eSports
Hyprop partners with MTN to host South Africa’s largest national gaming tournament
R50k in prize money, eight qualifiers nationwide, culminating in one epic gaming showdown…this is the MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience 2024!
Get ready for another exhilarating display of gaming prowess, MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience is back. Now in its second year, it is the largest national mall-based gaming tournament ever held in the country. This groundbreaking event will feature a series of eight qualifier events held at Hyprop Malls across the nation over the next four months, culminating in an epic National Final taking place at Canal Walk in Cape Town this September.
Christie Stanbridge, Hyprop’s Brand and Campaigns Marketing Manager, remarked, “The goal of our national gaming tournament is to create a vehicle for making esports accessible to everyone, breaking down barriers and removing the stigma that gaming is only for a certain age group. We aim to ensure that people from all walks of life can come together to play games and participate in the thrilling world of esports.”
Jason Probert, General Manager: Digital Services at MTN South Africa, expressed his excitement about the partnership with Hyprop on this landmark tournament: “We are thrilled to partner with Hyprop to bring this tournament to life. This event is a testament to the growing gaming culture in South Africa, and we are proud to support an initiative that not only showcases incredible talent but also brings communities together through the power of gaming. MTN is committed to driving digital innovation and creating unique experiences for gamers across the country.”
What can gamers of all ages and skill levels look forward to?
The second MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience follows its immense popularity among gamers and its suitability for all ages due to the selection of EA FC 24™ as the title to be played throughout the main events. The tournament promises to be a thrilling competition and will offer a gaming experience that appeals to a wide age group, ensuring there is something for everyone, from casual players to seasoned pros with additional competitions and activations taking place at each mall event.
Get ready for the ultimate showdown! Join our electrifying online and in-centre heats and prove you’ve got what it takes to make it to the National Final. Battled out on the ACGL platform, the online heat is your ticket to glory and a coveted spot in the top four to earn a place in the Mall Finals.
Players can sign up at the various Hyprop Malls to participate in one of the seven heats held from Friday to Sunday. The top four players from each heat will move on to the Mall Final, joining the four online qualifiers.
There are a select number of mall heats dedicated to scholars this year to ensure that our esport schools are represented. Be sure to check out the respective mall website for all the details.
Somerset Mall Online Qualifier | 9-Jun |
Somerset Mall Event | 14 to 16 Jun |
Rosebank Mall Online Qualifier | 16-Jun |
Rosebank Mall Event | 21 to 23 Jun |
The Glen Online Qualifier | 23-Jun |
The Glen Event | 28 to 30 Jun |
Clearwater Mall Online Qualifier | 7-Jul |
Clearwater Mall WM Event | 12 to 14 Jul |
Woodlands Boulevard Online Qualifier | 14-Jul |
Woodlands Boulevard Event | 19 to 21 Jul |
Table Bay Mall Online Qualifier | 4-Aug |
Table Bay Mall Event | 9 to 11 Aug |
Capegate Online Qualifier | 18-Aug |
Capegate Event | 23 to 25 Aug |
Canal Walk Online Qualifier | 8-Sep |
Canal Walk Event | 11 to 15 Sep |
The events at the participating Hyprop Malls will include a variety of competitions and engaging activities, featuring not only the main MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience efootball tournament, but also a range of smaller competitions and activations. Participants and spectators alike can enjoy a dynamic gaming environment.
National Final in Cape Town:
The grand finale will take place at Canal Walk, featuring all the excitement of the Mall Events plus additional high-stakes competitions. The eight finalists from each mall will compete for the ultimate title and a share of the R50,000 prize pool:
- 1st Place: R25,000
- 2nd Place: R15,000
- 3rd Place: R7,500
- 4th Place: R2,500
Additional Competitions and Activations
Win with MTN and Battle+: MTN will host a Beat Saber competition with Xbox Series S consoles as prizes.
Beat Saber is a VR rhythm game where you slash the beats of adrenaline-pumping music as they fly towards you, surrounded by a futuristic world.
Beat Saber will be played on Battle+, MTN’s esport platform, where you can watch exclusive videos and play tournaments or compete in challenges to earn rewards. Battle+ is available on play.mtn for all MTN subscribers.
Computer Mania Pop-Up Shops: Computer Mania, a premium retailer at our malls, will host pop-up shops where you can purchase all the products on display. Shop the latest gaming gear available at great prices, exclusively available during the Shift Gaming event.
PC Gaming Zone: Compete for prizes and bragging rights in popular competitive games like Fortnite™, Rocket League, Minecraft, Flight Simulator, and Cities: Skylines II. Defeat your foes in style utilising the latest gaming tech with PCBuilder’s performance-optimised prebuilt gaming PCs. Whether you’re a first-time gamer, scholar, everyday gaming enthusiast, streamer, or professional gamer – every PCBuilder gaming PC is engineered to deliver the perfect balance of stunning visuals, lightning-fast speeds, and unrivalled gaming performance. Or build the gaming PC of your dreams with the PCBuilder custom build tool.
Keyboard Rebuild Race: Redragon has launched even more gaming keyboards in 2024! How do we celebrate much-needed gaming keyboard diversity? Join us for our hugely popular Redragon Keyboard Rebuild Race to test just how quick your fingers are. We’ll be giving away a brand new Redragon gaming keyboard daily – but only the fastest time wins!
The Toyota Gaming Engine SuperSprint (GT 7): Fastest daily lap wins a R1,000 Gift Card. An additional R5,000 Gift Card will be awarded overall to players that sign up to The Toyota Gaming Engine at MTN Shift Gaming Experiences.
Fighting Cup: Daily one-day cups for popular fighting games like Brawlhalla, Tekken, and Street Fighter 6. Prizes include R1,000 Mall Gift Cards for winners and R500 Mall Gift Cards for runners-up.
Additionally, the online and LAN Call of Duty Tournament is back, with a R60,000 prize pool to be won. The final takes place at Canal Walk in September.
Join us in celebrating the spirit of gaming across South Africa. Whether you’re a hardcore gamer or just looking for some fun, the MTN SHIFT Gaming Experience has something for everyone.
eSports
EXCITEMENT GROWS AS 2024 PUBG MOBILE GLOBAL CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND FINALS NEAR
- The countdown is on for the 2024 PUBG MOBILE Global Championship Grand Finals, live in London from December 6th to 8th, for the first time ever in the UK.
- 33 teams have been eliminated, and 16 teams are ready to battle for the crown and a share of the $3,000,000 prize pool at the Grand Finals
- Fans can tune in to witness the culmination of this year’s PUBG MOBILE Esports cycle on the official PUBG MOBILE YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Twitch channels
- Exclusive to the 2024 PMGC the Royale Pass A10 Tundra Knight Set will be awarded to the Grand Final Champions, whilst the Raven Scepter will go to the Grand Finals MVP player
The countdown is on for the 2024 PUBG MOBILE Global Championship (PMGC) Grand Finals, where the world’s elite mobile esports teams will go head-to-head in an electrifying showdown. In less than a week, fans around the globe will witness three days of unrelenting competition as the final 16 teams battle it out for their share of the mighty $3,000,000 prize pool, the largest in UK esports history. Kicking off on December 6th in London’s ExCeL Centre, this marks the first time the PMGC Grand Finals will take place in the UK, promising an unforgettable live event filled with epic plays, high-stakes drama, and the crowning of the 2024 PUBG MOBILE Global Champions.
Since October, 48 teams have embarked on the journey to the 2024 PMGC Grand Finals, battling fiercely through the Group Stage, Survival Stage and Last Chance Stage. After months of high-stake competition, 33 teams have been eliminated, leaving only the very best to advance to the final showdown, including 9 teams from the Group Stage, 6 from the Last Chance Stage, and 1 Host Region Invite, each earning their place through grit, strategy, and unforgettable gameplay.
Now, the final 16 teams are poised to showcase their brilliance on the world stage in London. Among the contenders is Alpha7 Esports from Brazil, whose bold and aggressive strategies have made them fan favourites – coming fresh off their victory in the 2024 PUBG MOBILE World Cup (PMWC). Joining them is Falcons Force who scored a huge 44 points more than their fellow teams during the Last Chance Stage, and will be ones to watch out for as they attempt to recreate this in the Grand Finals. Alongside these giants, Nigma Galaxy will also be looking to step into the spotlight, being the first MEA team to qualify for the PMGC Grand Finals in two years.
The Host Region team, Guild Esports will also be looking to prove themselves a worthy contender for the title of 2024 PUBG MOBILE Global Champions — a mighty challenge when considering such strong opponents.
2024 PMGC Grand Finals Teams:
- Alpha7 Esports
- 4Merical Vibes
- DPlus
- DRX
- Falcons Force
- INFLUENCE RAGE
- Insilio
- NAVI
- Nigma Galaxy MEA
- Regnum Carya Bra Esports
- Team Spirit
- Tong Jia Bao Esports
- ThunderTalk Gaming
- The Vicious LATAM
- VOIN DONKEY ID
- Guild Esports (Host Region Invite)
In addition to taking the lion’s share of the $3,000,000 prize pool, alongside the 2024 PMGC title and trophy, the Global Champions will also secure the Royale Pass A10 Tundra Knight Set, designed exclusively for the 2024 PMGC. Accompanying this stylish reward is the Raven Scepter, which will be granted to the winner of the Grand Finals MVP title. These majestic offerings celebrate the end-of-year competition, rewarding the top team and player for their continued efforts throughout the year.
Celebrating the 2024 PMGC with the community, players can get their hands on a unique theme song, avatar, and lobby theme from now until December 8th. Login to PUBG MOBILE and head over to the events tab to learn more!
James Yang, Senior Director of Global Esports at Level Infinite, said: “The PMGC has always been the pinnacle of mobile esports, and this year is no exception. With incredible talent, high-stakes matches, and unforgettable moments at every stage, the 2024 Grand Finals are shaping up to be our most thrilling yet. Hosting the Grand Finals in London for the first time is a historic milestone, bringing fans a world-class esports experience in the heart of the UK. We can’t wait to see which team will rise above the rest and make history.”
For those unable to attend in person, fans can watch the unparalleled action live, starting from the 6th of December at 11:00am GMT by heading to the official PUBG MOBILE Esports’ official YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Twitch channels.
Tickets to the Grand Finals at the London ExCel Centre can be purchased at universe.com.
Asia
IESF x MOONTON – WEC24 MLBB Success
The 16th World Esports Championship (WEC), held from November 11 to 19, once again proved Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) as one of the standout titles of IESF competitions. Both the Open and Women’s categories delivered exceptional competition; with live audiences and online viewership worldwide, this year’s tournaments stood as one of the most-watched MLBB tournaments of the year.
The MLBB Open tournament delivered one of the most exciting playoffs in WEC history. For the third consecutive year, a new champion was crowned, as Malaysia triumphed in dominant fashion. In a great run, Malaysia stunned the MLBB giants by defeating Indonesia, the 2022 champion, in the semifinals and then the Philippines, the 2023 champion, in a thrilling final.
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Gold: Malaysia
-
Silver: Philippines
-
Bronze: Indonesia
The tournament reached a peak viewership of 613k, making it one of the most-watched MLBB Open tournaments in WEC history.
A Historic Year for Women in Esports
The debut of the MLBB Women’s Tournament marked a new milestone for the World Esports Championship. Teams from across the world displayed extraordinary talent and competitiveness, with Indonesia, the pre-tournament favorite, securing the first-ever MLBB Women’s World Esports Championship title.
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Gold: Indonesia
-
Silver: Cambodia
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Bronze: Egypt
The Women’s tournament reached a peak viewership of 258k, presenting the growing interest in women’s Esports. This debut exceeded all expectations and set the stage for more successful tournaments in the future, proving the Women’s category deserves its rightful place on the biggest stage.
Record-Breaking Prize Pool
This year’s tournaments also had the largest prize pool in MLBB history throughout WEC, totaling $280,000 across both categories:
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$160,000 for the MLBB Open Tournament
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$120,000 for the MLBB Women’s Tournament
The success of this year’s MLBB tournaments is a result of the strong partnership between IESF and MOONTON Games. Together, we have elevated MLBB into one of the most iconic and recognizable elements of the World Esports Championship.
“We are proud to have delivered such an impactful and pleasant MLBB experience for our fans and athletes. The incredible performances and viewership this year reaffirm our goal to growing MLBB’s presence on the international Esports stage,” said Igor Nedeski, IESF’s Esports Manager.
Ray Ng, Head of Ecosystem at MOONTON Games, said: “Congratulations to the whole IESF team for another great event that achieves a new milestone together with MLBB. We share the same beliefs of excellence and inclusion and are excited to build on this momentum to create even more unforgettable moments for MLBB fans around the world.”
Australia
PandaScore signs landmark deal with Tabcorp
Australian wagering giant Tabcorp selects French supplier PandaScore as its dedicated esports data and odds provider
One of Australia’s biggest operators, Tabcorp, has partnered with specialist esports supplier PandaScore to expand its esports offering in Australia.
Tabcorp will initially incorporate PandaScore’s esports data and odds services for the Big 3 esports titles: Counter-Strike, League of Legends and Dota 2. Tabcorp is keen on integrating the full suite of PandaScore titles, markets and products to drive future expansion in esports.
The agreement will see Tabcorp offer an expanded range of markets and market lines, including PandaScore’s lucrative player markets.
Powered by PandaScore’s market-leading esports products, Tabcorp’s multichannel distribution will see its levelled up esports offering available over digital and physical options, including web, mobile app, betting shops and terminals in licensed venues.
For Tabcorp Trading General Manager, David Beirne, “this partnership with PandaScore is invaluable to our investment in esports. It gives us access to dedicated esports trading and odds creation services for the most popular titles, with eyes to build out a full esports offering fit for the next generation of bettors. This partnership is another step in creating the ultimate sports entertainment experience for our customers.”
Oliver Niner, Head of B2B at PandaScore stated that he’s “very excited about working with one of the biggest operators in Australia. Tabcorp is an Australian institution with outstanding visibility and market penetration and a pedigree for success. Rolling out our best-in-class esports products to a market leader in Australia builds on our existing successes in this market, and it’s one we’re confident we can continue fostering growth in.”
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