TheGamingEconomy Daily Digest brings you the trending business stories in gaming. In today’s edition: Cuphead has sold five million copies; Tencent becomes largest shareholder of Funcom; and Super League Gaming launches subscription service.

Cuphead has sold five million copies

Cuphead, which celebrated its two year anniversary on 29th September, has sold over five million copies since launching. The success of the platformer has been attributed to a number of factors including its hand-drawn animation, challenging gameplay, and soundtrack, which itself recently topped the Billboard jazz charts. The IP is also due to be expanded with the release of a series on Netflix, which is under development.

Announcing the news in a tweet, Cuphead developer Studio MDHR stated, "We're so humbled to announce: it has officially gone five-times platinum! [...] And stay tuned, because we have 5 days of fun and giveaways planned to celebrate 5 million copies sold!"

Tencent becomes largest shareholder of Funcom

Tencent Holding Ltd has acquired a 29% stake in Norwegian firm Funcom, becoming the largest single shareholder in the firm. The holding was purchased from KGJ Capital AS at a premium of 21% above the closing price on Friday 27th September, giving Funcom a total valuation of NOK1.22bn (£109.1m). The developer and publisher is behind a number of successful titles including Conan Exiles, The Secret World, and Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden.

In a statement provided on the company website, Funcom chief executive Rui Casais said, "We are very pleased to see Tencent come in as the largest shareholder of Funcom. Tencent has a reputation for being a responsible long-term investor, and for its renowned operational capabilities in online games.”

Super League Gaming launches subscription service

US-based Super League Gaming has announced an expansion of its partnership with cloud-based software firm ggCircuit, with the launch of a new monthly subscription service dubbed “Super League Prime.” Players who subscribe will receive exclusive rewards, giveaways, and access to select events at Super League gaming centers.

Announcing the move, Ann Hand, chairman and CEO of Super League Gaming, said, “In combination with Super League’s strong consumer brand and offers, now inclusive of Super League Prime, we are taking a huge step in our mission to be the leading international platform for in-person gaming across game titles, skill levels and age groups, with a true end-to-end solution for retail partners who want to attract gamers.”