Gaming regulators add Ubisoft executive to state committee

Gaming regulators have tapped a video game company executive to join the state’s new esports advisory committee.

Che Chou, senior director of esports at Ubisoft Entertainment, received approval Thursday by the Nevada Gaming Control Board to become the eighth member of its esports committee, created out of Senate Bill 165.

He joins a committee comprised of esports industry participants, publishers, experts and broadcasters that will advise the Control Board on facilitating esports betting and competition integrity.

Chou is a 25-year video game industry veteran with more than a decade of esports experience, according to the board. He manages esports strategy and development for current and upcoming Ubisoft games like Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, the board said.

“Mr. Chou is passionate about the intersection of esports and gaming, and has a deep understanding of esports strategies, ecosystems, and community building,” the board said.

He’s held high-level esports roles at Microsoft Corp. and Blizzard Entertainment Inc. Chou entered the industry as a gaming journalist in 1999 with editing and writing roles at GameSpot, Electronic Gaming Monthly and 1UP.com.

Also on the committee is Chairman Paul Hamilton, CEO of venture capital firm Atlanta Esports Ventures; Brett Abarbanel, director of research at UNLV’s International Gaming Institute; Seth Schorr, CEO of Fifth Street Gaming; Brandon Snow, head of Activision Blizzard Esports; Lovell Walker, vice president of development at Penn National Gaming; Allied Esports CEO Jud Hannigan; and Christian Bishop, director of Twitch Properties.

The committee will hold its first hearing on Tuesday and meet quarterly throughout the year.

Contact Mike Shoro at mshoro@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mike_shoro on Twitter.