ESPORTS DEMOGRAPHICS: FANS SKEW MALE, SPEND MORE ON GAMES

A new report from analyst firm EEDAR breaks down the demographics of eSports fans — both those who participate in tournaments and just watch.

At 75 percent male, the eSports audience is more than 10 percent more likely to be male than the general PC game-playing population; they’re also a bit more likely to spend more on free-to-play titles.

The most popular game amongst audiences is League of Legends, and its genre, MOBA, is the most popular in eSports (EEDAR considers shooters like Counter-Strike GO and fighters like Super Smash Bros. the other two notable eSports genres.)

They play more and they pay more — and they’re most likely to buy in-game items of any eSports-related expenditure (which also includes things like event tickets or branded peripherals, per EEDAR’s definition.) Somewhat surprisingly, 40 percent are “unlikely” to attend real-life eSports events, despite their interest in the games.

The report was generated based on survey data of 2,000 respondents who played or watched an eSports-related title in the prior year.

The full report is available as a free download (registration required). We’ve embedded a few of the charts below, so you can get a finer-grained look at the data.

GET A JOB: PUBLISHERS CLEARING HOUSE SEEKS A UNITY GAME DEVELOPER

The Gamasutra Job Board is the most diverse, active and established board of its kind for the video game industry!

Here is just one of the many, many positions being advertised right now.

Location: New York, NY

STARCRAFT, AND GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE GAME AND ITS STORY

“It doesn’t have to be Shakespeare. It doesn’t have to be perfect. What is perfect? We want to build these things as best we can.”

– Blizzard VP of Story and Franchise Development, Chris Metzen

In an extensive new look back at the StarCraft franchise on Polygon, Blizzard’s Chris Metzen and executive producer Chris Sigaty share development tales and methods behind the massively popular strategy franchise.

GRAND THEFT AUTO ONLINE HAS 8 MILLION WEEKLY ACTIVE USERS

According to its publisher, Grand Theft Auto Online now has 8 million weekly active users — huge numbers for an online game and, though it’s not a persistent online game, many more than world-beating MMO World of Warcraft currently boasts.

The number, revealed in publisher Take-Two’s investor call alongside its financial results, which the company shared today, came via GameSpot.

GTA Online is included with Grand Theft Auto V, which has so far shipped over 54 million copies.

The company said today that demand for GTA V remains strong and continues to boost its earnings. CEO Strauss Zelnick has repeatedly said that in-game currency sales in GTA Online are strong — and consistent.

LOS ANGELES MOBILE STUDIO SUES KARDASHIAN CLAN AND GLU

Just Games Interactive Entertainment, which operates a Los Angeles based mobile studio known asKung Fu Factory, is suing Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner and Glu Mobile over Kim Kardashian: Hollywood, the fabulously successful celebrity simulation.

According to a report from Courthouse News Service, which has combed through the legal complaint, Kung Fu Factory prepared a detailed pitch for Kardashian agent Brian Siegrest, including game designs and artwork. But the deal died on the vine; months later, Kim Kardashian: Hollywood popped up from Glu Mobile. Kung Fu Factory alleges that elements of its presentation ended up in the game Glu released.

The company — the developer of multiple mobile games, including Adventure Time Card Wars — seeks at least $10 million in damages from the defendants.

As reported by the Associated Press, Glu released a statement calling the lawsuit frivolous. It’s worth nothing that Kim Kardashian: Hollywood followed in the footsteps of Glu’s prior game, Stardom: Hollywood, which featured similar gameplay and aesthetics, minus the celebrity endorsement.

Want to understand what the big deal about Kim K’s hit game is? Read our 2014 interview with Glu Canada general manger Christopher Locke.

Coincidentally, Glu reported its most recent quarterly results today, reporting a slight year-over-year drop in revenue to $63.3 million for the three months ended September 30, with non-GAAP net income of $7.7 million. The company hired Nick Earl, a veteran of Kabam and EA’s mobile efforts, as its new president of studios. Earl resigned from Kabam after just 11 months.