eSports
Esports World Cup Adds Five More Game Titles to Summer 2024 Festival
Esports World Cup (EWC) Foundation this week revealed five additional games that will be part of the inaugural Esports World Cup this summer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. From battle royales like PUBG to tactical and first-person titles like Rainbow Six Siege and Overwatch 2, along with popular mobile games Garena Free Fire and PUBG MOBILE, the newly announced lineup showcases the breadth of the shooter genre and its fandom.
The five game titles revealed today will be featured on the EWC’s growing schedule alongside previously announced five titles, including Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Honor of Kings, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and StarCraft II. This brings the total number of announced titles to date to ten and adds to the broad range of genres that will be available at the Summer 2024 competition.
EWC will host these communities later this year for a global competition that will crown the first-ever Esports World Cup Club Champion. The cross-game competition will reward Clubsâ success in individual games and offer additional prizes for the teams that perform best across the breadth of EWC tournaments. Participating Clubs will compete across a mix of platforms and genres that will connect the esports fans, teams, and publishers in new ways and create the largest-ever celebration of esports.
âFirst-person and tactical shooters are a cornerstone of gaming and esports and played by billions internationally,â said Ralf Reichert, CEO, Esports World Cup Foundation. âWeâre bringing together all the best games, including these titles and the rest of our competitions, to connect an unprecedented variety of global communities. Weâre excited to have them be a part of this first-of-its-kind event.â
The latest collection of titles recognizes the history of shooters in esports and their ability to offer immersive and compelling entertainment for players and fans alike. This includes Rainbow Six Siege, the flagship title of the iconic first-person shooter franchise that was first released more than 25 years ago. This February, the Six Invitational 2024 broke the franchise records in both viewership and fan attendance, with more than 9,000 passionate fans and 521,323 viewers online watching the Grand Final.
PUBG, a third-person and first-person title that played a pivotal role in the success of battle royale games, will be played across both PC and mobile platforms at EWC. The PUBG MOBILE Global Championship Season 0 holds the record as the fourth most-watched esports tournament with over 3.8 million peak viewers, and the game has put forward $136 million in prize winnings across both mobile and PC competitions since the launch of the 2017 PC version. PUBG Global Championship 2023 Grand Finals, held in Bangkok, Thailand, also set a new all-time concurrent viewership record on its opening day.
Since its release in 2016, Overwatch has cultivated a far-reaching, diverse, and multinational audience thanks to an innovative style of team gameplay that holds a unique place in the FPS category. Overwatch 2, the successor to the original game, boasts passionate fans at a global scale, and the titleâs newly launched Overwatch Champions Series esports ecosystem will serve as an opportunity for EWC qualification.
Garena Free Fire, behind the accessibility and advancement of mobile devices, has built a global fan base and esports ecosystems that allow players to compete for championship titles anywhere a 5G signal is available. The battle royale title is one of the worldâs most played and most downloaded mobile games, with more than 200 million monthly users on mobile devices last year. It also put on the most-viewed mobile esports tournament, with a peak concurrent viewership of 5.4 million fans tuning in to watch the Free Fire World Series in 2021.
EWC revealed the latest participating publishers and games on social media through a mix of CGI videos and graphics that captured each gameâs unique IP and the regions that have been integral to their esports history, including:
Rainbow Six Siege (Paris, France)
Overwatch 2 (Toronto, Canada)
Garena Free Fire (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
PUBG: Mobile (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
PUBG (Gyeongju, South Korea)
Asia
VSPO, the largest esports company in Asia, rebranded Hero Esports to support global growth strategy
VSPO, the largest esports company in Asia, is pleased to announce that it has officially been rebranded Hero Esports, aligning with its domestic brand and, in doing so, supporting its international growth strategy.
The company announced its intention to rebrand alongside the appointment of Dino Ying as Executive Chairman and Danny Tang as CEO on 8 October 2024.
The unveiling of Hero Esports marks a pivotal moment in the companyâs history. For nearly a decade, the business has been the leading esports tournament operator and content creator, investing in and shaping the industry to drive innovation and excellence. Most recently in September 2024, the company launched the Esports Asian Champions League (ACL), which is Asia’s premier international, multi-title esports tournament. As a key figure in the esports industry, Executive Chairman Dino Ying will play a vital role in growing the ACL alongside working closely with international governing bodies, including the International Olympic Committee and the Esports World Cup Federation, to elevate the industry more broadly. The global esports market is projected to grow from $54 billion in 2023 to $98 billion by 2028, according to a report by Frost & Sullivan.
The companyâs new brand is supported by a refreshed Mission, Vision and set of Values to help employees of Hero Esports work towards common goals and ensure quality throughout the business. Hero Esportsâ mission is to âEmpower esportsâ, supported by its vision to âcreate the premier esports experience of the futureâ. Hero Esportsâ values, which are based on inclusion, diversity, transparency and a passion for esports, have provided a strong foundation for the companyâs continued expansion.
Danny Tang, CEO of Hero Esports, said: “Today marks a significant milestone for Hero Esports as we continue our growth trajectory to become a leading international esports organization, driven by a clear mission, vision and set of values. Hero Esports is well positioned to identify and develop new opportunities both domestically and internationally, and we look forward to aligning our expansion with an equally fast-growing esports industry.â
eSports
Hilton Riyadh Hotel & Residences Named Official Main Partner for World Esports Championship 2024
The International Esports Federation (IESF) is pleased to announce the Hilton Riyadh Hotel & Residences as the official main partner for the upcoming World Esports Championship 2024 in Riyadh, which begins on November 11.
This partnership unites Hilton Riyadh Hotel & Residencesâ reputation with one of the most significant international Esports events, ensuring every participant has a world-class experience throughout their stay.
With over 480 athletes and teams from across the world, WEC24 will host competitors as honored guests of Hilton Riyadh Hotel & Residences, ensuring they have an exceptional environment to compete at their best and aim for the prestigious title of World Esports Champion.
âItâs exciting to work alongside a brand that deeply values our vision and understands the importance of a memorable experience for all of our athletes and participants. Together, weâre setting a new standard for Esports events and creating an unforgettable journey for everyone attending.” – said Ana Karakolevska, Chief Marketing Officer at IESF.
âAt Hilton Riyadh Hotel and Residences, we are proud to be the main partner of the World Esports Championship 2024 in Riyadh. Our commitment to excellence aligns perfectly with this prestigious event, where we aim to provide every participant with a world-class experience that goes beyond expectations.
By partnering with the International Esports Federation, we are setting a new standard for Esports events, ensuring that WEC24 will be an unforgettable journey for all attendees. Join us as we elevate Esports and create moments that will be cherished for a lifetime.” – said Hans Schiller, General Manager at Hilton Riyadh Hotel and Residences.
The partnership reflects a shared commitment to elevating Esports and enhancing each attendeeâs experience. Both IESF and Hilton Riyadh Hotel & Residences share the goal of making WEC24 one of the best Esports events to date, with the highest standard of care and support for athletes and fans alike.
Asia
8Bit Creatives partners with NODWIN Gaming as the exclusive talent partner for DreamHack India
8Bit Creatives, Indiaâs leading esports consulting and talent management agency, has announced its partnership with NODWIN Gaming, a leader in new-age youth entertainment, gaming, and esports, as the exclusive Talent Partner for DreamHack India 2024.
With this partnership, 8Bit Creatives will leverage its significant reach in the Indian gaming, esports and youth communities through its prominent and talented roster of creators. These creators will create content leading up to the festival and also host meet-and-greet sessions.
India’s biggest gaming festival, DreamHack India, is set to take place from 15th to 17th November at the Hitex Exhibition Centre in Hyderabad, marking its fifth edition. For half a decade, the India edition of the global festival has become one of the most anticipated events of the Indian gaming ecosystem. Bringing together a plethora of events, including esports tournaments, BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) events, cosplay competitions, music concerts, and stand-up comedy, DreamHack India is the celebration of gaming, esports, pop-culture, and entertainment.
8Bit Creatives, CEO and founder Animesh Agarwal said âDreamHack India is one of the most prominent events in the Indian gaming and esports calendar and weâre proud to be the exclusive talent partners for it. This is further recognition of 8Bit Creativesâ ability to meaningfully engage the gaming and youth audiences across the country. Our belief in working with the right creators who create experiences that resonate with the youth audiences distinguishes our offerings and we canât wait to share what we have in store for DreamHack India 2024 with our audiences!â
This is not the first time that 8Bit Creatives will partner with DreamHack India. The organisation was also the talent partner for the event in 2022.
Commenting on the partnership, NODWIN Gaming, Co-founder and MD Akshat Rathee said “Our vision at NODWIN Gaming is to create unforgettable experiences for the youth, and DreamHack has proven to be the ultimate platform to realise that vision, bringing together gaming, entertainment, and community in an immersive celebration. Weâre thrilled to have 8Bit Creatives as our exclusive Talent Partner for DreamHack India 2024. Itâs especially exciting to welcome iconic creators like Mortal, who joined us in our very first edition, back for this landmark fifth year, alongside fan favourites like Snax, Kaashvi, Thug, and Payal. These creators bring a unique energy that connects deeply with our fans and elevates every moment. Their presence underscores our commitment to crafting electrifying experiences year after year, building on the momentum of events like BGMS and past DreamHack editions. Together with 8Bit and this powerhouse lineup, weâre setting the stage for an unforgettable event that will bring fans and creators closer than ever before!”
8Bit Creativesâs content and esports division S8UL became the only organisation in the year to win âContent Group of the Yearâ award for the third consecutive year at the Esports Awards 2024. Additionally, they are the only organisation from India to ever win an Esports Award in any category. Earlier this year, gaming content creators from 8Bit Creatives including Naman Mathur, Payal Dhare and Animesh âThugâ Agarwal were invited for a meet and greet session with the honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
The organisation has been at the forefront of India’s gaming and content ecosystem with its extensive range of services, including talent management, campaign curation and execution, brand activations and more.
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