Latest news with #RHQ
Business Mayor
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Mayor
Typical Gamer's JOGO doubles down on UEFN maps with acquisition of RHQ Creative
JOGO, a game studio started by popular creator Typical Gamer, has doubled down on Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) games by acquiring RHQ Creative. Typical Gamer, whose real name is Andre Rebello, has more than 30 million followers because people love to watch him play Fortnite. But a couple of years ago, he crossed the line and started making games via Epic Games' tools for user-generated content on UEFN. He built the business to a team of 20 people and their maps have generated more than 400 million plays. That has turned into a real business. And it's why JOGO is buying RHQ Creative, a builder of UEFN training maps with 20 million map visits and 200 million hours of play time. The idea is to launch a 'Pro' line of maps in Fortnite, as RHQ is run by another Fortnite star, Quinn Gannon, AKA RichHomieQuinn (link). Gannon has more than 500,000 followers and he has also been able to making a living as pro Fortnite player. 'We're super excited to be bringing our RHQ Creative and Quinn into the JOGO fold,' said Rebello, CEO of JOGO, in an exclusive interview with GamesBeat. 'We just see the future Fortnite, especially in the competitive realm, as a very stable and awesome player base. And so far, JOGO maps have mostly been casual maps, with some competitiveness to them. But we have mostly casual player bases versus this opportunity to really implant it to ourselves in the competitive space. We wanted someone like Quinn who really understands that space and understands that player to bring his expertise over.' JOGO and RHQ Creative have teamed up. 'Welcoming Quinn and the RHQ team onboard is a huge win,' said Rebello, known as Typical Gamer, one of Fortnite's most recognizable personalities. 'Not just because he's a veteran map builder and pro competitor, but because he understands what it takes to design for a different kind of player. This deal opens up a whole new lane for JOGO, and it's just the beginning.' Rebelo added, 'We're in a strong position to keep growing, keep investing, and keep building experiences that meet players wherever they are. Whether you're logging on for the first time or grinding for the next FNCS, JOGO will be there for all of it.' This is one of the first studio acquisitions in UEFN, and RHQ Creative will bring a few more people to JOGO's team with a specialty focus on skill-building and competitive training maps for aspiring professional players. RichHomieQuinn has earned a cult following for its thoughtfully designed competitive training maps, optimized for repeatability, improvement, and fun. JOGO expects to be able to accelerate RHQ Creative's map growth by integrating JOGO's high-quality creative and publishing infrastructure. 'I was a professional Fortnite player. I've been competing in Fortnite since 2019 and I was one of the top players on my region, and I also was able to build a community through coaching and helping develop players,' said Quinn, in an interview. 'When I ended up getting into UEFN, I developed maps that I could practice on while also being able to help teach newer players.' Creator counts by payout for UEFN. Quinn coached Rebello in a solo tournament a few years ago. They ended up playing duos together, and they developed a friendship — and they competed in serious tournaments. They have tried to grow their expertise in a variety of areas, and they're doing the same making Fortnite maps. 'We want to make sure that provide the most value for the player,' Rebello said. JOGO's maps have had more than 400 million plays, said Chad Mustard, COO of JOGO, in an interview with GamesBeat. JOGO has done around a dozen maps, while RHQ has 11 maps. Some of those maps could take a few days to create, but others may take more than six months. 'If we're not the biggest, we're one of the top studios in the space, and acquiring another studio is significant. That shows the growth of the UEFN space is strong,' he said. Read More Figure skaters entertain at ice show - Park Rapids Enterprise Mustard has a million followers, but he acknowledges he can't compete on the same level as Gannon and Rebello. But he does get joy out of building new maps. 'If I would try to play against them, I wouldn't be able to be able to move,' he . But I can go in and build some awesome experience, and it's really fun.' As Typical Gamer, Rebello started making tutorial videos for Red Dead Redemption back in 2009. He started getting hundreds of thousands of views, and now it feels like he has come full circle, as doing training maps for players is meant to help them learn how to play the game. Gannon likes to play, but when he came to UEFN, he got a lot of satisfaction out of helping others grow their skills. 'I love being part of their journey,' he said. Left to Right: JOGO's leadership team includes COO Chad Mustard, CEO Andre 'Typical Gamer' Rebelo, and CTO Mark Price. Typical Gamer wants to build the future of game development, which includes every kind of player, from explorers to elite grinders. The acquisition adds immediate training domain expertise, map performance data, and design sensibility tuned to the professional or pro-aspiring player as it expands into the competitive genre. Deal terms were not disclosed. But a source familiar with the matter said the deal was worth around a $500,000 commitment. The acquisition procures full ownership of RHQ's existing map catalog and welcomes a team of three team members, along with a roster of more than a dozen contributing contractors who will all directly contribute to the development and refinement of the pro division's new catalog. Beyond casual, wide-appeal experiences with creative characters and original lore, the competitive genre offers a focused entry into a unique, intent-rich player base that provides stable playtime and dependable, repeat traffic. The announcement aligns with Typical Gamer's personal evolution. After years of dominating the content space, he's stepping into the competitive arena and investing in tools to bring his community with him. Timed to Typical Gamer's entry in the FNCS Pro-Am on May 10, he will debut the newly acquired maps, inviting fans to train with him while teasing the studio's next chapter. Fortnite is paying out a lot of money to creators. The acquisition was brokered by Nick Brotman, SVP at Night Media, a talent agency. This deal is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by Epic Games. However, Epic Games did send over a quote about the deal activity. 'It's inspiring to see Fortnite creators investing not only in themselves but in the Fortnite ecosystem as a whole,' said Saxs Persson, executive vice president at Epic Games, in a statement. 'UEFN has grown rapidly, and so have creators, who continue to chart their success by building experiences that resonate with players of all types and interests.' Fortnite Creative numbers have been on the rise, and the JOGO folks think it could be stronger than Fortnite battle royale at some point. 'We've seen a lot of UGC communities like Roblox, Minecraft. They're continuing to absolutely blaze a path, and Fortnite is no different. Fortnite also is going to be headed back on mobile, which is huge, like that's something that really hurt Fortnite in terms of total player base in comparison to a platform like Roblox. So to see all those users come back, that's great,' Rebello said. While expansion into Roblox might make sense at some point, but the company is focused on Fortnite for now. Both RHQ and JOGO started building maps in 2023, but they've been running nonstop. 'It feels like a whirlwind has passed,' Gannon said.
Zawya
01-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
BNY obtains regional headquarters license in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
RIYADH – The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation ('BNY') (NYSE: BK), a global financial services company, today announced it has been granted a regional headquarters ('RHQ') license by the Ministry of Investments in Saudi Arabia ('MISA'). The RHQ in Riyadh will provide strategic, administrative and corporate services for BNY in the Middle East. BNY's existing Asset Servicing solutions delivered for clients in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ('KSA') include Global Custody Services, Global Risk Solutions, Custody FX, and Institutional Accounting under a Capital Markets Authority license. 'The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is delivering on its Vision 2030, and we will continue to bring BNY's expertise across the financial lifecycle to help the KSA achieve its ambitions,' said Hani Kablawi, Head of International at BNY. 'Today's announcement underscores the strategic importance of the Middle East in BNY's international growth plans and our commitment to being an enduring partner to our clients across the region.' BNY has a decades-long presence working with clients in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, providing access to global markets, building and delivering local markets infrastructure capabilities and supporting the development of the Gulf Cooperation Council's capital markets landscape. About BNY BNY is a global financial services company that helps make money work for the world – managing it, moving it and keeping it safe. For more than 240 years BNY has partnered alongside clients, putting its expertise and platforms to work to help them achieve their ambitions. Today BNY helps over 90% of Fortune 100 companies and nearly all the top 100 banks globally to access the money they need. BNY supports governments in funding local projects and works with over 90% of the top 100 pension plans to safeguard investments for millions of individuals, and so much more. As of March 31, 2025, BNY oversees $53.1 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration and $2.0 trillion in assets under management. BNY is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE: BK). Headquartered in New York City, BNY employs over 50,000 people globally and has been named among Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies and Fast Company's Best Workplaces for Innovators. Additional information is available on
Arabian Business
28-04-2025
- Automotive
- Arabian Business
EXCLUSIVE: Blacklane to launch on-demand service in Saudi next month
Blacklane, the global chauffeur service, will launch on-demand mobility services in Saudi Arabia next month alongside plans to introduce electric vehicles to its fleet in May, the company's Saudi General Manager told Arabian Business in an exclusive interview at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai. Speaking at the industry event on Monday, Adib Samara revealed the company's plans to expand its current scheduled booking service to include on-demand options. On-demand and electric fleet 'We still haven't launched fully our on-demand services, which we hope to launch with our electrification fleet towards the end of May,' Samara said. 'With on-demand, we imagine a large percentage of B2C customers will start utilising the service.' Currently, customers need to schedule rides at least an hour in advance, but the company recognises the need for immediacy in the Saudi market. Samara also confirmed Blacklane would introduce its first electric vehicles to the Saudi market by late May as part of its commitment to drive electrification across the Kingdom. The premium mobility provider officially entered the Saudi market in January this year, though the company's formal announcement came through a press release last week. Blacklane currently operates in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, and Mecca. 'Today we're operating fully in Riyadh, Dammam and Medina,' Samara explained, adding that expansion into new cities 'will really depend on availability of fleet, availability of infrastructure and demand.' Blacklane's Saudi expansion comes amid the Kingdom's regional headquarters (RHQ) programme, which requires international companies to establish their regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia to secure government contracts. When asked if Blacklane would have moved to Saudi without the mandate, Samara indicated the market's potential was already compelling. 'I think at some point, knowing the opportunity within Saudi Arabia, we had been exploring entering the market anyway,' Samara explained. 'The scale of the population, the growth of the shared mobility space, the growth of premium mobility over the last few years, and the expected potential of the market growth' all factored into their decision. Blacklane's Saudi growth plans The company is also positioning itself to serve the growing number of international executives relocating to the Kingdom as multinational corporations establish their regional bases in Saudi Arabia, as well as catering to the changing demographics of the Saudi workforce itself. The company currently has over 100 vehicles in its Saudi fleet, ranging from Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedans to American SUVs like Chevrolet Tahoes, GMC Yukons, and Cadillac Escalades, which are particularly popular in the Saudi market. Blacklane aims to double its fleet size in the coming months, supported by new partnerships the company is currently developing. The expansion is backed by TASARU Mobility Investments, an investment entity wholly owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). Michael Mueller, CEO of TASARU Mobility Investments, said last week the investment 'marks a key milestone in our ongoing efforts to transform the mobility sector in Saudi Arabia.' Samara expressed personal satisfaction at returning to the Kingdom during its period of rapid transformation. 'To go back and to see Saudi completely changed, and to be now stepping in and being part of that change… it feels really nice,' he said. The general manager also revealed ambitions to introduce women chauffeurs to Blacklane's Saudi operations, following the success of similar initiatives in Dubai where women now make up over 50 per cent of the company's chauffeur workforce.
Argaam
28-04-2025
- Business
- Argaam
Eastern Province offers SAR 330B in investments: Al Falih
Saudi Arabia's Minister of Investment, Khalid Al-Falih, said that the Eastern Province offers more than 600 investment opportunities, with a total value exceeding SAR 330 billion. Speaking at the Jubail Investment Forum 2025, Al-Falih stated that the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the Eastern Province reached SAR 366 billion, representing 42% of the Kingdom's total FDI, indicating that the Eastern Province ranks first in the Kingdom in FDI. The number of active foreign investment licenses reached 5,456 as of early 2025. These investments helped to create job opportunities for more than 53,000 individuals, achieving a Saudization rate of 36%, he added. He further highlighted that 34 international companies were granted licenses to establish their regional headquarters in the province, as part of the Ministry's Regional Headquarters Program (RHQ). Ras Al-Khair Special Economic Zone, launched in 2023 to serve the maritime industries value chain, targets investments worth approximately SAR 26 billion. The zone aims to localize the shipbuilding ecosystem, with a goal of reaching up to 50% localization of key components over the next decade, the official added. He stated that the Invest Saudi platform showcases these opportunities in an integrated manner to connect investors both locally and globally, stressing the Ministry's commitment to continue attracting high-quality investments and strengthening the eastern province's position as a leading global investment destination.
Arab News
21-04-2025
- Business
- Arab News
PepsiCo opens regional headquarters in Riyadh, unveils $8m R&D center
RIYADH: Global beverage giant PepsiCo has opened its new Middle East regional headquarters in Riyadh's King Abdullah Financial District, reinforcing the company's long-term commitment to the region. Spanning 2,800 sq. m, the state-of-the-art facility will accommodate more than 150 employees and serve as a central hub for PepsiCo's operations across the Middle East. 'Our new RHQ in Riyadh signals our firm and long-term commitment to this region's future and its people – through job creation, agricultural partnerships, social impact and environmental stewardship,' said Ahmed El-Sheikh, president and general manager for Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan Foods. The inauguration ceremony drew attendance from top PepsiCo executives, including Chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta, alongside senior Saudi officials and business leaders. As part of its regional growth strategy, PepsiCo also announced plans to launch a new research and development center in the Kingdom, with an investment of SR30 million ($7.99 million). The R&D hub will focus on innovation in product development and packaging tailored to regional preferences. The facility will feature a culinary lab and an immersive sensory studio designed to refine products in alignment with local consumer tastes. In addition to serving as a business and innovation center, the Riyadh headquarters will also house PepsiCo's flagship social impact programs, including Tamakani and MENA Innovates, both aimed at empowering youth and fostering sustainable innovation. PepsiCo has invested over SR9 billion in Saudi Arabia over the past eight years. In 2023 alone, the company allocated SR199 million to expand its Dammam manufacturing facility. Today, PepsiCo operates across 86 locations in the Kingdom and employs nearly 9,000 people through direct operations and its franchise network.
