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Four years after the popular gaming forum, ResetEra, was born from the ashes of NeoGAF, it has been sold to a network of Swedish esports sites for an eye-popping $4.5 million. While the deal puts a price tag on the previously unquantifiable value of discussions like, “How did Blizzard get away with selling Overwatch for $60,” it also underlines the messy dynamics of how the internet is monetized, and who gets to profit off of it.
ResetEra was originally formed in 2017 after gaming forum NeoGAF imploded following accusations against that site’s owner of sexual misconduct. While NeoGAF’s owner denied the allegations, moderators quit en masse, and many users flocked to the newly formed ResetEra in an attempt to create a space to discuss gaming that would be less toxic and more inclusive.
“ResetEra.com is another step in our strategy to grow through acquisitions and create more relevant communities with attractive, growing target groups that many companies want to expose themselves to,” Björn Mannerqvist, CEO of the buyer, MOBA Network, said in a press release announcing the sale.
According to MOBA Network—a group of forums where players share information and strategy for competitive games like Dota 2—ResetEra has over 45 million forum posts and about 55,000 members. This apparently brought in about $700,000 in revenue through ads over the past year, which the company claims amounts to an 80% EBITDA profit margin. In other words, ResetEra is cheap, and makes a decent amount of money.
Source: Kotaku
