We’ve been working like crazy on IGN stuff; this week the latest addition to the group, IGN Spain was announced. This is an exciting deal with a leading media group in Spain, which has the rare combination of both mass-media scale plus genuine first-class games media expertise.

We’ve also been tying up the rest of Europe, having expanded into the rest of the Nordic region following the Swedish launch in March. And since the last update on this blog, IGN also launched in Italy and Benelux (all the announcements below).

All this means that IGN is now ”World Dominating” games media in the USA, UK, Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain, Nordics, Benelux, Middle East and Asia Pacific… in 10 languages – English, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Arabic, Chinese Mandarin and Malay. And counting!

World’s largest games media company and MARCA publisher Unidad Editorial announce new Spanish site

10/10/12 - IGN Entertainment today announces a new partnership with Unidad Editorial – a leading Spanish publishing group – to launch IGN Spain, which is live today at http://es.ign.com.

Unidad Editorial is a Spanish leader in daily press and online information with a portfolio that includes newspapers MARCA, El Mundo and Expansión, and respected broadcast TV, radio, magazine and digital properties in Spain and across Latin America, including websites MARCA.com and ElMundo.es.

A games media specialist, Unidad Editorial also published the final edition of its long-running MARCA Player magazine in July 2012, and the team of more than 20 editorial staff is now running IGN Spain, led by industry veteran David Sanz Verjano – whose credits also include Official Xbox Magazine Spain and various MARCA group publications.

IGN Spain’s team also includes Editor in chief, Gustavo Maeso, former editor at GUplayer.com; Games Editor, Juan García, formerly of Xbox.com and Meristation; and TV & radio professionals Gina Tost, Inés Barriocanal and Pablo Juanarena, who will host a range of original IGN Spain programming including “The Daily Fix” and IGN Radio.

The Spanish-language edition launches with a full spectrum of IGN coverage including games, movies, tech and entertainment, and is set to reach gamers all over the country thanks to promotion and syndication throughout MARCA’s extensive media network, including IGN presence across El Mundo, MARCA Motor Magazine, Radio MARCA and MARCA.com.

IGN is the world’s most popular games and entertainment network [source: comScore, August 2012], and the new Spanish partnership continues to grow IGN’s local presence in many of the world’s fastest growing markets – following successful launches in Germany, Italy, Sweden, Benelux, Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

Adam Doree, International Business Development Director, IGN Entertainment, said:

“We’re absolutely thrilled to have signed the team at MARCA for the launch of this spectacular addition to our growing portfolio of IGN’s international sites.”

“We have been watching the creation of amazing content on the Spanish edition with huge smiles on our faces, and we’re very proud to join David’s team today as they reveal it to Spanish gamers”.

David Sanz Verjano, Director of IGN Spain, said:

“I am truly excited to bring together this exceptional team to launch IGN Spain, adding to the Spanish market expertise in videogames, entertainment and technology to the expanding IGN group.”

“Our publishing strategy makes IGN Spain a 360-degree multimedia project, supported by digital and offline presence across radio, broadcasting, Internet TV, and mobile”.

IGN Spain is now live at http://es.ign.com.

IGN Entertainment and Reset Media expand to rest of Nordic region

Successful IGN Sweden launch to spawn new editions starting with IGN Denmark 

10/10/12 - IGN Entertainment, the world’s leading games media company, today announced that it has expanded its agreement with Reset Media AB to the rest of the Nordic region, following the successful launch of IGN Sweden (http://se.ign.com) earlier this year.

The first new edition as part of the expanded deal, IGN Denmark (http://dk.ign.com), launches today under editor Kristian West, formerly editor of Eurogamer Denmark and the Danish edition of Super Play magazine.  Under the partnership, dedicated sites for Finland and Norway will also launch in coming months.

Effective immediately, Reset Media is also handling all IGN advertising and sponsorship enquiries across the region – Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway.

Reset Media was founded in 2004. The regionalized IGN editions complement its respected portfolio, which includes the LOADING.SE website and LEVEL, the award winning multi-format magazine.

The combined IGN/Loading network has grown to become the #1 in its gaming category in Sweden in the last six months [source: KIA Index – June to September 2012]. IGN.com is the world’s most popular games and entertainment network [source: comScore – August 2012].

The rollout across Northern Europe follows successful IGN launches in Germany, Italy, Sweden, Benelux, Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

Adam Doree, International Business Development Director, IGN Entertainment, said:

“Reset Media is a world class games media specialist and has proven to be a superb partner for IGN in Sweden. They have significantly built IGN’s local presence since launching, and we are confident this will continue across the rest of the Nordic region.”

Daniel Grigorov, CEO of Reset Media AB, added:

“We are thrilled to be working with IGN. This expansion of our partnership means that we can act as a Nordic unit, editorial as well as commercial.”

IGN Entertainment and Vusumo Srl partner for new site

03/09/12 - IGN Entertainment – the world’s leading games media company, today announces a new partnership with Vusumo SRL to launch IGN Italy (http://it.ign.com).

Vusumo is a new start-up company from a group of Italian media veterans – headed up by Andrea Minini Saldini, a former Publishing Director for Future Publishing’s Italian business, who transformed its portfolio of games titles into the local market leader.

IGN Italy launches in September, mixing the best editorial content from IGN’s teams around the globe, with a constant flow of original content for Italian gamers.  Simone Soletta, formerly of Edizioni Master’s videogame.it – becomes Editor-in-Chief of IGN Italy.

IGN is the world’s most popular games and entertainment network [source: comScore, July 2012], and the new Italian partnership continues to grow IGN’s local presence in many of the world’s fastest growing markets – following successful launches in Germany, Sweden, Benelux, Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

Ian Chambers, VP International, IGN Entertainment, said:

“IGN continues to expand internationally with local media experts in almost 40 countries – and the experienced team at Vusumo are ideal partners for our Italian site.  IGN has always proven popular in Italy, and now gamers will get their own local language edition.”

Andrea Minini Saldini, Chairman, Vusumo Srl, added:

“Having led several of Italy’s most successful videogames publications, it’s with great excitement that I bring IGN to my country. With Matteo Camisasca, Simone Soletta and the rest of the team at Vusumo, we look forward to making the IGN brand shine.”

IGN Italy will launch for gamers in the region in September at http://it.ign.com.  The Facebook page is now live athttp://www.facebook.com/ignitalia/

 

IGN Entertainment and HUB Uitgevers BV to publish IGN Benelux

Leading games media brand launches Dutch edition with regional experts

19/07/12  – IGN Entertainment today announces a new partnership with HUB Uitgevers BV to publish IGN Benelux (nl.ign.com/be.ign.com) – covering markets in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

The site will be operated by regional computing and games media experts HUB, one of the leading media companies in the territory publishing over 20 titles, including Benelux’s most popular games magazine, Power Unlimited.

Published in Dutch, IGN Benelux will mix locally created editorial and video content – alongside that of IGN’s growing international editorial team.  IGN’s latest edition is headed by Editor-in-Chief, Maarten Blonk – with commercial enquiries for the region also handled by HUB from its Amsterdam office.

IGN.com is the world’s most popular games and entertainment network [source: comScore – May 2012] and the new deal continues to grow IGN’s presence in a territory with a combined population of more than 28m.  The Benelux edition now joins licenced IGN sites now live in Asia Pacific, Germany, Sweden and the Middle East.

Adam Doree, International Business Development Director, IGN Entertainment, said:

“IGN has always had a large number of readers in the Benelux region, and we’re excited to be launching a new local edition for some of Europe’s most enthusiastic and passionate gamers.  We’re continuing to build the IGN brand internationally, and our new partnership with HUB Uitgevers allows us to connect with new communities of gamers in their own language, with a focus on locally relevant content.”

Maarten Blonk, Editor-in-Chief, IGN Benelux, added:

“Although IGN is already a very well-known brand for the Benelux gamer, we’re thrilled to make the largest games website more accessible for the region’s audience. HUB Uitgevers already publishes Benelux’ most popular gaming magazine that exists since 1993 and we will use this knowledge, expertise and commitment for IGN Benelux. We’re going to deliver top quality localized content, as well as creative video content to serve the needs of an enthusiastic gaming community. Thanks to IGN we will have the tools to do so.”