eSports

British Esports Association announces Advisory Board changes and new volunteers

Published

6 years ago

October 31, 2018

British Esports Association announces Advisory Board changes and new volunteers

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The British Esports Association, the not-for-profit body set up to promote grassroots esports in the UK, has announced several industry members have taken up voluntary positions at the organisation.

There are three new additions to the Advisory Board, which meets quarterly and discusses areas of developments and focus for the Association. The new members are Mary Antieul, Darren “Slammer” Newnham and David Yarnton, who come with years of experience in the UK games industry.

Mary oversees esports strategy, operations and partnerships at GAME across the Belong arenas and Insomnia Gaming Festival; Darren Newnham is a business development professional who heads up Nexus, which brings teams, organisations, brands and players together; David Yarnton has been involved in the games industry for more than 30 years, having held senior positions at Gfinity, Nintendo and more, and is currently involved with esports platform and consultancy Edge Esports.

The new Advisory Board members replace esports host and Code Red Esports MD Paul “Redeye” Chaloner, PC Gamer deputy editor Philippa Warr and Twitch’s EMEA senior director of partnerships Chris Mead, who have stepped back from the board over the past year. The British Esports Association thanks them for their valuable contribution.

The other Advisory Board members include Ceirnan “Excoundrel” Lowe, Heather “Naysayerz” Dower, Michael “Odee” O’Dell, Craig “Wizzo” Fletcher, Ryan Hart, Andrew Nixon, Josh Williams, Carleigh Morgan and Mark “Garvey” Candella.

David Yarnton said: “In the last few years esports has seen a rapid growth in its popularity and created huge amounts of interest amongst the wider community. There are many people who are looking to learn more about esports and understand the benefits it offers, such as helping to develop teamwork and create communities.

“Having been involved in the video games and esports industries for many years, it is good to be able give something back and help the British Esports Association in its efforts with the grassroots of esports.”

Mary Antieul commented: “I’m very excited about joining the British Esports Association board and look forward to working with the other board members to improve the opportunities for grassroots esports players in the UK.”

Darren Newnham added: “As a lifelong gamer and games industry professional I’m excited and honoured to be given the chance to be part of the British Esports Association at such an exciting time for our industry.”

Elsewhere, the British Esports Association has made additions to its team of voluntary game advisers, who provide input and expertise to help the Association understand each game’s developments and its community effectively.

Renault Sport Team Vitality’s Rocket League team manager Mike “Gregan” Ellis has become British Esports’ Rocket League adviser, while Barrage Esports player James “Governor” Gove has become a League of Legends adviser.

Gregan said: “It’s great to be part of British Esports Association and bring more Rocket League info to the team. Rocket League is a great game to bridge the gap between esports and mainstream media. I am glad I can support esports through this role with my love and knowledge of Rocket League and experience in the scene.”

In addition, the first British Esports Championships for schools and colleges got underway earlier this month, and a team of volunteer admins are working with British Esports student esports coordinator Natacha Jones and epicLAN to manage the tournament platform and student teams taking part.

The admins are James “Governor” Gove (League of Legends), Alice Leaman (Overwatch) and Douglas “Riddle” Packham (Rocket League).

British Esports chair Andy Payne OBE commented: “We’re delighted to announce our new Advisory Board members and other volunteers to the Association. Please join us in welcoming them.

“We value everyone’s input and look forward to working together to help promote, improve and inspire through grassroots esports in the UK.”

About the British Esports Association:

The British Esports Association is a not-for-profit organisation established in 2016 to support and promote esports in the UK.

As a national body, its aims are to foster future British talent, increase the awareness of esports and provide expertise and advice. It’s focused on the grassroots level of esports and runs Championships in schools and colleges.

The Association hopes to help educate the masses – including parents, teachers, media and government – around what esports is and its benefits. Its three goals are to Promote, Improve and Inspire.

eSports

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

Published

1 day ago

November 18, 2024

Peter Tolan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

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

eSports

Guilhoto to lead GIANTX in the LEC

Published

1 day ago

November 18, 2024

Peter Tolan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Portuguese head coach signs a two-year deal to guide GIANTX in Europe’s top esports league and aim for the Worlds. Guilhoto embarks on his third tenure with the organization and returns to the LEC after reaching two finals.

Nico Perez and Emi complete the coaching staff

André Guilhoto will be the head coach of GIANTX in the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC), Europe’s premier esports league. Guilhoto returns to the organization to replace Christophe ‘Kaas’ van Oudheusden and lead its League of Legends international project. His goal is to qualify the team for the Worlds. He has signed a two-year contract for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.

Guilhoto (Portugal, 1994) returns to both GIANTX and the LEC. Between 2018 and 2020, he coached several teams in the European league, including reaching two finals with Schalke 04 and Origen. He entered the European scene after winning the Spanish league with GIANTX, then known as Giants Gaming.

After his time in the LEC, he coached in North America with Immortals and Team Liquid. In 2023, he returned to Málaga to work with Giants, which later merged with British club Excel to form GIANTX. In 2024, he coached in the Superliga with CASE Esports and Team Heretics, where he won the Spanish championship.

Guilhoto is one of the most experienced head coaches in the scene and a well-known figure within the Spanish-speaking League of Legends community. GIANTX announced his return with a video confirming his new role as head coach.

GIANTX looks to Guilhoto to improve its results in the LEC. The team finished eighth in the winter and spring splits and reached the summer season finals, but missed out on qualifying for the Worlds. The organization aims to achieve this goal with Guilhoto leading the coaching staff.

Joining Guilhoto in Berlin, the home of the LEC, are assistant coach Nico Perez (France, 1998) and strategic coach Emanuel Ursachi ‘Emi’ (Romania, 1995). Nico spent the last year with GIANTX, first as head coach in the Superliga and then as assistant coach in the LEC. Emi, now in his second tenure with the company, will serve as the strategic coach.

The LEC season begins on January 18, 2025. GIANTX will announce the roster under Guilhoto’s leadership in the coming days.

Asia

AMD Announces GameOn 2024: Nationwide Counter-Strike 2 Tournament Offers ₹300,000 Prize, Culminates in Hyderabad

Published

2 days ago

November 18, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

Reading Time: 2 minutes

AMD, a leader in semiconductor manufacturing, has unveiled the AMD GameOn 2024, an open-for-all esports tournament for Counter-Strike 2 with a total prize pool of INR 300,000. The Main Event of the AMD GameOne 2024 is set to take place at IndiaJoy 2024 Asia’s premier media and entertainment congregation, in the HICC, Novotel, Hyderabad on Nov. 16 and 17.

Commenting on the tournament, Pramit Khanna, Channel Marketing Manager DIY and Gaming, AMD India said, “As one of the leaders in the computing space, we have been supporting India’s esports ecosystem since day 1, and the AMD GameOn 2024 is another such IP for esports enthusiasts. The open-for-all format ensures every gamer has a chance to compete in the pan-India tournament and make it to the LAN in Hyderabad. I wish the best of luck to all participants and can’t wait to welcome the four finalists in Hyderabad.”

The AMD GameOn 2024 began with the open qualifiers, where the registered teams competed for slots to the Closed Qualifiers. The Closed Qualifier, with 8 total teams, has wrapped up, confirming the four finalists for the AMD GameOn 2024 Main Event at IndiaJoy 2024 on Nov. 16 and 17 in Hyderabad. Skyesports is set to be the esports partner for the event.

The four teams are listed below. They will compete in a single-elimination bracket to determine the champions of India. Matches from the AMD GameOn 2024 Main Event will be livestreamed on the Skyesports YouTube channel.

True Rippers
Carnival Gaming
Gods Reign
Victores Sumus

Besides the esports action at the AMD booth in the IndiaJoy 2024, players will also be able to experience gaming on AMD Advantage systems, which deliver a supreme and optimized performance by combining AMD Ryzen™ CPUs, AMD Radeon™ GPUs, smart technologies, and AMD software. Therefore, AMD’s experiential zone at the IndiaJoy 2024 will be the one-stop immersive place for gamers, combining esports action and providing a hands-on gaming experience.

Shiva Nandy, the Founder and CEO of Skyesports, said, “We are thrilled to be the esports partner for AMD GameOn 2024, working once again with our anchor brand, AMD. With open qualifiers to give every gamer a chance and invited teams to ensure top-notch esports action, this tournament is a delight for all gamers. AMD has been one of the biggest supporters of esports in India over the years, and this tournament aligns with our vision of bringing Counter-Strike 2 into the spotlight ahead of Skyesports’ $1.7 million prize pool roadmap for 2025, where we will host four on-ground events across the country.”

India currently has about 500 million gamers, a number expected to grow to 730 million by 2028, with a 5-year CAGR of 10 percent, making the country the largest market by the number of gamers. Additionally, 65 percent of gamers either watch esports or compete in tournaments, per Niko Partners, with IPs like the AMD GameOn at the forefront of attracting their attention.

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