MOGO Recruiting Brands with Physical Sites in India for AI-Driven Collaborative Research into Gaming, Youth, and University Student Markets
Bayes Esports announces launch of communication services
Gamer Pakistan announces 100th and 101st MoU’s for university sports commercialization
FIFAe launches new esports women’s inclusivity programme FAMEHERGAME
Global esports platform Challengermode launches first of its kind mobile app to connect billions of gamers worldwide
Ubisoft Partners With Challengermode for Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Visegrad Community Cups
Brazil crowned world’s best FIFA esports nation
Riders crowned FIFAe Club World Champion 2022
Umut crowned FIFAe World Champion 2022
EPOS and Bella Arena unveiled as National Supporters for 2022 FIFAe pinnacle events
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Groups for FIFAe Finals 2022 confirmed
With the pinnacle event of the FIFAe season edges just one week away, the groups for the FIFAe Finals 2022 have been confirmed. Taking place at the Bella Arena in Copenhagen from 14 to 30 July 2022, the world’s best EA SPORTS™ FIFA 22 players, nations and clubs will compete for ultimate glory and one of three coveted trophies. 32 individual players will compete in the FIFAe World Cup 2022, 24 clubs in the FIFAe Club World Cup 2022, and 24 nations in the FIFAe Nations Cup 2022. All participants will compete for a total prize pool of USD 1.2 million in addition to the prize money earned during the qualification. The group assets for the respective competitions are available here. FIFAe World Cup 2022™ presented by EA SPORTS™ - 14 to 17 July To be crowned the individual world champion, players must challenge the world’s elite in a round-robin group stage with only the best four per group advancing. This is then followed by a knockout stage with only one player earning ultimate fame by becoming the FIFAe World Champion 2022. More information about the event is available here. Amongst the qualified players is former finalist Stefano ‘PINNA97' Pinna, Dutch wonderkid Levi de Weerd, local heroes ONEWAYCRAZYY, KLENKE, TEAMHAJJ01and FIFAe royalty such as TEKKZ and NICOLAS99FC. View all the qualified players on FIFA.GG here. FIFAe Club World Cup 2022™ presented by EA SPORTS™ - 20 to 23 July The participants for the pinnacle event for clubs representing their badge at the FIFAe Finals 2022 - the FIFAe Club World Cup - have been drawn into four groups of six, with each club playing each other twice in a round-robin 2v2 format. The top four of each group qualify for the single-elimination knockout phase. Reigning FIFAe Club World Champion Complexity Gaming will look to retain their title against teams like Sergio Agüero’s KRÜ esports, Ruud Gullit’s Team Gullit, esports powerhouses Fnatic and Excel, traditional clubs like Schalke 04 and many more teams. All qualified teams can be viewed here. FIFAe Nations Cup 2022™ presented by EA SPORTS™ - 27 to 30 July The FIFAe Finals will come to a spectacular end with the pinnacle event for national teams. 23 nations will join the hosting nation Denmark to compete in a 2v2 format for the pride of their country. The top four of each group will advance to the knockout stage and move one step closer to wave their flag on the biggest stage on 30 July. The final day provides fans the possibility to join the event for the first time. Tickets are available here. https://www.fifa.gg/c/cph22
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Qualified nations for the FIFAe Nations Cup 2022 confirmed
Following a highly competitive season-long qualification process with a record-number of 84 nations competing, the 24 nations – including the hosting nation Denmark – for the FIFAe Nations Cup 2022™ presented by EA SPORTS™ have been confirmed following the final playoff round. From 27 to 30 July, the nations will be represented by up to three nominated players and will compete in a 2v2 format for the brand-new trophy and USD 400,000 in prize money. The FIFAe Nations Cup is the climax of the FIFAe Finals in Copenhagen and the ultimate place for the local and global community as the final day of the event presents an exclusive opportunity for fans to be there in-person. Tickets are available https://www.fifa.gg/c/cph22 The FIFAe Nations Series™ kicked off at a domestic level, with FIFA's member associations offering their communities to compete amongst each other and find the most competitive players within the country. 84 nations competed in this season’s FIFAe Nations Series, a rise of over 40% on last year. The top teams from the first qualification steps qualified for the FIFAe Nations Playoffs, where they earned their chance to qualify for the FIFAe Nations Cup 2022. Following the conclusion of the last playoff rounds, the 24 qualified nations are confirmed: More information about the qualification and the event is available now to view on FIFA.GG. Combining a 2v2 format with the chance to represent an entire nation gives the qualified players the opportunity to play alongside their teammates on the biggest stage of the season for their flag and national pride. Each nation has one substitute, making a total of three players per squad. Four groups of six nations will play each other in a round-robin format. The top four nations of every group qualify for the knockout stage, from the round-of-16 to the final. The draw for the competition’s group stage will take place on 4 July. Some of the world’s best players will wave their nation’s flag at the FIFAe Nations Cup 2022. The hosting nation Denmark will compete on home soil with the 16-year-old wonderkid Anders Vejrgang alongside Marcus Jorgensen and Fatih Üstün. Representing Argentina, Matias Bonanno, Nicolas Villalba and Yago Fawaz have dominated the South American Playoffs and will look to lift the trophy after coming in second place at the inaugural event in 2019. The champions of 2019 - France - were on the verge of missing out to qualify for this year’s event, but were able to claim the last ticket in Europe. With first time participants such as India, Singapore, United Arab Emirates as well established teams like Germany, England and Brazil, the FIFAe Nations Cup 2022 will be the perfect place to write history for all competing nations. The FIFAe Finals in their entirety will be streamed live on FIFAe’s Twitch and Facebook channels - and the FIFAe Nations Cup will take place live from July 27 to July 30. All results and livestreams will be available on FIFA.GG
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Challengermode signs deal with KRAFTON, Inc. to host new grassroots PUBG Esports initiative
Challengermode, a leading global esports platform, today announced its partnership with KRAFTON, Inc. to be the official platform partner for the PUBG NextPro series - a tournament series giving grassroots esports players the chance to experience pro play in a professional esports setting. For the remainder of 2022, the best amateur PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS (PUBG) PC gamers in Western Europe, the Middle East and North Africa will be able to prove themselves in weekly tournaments that will feed into monthly leaderboards with prizes. These week-by-week competitions give esports hopefuls the chance to play like the pros in a continuous competitive experience all on one centralized platform. This initiative will see KRAFTON, Inc. use Challengermode’s automated esports platform for the PUBG NextPro esports events - ensuring that competition at the grassroots level keeps up with the development seen across Western Europe, Middle East and North Africa for pro-level leagues and events. It will also bolster KRAFTON, Inc.’s efforts to expand the amateur playerbase of PUBG Esports after the transition of the title to free-to-play. Robin Svensson, Esports Partnerships Manager at Challengermode, said: “We’re delighted to bring KRAFTON, Inc’s grassroots PUBG initiative to life on Challengermode.Together with one of the most popular IPs in the world we are creating a bedrock ground for players looking to ascend to higher tiers of PUBG-endorsed tournaments, which aligns perfectly with Challengermode’s goal of making esports truly accessible for all. We look forward to working closely with KRAFTON, Inc. on this series of competitions and other collaborations in future” Erin Hughes, EMEA Esports Manager at KRAFTON, Inc. added: “Our main goal for this initiative is to inspire those who have recently taken up PUBG to take the plunge and embark on a new journey through the PUBG Esports ecosystem. Partnering with Challengermode has allowed us to create this grassroots competitive experience, and we look forward to working closely together over the coming months to make this tournament a success, attract new PUBG Esports fans and deliver something that players look forward to returning to again and again.” The new series of competitions will begin on June 1st, running throughout the year, concluding at the end of 2022. Players and teams interested in participating can find out more here: Link For more information please contact: challengermode@fiveinaboat.com
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Copenhagen to host first-ever FIFAe Finals in July
The brand-new FIFAe Finals will provide the stage to claim unrivalled glory at the single largest event ever hosted in FIFAe history - combining all three pinnacle events in one city. International stardom awaits as three world champions will be crowned after months of highly competitive qualifiers and tournaments across the globe. The FIFAe Finals will feature the FIFAe World Cup 2022™, FIFAe Club World Cup 2022™ and FIFAe Nations Cup 2022™, crowning the very-best player, club, and nation on EA SPORTS™ FIFA 22. The competitions will be played out over three consecutive weeks at the Bella Arena in Copenhagen: FIFAe World Cup 2022™ presented by EA SPORTS™ - 14 to 17 July FIFAe Club World Cup 2022™ presented by EA SPORTS™ - 20 to 23 July FIFAe Nations Cup 2022™ presented by EA SPORTS™ - 27 to 30 July This celebration of FIFAe will be held in the Danish capital at the end of the season, becoming the place to witness the best FIFA esports players showcase their skills to the world. By involving the local and global community, fans and players side-by-side will be able to experience the FIFAe culture. Whilst the entirety of the FIFAe Finals will be broadcast and streamed online, the final day of the FIFAe Nations Cup on 30 July will also be open to the public, providing fans with the chance to celebrate their heroes live in Copenhagen. Fans can buy tickets here and find out more about the event on FIFA.GG/CPH22. A collective prize pool of USD 1.2 million is up for grabs by the competing players, clubs, and nations at the FIFAe Finals in July, in addition to the prize money during qualification which will and has been distributed throughout the entire season. “FIFA’s main ambition is to provide the global football and gaming community with the biggest and most prestigious stage to showcase their skills. The FIFAe Finals will become the place for everyone to watch their heroes – or to become one at the pinnacle event of the year. This is the next development of FIFAe and the ultimate setting to create a long-lasting legacy of all participants,” said Adrian Rölli, Head of eFootball at FIFA. "Together with the Danish Football Association we are beyond excited to welcome the incredibly passionate community on-site at the FIFAe Finals” he added. A total of 84 countries participate in this year’s FIFAe Nations Series™ – an increase of over 40% compared to last year - with the best 23 nations joining the hosting nation Denmark at the FIFAe Nations Cup. In the FIFAe Club Series™, the best 24 clubs out of over 780 total teams will take centre stage in FIFAe’s biggest prize for organisations - the FIFAe Club World Cup. The best 32 individual players will put themselves to the test to claim ultimate fame at the FIFAe World Cup. “Esports is very popular in Denmark and in the rest of the world, where it continues to grow and develop. We are both happy and proud that the FIFAe Finals 2022 will take place in Denmark. Hopefully, it will be a fantastic event for both fans and players all over the world,” said Jakob Jensen, CEO of the Danish Football Association. Those who want to watch from home will be able to do so live on the FIFAe Twitch and Facebook channels as well as on FIFA.GG. Don’t miss the latest update on the spectacular event in July 2022; Follow FIFAe on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. EA SPORTS is a trademark of Electronic Arts Inc.
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Challengermode hosts Play2Help Rocket League tournament for Mental Health Awareness Month
Global esports platform Challengermode has announced it is working with the Mental Health Foundation and Rise Against the Disorder to raise awareness of mental health issues for this year’s Mental Health Awareness month. This initiative will share encouraging content through Challengermode’s esports platform, raise funds for Mental Health organizations and culminate in an exclusive charity tournament with streamers and influencers benefiting charities across the United Kingdoms and the US. Supporting the “Back To Basics” theme of this years’ MHAM, Challengermode will provide foundational knowledge about mental health to players through its esports platform, and key information and resources for where to turn for mental health support. As well as providing tips on how to better understand mental well-being in relation to gaming, Challengermode will seed short messages into pre and post game tournament chats to raise awareness and encourage civil play. The main event will be an exclusive charity tournament on May 28th, featuring influencers and streamers from the Rocket League community. European players looking to get involved and show their support are able to qualify for the tournament in the week leading up to the main event. Open qualifiers will be held on May 23rd and 25th in the Play2Help Space on Challengermode where players can sign up to the qualifiers by paying an entry fee of any amount. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Mental Health Foundation and Rise Against the Disorder. This tournament will see influencers streaming the event on their platforms to maximise the reach of the MHAM message. Simona Dailidonyte, Product Marketing Manager at Challengermode said: “At Challengermode, we’re a part of gamers' everyday life and we want to use our position to raise awareness of mental health and well-being - particularly among the millions of young gamers that we reach every day. Our goal is to spread the message about mental health and how, if done right, gaming can help people who are dealing with mental disorders like anxiety, depression, ADHD, and PTSD. We’re proud to be raising awareness for mental health and raising funds for the Mental Health Foundation in their goal of creating a world of good mental health for all, and we look forward to learning from their considerable expertise when deciding how best we can help support player’s mental health in gaming and esports in the long term.” Challengermode’s support for this year’s MHAM builds off of a strong traditional of the global esports platform providing a space for charitable events free of charge, such as the CompanyClash VALORANT tournament in support of Save The Children, and the Lucifer Esports Charity Cup in aid of AbleGamers. Challengermode has previously also supported SpecialEffect on the organisation’s CS:GO charity tournament.
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Commonwealth Esports Championships 2022 selection for European players
Further to last week’s announcement that the inaugural Commonwealth Esports Championships are set to take place in Birmingham on 6- 7 August at the International Convention Centre, the British Esports Association can today announce more details of their plans to support European Commonwealth members. In agreement with the Global Esports Federation (GEF), British Esports will be responsible for coordinating and supporting the European teams. The following teams will be able to enter regional qualifiers to compete in the Commonwealth Esports Championships: Cyprus England Gibraltar Guernsey Isle of Man Jersey Malta Northern Ireland Scotland Wales It is anticipated that only one of the European teams per competition will progress and compete in the live finals in Birmingham, alongside the winners from the other regional qualifiers across the Commonwealth. Competitors may represent either the competitor’s Commonwealth Country of birth, or the Commonwealth Country of birth to which one of their parents belong (by citizenship/passport). Support will be given by the BEA to the European teams in the live finals per title, including kit, training and boot camps. As the Commonwealth Esports Championships are separate from the Commonwealth Games, please note that the national Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) will not be involved in the esports teams or championships, meaning that esports teams will not be wearing the team kit of their CGA, but new kit created for the esports championships. After having represented one Commonwealth Country in a GEF sanctioned esports event(s), a competitor may not represent another Commonwealth Country in future GEF sanctioned esports events (unless any switch receives approval by the GEF). British Esports Association: Andy Payne OBE, Chair: “When we established the BEA in 2016, we did it with the aspiration that esports would become recognised for the incredible value it provides its community. The gaming community has long understood that esports helps teamwork, communication and strategic thinking, together with combating loneliness. Alongside this, it creates opportunities for its athletes to participate in a team environment in a similar way to traditional sports; with similar benefits for participants. We advocate the values of representation, whether that is your team, school, county, or country and as such are delighted to see that the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) recognises its potential too. Furthermore, it is an honour that we get to showcase the values of esports whilst the Commonwealth Games is underway here in the UK. The BEA is fresh from the successful participation at the Global Esports Games which took place in Singapore in December 2021, where the Great Britain team secured its first medal (silver in the DOTA 2 women’s competition). We are pleased to already be in a position to announce that Mark Weller will be Team Manager for England and that John Jackson and Esports Wales will be selecting the Welsh players and James Hood and Esports Scotland will be selecting the Scottish players. Further updates will follow. We will be working with the UKETC and the UK’s esports communities to support all the efforts in 2022”. Mark Weller, Esports England Manager (and Vexed Gaming Chief Gaming Officer): “After a successful campaign with the GB esports roster in Singapore last year, I am honoured to have been named as Team Manager for England heading into the inaugural Commonwealth Esports Championship. I'm excited to showcase the excellent talent this country has to offer and as always, hope to inspire the next generation of talent within our country, crown nations and beyond' Gweirydd Davies, Chair of Board, Esports Wales: “With the dramatic rise of esports in recent years, it is a great honour to see Wales competing on the global stage in the Commonwealth Esports Championships. We look forward to working together in partnership to further develop a pathway for an inclusive, progressive, and visionary future for Esports in Wales and beyond.” James Hood, Esports Scotland Manager (and CEO of Esports Scotland): "We are delighted esports will be represented in Birmingham at this summer’s Commonwealth Esports Championships. We want to unite Scotland’s gamers, coaches and fans to represent the Scottish esports community and compete on the global stage - and hopefully we can bring some gold medals home." The 2022 Championships will feature multi-genre titles, including a MOBA title, and individual and team sports-based titles with participation from esports athletes from across the Commonwealth. Renowned global titles are in the final stages of confirmation and will be announced on 22nd February 2022. The Commonwealth Esports Championships was sanctioned by the CGF Executive Board to be held at the same time as the 2022 Commonwealth Games while being independent of Birmingham 2022 and its Sports programme. It will have separate branding, medals, organisation, and governance, led by the GEF and its community of partners.
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NODWIN Gaming signs Exclusive 4 year deal with Challengermode to host South Asian & African esports tournaments
Leading global Esports platform Challengermode has teamed up with NODWIN Gaming - One of the world’s leading esports companies based out of India. The partnership will see NODWIN Gaming use Challengermode’s esports tournament platform to run its esports events and tournaments in its key markets of South Asia and Africa NODWIN Gaming has engaged with over 20 million gamers across 120+ events in its markets, with teams competing for over 3 million USD in prizes. Starting from 9 February NODWIN will be hosting competitions on Challengermode across CSGO, Dota2, League of Legends, PUBG PC, FIFA, Apex legends and more, taking advantage of the Challengermode platform’s tools to fully automate the set-up and running of esports tournaments for esports organizers, teams and players. The partnership will also aim to expand across platforms to include Mobile titles that are of particular interest for NODWIN Gaming and Challengermode. NODWIN Gaming will work with Challengermode actively to integrate its mobile first approach to developing markets with the platform to build synergy for both parties These regular tournaments will give aspiring grassroots esports players the chance to compete in a professional setting and for real prize money - with the aim of encouraging greater participation in south asia’s vibrant esports scene among traditional gamers and underrepresented demographics, such as women interested in esports. Esports hopefuls looking to level up their skills can use these tournaments as the first steps in their path to becoming esports pros, as well as use Challengermode’s range of tools and coaches to improve their game. Philip Hubner, CBDO at Challengermode said: “NODWIN Gaming has been at the forefront of the esports scene across a range of developing markets. Having worked with them previously on their esports activities in Africa we are delighted to be expanding how we work together with this exclusive partnership for the next four years - which will allow NODWIN to use the Challengermode platform as the foundation of their esports events around the world. We are well aligned in seeing the business, entertainment, and even educational opportunities of esports in the years to come and we see NODWIN Gaming as the perfect partner to advance our mission of binding the global esport ecosystem closer together.” Gautam Virk, Co-Founder and COO, NODWIN Gaming: “Challengermode’s experience in hosting some of the biggest events in modern esports makes them an ideal partner for NODWIN to scale up our operations in South Asia and beyond. Their platform’s ability to automate the tournament experience allows us to focus on providing services and solutions to every kind of stakeholder under the broad umbrella of the esports industry. We are also pleased to be so well aligned with them. Moving forward we will be migrating our esports initiatives to the Challengermode platform, and we look forward to working with the team there closely on our many esports tournaments planned for 2022 and beyond.” Full details of the NODWIN Gaming tournaments can be found via the official NODWIN Gaming space on the Challengermode platform https://www.challengermode.com/s/NODWIN
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British Esports to launch two-part ‘Road to the GEG’ video series this week
From 17 - 19 December, Great Britain competed in DOTA 2, Street Fighter V and eFootball at the Global Esports Games. British Esports was there to capture all the action, and this week will premiere Road to the GEG 21 - a two-part video series charting the team’s progress out in Singapore. It begins this Wednesday via the British Esports Association YouTube channel, but you can check out the trailer below right now. Part One drops on Wednesday, 9 February at 5pm GMT, and follows Great Britain's Dota 2 Open team, eFootball player MrEHughes and Street Fighter V player The4Philzz. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgMreH9iCFw Part Two debuts on Friday, 11 February at 5pm GMT, and follows Great Britain's Dota 2 Womens team. Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn5oQA40QAw BEA thanks everyone who supported Great Britain during this event, we couldn't have done it without you! Stay tuned to the official BEA YouTube channel for more exciting video content and visit the official BEA website for more information.
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Challengermode Expands Into Brazil With Yup.gg Partnership
Global esports platform Challengermode has announced its first move into the LATAM esports space today in partnership with Yup.gg, the Singapore based gaming and esports marketing platform. Challengermode will be providing the platform for Season 1 of Yup.gg’s YUPCUP, a series of esports competitions for players based in Brazil. Players will be given the chance to compete across games including Valorant, Street Fighter, Wild Rift and League of Legends for a total prize pool of over 40,000 reais, giving esports competitors at the grassroots level a chance to compete in a professional setting. This series of tournaments will kick off on Saturday, February 5th with Street Fighter V competition, and continue until the end of March. This partnership emphasizes Challengermode's support of the esports industry in Brazil, and gives Brazilian esports hopefuls the chance to compete for a significant prize pool - with the aim of encouraging greater participation in the country’s vibrant esports scene. Philip Hubner, CBDO at Challengermode said: “We couldn’t be happier to be engaging with the Brazilian esports scene with Yup.gg. Their dedication to bringing together the disparate parts of the gaming & esports ecosystem together in one place matches our own perfectly. The upcoming YUPCUP series of tournaments offers players from across Brazil to level up their skills competing for significant prize money. It is the perfect way to shine a spotlight on the country’s emerging esports talent, and invigorate participation at the grassroots level in a professional setting thanks to the automated tournament infrastructure the Challengermode platform provides.” Raiford Cockfield III, CEO/Co-founder of yup.gg: “Brazil is an incredibly important part of the global gaming & esports ecosystem. We want to use our upcoming Yup Cup tournament to give Brazil the investment and attention that it deserves. Challengermode’s dedication to supporting all levels of esports competitions, from grassroots up to pro, makes them an ideal partner for us to launch our first tournament series in Brazil. Their platform’s ability to automate the tournament experience at a professional level allows us to better focus on our core goal: connecting all gamers to the opportunities available to them in the gaming & esports industry. So whether you’re a professional player, caster, analyst, professional or creative, yup.gg will work to help you build your career and expand your ability to partner with others in the industry.” Players interested in signing up to the YUPCUP tournaments can register now via Challengermode’s dedicated YUPCUP space here. Full details of the tournament schedule can be found there. Those wishing to watch can tune in via the official Yup.gg Twitch channel.
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The British Esports Student Champs increase participation by 115% for Spring Divisions and announce date change for grand finals
The British Esports Student Champs has once again returned, following the kick off of the Spring Divisions in January. Year-on-year the Student Champs has continued to grow significantly, but saw a rapid increase in participants since the addition of the popular first-person shooter title Valorant, in Winter 2021. The Champs is an extracurricular, team-based activity that engages a wide demographic of young people; whilst providing an avenue to motivate and inspire students. With an increased number of sign-ups, the Spring Divisions will see a total of 365 teams compete from across 124 schools and colleges. 90 of the 124 participating institutions are colleges, meaning that the British Esports Student Champs will see 32.4% of the UK’s colleges competing this spring. Schools and colleges can register teams to compete over the course of the academic year in four esports titles: Rocket League, Overwatch, League of Legends, and Valorant. For more information, visit the British Esports Student Champs website. https://champs.britishesports.org/ During the Winter qualifiers, which concluded at the end of December 2021, teams competed in each esports title to determine their division in Spring, based upon their position on the final Winter leaderboard. Each division in Spring will have its own group stage and playoffs, and the top finalists will battle it out at a live grand finals event. Last year British Esports confirmed that the grand finals will be held in collaboration with the Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies - part of Nottingham Trent University in 2022. Due to conflicts with exam times, the event has been pushed back from original dates 18th-19th June to the 2nd-3rd July 2022 in Nottingham. The 2020/21 seasons’ events were summarised in an event aftermovie, which can be found here. Programme details for this year's live finals are to be confirmed over the coming months.
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British Esports to open game-changing National Esports Performance Campus in Sunderland
The British Esports Association (BEA) - the national body for esports, has announced it will open an esports performance and education campus at Riverside Sunderland, which will nurture and support the next generation of talent, as interest and engagement in esports grows in the UK. BEA has made a multi-million pound commitment to the city of Sunderland, having acquired a former retail premises adjacent to the Stadium of Light, where it will establish its National Esports Performance Campus (NEPC). The NEPC will become a centre of excellence, providing access to state-of-the-art equipment, training and investment that will support Sunderland, the North East and the UK to become a globally-recognised esports hub capable of attracting and developing the world’s best esports talent. The campus will offer educational and coaching courses for players and all other roles within the esports industry, and feature dedicated esports classrooms, performance rooms, streaming booths for shoutcaster skills and an arena space. It will also play host to regular esports events, community tournaments, summer camps and be used as a training base for the Great Britain esports team, which recently took part in the Global Esports Games in Singapore. Chester King, chief executive officer at BEA, said: “The UK is Europe’s second biggest video game market and ranked 6th globally – this speaks to the potential of esports which will capitalise on gaming’s popularity, with talented competitors emerging and a growing audience keen to spectate and enjoy esports as a leisure activity. This is a market that we know will explode in the UK and we want to support its growth.” “Sunderland is a hugely ambitious and future-focused city and that aligns very much to BEA and esports, which has vast growth potential and ties into Sunderland’s strengths in gaming,digital and sport. The campus will be an inspirational site, a place for players and coaches to work, learn and develop. This is a much-needed facility and through my team’s experiences we understand its importance.” Patrick Melia, chief executive of Sunderland City Council, said: “Esports has been a phenomenal global success, and it is a huge growth market in the UK, that will be realised over the coming years. BEA’s move puts Sunderland at the beating heart of that, and we couldn’t be more pleased.” Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “This is a truly game-changing development for Sunderland, and we could not be more excited about having BEA choose the city for its NEPC.” If partners would like to know more or get involved with the National Esports Performance Campus then please contact nepc@britishesports.org
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Esports preview, virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans: Porsche aims to defend title at the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans
In a bid to defend the title, the Porsche Esports Team fields two digital 911 RSR at this weekend’s virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2020, the works delegation won the GTE class at the debut event of the endurance race run on the rFactor2 simulation platform. This year, experienced professional drivers from real motor racing will once again share driving duties in the ca. 510 PS Porsches with sim racing experts. Ten 911 RSR join the 50-strong field this year, which also includes LMP2 prototypes. In the GTE category, Porsche makes up almost half the grid. The endurance highlight on the virtual Circuit des 24 Heures takes off this Saturday at 2 pm. Especially interesting for Porsche fans: The sports car manufacturer will report live from the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans from Saturday 1:30 pm. In a racing centre that has been set up specifically for this event in Germany’s Gronau, six of the eight works contingent share driving duties in the simulators. Interviews with experts and competitors, analyses and background reports round off the programme, which is scheduled to be broadcast until 2:30 pm on Sunday. The show will be streamed on Porsche’s Twitch channel (http://www.twitch.tv/porsche) as well as YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDbby0ZgmoI). As always, Porsche posts the latest motor racing information on its Twitter account @PorscheRaces. Live timing is available on the Porsche Motorsport Hub (https://motorsports.porsche.com). “Parallel to real motorsport, sim racing is becoming increasingly important for Porsche. Via this platform, we can ignite a passion for our brand among a totally new target group. That’s why we founded the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup in 2019, in which the world’s best sim racers pit themselves against each other. The Cup heads into its fourth season at the beginning of February,” explains Marco Ujhasi, Manager Esports at Porsche Motorsport. “The mix of pro and sim racers has proven its worth at the 2020 debut of the virtual Le Mans 24-hour race – which was underlined by our GTE class victory. We now want to repeat this success. We again feel very well prepared to take on this challenge with our team partner Coanda Esports. Like in real-life racing on the track, the virtual racing scene also relies on flawless teamwork and meticulous attention to detail. Given the fierce competition, these factors can be the key to success.” Porsche tackles the endurance event with a top-notch driver lineup in its two 911 RSR. The No. 91 digital sports car is shared by the newly appointed Porsche Junior Laurin Heinrich (Germany) and Mitchell deJong from the USA with the sim racing pros Martin Krönke (Germany) and Mack Bakkum (Netherlands). Later in the year, Heinrich will drive the ca. 515 PS 911 GT3 Cup in the real Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup run as part of the Formula 1 support programme, and in the Carrera Cup Deutschland. The Würzburg driver will arrive at the Coanda Esports HQ in Gronau, Westphalia, with a slight delay due to his racing commitment at the real 24-hour race in Dubai. The GTE winners of the inaugural event will attempt to defend their title at the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans in the No. 92 car: Ayhancan Güven (Turkey), Tommy Östgaard (Norway) and Joshua Rogers (Australia) receive backing from the American Sage Karam this coming weekend. Rogers won the Porsche TAG Heuer Esports Supercup in 2019 and 2021. In the last two years, the Turkish racing pro Güven was the predecessor of Laurin Heinrich as a Porsche Junior in the Porsche Mobil 1 Supercup. Other 911 RSR will be campaigned by teams that are active on real racetracks around the globe as customers of Porsche. Proton Competition fields two cars with the starting numbers from FIA World Endurance Championship WEC. The No. 77 car is manned by Porsche works driver Matt Campbell (Australia) with Dutch drivers Loek Hartog and Kevin van Dooren as well as Jeremy Bouteloup from France. Dylan Pereira (Luxembourg), Sindre Furuseth (Norway), Charlie Collins (Great Britain) and Dayne Warren (Australia) share driving duties in the No. 88 car run by Coanda Esports. The Project 1 x BPM squad also fields two 911 RSR, driven by Jimmy Broadbent (GB), Bram Beelen (Netherlands), René Buttler and Tim Neuendorf (both Germany) as well as their compatriot Nicolas Hillebrand, Zbigniew Siara from Poland, Peyo Peev (Bulgaria) and the Italian endurance specialist Riccardo Pera. GR Wolves Racing also deploys two delegations. All participating Porsche teams are listed below: No 25: Absolute Inspeed Racing (VRC) Johnathan Hoggard (GB) / Daniel Cao / Xiayufei Li / Yanzhe Li (alle VRC) No. 56: Team Project 1 xBPM (D) Jimmy Broadbent (GB) / Bram Beelen (NL) / Tim Neuendorf (D) / René Buttler (D) No. 57: Team Project 1 xBPM (D) Riccardo Pera (I) / Nicolas Hillebrand (D) / Zbigniew Siara (PL) / Peyo Peev (BG) No. 61: SEM9 Axle (MAL) Alister Yoong (MAL) / Avila Bahar (RI) / Nabil Azlan (MAL) / Davide Arduini (I) No 77: Proton Competition (D) Matt Campbell (AUS) / Loek Hartog (NL) / Kevin van Dooren (NL) / Jeremy Bouteloop (F) No. 86: GR Wolves Racing (GB) Ben Barker (GB) / Bart Horsten (AUS) / Adam Maguire (IRL) / Liam de Waal (NL) No. 87: GR Wolves Racing (GB) Tom Gamble (GB) / Alex Malykhin (BY) / Philipp Puschke (D) / Turkka Hakkinnen (SF) No. 88: Proton Competition (D) Dylan Pereira (LUX) / Sindre Furuseth (N) / Charlie Collins (GB) / Dayne Warren (AUS) No. 91: Porsche Esports Team (D) Laurin Heinrich (D) / Mitchell deJong (USA) / Mack Bakkum (NL) / Martin Krönke (D) No. 92: Porsche Esports Team (D) Ayhancan Güven (TR) / Sage Karam (USA) / Joshua Rogers (AUS) / Tommy Östgaard (N) The schedule (all times CET) The virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans gets underway on Saturday 15 January 2022 at 2 pm local time. Official practice sessions and test races were run on Thursday and Friday, but were not streamed live. The 20-minute qualifying session for the GTE class starts this Friday at 7:10 pm, followed by a two-hour warm-up on Saturday morning from 10am. The race kicks off at 2 pm, with the finish scheduled for 2 pm Sunday. [Where to watch the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans] Several social media channels offer a live stream of the virtual Le Mans endurance race on the rFactor2 simulation platform, for instance YouTube (www.YouTube.com/traxiongg and www.YouTube.com/user/FIAWEC) and Twitch (www.Twitch.tv/traxiongg). The event organiser will also post the latest news on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @lemansvirtual. [Comments before the race] Laurin Heinrich (Porsche Esports Team #91): “It’s incredible to get the chance to contest the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans for the Porsche Esports Team. The fact that I’m also racing at the real 24-hour race in Dubai on the same weekend poses a special challenge: I have to fly out of the Emirates before the end of the race and make my way to Coanda Esports in Gronau. Obviously, I’m aiming to defend Porsche’s 2020 victory with my strong teammates Mitchell deJong, Martin Krönke and Mack Bakkum. Thanks to our intensive preparation work and teamwork, we’ve put ourselves in a promising position for this endurance race.” Joshua Rogers (Porsche Esports Team #92): “I’m really looking forward to the virtual Le Mans event – it’s an honour for me to be able to represent a brand like Porsche again on such a big stage. It’s been a while since my last time, but as a team, we’re as prepared as we can be. Of course, I’ll do my absolute best to defend our title. Ayhancan, Tommy, Sage and I push each other a lot and we work hard to get the most out of the car under all sorts of scenarios.”
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Great Britain Dota 2 Women’s team secure Silver at the inaugural Global Esports Games 2021
Earlier this year the British Esports Association selected the 2021 teams to represent Great Britain for this year’s Global Esports Games (GEG) 2021 in Singapore. Teams from more than 80 countries competed last weekend at a medal event which didn’t include prize money. The 2021 games had tournaments in Street Fighter V, Dota 2 Open, Dota 2 Women and eFootball PES. The inaugural games took place from December 17th-19th where Great Britain had teams and players competing for their chance to secure a medal. The teams were led by Vexed Gaming’s Chief Gaming Officer, Mark Weller, as team manager. The Dota 2 Women’s team played on the main stage, securing a Silver medal to the hosting country Singapore. Great Britain team manager Mark Weller commented “Great Britain team manager Mark Weller commented “Closing out the first global esports games with a Silver medal and 2 close 4th place finishes (1-2 and 2-3) is a fantastic start for what could be a strong national programme, Our journey to Singapore was met with many struggles, but I feel we are building the foundations of something truly fantastic with your GB esports roster. I think we can walk away proud, showing that Great Britain is home to some exceptional talent and I look forward to building on these foundation’s we laid in 2021″. For an overview of all events, please see below. Dota 2 Open With an early start the Dota 2 Open team competed in their semi-finals game against Singapore. Despite their best efforts, Great Britain fell short against the home nation 0-2, ending their journey in the Global Esports Games 2021 with a 4th place finish. Captain of the Great Britain Dota 2 Open team commented: “Unfortunately we did not reach the expectations we had but I'm happy we are able to learn from this experience so we can come back stronger next year.” Dota 2 Women Firstly, Great Britain faced Mongolia in the semi-finals with their chance to secure a spot in the grand finals. The team secured the victory 2-0 where their next game would see them face against the hosting country’s team: Singapore. Heading onto the main stage, Great Britain started off the first match in the best-of-three series with a victory, putting themselves 1-0 up against Singapore. After a long game filled with nail-biting moments, the hosting country leveled up the series 1-1, taking it to its full lengths. The final match saw the game running over 70 minutes long, where Singapore took the edge resulting in Great Britain securing a Silver medal finish. Great Britain player Bellemiku commented: “From where we started in the beginning, I am so proud of how far we have come. We prepared for the matches to the best of our ability and our series vs Mongolia and Singapore showed that. We went into the finals with low expectations and winning that first match felt amazing, it's a shame we couldn't close out the series but the final 80 minute match just displays how close it really was. I’m very excited to see more opportunities like this in the future!” eFootball 2022 PES On December 17th the eFootball 2022 PES qualifiers took place, where MrMyClub1 was representing team Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The day started off strong with a victory against Hungary. Moving into the next two sets of games against Montenegro and Libya, despite a valiant attempt from MrMyClub1, he wasn’t able to progress further in the tournament losing to both countries. He commented: “Overall it’s been an incredible experience, very very competitive as I had imagined and just unlucky not to get through in the end as it was very close.” Street Fighter V The Street Fighter V action started off with a group stage where player Kim-Phillipe finished off with a clean sheet 4-0, progressing to the bracket stages of the tournament. Countries within the group were: Paraguay, Singapore, Jamaica and Mongolia. The following day The4Philzz took to the main stage against Brazil. Starting off 0-1 down, he later tied up the series with the character Falke. With the momentum of taking game two, he managed to close out the series 3-1 and secured his place in the semi-finals against Chinese Taipei. Whilst the games were close, he unfortunately fell 1-3 in the semi-finals and is set to participate in a third-place match-up against Pakistan. Pakistan took the series 3-1 in a heavily contested bout for the bronze medal, leaving Great Britain with a 4th place finish in the Street Fighter V tournament at the Global Esports Games 2021. He commented: “My time at the Global Esports Games 2021 in Singapore was great! Started my group stages with a flawless 4-0 record. I then moved on to the top 8 qualifiers the next day. Many hard battles were fought and my journey ended in 4th place." In the coming weeks you can watch back Great Britain’s journey behind the scenes in Singapore, with videos to be uploaded to the British Esports Association’s YouTube channel. You can also view all Great Britain rosters and final placements on the British Esports website.
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FIFA launches new commercial partnership structure including dedicated programs for Women's Fooball and esports
For the first time since 2013, FIFA is introducing a new commercial partnership structure that will provide companies around the world with more tailored opportunities to partner with the sport of football, leverage the FIFA brand and support its competitions. Three distinct partnership verticals are being launched this week with a range of packages available across Women’s football, Men’s Football and esports/gaming. Kay Madati, FIFA’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “As we continually work to make football truly global, accessible and inclusive, we recognised the need for a nimble and customisable commercial structure that enables brands big and small, global and local, to connect with all aspects of the beautiful game. The new model will allow our partners to create more tailored programming and marketing activations that align directly with their strategic business goals, and connect them to the world’s most passionate fans, in the world’s most engaging sport.” [First dedicated commercial program for Women’s football launched to accelerate growth and equality of the women’s game] Building on FIFA’s Women’s Football strategy unveiled in 2018, the launch of a dedicated women’s football commercial vertical marks another step in FIFA’s commitment to make football more equitable and accessible for women and girls. Partners in this new vertical will be able to directly impact and support the growth and development of the women’s game. Sarai Bareman, FIFA’s Chief Women’s Football Officer commented, “This marks a groundbreaking moment to maximize the growth of the women’s game and its marketing appeal, as we create equal commercial models across Women’s and Men’s Football for the first time. We’re excited about the opportunities for brands who want to support women’s sport, help accelerate women’s equality, and wish to align themselves with the unparalleled momentum around women’s football.’’ [An exciting new era in football gaming and esports with FIFAe Vertical] As FIFA continues to broaden its esports and gaming footprint, a dedicated partnerships structure will provide exciting opportunities to participate in the fastest growing media vertical on the planet. FIFAe - the recently launched umbrella brand for all of FIFA’s future esports and gaming initiatives - grants access to the interactive and immersive entertainment world of new generations, cultures, tournaments, and merchandising licensing opportunities. [FIFA’s New Commercial Structure At-A-Glance] A flexible partnership model will exist across the new distinct verticals for Women’s Football, Men’s Football, and esports/gaming. World Cup Partners/Women’s Football Partners/FIFAe Partners will receive extensive global commercial rights across all national team tournaments within their respective vertical, or a premium position across all esports competitions for the FIFAe vertical Sponsors will receive global activation rights surrounding the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the FIFA World Cup and/or across all FIFAe competitions Tournament Supporters will be able to select territorial activation rights for either the FIFA Women’s World Cup, the FIFA World Cup or the FIFAe competitions. A more flexible Tournament Supporters program is now available for women’s and men’s development tournaments such as the FIFA U-20 and U-17 World Cups FIFA Partners continue to hold the highest level of association with global partner status and category exclusivity across their respective FIFA properties and competitions FIFA’s new commercial approach will enable brands to benefit from new opportunities to associate with FIFA’s brand to build and accelerate new business opportunities as well as create community and purpose-driven programs.
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World’s first esports coaching course launches
A new first-of-its-kind degree course from the University of Portsmouth is set to train the next generation of coaches and performance experts for esports. Esports is competitive gaming and represents one of the fastest growing sectors globally. Tournaments can attract millions of spectators and large stadium crowds, to watch high-profile players compete for cash prizes and global recognition - such as the global Fortnite World Cup, which has a prize pool of upwards of $17m. Esports comprises games from several different genres and players can play one-on-one or in teams. Much like in traditional sports, there are large sponsorship deals and, increasingly, transfer fees for players. Esports sponsorship revenue reached $641m in 2021, thanks in part to sponsorship from global companies like Coca-Cola, Gillette and Nike. This new BSc (Hons) in Esports Coaching and Performance degree at the University of Portsmouth merges an understanding of gaming and technological skills with the psychology of sport and coaching in high performance environments - not dissimilar to the skillset of coaches in traditional sports. Designed and delivered in partnership with IFoEC, the training partner of the International Federation of Esports Coaches, the new degree is a great next step for those who want to gain entry into a rapidly developing industry, develop a career as a coach in the field or acquire a range of transferable skills in leadership, communication and research, amongst others. The course includes theory, research and practical experience to understand how to coach players to peak performance, and creating connections to the sector through expert lecturers and industry work experience placement to get hands-on experience. David Price, course leader for BSc (Hons) in Esports Coaching and Performance, said: “The introduction of this course reflects the huge global interest in esports, and puts the University of Portsmouth firmly at the forefront of a fast-developing field. We look forward to welcoming our first cohort of students in September 2022, to help them become the next generation of coaches and performance experts in this exciting industry.”
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British Esports Association announces exclusive university-level partnership with the College of Esports
The British Esports Association, the not-for-profit organisation and national body set up to support grassroots esports in the UK, has announced an exclusive Higher Education (HE) university-level accredited partnership with the College of Esports. The College of Esports is a world first university-level institution dedicated solely for university degrees in the global business of esports. The university degree portfolio will include Foundation, Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels and will be delivered at the College of Esports campus at the iconic Velodrome, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, with students starting in September/October 2022 for the start of the academic year 2022/2023. For transparency, the British Esports Association has helped produce part of the degree and provided College of Esports with some guidance, but will not be teaching the courses. Each university-level programme will focus on the global billion-dollar business of esports. The student experience will centre on traditional academic subjects taught through the lens of an industry that many are so passionate about, supported by their unique TRI-Curriculum. This consists of the main degree courses plus two additional curricula to make students World-Ready, providing higher contact hours and a holistic 360 teaching approach. This approach will ensure an exciting, cutting edge teaching model which fully prepares each student for a career within esports and other sectors. The College of Esports is a boutique university-level institution, with student places to be limited, ensuring each student receives the maximum benefit from their studies and wider experiences. All university-level provision has been designed in partnership with the British Esports Association to ensure that each programme is industry-ready, with input from the wider esports sector. A College Advisory Board populated by leading figures will provide guidance to the college and will be announced in due-course. Each course will provide best-in-class academic teaching combined with leading knowledge and input from the esports sector, to provide students with long-term value, career flexibility and a holistic understanding of international business at both macro and micro levels. It will cover the business of international esports, IP rights, management of players and talent, event management, sponsorship, logistics, marketing, business and more. As well as training people to go into the industry, the College of Esports will also offer a business incubation unit to help students grow their ideas into their own businesses. The British Esports Association will provide unique industry expertise, as well as enriching the learning materials of the degree content, in order to ensure relevance to the student and sector as a whole. The British Esports Association also has a separate exclusive Further Education partnership with Pearson to offer Esports BTEC qualifications of which students can then progress smoothly from these BTEC courses onto the BEA accredited courses at the College of Esports. The College of Esports facilities based within the Velodrome, home to many international sporting triumphs, will include new purpose-built classrooms, eateries, a library, social areas as well as state-of-the-art gaming spaces for students. Professor Philip Wilson, founder and Chair of the College of Esports, stated: “We are delighted to have entered into this long-term exclusive higher education partnership. The knowledge, experience and expertise of the British Esports Association is a central pillar of our approach to ensure that the College of Esports is at the cutting edge of the industry for our students.” “Our partnership will create the UK hub of esports business and provide additional legacy to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as job creation and community support in the boroughs that we engage.” British Esports Association chair Andy Payne OBE commented: “We’re delighted to have signed this exclusive university-level partnership with the College of Esports to help deliver esports business degrees and ensure a bright future for our exciting industry. Esports not only offers many exciting career opportunities, it also gives people essential transferable skills that can be applied to many other roles and industries.” The College of Esports is the vision of the two founders — Professor Philip Wilson and David Thomson — both of whom have a lifetime of experience in higher education and the global sports industry. Students can register their interest for 2022 intake at www.collegeofesports.ac.uk
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Porsche Korea Signs Partnership Agreement with DRX, a Professional League of Legends Team
Porsche Korea (Holger Gerrmann, CEO of Porsche Korea Ltd.) is strengthening domestic Korean Esports through a partnership with DRX, a professional League of Legends team. Porsche Korea CEO Holger Gerrmann stated, “I look forward to the new Esports season with DRX and the dynamic performance that League of Legend and Porsche fans enjoy so much.” He also added, “We hope that we can contribute to the success of the domestic Esports teams through our sponsorship of DRX, one of the professional LoL teams in Korea, which is on the global stage one of the strongest Esports nations for League of Legends.” Porsche Korea will support DRX for three years until 2024 and host various Esports activities. From 2022, the DRX squad will compete in uniforms bearing the Porsche Crest (logo). In addition, offline events that expand contact points between Esports fans and players will be held, and various collaborations such as active social media postings and content production will continue. DRX, one of the teams with the longest history since their first 'League of Legends Champions Korea’ (LCK) in 2012, has unveiled the new team for the 2022 season composed of newly recruited ‘Deft’ (Kim Hyuk-kyu) and ‘BeryL’ (Cho Geon-hee), two veteran players that have taken multiple winning trophies, and the rising talent ‘Zeka’ (Kim Geon-woo). Choi Sang-in, CEO of DRX, stated, “We are very happy to form a partnership with Porsche Korea, an unrivalled sports car brand,” adding that, "We will write history in E-sports thanks to the sup-port of Porsche Korea." Only last year Porsche Korea had successfully launched the ‘Taycan 4S’ Kart in a PC and mobile games based on ‘KartRider’ IP (Intellectual Property) through a partnership with Nexon, and held an E-sports competition ‘KartRider Rush+ I Porsche Super Match.’ In addition, it is further expanding domestic E-sports activities by co-hosting the new ‘Porsche Gran Turismo Cup Asia Pacific’ with a total of 11 countries and regions including Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, and Thailand.
