Latest news with #DragRaceAllStars10
Cision Canada
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Cision Canada
Global Launch of RuPaul's Drag Race Match Queen Demonstrates Strong Early Retention and Organic Growth Through Full-Funnel Strategy
VANCOUVER, BC , July 21, 2025 /CNW/ - East Side Games Group (TSX: EAGR) (OTC: EAGRF) ("ESGG" or the "Company"), one of Canada's leading free-to-play mobile game publishers, is pleased to announce the successful global launch of RuPaul's Drag Race: Match Queen developed in collaboration with World of Wonder . Now live on iOS and Android here , the game is off to a strong start, showing early momentum across key metrics, including a standout 53% Day 1 retention on iOS in the U.S. over the July 4th weekend. Early indicators suggest that ESGG's investment in RuPaul's Drag Race: Match Queen is yielding promising early results. The company is pursuing a full-funnel marketing approach at a time when the user acquisition landscape is especially challenging, demanding innovative strategies to reach and engage players in an increasingly saturated market. "RuPaul's Drag Race Match Queen exemplifies our approach to building high-impact mobile games at the intersection of globally recognized IP, timely cultural integration, and data-driven design," said Jason Bailey , CEO of East Side Games Group. "The early performance signals across both retention and monetization validate our full-funnel strategy, and we're well-positioned to accelerate growth." The launch strategically aligned with culturally significant media moments, notably integrations into RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 10 on Paramount+, a coordinated Pride campaign, and creator and influencer partnerships across the LGBTQ+, fashion, and gaming communities. This unified paid and organic approach enables Match Queen to maximize reach, amplify conversion intent, and improve overall marketing efficiency across the funnel. "RuPaul's Drag Race: Match Queen brings fans even deeper into the Drag Race universe with a fierce new way to play, slay, and stay connected beyond their TVs," said World of Wonder co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato . "It's not just a game, but another extension in our storytelling, letting fans interact, engage, and live their best Drag Race fantasy." Key Launch Highlights Over the July 4th weekend, ESGG experienced a notable spike in organic growth: daily organic installs doubled, blended CPI dropped significantly, and ROAS improved meaningfully compared to the previous week. This uplift was largely driven by our in-show integration in RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 10, which aired on Paramount+. Social and Creator Momentum: The latest piece of content featuring Trixie Mattel garnered 100K+ views and 4K+ engagements within the first six hours on Instagram alone. Ongoing influencer and creator strategy taps into trusted voices across LGBTQ+, fashion, and gaming communities - expanding reach, driving install intent, and reinforcing the game's cultural relevance. High-Impact Media Placements: Game features integrated into RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars Season 10 episodes on June 20th & July 4th . Gayming Awards trailer integration on June 25th . Pride-themed activations across WOW, ESG, and other major social channels. These results exceed industry benchmarks and highlight ESGG's understanding of what this community values in a mobile gaming experience, as well as the effectiveness of ESGG's full-funnel marketing approach. Strategic Focus Going Forward With launch traction established, the team is focused on sustaining momentum through community engagement, IP-driven content drops, and performance optimizations. This unified approach of organic and paid marketing ensures a steady stream of culturally resonant content that not only drives engagement and discovery, but also fuels paid UA with high-performing creative assets and real-time audience insights to improve efficiency across the funnel. Most recent initiatives include: Trixie Season II Content Launch (Week of June 30 ): Featuring a retro-style infomercial campaign starring Trixie Mattel Featuring a retro-style infomercial campaign starring Jinkx Monsoon Season Debut ( July 7 ): Driving new waves of in-game content and fandom engagement Driving new waves of in-game content and fandom engagement Gayming Awards ( July 8 ) integration showcasing the title in multiple high-visibility moments and supporting advocacy for the LGBTQ+ creative community in gaming media. integration showcasing the title in multiple high-visibility moments and supporting advocacy for the LGBTQ+ creative community in gaming media. RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 10 Finale ( July 18 ) final in-show feature for this current season during the highly anticipated grand prize reveal that just occurred last Friday. ABOUT EAST SIDE GAMES GROUP ESGG is a leader in free-to-play mobile gaming, thrilling players with unforgettable experiences that spark lifelong fandom. Fueled by an entrepreneurial spirit, we are driven by creativity, flawless execution, and a laser-focused growth strategy. We develop and publish both original and licensed IP titles, license our cutting-edge GameKit(s) platforms, and strategically acquire studios or games to expand our family. Headquartered in Vancouver with around 120 talent-dense team members, we operate over a dozen titles under East Side Games ("ESG") and LDRLY (Technologies) Inc. ("LDRLY"). Together, we're crafting, launching, and publishing mobile games across our own studios and an extended Game Kit partner network—reaching players on iOS and Android worldwide. We power our success through in-app purchases ("IAP")—offering exclusive, game-enhancing virtual items—and in-game advertising. To keep growing, we focus on captivating audiences, keeping them engaged, and unlocking exciting new ways to monetize. We'll drive this momentum by launching bold new titles, enriching our current lineup, innovating discovery, expanding into fresh markets and exploring new distribution platforms. Additional information about the Company continues to be available under its legal name, East Side Games Group Inc., at . ABOUT WORLD OF WONDER World of Wonder (WOW) has reshaped international pop culture, earning 33 Emmys, inspiring two Oscars, creating global network WOW Presents Plus across 190 territories, and bringing drag culture to the world stage via RuPaul's Drag Race and DragCon. SVOD WOW Presents Plus, the exclusive home to the global Drag Race franchise and hundreds of WOW Original series, saw 35M hours of content watched in 2023 with 77% subscriber growth in the same year. WOW's pioneering television portfolio includes other smash-hit franchises like Million Dollar Listing. Their film division WOW Docs produces groundbreaking documentaries including Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures, Party Monster, and The Eyes of Tammy Faye . WOW also operates YouTube channel WOWPresents, music label World of Wonder Records, the WOW Podcast Network, and year-round international live events. Co-founders Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato have been profiled in Variety's Reality TV Impact Report and Hollywood Reporter's Most Powerful Producers in Unscripted. Honors for their trailblazing work include the IDA Pioneer Award, Realscreen's Global 100 list, Banff's Impact Award, and the OUT 100. In 2022, World of Wonder was ranked #2 among film and TV powerhouses in Fast Company's World's 50 Most Innovative Companies. Forward-looking Information Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements, which reflect the expectations of management regarding the proposed transactions described herein. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. These forward-looking statements reflect management's current views and are based on certain expectations, estimates and assumptions which may prove to be incorrect. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including factors beyond the Company's control. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release. SOURCE East Side Games Group Inc. For Further Information: Media Inquiries: [email protected]; Investor Relations: [email protected], 3104 - 1055 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver BC V7X 1G4
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Yellowstone's Beth/Rip Spinoff Taps Finn Little to Return as Carter
We may yet get to see Yellowstone's Beth allow Carter to call her mama. Finn Little, who played orphaned teen Carter in the OG series' fourth and fifth seasons, has been tapped to reprise his role in the spinoff centered around Kelly Reilly's hell-raising Beth Dutton and her tough-as-leather husband, Cole Hauser's Rip Wheeler. In breaking the news Friday that the Australian-born 19-year-old had been made a series regular on the Paramount+ offshoot, our sister site Deadline teed up a reminder that the as-yet-untitled show is expected to follow the same timeline as Taylor Sheridan's OG drama. Thus far, no other casting has been announced. More from TVLine RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 10 Finale: Which Wild Card Pick Will Return? And Which Queen Was Snubbed? Criminal Minds Boss Talks Finale's Chilling Tease, Reveals Season 19 Time Jump and 'Overdue' [Spoiler] Arc Duster Cancelled at HBO Max After One Season You may recall that in Season 4's finale, Carter made the mistake of calling mother figure Beth mama, and she was not having it. 'America went after me for that,' Reilly told TVLine. 'I was like, 'That's the character, not me!' 'But I get it,' she added. 'I wish she would [let herself be a mother to him], too.' Though what Beth wound up saying to the youngster might not have been what he or the audience wanted to hear, it at least wasn't BS. 'She goes, 'You had a mom. She died. I can't replace that. But I'll be your friend,'' Reilly noted. 'I think there's something honorable about that.' (Read the full interview here.) Yellowstone's Unfinished Business: Half a Dozen Loose Ends the Series Finale Left Dangling View List Your reaction to Little's hiring? Are you looking forward to seeing Beth and Rip's makeshift family come together again? Best of TVLine Stars Who Almost Played Other TV Roles — on Grey's Anatomy, NCIS, Lost, Gilmore Girls, Friends and Other Shows TV Stars Almost Cast in Other Roles Fall TV Preview: Who's In? Who's Out? Your Guide to Every Casting Move!
Newsweek
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Exclusive First Look: Emotions Run High on RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars
How do you revive an already popular franchise and somehow make it feel like a brand-new show? Well, World of Wonder, the production company behind RuPaul's Drag Race, did exactly that with season 10 of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. With a winner on the horizon, watch an exclusive clip from this week's episode of the top 8 queens before the fan-favorite talent show episode of All Stars, streaming only on Paramount+ this Friday. The very concept of an "all star" season of a reality competition series is pretty standard this day and age. Past players return to compete and win a prize. We've seen it on the greatest of reality shows, from Survivor to Project Runway. In a move that nobody really saw coming, RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars took that format and decided to make the competition that much harder. For the first time this season, 18 queens had to compete in three brackets. The top three from those brackets then move on to the final round to compete against each other. The cast of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 10. The cast of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 10. Paramount/WOW This concept isn't unheard of, but it does feel like a fresh new take on a familiar format, giving new life to the franchise and, hopefully, ensuring many more seasons to come. One big advantage of this change is that the show can now bring back fan favorites who have already competed on past All Stars. A few perfect examples of this are three queens currently in the Top 8: Ginger Minj, Aja and Jorgeous, all of whom have competed on past seasons of All Stars. While this change in format is very new for the franchise, there have been hints of it these past few years. Season 9 found the queens competing for charity and never facing elimination, a rarity in reality competition television. Then there was an All Winners season, which wasn't technically an All Stars season, but it was for all intents and purposes. Both of these seasons were incredibly popular with fans, culminating in this season, which has proven to be an even greater success with fans. In fact, the season premiere is Paramount+'s second most-watched reality series premiere, just behind that previously mentioned All Winners season premiere. This season also is up in viewers by eight percent over last season, according to The Wrap. If RuPaul's Drag Race was looking to compete with the latest popular entry into the reality competition landscape, The Traitors, then they've done just that with season 10 of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. Stream RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars this Friday exclusively on Paramount+.
The Herald Scotland
27-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
These American travelers are still in the dark over their passports
The LGBTQ+ advocate received his passport on June 12 as one of the seven plaintiffs in the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Massachusetts, and law firm Covington & Burling LLP's lawsuit Orr v. Trump, which was brought to the courts in February. The suit alleged that the policy violates the right to travel and privacy and discriminates against LGBTQ+ people. Last Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Julia Kobick in Boston expanded the preliminary injunction that blocked the policy, granting passports to the plaintiffs and any impacted Americans. Orr had applied on Jan. 16 to renew his passport with an updated gender marker for an upcoming trip to Ireland for a medical procedure to avoid any issues at airport security, which he'd experienced before since his driver's license still listed him as female. Days later, the U.S. State Department suspended the processing and issuing of all passports seeking a binary gender change or the "X" gender marker under Trump's policy. Thousands of transgender, intersex and nonbinary Americans were left in limbo, unable to travel internationally, and without a critical ID document to secure jobs, housing and other opportunities. To many in the transgender community, the policy also felt like another attack by the current administration to erase them from public spaces and deny their existence. "When your basic right to move freely is denied, it's a message: 'You don't belong here.' It's bigger than bureaucracy. It's systemic erasure," transgender drag artist and RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 10 contestant Aja previously told USA TODAY. Her passport renewal was rejected despite her current passport and other documents matching her gender identity. While the judge's latest motion offers some relief, the battle is far from over. Many of those affected are still caught in a holding pattern, trying to figure out how to receive their passports, while others have conflicting emotions as the policy's impact went far deeper than just not having a passport. "I think the first time in years, I really felt like the legal system actually saw us, you know, as trans, nonbinary, intersex people as real and as deserving of dignity," Orr said about the judge's action. 'I am exactly who God made': Why travel is a battleground for drag and trans performers Can transgender, intersex and nonbinary Americans get their passports? Legally, yes. As of June 17, the State Department is obligated to process passports requesting the "X" gender marker or a binary change and is taking immediate steps to implement the court order, said a State Department spokesperson. However, many Americans have yet to receive accurate passports and are left in limbo. "We're waiting on the State Department to tell us - and to tell everyone publicly - how they're planning on processing all of these passports that need to be processed," said Aditi Fruitwala, an ACLU senior staff attorney on the lawsuit. The ACLU has received numerous inquiries from people who need to travel internationally urgently but don't know if they need to resubmit a new application or fill out a form for an error correction. "From what we can tell, there are class members who are still unable to update the sex designation on their passport, which indicates that they have not implemented the court order," she said. Although temporary, the judge's ruling is optimistic, according to Fruitwala. "That was sort of exciting to see, that none of (the government's) arguments really carried any water," she said. The State Department told USA TODAY it does not comment on ongoing litigation. Mixed emotions for the trans community Despite the positive direction, the continued reality of not having a passport isn't lost on those impacted. Patrick, who is identified by his first name only out of safety and privacy concerns, is one of those Americans stuck in uncertainty. At the end of 2024, he applied for a passport renewal as a transgender man so he and his wife could go on a long-awaited honeymoon. In March, he received his passport with his gender listed as female on it, rendering it nearly unusable. "That's six months with a passport that I don't know that I'll ever be able to use, and it puts me in danger," he said. Not only does Patrick feel stuck in case he needs to seek asylum, but his home state of Texas recently passed a bill that bans gender marker changes on medical documents unless due to a clerical error, so any accurate ID documents are vital. He also doesn't feel comfortable sending in his medical documents, knowing they can't be replaced if unreturned. He also isn't in a place to pay the fees again. "With Texas doing what Texas is doing, it's making it to where I won't have any accurate IDs," he said. "You know, if Texas reverts my driver's license, will I ever be able to get a passport that reflects my gender identity? Because then it'll say F on there." Knowing so many others in his community are experiencing what Patrick is going through, Orr said he feels conflicted between guilt and gratitude. "I am very eager and just very thankful that I have this privilege to be able to finally leave and get the medical care that I need, when there are still so many that, you know, are navigating the system and this latest order," he said. His trip to Ireland is back on and coming up soon. After everything, Orr admits he's worried about returning to the U.S. borders. "I don't think anybody wants to make a plan for what if I'm detained, what if I'm denied entry into a country where I'm a citizen?" he said. "No one wants to have to make those plans. But again, that is the unfortunate reality of trans travelers right now." Fruitwala said it's a reasonable fear and common question for the transgender, nonbinary, and intersex community since the policy went into effect, even though valid passports are technically usable. Although it would be considered harassment to be denied entry back into the U.S., it's a good idea for travelers to write down the names of civil rights advocates and attorneys, plus to educate themselves on their rights at the border. "Again, I'm refusing to allow this country to continue to dictate my operations," he said. "You know, I am a citizen. I have rights just as everyone else, and I'm going to travel."
USA Today
27-06-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Trump's passport policy was lifted, but these Americans are still in the dark
It took nearly five months, a federal lawsuit, and the postponement of big international travel plans before Ashton Orr received the news he'd been waiting for: his passport finally arrived in the mail with the accurate gender marker on it. This moment felt like a "huge relief" to the West Virginia resident, who told USA TODAY in early March he wasn't sure he'd ever receive a passport matching his gender identity as a transgender man following the Trump administration's January policy acknowledging just the male and female sexes, assigned at birth. The LGBTQ+ advocate received his passport on June 12 as one of the seven plaintiffs in the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Massachusetts, and law firm Covington & Burling LLP's lawsuit Orr v. Trump, which was brought to the courts in February. The suit alleged that the policy violates the right to travel and privacy and discriminates against LGBTQ+ people. Last Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Julia Kobick in Boston expanded the preliminary injunction that blocked the policy, granting passports to the plaintiffs and any impacted Americans. Orr had applied on Jan. 16 to renew his passport with an updated gender marker for an upcoming trip to Ireland for a medical procedure to avoid any issues at airport security, which he'd experienced before since his driver's license still listed him as female. Days later, the U.S. State Department suspended the processing and issuing of all passports seeking a binary gender change or the "X" gender marker under Trump's policy. Thousands of transgender, intersex and nonbinary Americans were left in limbo, unable to travel internationally, and without a critical ID document to secure jobs, housing and other opportunities. To many in the transgender community, the policy also felt like another attack by the current administration to erase them from public spaces and deny their existence. "When your basic right to move freely is denied, it's a message: 'You don't belong here.' It's bigger than bureaucracy. It's systemic erasure," transgender drag artist and RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 10 contestant Aja previously told USA TODAY. Her passport renewal was rejected despite her current passport and other documents matching her gender identity. While the judge's latest motion offers some relief, the battle is far from over. Many of those affected are still caught in a holding pattern, trying to figure out how to receive their passports, while others have conflicting emotions as the policy's impact went far deeper than just not having a passport. "I think the first time in years, I really felt like the legal system actually saw us, you know, as trans, nonbinary, intersex people as real and as deserving of dignity," Orr said about the judge's action. 'I am exactly who God made': Why travel is a battleground for drag and trans performers Can transgender, intersex and nonbinary Americans get their passports? Legally, yes. As of June 17, the State Department is obligated to process passports requesting the "X" gender marker or a binary change and is taking immediate steps to implement the court order, said a State Department spokesperson. However, many Americans have yet to receive accurate passports and are left in limbo. "We're waiting on the State Department to tell us – and to tell everyone publicly – how they're planning on processing all of these passports that need to be processed," said Aditi Fruitwala, an ACLU senior staff attorney on the lawsuit. The ACLU has received numerous inquiries from people who need to travel internationally urgently but don't know if they need to resubmit a new application or fill out a form for an error correction. "From what we can tell, there are class members who are still unable to update the sex designation on their passport, which indicates that they have not implemented the court order," she said. Although temporary, the judge's ruling is optimistic, according to Fruitwala. "That was sort of exciting to see, that none of (the government's) arguments really carried any water," she said. The State Department told USA TODAY it does not comment on ongoing litigation. Mixed emotions for the trans community Despite the positive direction, the continued reality of not having a passport isn't lost on those impacted. Patrick, who is identified by his first name only out of safety and privacy concerns, is one of those Americans stuck in uncertainty. At the end of 2024, he applied for a passport renewal as a transgender man so he and his wife could go on a long-awaited honeymoon. In March, he received his passport with his gender listed as female on it, rendering it nearly unusable. "That's six months with a passport that I don't know that I'll ever be able to use, and it puts me in danger," he said. Not only does Patrick feel stuck in case he needs to seek asylum, but his home state of Texas recently passed a bill that bans gender marker changes on medical documents unless due to a clerical error, so any accurate ID documents are vital. He also doesn't feel comfortable sending in his medical documents, knowing they can't be replaced if unreturned. He also isn't in a place to pay the fees again. "With Texas doing what Texas is doing, it's making it to where I won't have any accurate IDs," he said. "You know, if Texas reverts my driver's license, will I ever be able to get a passport that reflects my gender identity? Because then it'll say F on there." Knowing so many others in his community are experiencing what Patrick is going through, Orr said he feels conflicted between guilt and gratitude. "I am very eager and just very thankful that I have this privilege to be able to finally leave and get the medical care that I need, when there are still so many that, you know, are navigating the system and this latest order," he said. His trip to Ireland is back on and coming up soon. After everything, Orr admits he's worried about returning to the U.S. borders. "I don't think anybody wants to make a plan for what if I'm detained, what if I'm denied entry into a country where I'm a citizen?" he said. "No one wants to have to make those plans. But again, that is the unfortunate reality of trans travelers right now." Fruitwala said it's a reasonable fear and common question for the transgender, nonbinary, and intersex community since the policy went into effect, even though valid passports are technically usable. Although it would be considered harassment to be denied entry back into the U.S., it's a good idea for travelers to write down the names of civil rights advocates and attorneys, plus to educate themselves on their rights at the border. "Again, I'm refusing to allow this country to continue to dictate my operations," he said. "You know, I am a citizen. I have rights just as everyone else, and I'm going to travel."
