Esports company to explore new worlds with acquisition of sci-fi site

A London esports specialist has today announced that it has acquired a fandom community site as it aims to grow the platform.

Gfinity confirmed this morning that it is completing the acquisition of the trade and assets of Epicstream, which is an online news community for fantasy and sci-fi movies, television, video games, collectible cards and comic books.

The acquisition is part of Gfinity’s strategic focus on owned content, and is expected to contribute towards the £2m revenue target of Gfinity Digital Media (GDM), a branch of the company.

Epicstream reaches 600k visitors each month, and Gfinity will be aiming to grow the US company’s following in the UK.

Last year, Epicstream reported revenue of $0.4m and has assets valued at $0.1m. John Clarke, CEO of Gfinity, commented: “We are delighted to welcome the Epicstream team into the Gfinity family. Francis and Brian [Epicstream founders] have built a highly engaged community around all things fantasy and sci-fi.

“It is a perfect fit for GDM. Together we are going to turbo charge the growth of Epicstream and explore adding new sites into the franchise.

“A key pillar of our company strategy is to focus on products and services that we own. This is where GDM sits.

“The team has done an amazing job of growing our organic sites and partnering with larger media groups who want to connect with gamers.

“The team is also focused on identifying acquisition opportunities. Epicstream is the first of these and we could not be more excited about having the team on board.”

Francis Bayog, co-founder of Epicstream, said: “Over the past five years, Epicstream has carved a strong niche in the fantasy and sci-fi space focused on delivering the best content we could share to our diverse audience who share our passion not just for the gaming culture, but also for fantasy & sci-fi movies, TV shows, and books.

“With Gfinity’s talented minds and position in the esports industry combined with Epicstream’s passionate community and wide range of subgenres we cover, I believe that we’re just barely scratching the surface of what is possible.

“Our synergy with Gfinity can accomplish what I envisioned Epicstream to be before I launched it - to create something truly EPIC.”

Brian McCormick, co-founder of Epicstream, added: “Epicstream has always had the vision of becoming the number one global network for people who share a passion for geek culture.

“Gfinity shares that passion and we are thrilled to join the Gfinity team. The synergies are clear. With Gfinity’s talent, technical expertise, and resources, we will be able to greatly accelerate our plans to make this vision a reality.”