Warner Bros. has agreed on a deal to acquire embattled gaming-centric multi-channel network Machinima, the company announced in a Thursday statement.
The Information first reported the acquisition talks last month, saying that the purchase price would be less than $100 million. Warner Bros. did not disclose financial terms of the deal.
Machinima, which began as a network of video-game focused YouTube channels, has raised $92 million since its founding — some from Warner Bros. — and was once valued at more than $250 million. But as video advertising growth slowed, Machinima laid off several employees and made changes at the top.
Machinima co-founder Allan DeBevoise left his post at CEO in March 2014 and was replaced by Chad Gutstein. The following year, Machinima laid off 13 of its 90 employees one day after getting $24 million in financing from Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. has also partnered with Machinima on content, working on original series such as “Mortal Kombat: Legacy,” based on the 1990s video game and exclusively shown on the Machinima YouTube channel. They also produced two seasons of a “Justice League” series, based on Warner’s DC Entertainment characters.
“Machinima is a strong gamer and fandom content and social brand with enormous reach and high engagement with audiences that play our games and are big fans of DC films and television shows,” Craig Hunegs, President, Business and Strategy, Warner Bros. Television Group and President, Warner Bros. Digital Networks said in the statement. “Machinima also produces great, high quality content for their community, and together we can create an even more compelling experience and do some really exciting things involving our key franchises. This acquisition is another meaningful move forward as Warner Bros. develops more direct relationships with our consumers.”
“Since making their first investment in Machinima in 2014, Warner Bros. has been an active business partner in our transformation, so we already have proof points as to how the companies can work together to accelerate Machinima’s growth plans,” Gutstein said in the statement. “We’ll now be able to take full advantage of Warner Bros.’ intellectual property, sales and distribution, while still creating content for social and premium digital platforms that gamers and geeks love. Plus, we’ll be fully embedded and can help Warner Bros. continue their incredible digital marketing successes. It’s honestly a win-win.”
Meet The Coolest YouTube Stars at VidCon (Videos)
Over the past six years, VidCon has exploded from a simple gathering of video bloggers to an international gathering of the biggest Internet stars imaginable. The show serves as both a trade expo for people in the industry and a chance for fans to come face to face with the people behind their favorite YouTube channels. From gamers to comedians to animators and beyond, here are some of the biggest stars at this event.
Tyler Oakley has become the gold standard among bloggers, racking up over 8 million subscribers with videos of him and his friends doing silly things together on camera. He's also become one of YouTube's leading LGBTQ activists, throwing his support behind the Trevor Project and recently posting a video discussing the Orlando shooting and how the LGBTQ community can move forward.
Mark "Markiplier" Fischbach rose to prominence with his Let's Play videos, cracking jokes in front of a camera while playing PC games. His biggest claim to fame is are his playthroughs of the "Five Nights At Freddy's" series, which left fans rolling with laughter thanks to his panicky attempts to beat each game.
Anita Sarkeesian's "Feminist Frequency" has become one of the most polarizing series on YouTube, analyzing gender stereotypes in video games and critiquing the treatment of women in video games and the culture surrounding them.
Born in Ontario to Indian immigrants, Lilly Singh turned her family into the inspiration for a series of blogs featuring caricatures of typical Indian parents. In February 2016, she released a documentary called "A Trip To Unicorn Island," documenting the world tour that her YouTube success spawned.
If there's anything comedian Mamrie Hart loves, it's a good cocktail. That's why she started the YouTube series, "You Deserve A Drink," where she gives her viewers the funniest mixology class you could ever imagine.
While YouTube has becoming predominantly live-action, there are still some animators making a name for themselves. One of the most famous is Jonathan Picking, a.k.a. Mr. Weebl, who created beloved classics like "Magical Trevor" and "Breadfish."
Henry Reich is the creator of the MinutePhysics YouTube channel, which has become one of the most popular science shows online. Using simple animations, MinutePhysics explains the most well-known concepts in physics and answers weird viewers questions, like how long it would take to fall through the Earth.
There might not be a YouTube Channel more painful for its stars than Hot Pepper Gaming. The show channels YouTube gaming stars to review the newest video game releases...after taking a bite out of a habanero pepper. Sometimes the habaneros get swapped out for something even worse, leaving the reviewers struggling to talk about gameplay and frame rates.
Simultaneously delicious and nauseating, Epic Meal Time is dedicated to cooking up massive meals with a calorie count deep into the five-digit amounts. Take this Chinese Food burger, loaded with chow mein, a patty stuffed with stir fry, and giant egg roll buns.
Trick shots with basketballs are popular on YouTube, but Brodie Smith is doing trick shots of a different kind. Smith is a professional Ultimate Frisbee player, and he's become a YouTube star with his insane Frisbee tricks on both land and sea.
Kristen Sarah is the host of "Hopscotch The Globe," a travel series that has taken her from Finland to Fiji. When she's not planning epic road trips, she makes videos providing travel tips and a guide to fashion inspired by her adventures.
The creators of VidCon, Hank and John Green, have a YouTube history of their own. The two have produced multiple YouTube shows, the most successful of which is the educational show "Crash Course." The show has attracted millions of viewers with its spin on history and science, and has gained the attention of PBS.
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YouTube stars are gathering at VidCon to talk about globe-trotting, epic meal-making, and Let’s Playing
Over the past six years, VidCon has exploded from a simple gathering of video bloggers to an international gathering of the biggest Internet stars imaginable. The show serves as both a trade expo for people in the industry and a chance for fans to come face to face with the people behind their favorite YouTube channels. From gamers to comedians to animators and beyond, here are some of the biggest stars at this event.
