Daily 10/13: AI mod creation, global FAST distribution, and creator IP ecosystems

ModCraft raised seed funding for a natural-language game mod platform, Rakuten TV is expanding FAST distribution, and Goalhanger launched a creator media ecosystem spanning publishing, video, audio, memberships, and live events.

• [36Kr] ModCraft raises seed funding for natural-language game mod creation and distribution ↗

  ModCraft raised a seed round worth tens of millions of yuan for a platform that combines natural-language mod creation with discovery, play, and sharing. It currently supports 28 Steam games, and the funding will go toward model training and platform expansion. The service moves players from consuming game content toward modifying and distributing it themselves.

• [The Hollywood Reporter] Rakuten TV expands FAST distribution to the US, Japan, and Middle East ↗

  Rakuten TV plans to enter the US by the end of the year and expand its FAST service into Japan and the Middle East in stages. It is also expanding its business offering that lets rights holders and distributors launch, manage, and monetize their own FAST channels. The European FAST competition is becoming a multi-region contest over channel operations and ad monetization infrastructure.

• [Televisual] Goalhanger launches a creator media ecosystem across publishing, video, audio, and memberships ↗

  Goalhanger X links publishing, social content, long- and short-form video, audio, memberships, live events, and new IP around creator-fan relationships. Its first project is a creator-led media venture with Marina Hyde. The model offers advertisers longer-term partnerships built around a creator ecosystem instead of one-off posts.