eSports
Team Vitality reveals CS:GO powerhouse and €50M talent investment
Team Vitality continues its journey to European esports domination as it reveals it has signed dupreeh, magisk, and zonic to create one of the best CS:GO rosters in history as part of a €50M talent investment
Team Vitality is excited to share it is taking its CS:GO roster to the next level with the signing of Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen, Emil “magisk” Reif, and Danny “zonic” Sørensen. The decorated trio join Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, Dan “apEX” Madesclaire, and Kévin “misutaaa” Rabier to complete one of the strongest line-ups in CS:GO history. The new roster comes as part of a €50M investment from Rewired.gg spread over the next three years to create European super teams capable of winning the most coveted trophies in esports. The news follows the reveal of Team Vitality’s League of Legends roster, featuring World Champion finalist Luka “Perkz” Perković and back-to-back European Champion Matyáš “Carzzy” Orság.
Team Vitality’s CS:GO and League of Legends rosters represent a new era for the organisation as it aims to dominate European esports, bolstered by increased investment, unrivalled facilities and performance staff, and a strong leadership team from the sport and lifestyle industries. With a new laser focus on performance and securing the best international talent in esports, it is Team Vitality’s goal to conquer the biggest stages of them all by being the most serious contender at Worlds and Major on the three next years.
These gigantic rosters are represented in the “Watch us follow us” Team Vitality brand video in which CS: GO and League of Legends athletes become real Titans and gather to conquer the world. The video showcases Team Vitality’s ambitious objectives and performance goals which the organisation has created to take themselves to the next level.
As a legacy player, dupreeh is one of only five to have attended every CS:GO Major with titles secured at an impressive four tournaments including ELEAGUE Major: Atlanta 2017, FACEIT London Major 2018, IEM Katowice 2019, and StarLadder Major: Berlin 2019. magisk also joins Team Vitality with a long list of accolades including winning the prestigious Intel Grand Slam, a $1,000,000 prize awarded to teams who win a number of S-Tier events organised by ESL or DreamHack. Leading the helm, the most decorated coach in CS:GO history, zonic brings a wealth of experience, trophy wins, and expertise which is set to take Team Vitality to new heights.
“This scale of talent investment has never been seen in esports before and I am honoured to be leading the charge with these rosters which have the potential to make history in Europe and beyond,” said, Fabien “Neo” Devide, Co-Founder and Esports Director, Team Vitality. “Since the beginning of our entrance into CS:GO, we have been working with intensity to get to the top and nurture some of the best talent France has to offer. It’s now time to think internationally and create a new CS:GO culture of European talent with legacy athletes. As proven winners, dupreeh, magisk & zonic have what it takes to move us from not just being a strong contender, but the best CS:GO team in the world.”
CS:GO has always been central to Team Vitality’s competitive ambitions with a long history of winning trophies and nurturing some of the biggest players in the space. Team Vitality is home to back-to-back HLTV Player of The Year and Forbes 30 under 30 honoree ZywOo. At only 21 years old, ZywOo is on track to mark the history of his sport and broke records by becoming the holder for the most MVP awards earned by a player during their first competitive year, securing five. With this new roster of experienced talent, Team Vitality is set to elevate ZywOo to earn another HLTV Player of The Year award and take his skills to unprecedented heights.
“I couldn’t be more excited to have dupreeh, magisk, and zonic join the team. Together they have achieved so much and I know there is a lot both myself and the team can learn from them. I am so ready to show everyone how far this team can go!” said Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut.
Team Vitality’s new CS: GO roster will be composed of:
- Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut, France, 21 years old
- Two time, and current, HLTV best player in the world
- Kevin “Misutaaa” Rabier, France, 18 years old
- Blast Premier Fall 2020 winner as a rookie
- Dan “apEX” Madesclaire, France, 28 years old
- Captain and 2015 Major winner
- Peter “dupreeh” Rothmann Rasmussen, Denmark, 26 years old
- 4 time Major winner and Intel GrandSlam Winner
- Emil “magisk” Hoffmann Reif, Denmark, 23 years old
- Major MVP, 3 time Major winner and Intel GrandSlam Winner
eSports
IESF and ITTI Open Applications for Scholarships in Esports Management
The International Esports Federation (IESF) and the International Institute of Technology and Innovation (ITTI) are thrilled to announce the launch of the IESF x ITTI Scholarships, an initiative designed to empower the next generation of Esports leaders. This scholarship program brings together the industry’s best resources to select young talent ready to make their mark in Esports management and gaming.
Four scholarships are available for promising students who will join ITTI’s Master’s in Esports Management and Gaming program. This scholarship opportunity opens on November 4, 2024, and closes on November 20, 2024. The project is also part of IESF and Busan City’s World Esports R&D Center Program, supporting education and development in the Esports industry.
Scholarship Allocation:
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One student who is a Resident of Busan, aged 18 – 24.
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Three international students, aged 18-24.
How to Apply:
Open to applicants aged 18 to 24, the program invites candidates to submit a completed application form and an introduction video addressing specific questions about their goals, interests, and vision for Esports. With support from NASEF, IESF’s educational partner, the selection committee will evaluate each applicant’s creativity, dedication to Esports, and unique ideas to shape the industry.
Applicants can access the Application Form and should complete both the form and video submission by the deadline.
The IESF x ITTI Scholarships offer a great path into Esports management, and recipients will gain access to ITTI’s advanced curriculum designed to equip students for impactful roles in Esports. We invite all eligible young enthusiasts to apply and join this exciting journey with us. Let’s help shape the future of Esports!
eSports
SOFTSWISS Sportsbook Doubles Esports Turnover in Q3 2024
1 November 2024 – Esports has experienced explosive growth in Q3 2024, doubling turnover compared to the previous quarter. The average bet on cybersports increased by 17.6% quarter-on-quarter. SOFTSWISS, a global tech expert with over 15 years of experience providing innovative iGaming solutions, shares the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook Q3 2024 report.
The top five sports by Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) remain consistent: Football, Tennis, Basketball, Table Tennis, and eFootball. For the second consecutive quarter, eFootball has outperformed Counter-Strike 2, indicating a shifting interest within the esports sector. Nevertheless, football continues to dominate, contributing nearly half of the total GGR.
The average live bet grew by 10% quarter-on-quarter, a positive development for operators as live bets hold 78.6% of turnover. The SOFTSWISS Sportsbook team is actively enhancing the live betting experience, aiming to capitalise on this trend and provide operators with even greater revenue opportunities.
The average bet grew by 9.7% quarter-on-quarter in Q3 2024, and the number of bets increased by 18.7%. GGR saw a modest growth of 1.5% quarter-on-quarter.
Despite the large number of projects launched for the UEFA Euro 2024, month-on-month statistics show that with the right promotional strategies, projects continue to operate successfully even after such massive events.
Alexander Kamenetskyi, Head of SOFTSWISS Sportsbook, adds: “Aligning a launch with a major sporting event can be a successful strategy, but football is not the only sport that can be leveraged in this way. The growth of cybersports presents new opportunities; for specialised projects targeting specific audiences, esports events can also serve as an effective starting point.
We continuously focus on product growth and development, enhancing features and user experience to drive further engagement and profitability for our partners.”
The SOFTSWISS Sportsbook is expanding its global presence. The product team is on track to secure certification in Brazil, conducted by an authorised testing laboratory. Furthermore, for the South African market, the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook has recently integrated a Horse Racing Module. This addition offers operators new business opportunities by covering over 2,400 international and local races monthly. The solution engages players with race cards, silks, and multiple bet types while providing operators unique skins and configurations to align with various brand identities.
The SOFTSWISS team is working on The iGaming Trends Report 2025, which offers a deep dive into key industry developments based on over 50,000 media headlines and insights from industry experts. Covering areas like regulation, marketing, technology, and business growth, this report provides a data-driven perspective on the trends shaping the upcoming year. The SOFTSWISS team shares the possibility of joining the waiting list.
All SOFTSWISS products will be showcased at the final major industry event, SiGMA Europe, at stand 2145.
eSports
Procedure to be followed by school clubs affiliating for the 2025 season
Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA), founded in 1984, is the national federation for Board games, Card games, Esports, and Wargames.
MSSA promotes all the different disciplines equally, although each school may pick-and-choose which discipline it wishes to promote at its school. Some schools will promote the whole gambit, while others will concentrate on only one discipline, and/or even just concentrate on one specific title.
The choice is ultimately up to the school.
MSSA has sent teams with full Protea Colours to international events since 1991 for wargames, 1996 for Morabaraba, 1997 for Checkers, and 2005 for Esports. Many members of the national teams have been scholars, and all have benefited from their involvement in the national Protea Team.
There is still the option open for a school to start a full-blown sub-club on its premises, but bearing in mind the tight regulatory conditions under which accredited schools have to operate in the Republic, the MSSA no longer deems it necessary for a school to start a sub-club.
As long as the school club has the approval of the school, and has an Educator-in-Charge, a school may affiliate by merely completing the Application for Affiliation Form and submitting such to MSSA.
Advantages of having a MSSA affiliated club: There are many advantages of having a MSSA affiliated club, such as:
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Being part of a community where your club has a real say in how things are done
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Being able to apply for National Lottery Funding – MSSA member clubs can apply for up to R800,000.00 in funding
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Being able to get assistance from your local government
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Experience increased media exposure of your events and your gamers
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Become part of the international community through the MSSA Registered players are able to become internationally recognised umpires, etc.
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Enable your gamers to take part in MSSA events, which may qualify them for Regional, Provincial, and National colours, overseas trips, and even sports bursaries at university.
- Private clubs: one vote per every five registered players, and
- School clubs: one vote per every ten registered players.
MSSA’s General Regulations
The General Regulations comprises of decisions made by both Council and Executive Committee Meetings. The General Regulations deals with how sub-committees operate as well as to how teams are selected and development funding is distributed. Please refer to Schedule 10.12 in regard to the rights of clubs in hosting events.
MSSA’s Discipline Specific Regulations
The Discipline Specific Regulations deal with rules concerning the different disciplines. The Disciplines that the MSSA caters for are; Board Gaming, Card gaming, Esports, and Figure Gaming.
When a club applies for membership, the applicant club must complete such form and return the same to the MSSA.Fee note for 2025
The fee note details the Affiliation Fees and Registration fees that are payable.
Player Registration Form
The Player Registration Form needs to be completed by every player that is a member of a club and intends to participate in MSSA affairs.
MSSA’s Letter of Undertaking
The Letter of Undertaking is for all registered players who sit on any MSSA committee.
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