Skillshot Media has completed a management buyout, meaning it is now independent from former owner Hi-Rez Studios.

Todd Harris, Co-founder of Hi-Rez Studios and Nabil Ismail, former Vice President of Hi-Rez Studios will serve as CEO and COO of Skillshot Media respectively.

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The newly-independent Skillshot Media has established a strategic partnership with IT infrastructure services provider INAP to develop an esports centre and production studio. The facility will be co-located within INAP’s data center facility in Atlanta.

Todd Harris, CEO of Skillshot Media discussed the venture in a release: “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. 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.”

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Skillshot Media will continue to operate as an esports solution provider and agency. No specific plans besides building the esports centre have been disclosed at the time of writing.

TJ Waldorf, CMO at INAP also commented: “Gaming and esports is not only the largest entertainment industry but one of the most demanding in terms of performance. INAP is proud to have powered esports communities for over a decade, and this strategic partnership with Skillshot allows us to even better serve the fast growing gaming and esports industry.”

Esports Insider says: From the outside it appears to be a brave move to separate from Hi-Rez Studios, but it’s hard to know everything that’s happened behind closed doors. Skillshot Media’s first move is an interesting and inspired one, which leads us to think that it has some exciting plans in the pipeline.