Century Fox on May 18, and each screening scored better than the previous one, with the final one hitting a 98 score out of 100, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The original movie's best test score was a 91 before going on to break box-office records when it opened in 2016 and earned over $783 million worldwide.

According to THR, the first test screening of "Deadpool 2" scored a 91 then a second one had a 97 score. After six days of reshoots last month — three days fewer than the original movie — a final test screening was done in Dallas on two screens simultaneously showing separate cuts. One cut scored a 94 and the other a 98, according to the trade. Fox will be going with the cut that scored a 98.

Studios do test screenings for virtually every movie they release. Often the CGI is not completed and the score isn't final. Audiences are recruited in rural areas of the country to participate and sign documents promising to not reveal anything they've seen. After watching the movie the audience is asked to rate the movie by filling out comment cards with boxes marked "excellent," "very good," "good," "fair," or "poor."

"Deadpool 2" will continue the adventures of the Marvel character Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), and will add characters Cable (Josh Brolin) and Domino (Zazie Beetz).

Here's the latest trailer:

SEE ALSO: How "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" went from a punchline to one of Sony's biggest box-office hits ever

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: You can connect all 9 Best Picture Oscar nominees with actors they have in common — here's how

You don't have to be a film critic to recognize one essential part of Wes Anderson's highly stylized way of filmmaking: He consistently dips into a recurring pool of actors.

In "The Grand Budapest Hotel" alone, a dozen cast members had been in at least one of Anderson's other films.

And the upcoming "Isle of Dogs" is no different. But in addition to classic players like Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, and Edward Norton, the Texan auteur's newest stop-motion movie also features some new collaborators, including Greta Gerwig, Bryan Cranston, and Courtney B. Vance.

Anderson's troupe is growing, but which actors have been featured most?

Here are the 15 actors who have been in the most Anderson films, ranked by how many they have appeared in:

SEE ALSO: The 10 biggest blockbuster movies of all time, and how much they raked in

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Anjelica Huston - 3

Huston hasn't been in an Anderson film since 2007's "The Darjeeling Limited" and she's sorely missed. Her hushed tone and dry delivery are a perfect vehicle for Anderson's unique dialogue.

Featured in: "The Royal Tenenbaums," "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou," "The Darjeeling Limited"

Best role: There's not much competition here. Huston is just sheer perfection as Etheline Tenenbaum in "The Royal Tenenbaums."

Tilda Swinton - 3

Swinton has been in Anderson's latest three films and hopefully will continue.

Featured in: "Moonrise Kingdom," "The Grand Budapest Hotel," "Isle of Dogs"

Best role: What role isn't Swinton's best? Really there's no wrong choice here.

Edward Norton - 3

Like Swinton, Norton joined Anderson's troupe back in 2012 for "Moonrise Kingdom" and has played a key part ever since. And thank goodness for that.

Featured in: "Moonrise Kingdom," "The Grand Budapest Hotel," "Isle of Dogs"

Best role: Norton is beyond charming as Inspector Henckels in "The Grand Budapest Hotel," but it seems like he's just made to be Scout Master Ward in "Moonrise Kingdom."

• Roblox is an online gaming platform with 64 million players.
• On Wednesday, Roblox revealed for the first time that it's cash flow positive, with "hundreds of millions" of dollars in bookings in 2017.
• Roblox has also hired Mike Guthrie as its new CFO, as it mulls whether or not to go public.
• Roblox has also released a sponsored study from comScore that shows that it's more popular by some measures than YouTube and Facebook — at least, for under-18-year-olds.

If you're under 18, or you know somebody who is, there's a pretty healthy chance you've heard of Roblox — a massively popular online gaming platform with 64 million players that also turned three teens into millionaires last year.  

On Wednesday, Roblox revealed that this popularity has translated into a booming business, as the company says that it's free cash flow positive for the first time. Roblox also says that it had "hundreds of millions" of dollars in bookings in 2017, up 158% from 2016. 

And so, to manage that fast-growing business, Roblox has hired Mike Guthrie as its new Chief Financial Officer. Previously, Guthrie served in the same role for TrueCar, a website for car buyers and dealers, which he helped take public in 2014. 

So far, Roblox has raised $99 million in venture capital, most recently in a $92 million funding round announced in March 2017. So will Guthrie help take Roblox public, too? 

"He's the right person to help us figure that out," Craig Donato, Roblox's chief business officer, tells Business Insider.

Donato says that the growth of Roblox is reflective of the fact that it might be more than a video game platform. Roblox believes that entertainment is getting less passive and more interactive, and that it's riding the wave. Indeed, while many compare Roblox to Microsoft's "Minecraft" phenomenon, Donato looks at it differently. 

"We really believe we're ushering in a new form of entertainment," says Donato. "We see ourselves not as a gaming platform, but as an entertainment platform." 

To that end, Roblox also today released the results of a study it commissioned from comScore, showing that the platform eats more attention among under-18s than YouTube, Netflix, or Amazon's Twitch. There are some caveats — for instance, comScore doesn't track mobile usage. However, the data clearly shows the sheer popularity of Roblox. 

If you're not familiar, Roblox is actually almost entirely generated by its fans. Popular Roblox games like "Jailbreak," "Work at a Pizza Place," or "Roblox High School" were all created by its mostly-teenage developer base. 

The games are free to play, but you can use real money to buy premium Roblox currency. That currency is, in turn, used to purchase in-game items, like weaponry or new hairstyles. When a player makes one of those in-game purchases, the developer gets the lion's share of the revenue, and Roblox takes a cut. 

All told, Roblox paid out $30 million to its two million creators in 2017. Three of those creators even cleared the $1 million mark. 

Whether or not it chooses to go public, Donato says that Roblox has big plans for the not-so-distant future.

Last year, Roblox started putting action figures in stores, based on characters from the most popular games, and shared the revenue with the creators. Next up, Donato says, is apparel like t-shirts and hats, coming soon to a store near you. 

The company is also staffing up beyond the 300 employees it already has, as it pursues other new opportunities: Right now, Roblox is only available in English, but Donato sees a big opportunity in adding more languages in the name of building a more global fanbase. 

He also says that more brand partnerships are in the works. For instance, Roblox has teamed up with Warner Bros. to make games themed around "Ready Player One," the forthcoming Steven Spielberg blockbuster, so players can have their own adventure.

Donato says to expect more of that. In fact, he says it's somewhat indicitative of how the company approaches entertainment in general: It's a way to actively, not passively, engage with the film. It's that kind of active engagement that he sees as Roblox's best advantage, going forward.

"We really think we're laying the groundwork for how content is created and delivered," says Donato. 

SEE ALSO: A video game you've never heard of has turned three teens into multimillionaires — and it's just getting started

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NOW WATCH: We built Nintendo's next big thing, Nintendo Labo

• The actor Jim Carrey slammed Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a new portrait on Wednesday.
• The portrait follows a recent torrent of backlash against Facebook, after reports found that the data firm Cambridge Analytica illicitly obtained the private information of 50 million Facebook users.
• Carrey first parodied Zuckerberg in February, when the actor announced that he was dumping his Facebook stock and deleting his Facebook page because, he said, the social network "profited" from Russian interference in US elections.

The actor Jim Carrey's latest in a series of controversial portraits finds him once again taking aim at Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

In February, Carrey tweeted a portrait of Zuckerberg with an announcement that he was dumping his Facebook stock and deleting his Facebook page because, he said, the social network "profited" from Russian interference in US elections.

Carrey's latest post follows Facebook and its executives facing a torrent of backlash over the weekend, after reports found that the data firm Cambridge Analytica, which worked on the Trump campaign in 2016, improperly harvested private information from 50 million Facebook users.

On Wednesday, Carrey tweeted, "Who are you sharing your life with? #regulatefacebook," alongside a black-and-white portrait of Zuckerberg beside a dislike button and the following quote: "'They trust me, dumb f---ks' — Mark Zuckerberg 2004."

After tweeting a similar portrait of Zuckerberg in February, Carrey sent the following statement to Business Insider, elaborating on his position:

"For a long time America enjoyed a geographical advantage in the world with oceans on both sides to protect it. Now, social media has created cyber-bridges over which those who do not have our best interest in mind can cross and we are allowing it. No wall is going to protect us from that. We must encourage more oversight by the owners of these social media platforms. This easy access has to be more responsibly handled. What we need now are activist investors to send a message that responsible oversight is needed. What the world needs now is capitalism with a conscience."

Zuckerberg, who has remained silent since the reports of the data mishandling were published over the weekend, is planning to break his silence on the Cambridge Analytica scandal within the next 24 hours.

SEE ALSO: Actor Jim Carrey dumped his Facebook stock at exactly the right time

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NOW WATCH: You can connect all 9 Best Picture Oscar nominees with actors they have in common — here's how

If you have noticed some shows popping up in your Netflix watch history unexpectedly, there's a chance someone might have hacked your account. And it's more common than you might think.

In fact, while putting together this story, I spoke to a colleague of mine who had noticed some suspicious viewing activity of the TV show "Arrow" on her Netflix, and we figured out her account had been compromised.

Netflix lets multiple people use an account at the same time, and this feature is great when it allows you to mooch off a friend’s account without inconveniencing them.

But one problem with this policy is that it has inadvertently created a black market for “access” to stolen Netflix accounts. A report by McAfee Labs in 2015 revealed that you could buy access to Netflix accounts in “Dark Web” marketplaces, which can only be accessed using a special internet browser called TOR that hides your computer's digital footprint, known as an IP address.

Hackers in these marketplaces were selling lifetime access to Netflix accounts for as little as $0.50. While some of these accounts are likely purchased with stolen credit card information, others used hacked login information, Raj Samani, the CTO of Intel Security, told Tech Insider. And sometimes hackers don't even sell the stolen accounts, but rather, just dump the login credentials on the internet for people to use.

Luckily, there's an easy ways to check if you've been hacked, and fix it.

Here's how: 

SEE ALSO: Cable companies still have one big weapon against Netflix — and they're starting to use it

First, log into your Netflix and go to the "Your Account" section.

Then check your viewing activity.

If you see some suspicious activity there, you can check out your recent account access. Note that since your viewing activity can be modified (you can "x" out certain things), if you think your Netflix has been hacked, go to recent account access even if there isn't unusual viewing.

If you've been following Disney for the last few years, you might be under the impression that CEO Bob Iger will rule the company until the end of time.

Iger's tenure at Disney has been lengthened on multiple occasions, and his most recent contract extension takes him through December 2021. This means he'll be able to make sure the Fox assets Disney is buying for $52.4 billion integrate into the company, and set out a path for Disney's streaming future as it battles Netflix.

But eventually Iger will have to retire, and the succession plan at Disney is far from clear.

In 2016, Disney COO Thomas Staggs, who was widely considered to be Iger's heir apparent, left the company unexpectedly when it became clear that he wasn't going to get the top job. Since then no obvious successor has been anointed by Iger, at least publicly.

Some industry insiders and analysts have speculated that either Disney will look outside the company for a new CEO when Iger retires, or look to the personnel coming over from Fox.

"It buys [the board] time," Pivotal Research analyst Brian Wieser said of Iger's contract extension in December. "I don't think they were satisfied that they had a successor inside of Disney, so there's time either to find outside talent or to assess if James Murdoch or someone from the Fox organization is an appropriate successor."

But when Disney announced a strategic reorganization last week, talk of potential internal candidates started again. The chatter has focused around three men: Kevin Mayer, Bob Chapek, and James Pitaro (though he's considered much more of an outside shot).

All three have taken on big new responsibilities recently, with Mayer leading Disney's bet on a Netflix-like future, Chapek adding consumer products to his workload, and Pitaro moving to become the new head of ESPN.

Here's a breakdown of what these three have done so far in their Disney careers, and why they might have a chance to take over for Iger as chief executive:

SEE ALSO: How to find out if your Netflix has been hacked — and easily fix it in under 5 minutes

Kevin Mayer — Disney chairman of direct-to-consumer and international

Kevin Mayer, 55, was named chairman of Disney's direct-to-consumer businesses last week — a role that will include overseeing the streaming services that ESPN and Disney are set to launch this spring and in 2019, respectively. 

Mayer previously led corporate strategy at Disney since 2005. He oversaw and advised Bob Iger in the company's acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel Studios, and Lucasfilm, as well as its pending acquisition of 20th Century Fox, the largest in Disney's history. 

Iger has now given Mayer the pivotal task of leading Disney's shift from traditional TV to on-demand services, which multipleoutlets have pointed to as setting up Mayer to be a potential successor to Iger. 

"Wall Street likes Kevin," Needham & Co analyst Laura Martin told Bloomberg of Mayer's promotion this week. "He's proven himself to be a visionary, of not being afraid of taking risk. Giving him these assets is a worthy experiment."

Mayer is also currently in charge of Disney's investment in the Hulu streaming service, its international TV networks, and program and advertising sales for ABC and ESPN. 

In a statement announcing Mayer's promotion on Wednesday, Iger called Mayer "a proven leader who has played a critical role in bringing together the collection of creative and technological assets that will allow Disney to offer unparalleled entertainment experiences in a direct-to-consumer future."

Bob Chapek — Disney chairman of parks, experiences, and consumer products

Disney chairman of theme parks Bob Chapek, 57, added Disney's consumer products line to his purview last week. As with Mayer, Chapek's promotion has outletshighlighting him as a potential successor to Iger. 

Chapek has worked at Disney for 24 years, in leadership roles that ranged from film distribution to home-video entertainment. He also previously served as president of Disney's consumer products line, which he now oversees as chairman. 

Chapek has earned praise for delivering "steady returns" in heading the company's theme parks division since February 2015. He oversaw the opening of the Shanghai Disneyland park in 2016, which Disney has said is on track to be the most profitable Disney park globally. 

Disney also noted in its year-end fiscal report last year that Chapek's parks division was among the only four major Disney divisions that posted an increase in sales and profit.

In a statement announcing Chapek's promotion on Wednesday, Bob Iger called Chapek the "perfect leader" to run the combined parks and products team, given his "impressive record of success at both."

James Pitaro — ESPN president and cochair of Disney Media Networks

Disney recently named company executive James Pitaro as the new president of ESPN and cochair of Disney Media Networks, reporting directly to Bob Iger. 

Pitaro had previously chaired Disney's consumer products and interactive media divisions since 2016. He was also formerly a vice president and head of Yahoo! Media.

Sources told the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday that Pitaro is also in consideration to replace Bob Iger as CEO, but that he is considered a "longer shot" than both Mayer and Chapek. 

Pitaro joined ESPN, a top asset for Disney, as cord-cutting has significantly narrowed the sports-media company's subscriber base. But Iger sees him as the right person to lead ESPN as the company adapts to the digital world.

"Jimmy forged his career at the intersection of technology, sports and media, and his vast experience and keen perspective will be invaluable in taking ESPN into the future," Iger said in a statement announcing Pitaro's new role.

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg also praised Pitaro's promotion, saying that her late husband Dave Goldberg called Pitaro "one of the strongest strategists and managers he knew."

A new anonymous messaging app is quickly climbing to the top of the App Store. 

Lipsi, available for iPhones (and soon Android phones), lets you send and receive messages without revealing your identity. You can also post a link to your Lipsi account on Instagram or Snapchat account to get people to give you anonymous feedback or compliments.

What makes Lipsi unique is that it's location-based, which means anyone within a 100-yard radius can send you an anonymous message. 

Lipsi officially launched about six months ago, but it has recently started climbing the App Store's top free apps chart. Right now, it's the 16th most-popular free app, beating out apps like Twitter and Pinterest. 

Here's how to use Lipsi:

SEE ALSO: One of my favorite tech gadgets prevents me from ever losing my phone, wallet, or keys — and it only costs $35

Lipsi is a location-based anonymous messaging app, which means you can chat with people nearby without revealing your identity.

Lipsi's 23-year-old founder, Matthew Segal, told the Vancouver Sun that he came up with the idea after routinely bumping into a girl he was interested in, but not being brave enough to talk to her.

Source: Vancouver Sun

Segal told the Sun that he sees Lipsi being used for more than just dating or hooking up, though.

In Lipsi's video advertisement for the app, it shows people using it to compliment someone you see in real life, or alert them if they lost or dropped something. 

According to the Sun, Lipsi is geared toward people age 15 to 25, who are in high school or college.

• "American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace" is not what its subtitle suggests.
• Instead, the murder of Gianni Versace in 1997 serves as a starting point into the compelling story of his killer, Andrew Cunanan. 
• Unlike other murder shows, it focuses on the lives of Cuanan's victims, beyond the most famous one. 
• It's Ryan Murphy's best work to date, and the finale airs tonight on FX. 
• You should definitely set aside some time to watch it.

Want to learn about Gianni Versace, revolutionary fashion designer and gay icon? Looking for an in-depth, inside look at his July 1997 murder in Miami? Look somewhere else. Because while the title implies this is exactly what “American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace” is about, that’s only the starting point.

The series does give us a glimpse of Versace’s life — both his relationship with his long-time partner, Antonio D’Amico, and with his sister, Donatella (Penelope Cruz) — but the series also looks way beyond that, and is so much better for taking the risk. 

Of all the TV that's out there, and I know it's overwhelming, this is a show you should set aside some time to watch. The season is only 9 episodes and the incredible finale airs Wednesday night on FX. 

The first season of “American Crime Story,” which premiered to critical acclaim in early 2016, followed the 1995 O.J. Simpson trial. It went on to win 9 Emmy Awards, including best limited series and best actress in a limited series for Sarah Paulson, who played prosecutor Marcia Clark. “The People vs O.J. Simpson” was inventive in the way it was told, with episodes not just from the perspectives of key players like O.J., the defense, and the prosecutors, but also the jurors.

Still, the season’s glaring flaw was that, like a lot of fiction and nonfiction work surrounding the O.J. case, the victims, Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman, were still just catalysts for a larger story.

But “Versace” recognized that flaw and made a show about the origins of a killer while focusing on all of his victims. The result is a fascinating examination of class, sexuality, and gay culture in the 90s.

The series starts with the assassination of Gianni Versace (Edgar Ramirez) at the hands of Andrew Cunanan (Darren Criss). From then on, Versace serves as a side character and a parallel to Cuanan.

Based on Maureen Orth’s book “Vulgar Favors: Andrew Cunanan, Gianni Versace and the Largest Failed Manhunt in U.S. History,” the series goes beyond its subtitle and tells a story that only a bold, visionary storyteller like executive producer and co-creator Ryan Murphy could tell in such a compelling, thoughtful, and colorful (literally and figuratively) way.

The series follows Cunanan on his journey of seducing wealthy men, becoming a part of their lives — and making a living off of them — then ultimately murdering them, brutally. Then, on to the next one. But the twist is that the story is told backwards, starting with the murder of Versace, and going backwards until, by the end of the season, we finally get a glimpse of Cunanan's first crimes, which started with his complicated relationship with his father. 

In the series’ stand-out episode, Judith Light guest stars as the conflicted wife of one of Cuanan’s victims: 72 year old Lee Miglin, a Chicago real-estate developer who was found dead in his home, bound with duct tape. Miglin’s wife goes out of her way to keep the news that her husband was murdered by a gay lover quiet, demonstrating that not so long ago, being gay was something most people wanted absolutely nothing to do with. The episode’s focus on what Light’s character goes through while finding out the truth about her husband — and what to do with it — separates this murder show from others before it, by not only showing the lives of the victims, but their loved ones as well. Light returns in the finale, further proving that she's a shoe-in for an Emmy nomination in the fall. 

The most captivating element of Cunanan's story, as told in “Versace,” is the "what if." If the detectives responsible for finding Cunanan hadn't been blinded by gay stereotypes, maybe they would have stopped him before he killed more people, including Versace. Versace and his partner Antonio (played by a well-cast, natural Ricky Martin of “Livin La Vida Loca” fame) would have also led very different lives in a more accepting culture. And Donatella, too, whose disappointment in her brother’s lack of a leaving behind an heir for their fashion brand is the conflict that drives their story throughout the season.

The biggest surprise is also the best part of “Versace”: its star, Darren Criss. In his creepy and careful performance, Criss proves that he's so much more than the performer I, and I'm sure many, assumed he was. Starting his film and television career on “Glee” as Blaine Anderson, a very mature high school student who belts Katy Perry songs at every moment possible, and venturing not much further from that in theater productions like "How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying" and "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," Criss’ transformative performance is one of those rare roles where you won’t be able to imagine anyone else but him playing it.

"American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace" ends its run tonight on FX. Watch the trailer below:

SEE ALSO: 19 Netflix original shows that both critics and audiences agree are amazing

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NOW WATCH: You can connect all 9 Best Picture Oscar nominees with actors they have in common — here's how

• A gang of former student drug dealers from Manchester, England have been jailed for a combined 56 years.
• The men, who were students at Manchester University, sold LSD, Ecstasy, and other drugs on the dark web, according to the UK's National Crime Agency.
• They were inspired by the TV show "Breaking Bad," and made more than $1 million.

A "Breaking Bad"-inspired gang of British drug dealers who began selling drugs online to make money as students have been jailed for years.

The five men, currently aged between 25 and 28, made more than £800,000 ($1.1 million) through sales of Ecstasy, Ketamine, LSD, Valium, and other drugs on the dark web while students at Manchester University, according to the UK's National Crime Agency (NCA). They splashed their cash on lavish holidays in the Bahamas and Jamaica — but were first arrested shortly after the closure of the notorious Silk Road dark web marketplace back in 2013. 

On Wednesday, they were sentenced to a combined 56 years in jail by the Manchester Crown Court, the NCA announced.

Ringleader Basil Assaf has been given a sentence of 15 years and three months, while James Roden has been jailed for 12. Kaijishen Patel's sentence is 11 years and two months, Elliott Hyams' is 11 years and three months, and junior member Joshua Morgan's is seven years and two months.

The Manchester Evening News previously reported that the group was inspired by "Breaking Bad"— the critically acclaimed TV show about a cancer-stricken chemistry teacher who starts cooking and selling crystal meth.

The NCA said the group operated from 2011 to 2013, selling drugs through Silk Road, an online marketplace for narcotics and other illicit goods that was part of the dark web — a section of the internet only accessible via software designed to obscure the user's identity.

The group sold the equivalent of 240,000 ecstacy tablets (in liquid form), 1.4kg of ketamine, and 1.2kg of 2CB, according to the NCA, and took payment in both cash and cryptocurrencies. 

At one point, the NCA said things got ugly between some of the group, with Assaf threatening to tell Hyams' mother about his activities and firing him from the operation: "I won’t hesitate to ruin your life. Your mother will find out the truth." He subsequently did tell her.

When officers moved in on the group's flat, they found 11,000 doses of LSD, £4,500 in cash, scales, packages, and label printers, according to the agency.

In a statement, NCA senior operations manager Ian Glover said: "These five men were interested only in making money. They had no regard whatsoever for the harm these drugs could do to their users."

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NOW WATCH: Facebook can still track you even if you delete your account — here’s how to stop it

This is a preview of a research report from BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about BI Intelligence, click here.

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
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