Just over a year ago, Drake dropped into Tyler “Ninja” Blevins’ livestream to play Fortnite. Since then, he’s gone on to other gaming ventures, like backing the esport organization 100 Thieves. Most recently, Drake has invested in Players’ Lounge—a wagering site for gamers.
Originally, Players’ Lounge started as an organization focused on creating live gaming competitions in New York. Over time, Players’ Lounge realized there was a large market of competitive gamers on the internet and the focus began to shift from competitions in bars across New York City to an online platform. Today, Players’ Lounge offers tournaments in a variety of games, including Apex Legends, Fortnite, and FIFA.
Drake has recently gotten on board as one of the newest investors in Players’ Lounge. In a post on Medium, CEO Austin Woolridge said the organization has closed in on $3 million in funding. Drake isn’t the only one to get behind the startup, though—Comcast, Strauss Zelnick, and others are also involved. With these new funds, Woolridge wrote that the company is planning to increase the development team, support more games on the platform, and add streaming features.
Although the company has expanded drastically from its origins, Woolridge said the goal is to keep the community aspect. “We’re growing like crazy, but it still feels like we’re cultivating a tight-knit community of gamers and doing something we love,” Woolridge wrote.
With Drake’s latest investments, it seems like he’s continuing his ventures in competitive gaming.
