“Electronic games are a trend all over the world and, in Brazil, they are a fever. In the final of the 2016 Brazilian League of Legends Championship, more than 15 thousand people attended the Ibirapuera Gymnasium,” said Ronaldo. In 2021, almost five years later, Ronaldo not only guarantees that his bet was right, but expanded his participation in this market. This time, looking not only at eSports, but at games in general.
Ronaldo, who is a major partner in the sports marketing agency Octagon, created the holding company Oddz Networking, in partnership with Eduardo Baraldi, Otávio Pereira and Gabriel Lima. The new company joins the operations of Octagon and the game developer Nomad, created in September last year, as a result of the partnership with Kinship. “I have always been very attached to technology and its impact on our lives. The speed with which things are happening in the world today, while frightening, fascinates me. At Oddz, we see very clearly a vast territory to be explored in this segment and we want to find creative solutions to make the most of the opportunities that exist in the market,” says Ronaldo.
Also, according to the businessman, the goal with this movement is to go deeper into data and technology, but with an even greater focus on observing people's behavior. “I believe that the difference we want to bring to the market, naturally passes through this integrated and broader view of the new tools available today to evolve the holding and its businesses. The sports, entertainment, marketing, and communication industries still have a lot to grow in these disciplines and we are going to dive deeply into these universes,” he explains.
“The more you get deeper into this universe, the more you have something to learn. Games and eSports are a reflection of our society, which moves and changes at a fast pace. There is no way to outline standard strategies, as each side of the market has a challenge and, consequently, different solutions. I believe that the biggest challenge is still the lack of knowledge,” says Ronaldo, pointing out that the market needs more information and the existing players need to work in partnership around the development of this industry.
“Throughout my experiences with this universe, I got it right and wrong. And I believe that we have a more assertive vision of the future. Our idea is to be able to foster development, professionalization and opportunities for everyone who is part of this ecosystem,” he also said.
THE CHALLENGES OF THE SCENERY
One of the great challenges of the eSports ecosystem, when it comes to business and relationship with brands, is that the two universes speak the same language. Eduardo Baraldi, co-CEO of Oddz, understands that, in addition, there is a change of context in the advertising market that makes the game more dynamic. “Nowadays, with more and more data and information, communication is much more accurate and effective at the same time that it is even more widespread and multiplatform. With this, the investment of the brands becomes even more optimized, and the result is more tangible. At the same time, brand-people relations are becoming more humanized and require a systemic view of our society,” he says.
Otávio Pereira, Co-CEO of Oddz, explains that the lessons learned from Nomad made it clear that, in addition to the games themselves, there are numerous windows to be occupied.
“There are certain needs for the community, as well as underused opportunities for the market. So now is the time to guarantee the success of the initial plans but also keeping the radar on to evolve our business model over the next months and years. Somehow, whether through Nomad or other holding companies, we will join efforts with the entire community and market so that games and eSports can continue to grow and generate opportunity, but in an increasingly structured and sustainable way.”
In addition to the more than US$ 1 billion a year handled by eSports, the games industry, globally, should earn US$ 200 billion by 2023. In Brazil, there is an effervescence in terms of the emergence and prominence of studios. Last year, Wildlife became the first Brazilian gaming unicorn.
Source: Fast Company Brasil
