Enthusiast Gaming Explained

Enthusiast Gaming is a Canadian digital media company specializing in video game journalism. Founded in 2014 by entrepreneur Menashe Kestenbaum, the company owned the websites Destructoid and Escapist Magazine from 2014 to September 2022, as well the gaming convention Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo (EGLX). The company went public on the TSX Venture Exchange in October 2018.^[1] In January 2020, the company's listing moved to the Toronto Stock Exchange.^[2] The company was also trading on the Nasdaq from April 2021 to October 2023.^{[3] [4]} Enthusiast Gaming owns a number of websites and runs an annual convention in Toronto.

Brands

Websites

• DiabloII Net & Wiki (acquired 2018)
• Gaming Street (founded 2019)
• Planet Destiny (acquired 2019)
• Steel Media (Pocket Gamer) (acquired 2019)^[5]
• The Sims Resource (acquired 2019)^[6]
• Omnia Media (acquired 2020)^[7]
• Vedatis (Icy Veins) (acquired 2021)^[8]
• Tabwire (Tabstats) (acquired 2021)^[9]
• GameKnot (acquired 2021)^[10]
• Addicting Games (acquired 2021)^[11]
• U.GG (acquired 2021)^[12]
• Beyond Games (founded 2021)^[13]

Former

Gamurs Group acquired six websites and several brands from Enthusiast Gaming in September 2022:^[14]

• Destructoid (acquired 2017)^[15]
  • Flixist (acquired 2017)
  • Japanator (acquired 2017 and merged into Siliconera)^[16]
  • Gamnesia (acquired 2018 and merged into Nintendo Enthusiast)
  • Nintendo Enthusiast (founded 2011 by Enthusiast Gaming founder and merged into Destructoid)
• The Escapist (acquired 2018)^[17]
  • Gameumentary (acquired 2018)
  • Only Single Player (acquired 2016)
• Operation Sports (acquired 2018)
• PC Invasion (acquired 2018)
  • PC Enthusiast (founded 2015 and merged into PC Invasion)
• Siliconera (acquired 2019)
• Upcomer (founded 2021)
  • Daily Esports (founded 2018 and merged into Upcomer)
• Xbox Enthusiast (founded 2015, website closed in 2019)
• PlayStation Enthusiast (founded 2015, website closed in 2019)

Esports teams

• Vancouver Titans (Overwatch – Overwatch League)^[18]
• Seattle Surge (Call of Duty)^[19]
• Luminosity Gaming (multiple titles)^[20]

Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo

The Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo (EGLX) was an annual gaming convention hosted at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.^[21] It is billed as Canada's largest video game convention, with a reported peak of 30,000 attendees.^[22] In October 2018, Enthusiast Gaming announced that EGLX will host the World Electronic Sports Games Canadian Championship.^[23] EGLX 2020 was delayed from October to November due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and was hosted live on streaming services. No public plans to resume hosting Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo have been announced.

References

1. News: Takahashi . Dean . 2018-10-04 . Enthusiast Gaming goes public in Canada to build game fan network . en-US . . 2018-11-23.
2. Web site: Gaming . Enthusiast . January 21, 2020 . Enthusiast Gaming to Commence Trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange . 2023-09-17 . . en-US.
3. Web site: Gaming . Enthusiast . April 20, 2021 . Enthusiast Gaming to Commence Trading on Nasdaq . 2023-09-17 . . en-US.
4. Web site: 2023-10-30 . NOTIFICATION OF REMOVAL FROM LISTING AND/OR REGISTRATION UNDER SECTION 12(b) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 . 2024-04-26 . U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
5. Blake . Vikki . 23 January 2019 . Enthusiast Gaming seeks to acquire B2B game network Steel Media . MCV/DEVELOP.
6. Web site: Gaming . Enthusiast . January 7, 2019 . Enthusiast Gaming to Acquire "The Sims Resource", The World's Largest Female Video Gaming Website . 2023-09-17 . . en-US.
7. Web site: Settimi . Christina . August 6, 2020 . Enthusiast Gaming Acquires Media Company Tied To Shroud, Pokimane, MrBeast; Wants To Build A Gaming Social Network . December 21, 2020 . Forbes.
8. Web site: Seck . Tobias . May 11, 2021 . Enthusiast Gaming Completes Acquisition of Icy Veins – ARCHIVE - The Esports Observer . 2023-09-17 . . en-US.
9. June 24, 2021 . Enthusiast Gaming Closes Acquisition of Tabwire . 2023-09-17 . . en.
10. Web site: Gaming . Enthusiast . September 2, 2021 . Enthusiast Gaming Announces Acquisition of GameKnot . 2023-09-17 . . en-US.
11. Web site: Orr . Aaron . September 7, 2021 . Enthusiast Gaming acquires Addicting Games for $34 million . 2023-09-17 . Pocket Gamer.
12. Web site: Stubbs . Mike . November 23, 2021 . Enthusiast Gaming Acquires U.GG For $45 Million To Enter 'League Of Legends' Space . 2023-09-17 . . en.
13. Web site: Bradley . Dave . September 15, 2021 . Steel Media launches BeyondGames.biz . 2023-09-17 . Pocket Gamer.
14. Web site: Gamurs Group buying Enthusiast Gaming sites . Sinclair . Brendan . . . September 30, 2022 . September 30, 2022 .
15. June 22, 2017 . Enthusiast Gaming acquires Destructoid . MCV/DEVELOP.
16. Web site: Staff . Siliconera . 2020-02-11 . Siliconera and Japanator Are Teaming Up . 2024-04-17 . Siliconera . en-US.
17. Web site: Defy Media Sells The Escapist Gaming Site to Canada's Enthusiast Gaming. Spangler. Todd. July 26, 2018. Variety. Penske Media Corporation. July 26, 2018.
18. Web site: Gaming . Enthusiast . June 25, 2020 . Enthusiast Gaming's Esports Team, The Vancouver Titans, Announce New Partnership Elements with Circle K . 2023-09-17 . . en-US.
19. Web site: Hayward . Andrew . October 31, 2019 . Seattle Surge Team Branding Revealed for Call of Duty League – ARCHIVE - The Esports Observer . 2023-09-17 . . en-US.
20. July 18, 2023 . Enthusiast Gaming Announces Steelcase as the Official Performance Seating Partner of Luminosity Gaming . 2023-09-17 . . en.
21. Web site: Makedonski . Brett . January 20, 2020 . EGLX is ready to rock Canada again in October . 2023-09-17 . . en-US.
22. Web site: Whan . Christopher . October 26, 2018 . Largest gaming expo in Canada hits Toronto this weekend Globalnews.ca . 2023-09-17 . . en-US.
23. Web site: Gaming . Enthusiast . October 22, 2018 . Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo "EGLX", Canada's Largest Video Gaming Expo, Takes Place This Weekend . 2023-09-17 . . en-US.