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eSports

Icespice5 triumph at Red Bull Campus Clutch UK Nationals, qualifying for World Finals in Istanbul

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Icespice5 has been crowned the UK’s best student VALORANT team at the Red Bull Campus Clutch UK National Finals tonight at the Red Bull Gaming Sphere.

The UK Champions, Icespice5, delivered an exhilarating final, taking the win against Boba Enjoyers (18-16), and qualifying for the Red Bull Campus Clutch World Finals in Turkey on November 19-24th. Icespice5 will now go on to battle some of the best student teams in the world for €20,000 in prize money and the chance to be crowned Campus Clutch World Champions.

Red Bull Campus Clutch kicked off this August, with National Qualifiers taking place across the globe and National Finals determining the best student team from each participating country.

The National Finals concluded at the Red Bull Gaming Sphere with Icespice5 dominating the first Semi-Final, winning by an impressive 13-1 in the second map against City Wok. Progressing through to the Grand Final, the five-man team clinched the win after a nail-biting final against Boba Enjoyers, going into overtime five times and finishing with a final score of 18-16.

Having now achieved the three-peat by winning the UK nationals in 2021 and 2022, icespice5 captain, ‘BENZKI’, will be heading to the World Finals yet again in the hopes of being one the UK’s first Red Bull Campus Clutch World Champions.

The Icespice5 team consists of:

  • Benjamin ‘BENZKI’ Price
  • Jacob ‘joocaab’ Stringer
  • Toni ‘wizzing’ Troka
  • Jakub ‘Inkelo’ Mrowinski
  • Marcio‘soldierval’ Rafael Sousa Camoes Correia

Reflecting on their amazing achievement and his three-peat, team captain Benjamin ‘BENZKI’ Price commented: “This year’s Red Bull Campus Clutch has been really good, I’ve won it the past three years in a row and this has been by far the hardest. We practised quite regularly and have been quite strict in our systems, so I think we have a really good chance at the World Finals. There’s a couple of teams I’ve got my eye ahead of the Campus Clutch World Champions, like Egypt and Czechoslovakia but other than that I feel pretty confident.”

Now in its third season, Red Bull Campus Clutch – along with Red Bull Home Ground, the premier pro Red Bull event for VALORANT – encapsulates the brand´s continued commitment to support the VALORANT community and uplift its competitive ecosystem, from a grassroots level with an array of local initiatives to the very highest echelons of esports.

Red Bull Campus Clutch World Finals will take place at the world-famous Volkswagen Arena in Istanbul, Turkey, which hosted VALORANT Champions 2022 where LOUD clinched the title of VCT World Champion. From there, the teams remaining will battle it out in an elimination format, with the Grand Final taking place on the 24th of November, with the final stages being streamed live on Red Bull Twitch.

Three outstanding partners are supporting Red Bull Campus Clutch this season, to bring improved performance to competitors with Intel NUC and AGON by AOC returning to the tournament and Jack Link’s joining as the Official Protein Provider for Red Bull Campus Clutch UK 2023. As PC Partner, Intel NUC, renowned for packing high-powered gaming rigs in small form factors, will support with their top-notch Gaming PCs. The official Monitor Partner, AGON by AOC, will once again provide high-performance gaming monitors for the event.

Asia

Gujarat Titans’ Inaugural “Titans Rising” BGMI Tournament Crowns Champion, Sets Stage for Future Esports Initiatives

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Gujarat Titans is thrilled to announce the successful conclusion of the first-ever “Titans Rising” BGMI tournament, held from October 6th to 27th, 2024. The tournament showcased the incredible talent and passion within the Indian BGMI community, culminating in a thrilling Grand Finale showdown on October 27th. The first ever Titans Rising champions were MOGO Esports.

In a unique gesture that bridged the gap between traditional sports and Esports, the selected players of the 2024 “Titans Rising” tournament will interact and play alongside Gujarat Titans cricket players in a special mixed-team event during the 2025 season. Marquee Esports athletes and gaming content creators like Tanmay “Sc0utOP” Singh,  Deepak “Sensei” Negi and many others will be seen collaborating with Gujarat Titans for some exciting content projects in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League. This initiative will not only provide a unique and rewarding experience for the winning team but also create exciting crossover content for fans of both cricket and Esports.

“Titans Rising” was designed to provide a platform for aspiring BGMI players across India to compete at the highest level. The tournament structure featured a tiered qualification system, starting with open qualifiers that were accessible to all. The overwhelming interest and reach of the tournament was evident with 2,048 teams registered for the open qualifiers. These teams battled it out with winners advancing through the pre-quarters, quarter-finals, and semi-finals. The pre-quarter finals saw the qualified teams pooled with 32 invited professional teams, raising the stakes and intensity of the competition.

Fans across the country had front-row seats to the action, as the entire tournament was broadcast live on the official Gujarat Titans YouTube channel. This broadcast generated impressive viewership metrics: 3.2 million views and 287,000 watched hours. Over 50 Million impressions and 2.1 Million engagements were recorded across GT’s YouTube and social media platforms during the tournament. These numbers underscore the significant reach and engagement of the tournament, solidifying Gujarat Titans’ prominent presence within the Esports community.

A substantial prize pool of ₹2,200,000 was up for grabs, rewarding the top-performing teams and players for their skill and dedication. Beyond the team prizes, individual awards such as “Most Valuable Titan,” “Man of the Maps,” and “Best IGL” recognized exceptional individual contributions and further fueled the competitive spirit. Apart from these gratifying accolades, the Titans Rising tournament honoured the hustle of young and aspiring e-athletes with awards like “Rising Titans” and “Rising Titans Squad” that aim to empower those who wish to rise in ranks within the world of  Esports.

On the success of the first ever Esport tournament organized by any IPL Team, Col. Arvinder Singh, COO-Gujarat Titans said, “”We’re thrilled by the success of Titans Rising and the enthusiastic response of our fans. As the first IPL franchise to enter the Esports arena, Titans Rising created a unique experience that was enjoyed by a new set of fans while providing another avenue of engagement for our existing fan base. Gujarat Titans shall continue to explore new and contemporary avenues to further enhance engagement with our fans and supporters.”

Gujarat Titans is committed to nurturing the growth of the community and creating opportunities for aspiring players. “Titans Rising” is not just a one-off event but a cornerstone of Gujarat Titans’ long-term Esports strategy.

 

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eSports

Th3Antonio announces retirement as a professional esports player

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The toplaner, legend of GIANTX, will continue as the club’s ambassador

Antonio Espinosa Bejarano, known as Th3Antonio, is stepping down from professional competition in League of Legends. A prominent figure in Spanish esports and a legend of GIANTX, he ends his player career and begins a new phase as a content creator and ambassador for the club. His career has established him as one of the most celebrated players in the history of esports in Spain.

Born in Badalona in 1999, Th3Antonio shared his reasons in a video, where he explained that he explored options in the LEC but ultimately decided that retirement was the best choice. “I explored my options in the LEC, but nothing came up. I had options in the Superliga, but honestly, what are the chances of playing Superliga and then getting another shot in the LEC? I don’t think it’s likely. So I had two choices: either Superliga or retirement,” he said. He added, “I could play in Superliga, but it doesn’t motivate me. Competing is about reaching the top, and in Superliga, the highest goal is winning the EMEA Masters. That’s fine, but I wanted to play in the LEC.”

GIANTX will maintain its connection with Th3Antonio, who will now focus on streaming for the organization. With a community of over 700,000 followers, mainly from Spain and Latin America, Th3Antonio has also found success as a content creator. José Díaz, co-CEO of GIANTX, commented on his departure: “Antonio’s decision is understandably sad; he’s been with us for a long time. But I believe he needs to keep building his personal brand because he has a lot of potential. He’s someone who entertains people. There’s no doubt about that for me. I think this is a step he needs to take in his career, and we’re very happy he’s doing it and continuing with us.”

After competing in the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC), one of his main goals, Th3Antonio was a key player for GIANTX, helping to elevate the team’s performance and bringing them closer to the world stage. Starting in 2025, he will provide the official LEC co-stream from Berlin, offering commentary on competitions through his channels.

Nationally, Th3Antonio has won four Spanish championship titles and came close to winning a fifth Superliga. His achievements include two Iberian Cups, one Copa, and a runner-up title in the European Masters, along with several MVP awards. David Alonso, GIANTX’s sports director, highlighted Th3Antonio’s impact and explained the club’s strategic changes: “We want to scout players through data because we’re very good at it and have a system that sets us apart from other clubs in Europe. To become the next G2 or Fnatic, we need to recruit the next generation of stars like BrokenBlade, Yike, Caps. We focus on young talent and players who are very dedicated.”

Th3Antonio’s career began in his teens, debuting in the Superliga at age 16 with PAM. Shortly afterward, he joined GIANTX, then known as Giants, and has maintained a strong connection with the club since 2017. This collaboration has marked a milestone in Spanish esports, with Th3Antonio solidifying his place as the most successful player in the club’s history.

 

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eSports

Intel commits to developing young talent in universities from the UK and Ireland through UNIVERSITY Esports

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Video games are one of the fastest growing sectors of the global entertainment industry, with revenues exceeding those of music and film combined. In the UK, gaming has remarkable potential: it is a business with a growing turnover of more than £4.5 billion and employs more than 47,000 professionals in the country, with a forecast to grow to 60,000 workers by 2025, according to data in Knight Frank’s (RE) Play Report.

Ireland is also notable for the development of its gaming industry. IDA Ireland that the domestic video games sector has been growing steadily. In 2022, the Irish government launched the Digital Games Credit: a way to encourage studios to set up or expand their operations in the country through refundable tax breaks equal to 32% of the expenditure incurred in the design, production and testing of a digital game, up to a limit of €25 million per project.

University students, who are part of Generation Z, have an undeniable interest in gaming. Different international studies indicate that young people represent around a third of the world’s population and their influence on the industry is becoming significant. It is estimated that more than 3 billion people will be gamers by 2025 worldwide.

Working in the world of video games

UNIVERSITY Esports, a grassroots esports organiser in the UK and Ireland operated by GGTech Entertainment, is bringing video games to young British and Irish people so that they can discover the advantages and opportunities offered by the gaming sector for their future professional careers. In the last academic year, over 110 universities took part in the project across the British Isles.

Physiotherapists, psychologists, marketing professionals or nutritionists are some of the professional roles in demand in the esports competition sector. Within the video game creation ecosystem, developer/programmer, designer/illustrator, motion designer, sound/audio designer and video game tester are five professions to watch closely.

Intel is committed to the development of young talent through esports and video games, while giving their support so that students can enjoy the best gaming experience during their time at university. To this end, this brand has announced a partnership with UNIVERSITY Esports for its Winter 2024 season.

The new season of UNIVERSITY Esports

Young university students from the UK and Ireland can now take part in the new season of UNIVERSITY Esports, which returns with new tournaments and activities for students in this 2024/25 edition. Through competition, entertainment and educational experiences, participants can have fun and learn alongside friends and peers.

The aim of UNIVERSITY Esports is to provide young people with an educational and entertaining gaming environment. Before the end of 2024, the project will have an extensive presence with the UNIVERSITY Tour, through in-person events on selected UK campuses. These face-to-face experiences, among wider activities, are intended to engage with students about the benefits of participating in the esports community both professionally and to have fun.

Competition details

League of Legends, VALORANT and Overwatch 2 are the games available to UK and Irish participants this season 2024/25. The Winter 2024 tournament will conclude in the week commencing 25th November, with broadcasts produced by students from the studios at Confetti X in Nottingham.

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