Liverpool have further added to their commercial revenue after striking a licensing deal with a popular mobile game.
SportBusiness report that the Reds have inked a deal with PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile, with the agreement to see official club branded outfits to be used in-game, tapping into a major global audience.
Under the agreement, which begins on November 12, gamers will be able to unlock limited-edition, Liverpool-branded outfits and earn free in-game gear and items, such as parachutes and backpacks.
The gaming hub connects players from all over the globe and the aim is to bring supporters together to play the game.
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Drew Crisp, senior vice-president, digital at Liverpool, said: "With the realm of online gaming growing and evolving amongst our fans, PUBG Mobile is the perfect platform to connect with them in a different but very relevant context – intertwining the world of online gaming and football through the power of games and play."
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Mobile version follows on from Battlegrounds, the PUBG created game that has become one of the most successful video games of all time, selling more than 70m console copies.
The mobile version has amassed over 1bn downloads around the globe and generated more than £4.5bn in revenues, giving the Reds entry into a hugely valuable market that football has yet to make serious headway in.
Focusing on new technologies and the way that content is consumed is part of the 'FSG 3.0' strategy that Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group are exploring, evidenced in their link up with RedBird Capital, keen on such growing markets, and the recent investment into LeBron James and Maverick Carter's SpringHill Entertainment business, a deal that also saw RedBird, Liverpool kit supplier Nike and Epic Games, the makers of Fortnite, invest alongside FSG.
Vincent Wang, head of PUBG Mobile publishing, Tencent Games, stated that PUBG Mobile was looking to "further integrate the game with the world of football" and "develop prominent relationships with iconic industry leaders".
