Skillshot Goes Solo with Exec Buyout from Hi-Rez Studios

Skillshot Media, formerly owned by game publisher Hi-Rez Studios, announced the completion of a management buy-out by two former Hi-Rez executives where Skillshot will now operate as an independent, publisher-agnostic esports solution provider and agency, while Hi-Rez Studios no longer will have an ownership interest in the company.

Hi-Rez Studios Co-founder Todd Harris and former Vice President Nabil Ismail will exit Hi-Rez and serve as CEO and COO of Skillshot Media, and in strategic partnership with INAP will develop an esports operations center and production studio in downtown Atlanta. This new Esports Media Center, operated by Skillshot, will be located at 250 Williams Street NW in Atlanta, co-located within INAP’s flagship Atlanta data center facility.

“With 15 years in game development and marketing, we have seen first-hand how a community-driven esports approach delivers results for both the game publisher and brand partners,” said Todd Harris, CEO of Skillshot Media. “Players who watch esports are more engaged and spend more money with the game publisher. Those players also have higher spending and goodwill toward partners who authentically support esports events. We believe brands that want to reach the next generation of consumers will discover esports to be the most effective and efficient way to connect with that massive audience, and Skillshot wants to help them do exactly that.”