DC Hires Former Esports Exec Daniel Cherry as GM, Adjusts Jim Lee's Role

[scary harpy]

DC-former-esports-daniel-cherry-gm-adjusts-jim-lee-role/

And now, in the news..

DC has announced that former Activision Blizzard esports executive Daniel Cherry is the publisher's new Senior Vice-President and General Manager.

[Vakanai]

So, for the fans of watching other people playing videogames (I'm not calling it esports), any clue on how this guy does things and how that might translate here?

[vasir12]

Not sure what the hang up is for the name esports. Things don't have to be physical to be called a sport.

Anyway, Cherry's job is as I expected. WB wanted someone with actual business experience to run the business side of DC. Looks like he'll be involved with marketing and getting creatives which is in his wheelhouse.

Interesting that they mentioned "direct to consumer" but not surprising. They're going to push the digital market and want international eyes.

He's an good pick for what's expected of him. I wish him well.

[kjn]

He seems to have a background in marketing and brand management, and with marketing it seems he has worked a lot with grassroots campaigning and esports. So I think if he is a good fit for any digital strategies that DC will attempt going forward. I also hope that he will bring a more dispassionate view towards which characters to market than DC currently manages.

That he's African-American is also a big plus to me.

I have no idea on how he will work out, but reading the report from The Hollywood Reporter and skimming some of the interviews, there are no obvious red flags coming up.

[Vordan]

Not sure what the hang up is for the name esports. Things don't have to be physical to be called a sport.

Anyway, Cherry's job is as I expected. WB wanted someone with actual business experience to run the business side of DC. Looks like he'll be involved with marketing and getting creatives which is in his wheelhouse.

Interesting that they mentioned "direct to consumer" but not surprising. They're going to push the digital market and want international eyes.

He's an good pick for what's expected of him. I wish him well.

Getting creatives is the only potential drawback I can see. How is he going to go about that? Does that apply to writers and artists or just digital “influencers”? Otherwise I don’t see much reason to be concerned.

[superduperman]

It really does sound like they are moving further and further away from the DM.

[iron chimp]

Whole thing looks like a car crash of nonsense to me.

Good luck to them but personally ths whole management team just looks like someones fever dream.

[skyvolt2000]

So, for the fans of watching other people playing videogames (I'm not calling it esports), any clue on how this guy does things and how that might translate here?

https://www.comicsbeat.com/activisio...-of-dc-comics/

In the above linked interview Cherry talks a lot more about his background in sports, entertainment and advertising – as well as connecting with 18-34-year-old consumers.

To me it smells of he will take whatever Lee offers and do his best to make it sell.

If you can make Esports work-making someone like Cyborg or JSA or Cassandra Cain sellable should not be hard for you.

[Robanker]

Having been a fan of Blizzard's games for a very long time, their dalliances with eSports have been tumultuous. I don't know how healthy Overwatch League currently is, but I do know that game's star has faded significantly and the push for eSports killed their other title, Heroes of the Storm. The less said about Starcraft, the better.

I'm a bit worried, but I'll reserve judgment for a while to see how he adapts to the new role he's given.

If you can make Esports work-making someone like Cyborg or JSA or Cassandra Cain sellable should not be hard for you.

Apples and oranges. This is the exact same as when my grandfather would complain "if they can land a man on the moon, they can x." It's not remotely the same. eSports are a completely different field. It's like going to your dentist and asking about why it burns when you pee because they happen to be a doctor so they gotta know what they're talking about.

I like Cyborg, JSA and Cass so I want you to be right, but let's not make false equivalencies. By that logic, anyone with history boosting any low-selling IP would be a natural fit, so let's get the people running Netflix to run a tobacco company and GET. THOSE. LOW. SELLING. SMOKES. OUT. THERE.

Believe it or not, even business does have different focuses.

Cherry might be the shot in the arm DC needs. I dearly hope he is, but the two fields are pretty different in a lot of key ways.

[Punjabi_Hitman]

https://www.comicsbeat.com/activisio...-of-dc-comics/



To me it smells of he will take whatever Lee offers and do his best to make it sell.

If you can make Esports work-making someone like Cyborg or JSA or Cassandra Cain sellable should not be hard for you.

Ignorance is bliss. Esports have been big for a long time going on like 20 years now. The fact he comes from Blizzard who at one point had the biggest spotlight with the original Starcraft and then with StarCraft II going the way of the dodo and now Overwatch not gaining as much prominance. He doesn't seem to be doing a good job

[Nite-Wing]

between this and AT&T no longer wanting to sell their gaming division tells me
That the video game arm of DC entertainment is making more money and the comics side is looking kinda weak
You can't sell the comics arm off though because that's how you cultivate the IPs

[Holt]

Whole thing looks like a car crash of nonsense to me.

That's been the direct market system the last few decades.

[comicstar100]

Well they just promoted the 2 heads from their YA Novels and digital sales. So I'd say his gameplan will focus on more of the two. The trinity will be fine still having single print issues, everyone else who knows. You could see some characters go digital only. You could see others only get a single YA stand alone novel for book stores.

[Will Evans]

between this and AT&T no longer wanting to sell their gaming division tells me
That the video game arm of DC entertainment is making more money and the comics side is looking kinda weak
You can't sell the comics arm off though because that's how you cultivate the IPs

I mean......this has never been a secret.

[comicstar100]

Everyone keeps speculating that AT &T could close the comics division and just license their characters out to other publishers. I don't feel like they are to that level of problems yet. But if sales decline to a certain point it could happen. Marvel did it with Image for Heroes Reborn. Thankfully that didn't last.