eSports
Intel® Extreme Masters Katowice is back in full glory as G2 Esports and Oliveira claim their place in the Hall of Heroes as 2023 Champions
Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) Katowice 2023 has come to a spectacular closure, as our new Champions have claimed their eternal spot in the Hall of Heroes – a place where legends are born and history is forged for all generations of esports players and fans worldwide. Across three days, over 65,000 people visited the sold-out Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) and StarCraf® II Championships at the Spodek Arena and the International Congress Center (MCK), the IEM Expo, and two additional esports tournaments.
IEM Katowice 2023 CS:GO Championship
The Hall of Heroes hosted 24 of the world’s best CS:GO teams during ten competition days, with the final three days being played out in front of a live audience. After many intense battles, it was G2 Esports and Heroic that were left with the opportunity to claim the ESL Pro Tour (EPT) CS:GO Championship title, a lion’s share of the $1,000,000 total prize pool, and a spot in the IEM Cologne 2023 tournament. The audience at the packed Spodek Arena, along with the almost 710,000* people simultaneously tuning in from around the world, was kept at the edge of their seats, but eventually, it was G2 Esports that took a 3-1 victory.
While previously only making it as far as the semi-finals at IEM Katowice Championships, G2 Esports has officially entered the Hall of Heroes and will see its name engraved on the iconic trophy for the very first time. The team has now also made its first step to completing the race to the Intel® Grand Slam IV, needing three more wins of EPT Masters or Championship events to secure its $1,000,000 cash prize.
Moreover, Nikola “NiKo” Kovač finally managed to secure the coveted IEM Katowice title after having lost three Grand Finals in the past, making the win a particularly special moment for the G2 Esports rifler. For his teammate, Justin “jks” Savage, this is the second IEM Katowice victory after winning last year’s edition as a stand-in for FaZe Clan. He hereby becomes the first player ever to win IEM Katowice back-to-back while playing for different teams. The Australian also debuted as EPT DHL MVP (Most Valuable Player).
“If you want to know how much winning IEM Katowice meant to the G2 Army, just watch NiKo finally lifting the trophy,” said G2 Esports. “We are honored to cement our place in CS:GO history and join the Hall of Heroes with this amazing team.”
Next up in the ESL Pro Tour for CS:GO is the ESL Pro League Season 17, on February 21-March 26. For more information, check the official website and follow ESL CS on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
IEM Katowice 2023 StarCraft® II Championship
StarCraft® II fans world-wide got to experience a most memorable and emotional tournament as well. After five days of intense battles for the $500,000 total prize pool and the title of World Champion, it was Maru and Oliveira – respectively placed first and 20th in the EPT 22/23 Combined Standings – who were this year’s Grand Finalists.
With the former being the expected winner, the people watching the matches live at the MCK as well as the more than 73,000* fans simultaneously watching the live broadcasts were in for a big surprise as it was Oliveira who claimed the victory. Shedding tears of happiness live on stage after his remarkable performance, Oliveira has shown the world the fairytale-like possibility to reach the absolute top as an underdog.
The win is one of the most memorable ones in the almost 25 years of StarCraft® history, as the Chinese Terran player who commenced his professional career in 2015 has never before won a tournament outside of China. Furthermore, despite being close to not making it out of the Group Stage, he ended up beating some of the big fan-favorites – including Heromarine, Reynor, and herO – along the way.
For more information about EPT SC2, check the official website and follow ESL SC2 on Twitter and Facebook.
ESL Impact Katowice
Marking a spectacular start of an action-packed year for the all-women CS:GO circuit, ESL Impact, eight top teams competed at the $100,000 tournament in Katowice. Motivated by tremendous local support at the IEM Expo at the MCK, the Polish squad from NAVI Javelins made it to the Grand Finals, where they were challenged by Nigma Galaxy.
Eventually, it was the latter that proved to be the stronger team as they beat NAVI Javelins 2-0 after overtime on the last map. Nigma Galaxy thereby continues to dominate the all-women CS:GO scene, now having claimed all four ESL Impact trophies since the circuit’s launch in early 2022.
Next up is the ESL Impact League Season 3 on March 8-April 16, with the Global League Finals taking place live at DreamHack Dallas on June 2-4. For more information, check the official website and follow ESL Impact on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
ESL R1 2023 Spring Season Round 1 & 2
Apart from the ESL Impact tournament, the returning IEM Expo hosted another heated competition as the brand-new ESL R1 made its debut. On February 11-12, 48 racers gave a whole new meaning to virtual racing during the first two rounds of the 2023 Spring Season. With more than 75,000 hours watched during the live broadcasts of the first two rounds, EFG’s newest esports circuit already proves to be a stunning success.
Encouraged by the fans gathering around the live stage, Maximilian Benecke from MOUZ became the fastest RENNSPORT driver during Round 1, while Joshua Rogers from Porsche Coanda Esports Racing Team was the first to cross the finish line in Round 2.
The ESL R1 2023 Spring Season continues with rounds 3 to 8 on March 13-May 8 and concludes with the 2023 Spring Major, live at the RENNSPORT Summit on May 27-28. For more information about ESL R1 check the official website and follow ESL R1 on TikTok, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
The IEM Expo
Last but certainly not least, the event provided its attendees with countless new memories through activities at the IEM Expo. Games, cosplayers, influencers, competitions, hardware presentations, and much more were offered by some of the biggest brands on the market. The big crowd attending is a testament to the ability of shared interests, hobbies and passion for bringing people together to celebrate and socialize.
As the lights slowly turn off in the Spodek Arena and silence settles in the MCK, a new chapter of esports history is officially written and new legends are immortalized at the Hall of Heroes. The spectacular beginning of the year is a promising start for what is yet to come for the world beyond gameplay.
Clarion Gaming has confirmed that Akhil Sarin CMO at Easygo, the technology powerhouse behind the success of global brands Stake and Kick will headline the Esports & Games Conference (EGC) taking place on 21 January as part of the ICE Barcelona experience. As a key member of the executive team, Akhil Sarin has been instrumental in securing the high-profile partnerships that have accelerated Stake’s growth, including the Stake F1 team, UFC, Drake, and Premier League Everton FC.
Through these strategic alliances he has amplified Stake’s brand presence at the same time as creating unique, immersive player experiences, in the process setting new industry benchmarks.
Announcing the high profile speaker Will Harding, Head of Esports at Clarion Gaming said: “Securing Akhil Sarin as EGC key note at ICE Barcelona represents a remarkable opportunity for our attendees to gain invaluable insight into cutting-edge strategies in digital and influencer marketing .
“Akhil’s expertise with Stake and Kick.com embodies the forward-thinking, innovative approach that defines the digital marketing landscapes. His participation underscores the calibre of knowledge-sharing that we are committed to delivering at ICE and he is sure to both inspire our attendees and elevate their strategic perspective.”
Looking ahead to ICE Barcelona, Akhil Sarin stated: “Collaborating with Clarion Gaming at ICE Barcelona is an exciting opportunity to showcase Stake’s journey and continued focus on bold partnerships and creative marketing strategies that resonate with audiences.”
He added “The EGC is a vital platform for exchanging transformative ideas and shaping the future of gaming and entertainment. I look forward to discussing Stake’s vision and collaborating with industry leaders to inspire growth and innovation across the sector.”
WEC24 Complete: Indonesia Crowned Overall Champion! Busan, South Korea (November 20, 2024) – After nine days of exciting competition, the 16th World Esports Championship (WEC24) has come to a conclusion.
From epic plays to unforgettable moments, the championship closed out with the Dota 2 and MLBB Women’s finals. The ultimate victory and the biggest moment of the night belonged to Indonesia, as they won their second title as the WEC24 Overall Champions.
This prestigious trophy is awarded to the nation that excels across all of the game titles. Turkey secured one gold and one bronze medal also, however, Indonesia’s consistency and performance across the other game titles gave them the edge to secure their victory. Congratulations to Indonesia for this remarkable achievement!
WEC24 started on November 11 at the spectacular SEF Arena in Riyadh, bringing together athletes from around the world to compete across six tournaments: PUBG MOBILE, CS2 (Women’s and Open), Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Open and Women’s), and Dota 2. Each competition delivered its special charm, giving us new champions and a WEC to remember.
Medalists:
PUBG MOBILE:
- Turkey
- Ukraine
- Brazil
CS2 Women’s:
- Poland
- France
- Portugal
CS2 Open:
- Romania
- Portugal
- Serbia
MLBB Open:
- Malaysia
- Philippines
- Indonesia
MLBB Women’s:
- Indonesia
- Cambodia
- Egypt
Dota 2:
- Greece
- Sweden
- Turkey
This year’s WEC broke records and set new milestones: the largest CS2 Women’s tournament with a $160,000 prize pool, the debut of the MLBB Women’s category, and a marathon Dota 2 bronze match that won’t be forgotten. Over 480 athletes gave it their all, leaving behind moments that will define the Esports scene for years.
As WEC24 comes to an end, we are thankful to every athlete, national federation, fan, and Esports enthusiast who traveled with us on the Road to Riyadh.
GG once again to Indonesia, our WEC24 Overall Champion! Thank you, Riyadh, for hosting an unforgettable championship. Until next time, see you on the next World Esports Championship journey!
Asia
Savvy Games Delegation Joins More Than 30,000 Fans for Tencent and Hero Esports’ Honor of Kings Grand Finals in Beijing
The inaugural King Pro League Grand Finals 2024, the biggest esports event in China, drew more than 30,000 fans to a sold-out Beijing Workers’ Stadium on Nov 16. A delegation from Savvy Games and the Esports World Cup Foundation also joined the iconic event hosted by Chinese tech giant Tencent and the largest esports company in Asia, Hero Esports (formerly known as VSPO).
HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, Vice Chairman of Savvy Games Group (Savvy); Brian Ward, CEO of Savvy; and Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, attended the tournament where two top Chinese esports teams competed for the inaugural Holy Dragon Cup and a record prize pool.
A total of 70 million rmb ($9.8 million) was awarded to the top 12 teams who advanced through the rounds of the six-week-long tournament. The final showdown was between Chengdu All Gamers and Chongqing Wolves, where Chengdu All Gamers emerged victorious in a best-of-seven series and took home 22 million rmb ($3.1 million) in prize money.
King Pro League, the premier esports league for Tencent’s hit game Honor of Kings, is the biggest esports league in Asia. Honor of Kings is the world’s most popular mobile game with more than 100 million daily players. Hero Esports has been the organizer of KPL tournaments since the league was first launched in 2016.
This year marks the inaugural KPL Grand Finals, which replaces the Honor of Kings International Championship for Chinese Honor of Kings competitors and features the top teams from across China, one of the biggest esports markets in the world with the most players. Events were held at arenas in Chengdu, Hangzhou and Changsha, with the Grand Finals event being held in Beijing.
The popularity of esports is growing rapidly around the world, encouraged by government support in a number of countries and new products and technology. According to a Frost & Sullivan Report, the market size of the esports gaming industry has experienced a significant increase at a CAGR of 15.2% from US$29.8 billion in 2017 to US$52.6 billion in 2021, and is expected to increase further at a CAGR of 12.1% from US$57.9 billion in 2022 to US$102.4 billion in 2027.
The report also shows that the number of gamers globally has experienced a significant increase at a CAGR of 7.1% from 2.3 billion in 2017 to 3.1 billion in 2021, and is expected to further increase at a CAGR of 5.5% from 3.3 billion in 2022 to 4.3 billion in 2027.
Danny Tang, CEO and Co-Founder of Hero Esports, commented: “Hero Esports is proud to have been a part of the first King Pro League Grand Finals, which is an example of the high calibre esports tournaments that fans and players everywhere deserve. The strong enthusiasm we’ve seen for this event in its first year is a testament to the significant growth of interest in this sport and the support of our high-profile sponsors. The atmosphere in the arena was electric and we congratulate the Chengdu All Gamers in winning the inaugural Holy Dragon Cup.”
Hero Esports, formerly known as VSPO, is a leading player in the global esports industry, collaborating with major game developers and global brands and organizing tournaments for players and fans across the world. It is the biggest esports tournament operator in Asia, having hosted 86 tournaments in the region in 2023, of which 62 were in China, compared with a total of 77 tournaments in 2020, of which three were overseas. The company recently announced the Esports Asian Champions League (ACL), Asia’s new premier international esports tournament featuring multiple titles.
Sponsors of the King Pro League Grand Finals 2024 include Meituan, Snapdragon and SAIC Volkswagen and iQOO.
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