The Japanese publisher Square Enix has decided to invest in the Rennes company Blacknut. The latter offers 500 games without installation or download, in exchange for a subscription of 14.99 € / month without commitment.
Nice shot made by the Bretons of Blacknut. The Rennes company, still a modest player on the cloud gaming, has just seen a video game heavyweight, the Japanese publisher Square Enix, enter its capital. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
This investment should enable Blacknut to “pursue its international expansion, continue its R&D investments and enrich its catalog”. Rennes now has 500 games accessible on most screens (computer, smartphone, connected TV, etc.), without installing or downloading, in exchange for a subscription of €14.99/month without commitment.
The company says its service is available in 45 countries across Europe, North America and Asia. It should also soon be launched in Latin America and the Middle East. To distribute it, Blacknut has entered into agreements with telecom, video game and media players, such as Celcom in Malaysia and M1 in Singapore.
More extensive catalog for Blacknut, new distribution channel for Square Enix
If the contours of the collaboration between Square Enix and the Breton company remain to be clarified, one can easily guess the possibilities available to the two actors. On the one hand, Blacknut should be able to expand its catalog with the support of a key player in the video game industry, notably known worldwide for its Final Fantasy franchise.
On the other hand, Square Enix will have the opportunity to offer itself a new distribution channel while the cloud gaming is growing rapidly. According to a study by Newzoo, this booming market generated $1.5 billion from 21.7 million subscribers in 2021. The sector is expected to weigh $6.3 billion and have 58.6 million subscribers a horizon 2024.