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eSports

Team Vitality Moves East with StarCraft II Roster as it Continues Global Expansion

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Leading esports organisation Team Vitality is excited to announce the arrival of a StarCraft II roster within its ranks, diving into the heart of Korean esports culture and the real-time strategy (RTS) scene.

Against a challenging economic backdrop, Team Vitality shines by demonstrating its dynamism. The organisation is thriving, confirming its role as a leader and pioneer at the heart of the global esports ecosystem, while writing a new page in its history, highlighting continued and inspiring growth.

TEAM VITALITY’S STARCRAFT II ROSTER WILL COMPETE AT IEM KATOWICE 2024

The French esports club is embracing one of the most iconic and foundational titles in the esports ecosystem. Formerly known as ONSYDE, Team Vitality’s new StarCraft II roster will make their debut, donned in Vitality’s iconic colours, at IEM Katowice 2024, taking place from February 8-11th in Poland, with the goal of securing multiple titles. Each player on the roster has accumulated several individual titles in the Global StarCraft II League (GSL), with the team itself having claimed victory in every season of the World Team League until 2023.

The roster is composed of:

Kang ‘Solar’ Min-Soo – Zerg – South Korea: Solar stands out as a formidable force in the competitive StarCraft II scene. Known for his innovative playstyle and consistent performance, he has captured the admiration of fans worldwide. With an illustrious career holding multiple GSL titles as well as the most recent season, Solar has cemented himself as one of the best in StarCraft II.
Cho ‘Maru’ Seong-Ju – Terran – South Korea: Maru has established himself as a true prodigy of StarCraft II esports, with the title of youngest player to compete in GSL and winning their first televised game at 13 years old. Since his debut, Maru has consistently proven himself as a dominant force in StarCraft II esports. With numerous championships and accolades under his belt, including multiple GSL titles, Maru’s impact on the esports landscape is nothing short of legendary.
Kim ‘Ryung’ Dong-Won – Terran – South Korea: Beloved by the community, Ryung has consistently performed at the top tournaments, such as GSL and World Team League, over many years which earned him the respect of both players and fans alike. Ryung brings a wealth of experience and a strategic mindset that complements the team’s pursuit of success.
Choi ‘CranK’ Jae-Won – Team Manager – South Korea: CranK is primarily known for his career spanning several years where he showcased the hallmarks of a StarCraft II expert, using highly strategic gameplay with quick and precise decision making. Now a streamer and a coach, CranK continues to be dedicated and passionate about the game. His charismatic personality and love for the community, makes him the perfect candidate to lead the team to dominate the esports scene.
“Entering StarCraft II means associating Team Vitality with the history of global esports. It’s an iconic game that the entire esport ecosystem has grown up with. And as well as rekindling our nostalgia, it’s a great opportunity to open up to a new market as part of our international expansion. We’re going to be partnering with professionals on the scene and players with legendary status. These criteria are essential to Team Vitality’s top performance model. Together, we will work towards the success of the game and become ambassadors to recreate the craze for RTS games.” explains Fabien ‘Neo’ Devide, Co-Founder and President of Team Vitality.

“We are so excited to be partnering with Team Vitality. This is the next step for us as a team, and by sharing insights, knowledge, and resources we can take our roster to the next level and expand our reach to a global audience. Despite ONSYDE being relatively young, we have established ourselves as a dominant force in the StarCraft II scene, and with the support of Team Vitality we hope to continue claiming titles and making our fans proud.” comments Choi ‘CranK’ Jae-Won, Team Manager.

TEAM VITALITY FORGES ITS DEVELOPMENT ON THE GLOBAL ESPORTS SCENE

The launch of this team marks Team Vitality’s ongoing growth in the Asian market following its presence in Mumbai, India, with the incorporation of its Call of Duty: Mobile team in 2021.

This new roster comes at the heels of Team Vitality’s most successful competitive year in history. In 2023, its Counter-Strike team won five major circuit trophies, including the IEM Rio in April, BLAST Major Paris in May, Gamers8 in August, BLAST Fall Finals in November, and rounding off the year claiming victory at the BLAST World Final in December. These outstanding performances earned the team the title of Team of the Year at the HLTV Awards. The Rocket League team made a significant impact by winning the RLCS Spring Europe, the Spring Split Major, and the World Championship, achieving the first perfect split in the game’s history. At the end of the year, Team Vitality was honoured with the coveted title of Esports Organisation of the Year at the Esports Awards.

“Last year was incredibly successful for us, and we’re aiming to maintain the momentum this year by focusing on tier 1 games and seizing exciting opportunities. Our entry into the Asian market puts us in the cradle of esports, offering new opportunities for growth and visibility. We hope to connect with passionate new fans worldwide!” explains Nicolas Maurer, Co-Founder and CEO of Team Vitality.

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Asia

Savvy Games Delegation Joins More Than 30,000 Fans for Tencent and Hero Esports’ Honor of Kings Grand Finals in Beijing

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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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eSports

IESF Concludes 16th Ordinary General Meeting in Riyadh

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IESF Concludes 16th Ordinary General Meeting in Riyadh
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The International Esports Federation (IESF) held its 16th Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) on November 18, bringing together over 150 delegates from the member federations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Before the official start of the assembly, IESF welcomed representatives from the Saudi Olympic & Paralympic Committee (SOPC) and the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF). Abdulaziz Baeshin, CEO of SOPC presented Saudi Arabia’s progress in Esports and sports development and their vision moving forward. Frank Weber, Director of Corporate Marketing at EWCF discussed the success of the EWCF and highlight upcoming plans for the future.

In his opening speech, IESF President HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud expressed gratitude for the number of delegates who attended the assembly. He reflected on the federation’s success and achievements over the past year, the key areas for improvement, and the necessity of continued close collaboration among members.

The first session of the assembly continued with reviewing motions submitted by the members and voting on their acceptance or rejection. The members also voted to grant Full Membership status to Canada, Germany, Latvia, and Malta.

The second session of the OGM was dedicated to electing key positions within the IESF Board and committees. The results are:

  • Board Member: Mr. Samart Benjamin Assarasakorn

  • Treasurer: Mr. Daniel Wen Jun Loy

Membership Committee Members:

  • Mr. Soufiane El Filali

  • Mr. Jaroslav Melishek

Audit, Risk, and Governance Committee:

  • Chair: Mr. Tomas Gabris

  • Members: Mr. Jacopo Ierussi and Mr. Stevan Nenad Rosic

Regulatory Committee Chair:

  • Mr. Ido Orel Brosh

In his concluding statement, IESF General Secretary Boban Totovski congratulated the assembly on a productive and democratic meeting. He expressed his appreciation for the valuable insights shared by members and their dedication to the growth of the IESF.

“This year’s assembly demonstrated the strength of our community and the shared vision that drives IESF forward. I thank everyone for their contributions to a democratic and smooth process, and I look forward to welcoming more member federations to our family next year and even greater success” said Totovski.

The OGM 2024 in Riyadh was another step forward in IESF’s mission to unite the Esports world under a shared vision. With the growing number of national federations, the IESF continues to cement its role as the largest Esports family.

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eSports

Red Bull Media House Announces Global Premiere of Counter-Strike Documentary ‘Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years’

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  • Emmy Award-winning Red Bull Media House-produced Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) documentary is set to premiere on 4 December
  • ‘Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years’ features personal insights from legendary talent, including Casper “cadiaN” Møller, Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz, Alexandre “gAuLeS” Borba and more
  • Fans can tune in via Red Bull Gaming’s YouTube channel

Red Bull’s deep dive into the glory years of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) continues with the announcement of ‘Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years’, a brand new documentary set to premiere globally on 4 December 2024.

Produced by Emmy Award-winning Red Bull Media House, the new feature-length film closely follows 2024’s ‘Memories of CS:GO – The Early Years’, which charted the origins of one of the world’s most influential games from its grassroots beginnings to its evolution as a global esports phenomenon. Continuing the saga, ‘Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years’ chronicles an emotional journey from the perspective of its key protagonists, recalling the thrilling rise of Team Liquid as Team Astralis’ reign falls, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, all the way to Team Vitality’s victory at the last-ever CS:GO Major.

Hosted by Freya “Freya” Spiers, the brand new 90-minute film features personal accounts from iconic figures including Astralis’ trio of Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz, Casper “cadiaN” Møller, Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen, as well as Team Liquid’s Jonathan “Elige” Jablonowski and Jordan “n0thing” Gilbert. As it explores fierce rivalries, pivotal roster changes that changed the course of CS:GO history, and the perseverance, teamwork and passion that forged the game’s legends, ‘Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years’ also delves into the fierce dedication of the Brazilian community with Alexandre “gAuLeS” Borba and Wilton “zews” Prado, looking back at Brazil’s first-ever Major.

‘Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years’ is a sweeping tale of toil, triumph, and teamwork that offers an insightful look into the remarkable trajectory of CS:GO and the unwavering support and dedication of its community. It’s scheduled to premiere December 4, 2024 via Red Bull Gaming’s YouTube channel.

Event Details:

  • What: Premiere of “Memories of CS:GO – The Final Years”
  • When: December 4th, 2024
  • Where to watch: Red Bull Gaming’s YouTube Channel

 

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