• Lexus returns as the Title Sponsor and Official Automotive Partner for the Esports Awards
• Viewers should expect an impressive line-up of Lexus cars during the ceremony, alongside unique activations

The Esports Awards, the most prestigious night in the esports calendar, is honoured to announce that luxury automaker Lexus is returning as the official Title Partner for the 2024 Esports Awards. This marks the sixth consecutive year that Lexus has partnered with the Esports Awards and demonstrates their ongoing efforts towards recognising and celebrating the talent that has made a significant impact in the esports and gaming industries since their initial partnership in 2019.

Lexus continues establishing its commitment to enhancing the esports and gaming spaces with its contributions and this year, will be presenting the winners with their awards for the “Esports Content Creator of the Year” and “Esports Organisation of Year” categories.

Previous years saw some incredible vehicles on display, including the LC 500 and the NX 350 (Thieves NX), and this year promises to be just as impressive, with Lexus once again bringing some of their finest custom vehicles to the Esports Awards ceremony broadcast live on 21st November.

Guests will be invited to the Lexus Lounge—which will play host to the red carpet, Esports Awards Glambot and other exciting activations, giving guests the perfect place to relax, network and grab a drink as they arrive, elevating the experience for all attendees. This will of course all be accompanied with a showcase of one of Lexus’ incredible custom vehicles as a centrepiece to bring the room to life.

“We’re honoured to have such an important partner return for the sixth year in a row. and Lexus’ commitment to empowering our community is truly remarkable.” said Michael Ashford, CEO of the Esports Awards, “They have and continue to be an excellent partner; we are honoured by their ongoing contribution to raising our event to new heights every year.”

“Lexus is proud to join forces with the Esports Awards to once again recognize the highest levels of achievement in competitive gaming,” said Lisa McQueen, Lexus Media Manager. “We look forward to celebrating the passionate people and teams who make an impact in the esports community through top-class performance and innovation.”

The Esports Awards presented by Lexus is back for its second ceremony of the year, following a successful ceremony in Riyadh this year. With incredible viewership figures of over 30 million, the Esports Awards is set to deliver a spectacular second broadcast for all to enjoy on Twitch, X and all major platforms on the 14th November.

The important dates for the awards ceremonies are as follows:

• Voting for Esports Awards presented by Lexus closes: 14th November
• The Esports Awards presented by Lexus ceremony: 21st November

Following the reveal of the finalists, voting is now open and fans can vote for the finalists of their choice every 24 hours at esportsawards.com/vote until 14th November.

The Esports Awards presented by Lexus is brought to you in partnership with Oakley and the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF).

NODWIN Gaming, a leader in new-age youth entertainment, gaming, and esports, has announced the appointment of Atin Suri as Global Head of Experiential Marketing. With a track record of delivering disruptive, immersive brand experiences across diverse markets, Atin brings a wealth of expertise to help further NODWIN Gaming’s mission to engage and excite audiences across all ages, worldwide.

Atin will be responsible for leading NODWIN Gaming’s worldwide expansion efforts in experiential marketing and continued growth while handling the company’s white-label events and activations. His ability to formulate marketing strategies and well-crafted market messaging for a global audience ties in seamlessly with NODWIN Gaming’s vision as the company continues to expand its footprint in the industry and deepen its engagement with audiences.

A key focus for NODWIN Gaming is providing holistic entertainment to the global youth with its diverse range of intellectual properties that spans esports, gaming, pop culture, music, and comedy. Atin’s extensive expertise in crafting bespoke and immersive on-ground experiences will be key in enhancing consumer experience and brand recall.

“For me, experience is everything, and I’ve always wanted to push the envelope when it comes to the intersection of technology and immersive experiences,” said Atin. “At NODWIN Gaming, I see endless opportunities when it comes to experiential marketing especially when the company is expanding further towards youth-focused experiences across the world.”

Before joining NODWIN, Atin founded The Experiential Hub, a disruptive agency known for crafting innovative brand events and activations. His experience as a pioneer in experiential marketing includes leading several landmark campaigns.

A decade ago, Atin recognised the untapped potential of esports in India, a foresight that led to his successful collaboration with Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming. Together, they worked on Dew Arena and made it India’s Largest Offline Gaming Championship.

Building on this partnership, they went on to bring DreamHack, the world’s largest gaming festival to India. This groundbreaking project won the award for Best Intellectual Property at the prestigious WOW Awards Asia 2019. Atin also played a pivotal role in organising major esports events with the NODWIN Gaming team in India including ESL One, PUBG Club Open, PMPL South Asia and many more.

“We are thrilled to welcome Atin to NODWIN Gaming” commented Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming. “Having worked with Atin on previous projects, we have always admired his ability to bring fresh and bold ideas to the table. His passion for tech-driven, experiential events makes him the perfect fit for our vision of creating unforgettable gaming experiences globally.”

Atin has also been the recipient of multiple honours like the JWT HiP Club Rising Star, the CEO Award from PepsiCo, and the Tech India Award.

• Team Vitality and ALDI have collaborated to fight toxicity against women and promote diversity in esports through a powerful video launched today
• The video titled “Des Failles dans La Faille” translates to “Rifts in the Rift,” referencing the League of Legends battlefield, where a significant amount of online toxicity stems from, highlighting the impact of cyberbullying on gamers who are women
• The video features Team Vitality’s women’s League of Legends team, the Rising Bees, alongside TV Host and presenter Marie Palot, and League of Legends Shoutcaster, Nox.
• The video is now available to watch on YouTube

Today, French esports club Team Vitality and ALDI have announced their collaboration to fight toxicity against women, break down stereotypes and promote diversity in esports through a powerful video titled, “Des Failles dans La Faille”. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the daily online harassment received by women in the gaming industry and its impact on their lives. In sharing their experiences, they reveal how certain messages undermine their confidence, harm their mental health, and negatively impact their in-game performance.

Online harassment and sexism are prevalent in gaming, and damage the development of the female esports scene worldwide. While 50% of worldwide gamers are women, only 7% compete in esports (France Esports Barometer 2023). A 2022 Ipsos study also showed that 84% of people harassed online are women, with 51% under the age of 30.

For over four years, Team Vitality and ALDI have prioritised the development of women’s esports, including spearheading the creation of Team Vitality’s women’s League of Legends team, the Rising Bees, in 2023. Together, both organisations are championing the development of a more equal and diverse ecosystem in esports, advocating for esports clubs worldwide to train women’s teams with the same facilities and resources provided to men’s teams, as well as raise the overall skill level, allowing more women to pursue professional careers in esports.

The video “Des Failles dans la Faille” centres on the Rising Bees, Team Vitality’s women’s League of Legends team. The title refers to Summoner’s Rift, the in-game battleground where players compete and where many women often become targets of hateful and toxic messages.

Appearing in the video to share their experiences include:

• Velouria “Viki” Baty: French player and ADC for Team Vitality
• Madison “Crowmac” Coutelet: French player and Toplaner for Team Vitality
• Alena “Tifa” Maurer: German player and Midlaner for Team Vitality
• Marie Palot: TV Host and presenter
• Nox: League of Legends Shoutcaster
• Anne Banschbach: Director of Esports at Team Vitality

In the video, they take turns reading and reacting to various online messages from gamers, covering issues like body shaming, death threats, misogyny, and more. Alongside this, they share their personal stories and emotions, which range from sadness and anger to feelings of isolation and hopelessness. They also discuss how these messages affect their daily lives and ultimately impact their performance, even though they admit they’ve become “accustomed” to these misogynistic attacks.

In the second part of the video, they read messages full of kindness and encouragement, which often get overlooked and lost among the many hateful messages. Team Vitality and ALDI aim to highlight the power of positivity in boosting morale, even amid the often harsh and hostile messages in the esports community.

Throughout the year, Team Vitality also produces and shares content following the Rising Bees’ journey, aiming to break down stereotypes and create inspiring role models for the next generation of gamers.

“Des Failles dans La Faille” is available to watch on YouTube.