Who Bought Curse Gaming?
In today’s competitive gaming landscape, it is crucial for players, gamers, and esports enthusiasts to stay updated about the latest news and trends. One company that has been making headlines in the gaming industry is Curse, a leading content and resource hub for gamers. But what happened to Curse, and who bought it?
Curse’s History and Acquisition
Curse Media, also known as Curse, is a gaming-focused media network that was founded in 2006 by Michael Hughes and Steve Rush. Initially, the company focused on creating gaming resources, guides, and software, targeting a broad range of PC games. In 2011, Curse launched a new service, Curse Client, a client-side launcher for managing various gaming configurations, and by 2012, Curse had reached 3.5 million registered users.
In October 2016, Curse was acquired by Twitch, a live-streaming platform owned by Amazon. At the time, this acquisition marked a significant expansion of Twitch’s gaming infrastructure, providing an additional way for users to interact and engage with one another beyond live streaming.
Separation from Twitch
After the acquisition, Curse was separated from Twitch, with Fandom (formerly WikiMedia Foundation) acquiring Gamepedia, the wiki network owned by Curse. Overwolf, another company, acquired CurseForge, Curse’s modding platform, in mid-2020.
Changes and Legacy
With its separation from Twitch, Curse underwent changes in its organizational structure. In August 2014, the company’s name was changed from Curse Entertainment to Curse Inc. Justin.tv (2007-2014), the company behind Twitch’s precursor, acquired Curse.
Curse also introduced the Curse Voice client, an instant messaging tool for team communication. Since its initial release in 2015, the app has attracted over 1.1 million active users, indicating the value of such collaborative tools within the gaming community.
In addition, Asmongold, a popular gamer and Twitch streamer with 3.4 million followers, joined the boycotting wave, publicly criticizing the strict rules regarding advertisement and promotional content imposed by Twitch, further stoking debate on the industry’s growing scrutiny.
The changes to Curse’s governance and restructuring can be represented in a timeline as below:
| Time | Company Name | Events |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Curse | Founded as a gaming media network, focused on game resources |
| 2011 | Curse | Introduced Curse Client, a gaming launcher service |
| 2014 | Curse Inc. (formerly Curse Entertainment) | Name changed from Curse Entertainment to Curse Inc. under Justin.tv’s ownership |
| 2016 | Twitch (owned by Amazon) | Acquired Curse, expanded infrastructure |
| 2020 | CurseForge (under Overwolf) | Gamepedia network acquired by Fandom; CurseForge became an innovative game modding platform |