Connect with us
WINNING COMBINATION

eSports

Will German eSports be recognized as a sport?

Published

on

Will German eSports be recognized as a sport?
Reading Time: 3 minutes

From now on, German eSports will be supported by a national association. Can eSports become an actual sport in Germany? Violent games are still causing trouble in that regard.

 

Germany’s gaming culture was quick to embrace competitive eSports. Many important clubs were actually founded on German soil. Historic organizations such as SK Gaming, Alternate aTTaX or the Electronic Sports League (ESL) have transformed international eSports into this enormous industry that now attracts millions of viewers and sponsors such as Audi or Adidas. With all these important steps, however, one has constantly been omitted. Now, 20 of the biggest German organizations have caught up:

Last month, the eSports-Bund Deutschland (ESBD, or “eSports Association of Germany”) was founded in the city of Frankfurt. The implications are huge, since virtually all the major German teams are aligning themselves with the new association. The responsibilities of the ESBD are numerous, Vice President Niklas Timmermann explains: “Potential examples would be creating models to govern how to set up registered clubs, professional teams, player contracts and so forth, or serving as an arbiter in disputes or when harmonizing sets of rules,” Timmermann says. “Beyond that, probably the most important thing is that this field gets a voice that can politically represent players and teams alike.” 

The Mysterious Monkeys, one of Germany’s top teams, is now part of an eSports federation

Players, teams no longer fending for themselves

The Mysterious Monkeys are one of the teams that have joined forces with the ESBD. The club is being represented by the company ad hoc gaming GmbH and its CEO, Ben Hamana. With the ESBD, he sees a chance to carry eSports right into the center of society. “It is crucial now to organize, to create professional structures and to act in unity. For too long every team had to look after itself on its own, now we can do this with one voice thanks to the association.

But how, exactly? Hamana explains that officers of the ESBD meet up in a committee to discuss important matters. There, a representative of the teams and players relays their questions and works with them closely on all issues. However, it’s the job of the teams to come together: “The professional teams communicate in various groups about various relevant topics and the essence of this gets brought to the [ESBD] committee.

For a competitive industry that cannot rely on a long history of joint structures and unified rules, this comes as a refreshing and important step. It ensures that the voices of players and teams alike can be heard. “The association acts for its members and not for any other group or even for its own economic gain,” Hamana asserts.

Even Angela Merkel made her way to the Cologne games expo ‘Gamescom’ this August

A lobby group, even at the Olympic level

But it’s not just the individual matters of the teams that are on the agenda, the ESBD will also promote German eSports on a political level. As a result of the ESBD’s founding, an eSports representative has taking part in a meeting of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) for the first time ever. “The founding of this association is an important and satisfactory step, because now we have a body to turn to discuss this exciting topic,” DOSB President Alfons Hörmann said at last month’s meeting.

eSports hoping for favorable tax status

The prospects of eSports being formally recognized as a “sport” in Germany — with all the legal and tax benefits that can bring — now appear increasingly realistic.

ESBD Vice President Timmermann is optimistic and stresses how important this is for electronic competition: “We want to secure ‘sports’ status for eSports and thereby enable players to access the benefits that come along with it, like public funding, assistance with their travel, and so on. We will work towards this, and hopefully succeed.”

The German government has also sent positive signals this year. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s appearance at Gamescom in August showed that the topic had finally hit German politicians’ radars. However, violent games in particular can cause a lot of trouble in this dialogue, as a recent statement from the president of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, has shown: “We want to promote non-discrimination, non-violence, and peace among people. This doesn’t match with video games, which are about violence, explosions and killing. And there we have to draw a clear line.

An inclusion of non-violent games has not been ruled out however, and considering that the Asian Games will include eSports as a part of their 2022 competition, it’s at least conceivable that eSports might be incorporated into the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

So can eSports become a sport in Germany? The scene knows how important a resolution to this question is for both teams and players, although there seems to be no concrete answer in sight. However, the ESBD’s foundation lays the groundwork for more political talks on the matter.

 

S0urce

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Asia

NODWIN Gaming Appoints Atin Suri as the Global Head of Experiential Marketing

Published

on

Reading Time: 2 minutes

NODWIN Gaming, a leader in new-age youth entertainment, gaming, and esports, has announced the appointment of Atin Suri as Global Head of Experiential Marketing. With a track record of delivering disruptive, immersive brand experiences across diverse markets, Atin brings a wealth of expertise to help further NODWIN Gaming’s mission to engage and excite audiences across all ages, worldwide.

Atin will be responsible for leading NODWIN Gaming’s worldwide expansion efforts in experiential marketing and continued growth while handling the company’s white-label events and activations. His ability to formulate marketing strategies and well-crafted market messaging for a global audience ties in seamlessly with NODWIN Gaming’s vision as the company continues to expand its footprint in the industry and deepen its engagement with audiences.

A key focus for NODWIN Gaming is providing holistic entertainment to the global youth with its diverse range of intellectual properties that spans esports, gaming, pop culture, music, and comedy. Atin’s extensive expertise in crafting bespoke and immersive on-ground experiences will be key in enhancing consumer experience and brand recall.

“For me, experience is everything, and I’ve always wanted to push the envelope when it comes to the intersection of technology and immersive experiences,” said Atin. “At NODWIN Gaming, I see endless opportunities when it comes to experiential marketing especially when the company is expanding further towards youth-focused experiences across the world.”

Before joining NODWIN, Atin founded The Experiential Hub, a disruptive agency known for crafting innovative brand events and activations. His experience as a pioneer in experiential marketing includes leading several landmark campaigns.

A decade ago, Atin recognised the untapped potential of esports in India, a foresight that led to his successful collaboration with Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming. Together, they worked on Dew Arena and made it India’s Largest Offline Gaming Championship.

Building on this partnership, they went on to bring DreamHack, the world’s largest gaming festival to India. This groundbreaking project won the award for Best Intellectual Property at the prestigious WOW Awards Asia 2019. Atin also played a pivotal role in organising major esports events with the NODWIN Gaming team in India including ESL One, PUBG Club Open, PMPL South Asia and many more.

“We are thrilled to welcome Atin to NODWIN Gaming” commented Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming. “Having worked with Atin on previous projects, we have always admired his ability to bring fresh and bold ideas to the table. His passion for tech-driven, experiential events makes him the perfect fit for our vision of creating unforgettable gaming experiences globally.”

Atin has also been the recipient of multiple honours like the JWT HiP Club Rising Star, the CEO Award from PepsiCo, and the Tech India Award.

Continue Reading

eSports

Team Vitality and ALDI collaborate to fight toxicity against women and promote diversity in esports

Published

on

Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

  • Team Vitality and ALDI have collaborated to fight toxicity against women and promote diversity in esports through a powerful video launched today
  • The video titled “Des Failles dans La Faille” translates to “Rifts in the Rift,” referencing the League of Legends battlefield, where a significant amount of online toxicity stems from, highlighting the impact of cyberbullying on gamers who are women
  • The video features Team Vitality’s women’s League of Legends team, the Rising Bees, alongside TV Host and presenter Marie Palot, and League of Legends Shoutcaster, Nox.
  • The video is now available to watch on YouTube

Today, French esports club Team Vitality and ALDI have announced their collaboration to fight toxicity against women, break down stereotypes and promote diversity in esports through a powerful video titled, “Des Failles dans La Faille”. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the daily online harassment received by women in the gaming industry and its impact on their lives. In sharing their experiences, they reveal how certain messages undermine their confidence, harm their mental health, and negatively impact their in-game performance.

Online harassment and sexism are prevalent in gaming, and damage the development of the female esports scene worldwide. While 50% of worldwide gamers are women, only 7% compete in esports (France Esports Barometer 2023). A 2022 Ipsos study also showed that 84% of people harassed online are women, with 51% under the age of 30.

For over four years, Team Vitality and ALDI have prioritised the development of women’s esports, including spearheading the creation of Team Vitality’s women’s League of Legends team, the Rising Bees, in 2023. Together, both organisations are championing the development of a more equal and diverse ecosystem in esports, advocating for esports clubs worldwide to train women’s teams with the same facilities and resources provided to men’s teams, as well as raise the overall skill level, allowing more women to pursue professional careers in esports.

The video “Des Failles dans la Faille” centres on the Rising Bees, Team Vitality’s women’s League of Legends team. The title refers to Summoner’s Rift, the in-game battleground where players compete and where many women often become targets of hateful and toxic messages.

Appearing in the video to share their experiences include:

  • Velouria “Viki” Baty: French player and ADC for Team Vitality
  • Madison “Crowmac” Coutelet: French player and Toplaner for Team Vitality
  • Alena “Tifa” Maurer: German player and Midlaner for Team Vitality
  • Marie Palot: TV Host and presenter
  • Nox: League of Legends Shoutcaster
  • Anne Banschbach: Director of Esports at Team Vitality

In the video, they take turns reading and reacting to various online messages from gamers, covering issues like body shaming, death threats, misogyny, and more. Alongside this, they share their personal stories and emotions, which range from sadness and anger to feelings of isolation and hopelessness. They also discuss how these messages affect their daily lives and ultimately impact their performance, even though they admit they’ve become “accustomed” to these misogynistic attacks.

In the second part of the video, they read messages full of kindness and encouragement, which often get overlooked and lost among the many hateful messages. Team Vitality and ALDI aim to highlight the power of positivity in boosting morale, even amid the often harsh and hostile messages in the esports community.

Throughout the year, Team Vitality also produces and shares content following the Rising Bees’ journey, aiming to break down stereotypes and create inspiring role models for the next generation of gamers.

“Des Failles dans La Faille” is available to watch on YouTube.

 

Continue Reading

eSports

DATA.BET Celebrates Triumph at EiGE Awards 2024

Published

on

Reading Time: < 1 minute

 

DATA.BET, a distinguished leader in esports betting solutions, was recognised at the European iGaming Excellence Awards, which took place on 15 October in Warsaw, Poland.

The EiGE Awards 2024, organised by Hipther, gathered vital industry leaders to celebrate the achievements of the most influential companies in the iGaming sector all around Europe. Held as part of the European Gaming Congress, the awards served as the highlight of the event, honoring the best-performing companies across the region. The congress itself offered a dynamic format of panel discussions, presentations and workshops, allowing attendees to explore the latest trends, challenges and growth opportunities in the sector.

This award highlights DATA.BET’s significant impact on the esports betting landscape, and showcases its ability to deliver reliable and advanced solutions that meet the needs of both operators and bettors. As the popularity of esports continues to grow within the European betting market, this achievement reinforces the company’s position at the forefront of the market.

“We are honored to receive this recognition. This award emphasizes both our achievements and the progress of our products. Throughout the year, we’ve introduced a range of new offerings, including Bet Builder and Widgets, such as Scoreboards and Pitch Tracker. Notably, the Player Props, launched in 2023, has quickly become a favorite among bettors. This acknowledgment reflects our team’s hard work and dedication, continuously striving to deliver top-tier esports betting solutions in the European market,” said Otto Boning, Head of Sales at DATA.BET.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Alpha Affiliates
Advertisement

EveryMatrix

Advertisement

Launch your iGaming business swiftly and effortlessly with our comprehensive turnkey solutions

Trending (Top 7)

Get it on Google Play

EuropeanGaming.eu is a premier online platform that serves as a leading information hub for the gaming and gambling industry. This industry-centric media outlet reaches over 200,000 readers monthly, providing them with compelling content, the latest news, and deep-dive insights.

Offering comprehensive coverage on all aspects of the gaming sector, EuropeanGaming.eu includes online and land-based gaming, betting, esports, regulatory and compliance updates, and technological advancements. Regular features encompass daily news articles, press releases, exclusive interviews, and insightful event reports.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant virtual meetups and conferences, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - European Gaming is part of HIPTHER. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania

We are constantly showing banners about important news regarding events and product launches. Please turn AdBlock off in order to see these areas.