eSports

Esports Europe reaches 40 member countries

Published

4 years ago

December 15, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

19 new nations joined the European Esports Federation (EEF – Esports Europe) bringing the total number of national members to 40; EEF Congress elects new leadership to further develop Esports in Europe

The European Esports Federation (EEF) now represents 41 European countries after 18 new countries joined the institution, making EEF the largest community-driven non-profit Esports movement in Europe and the largest continental Esports Federation in the world.

New Leadership Elected as Esports Europe’s 2022 Agenda Unfolds

The new leadership of EEF will solidify the vision of the institution in several areas but mostly at a grassroots level, kickstarting several educational projects and community outreach programs, as well as the establishment of internal institutions to activate those programs. Establishing the European Esports Championship as the main national team’s competition in Europe is also one of the biggest challenges and goals of EEF.

The EEF General Meeting was hosted by the Israeli Esports Association in the city of Eilat, Israel.

Mr. Ido Brosh, President of the Israeli Esports Association, was elected President of the European Esports Federation. Mr. Brosh (26) has years of experience in the Esports industry from a community and tournament organization perspective and had also served as a Board Member of the International Esports Federation (IESF).

“Esports Europe had seen a rocky start following the COVID-19 challenges we had to face since inception. Our current task is to restructure and rebuild the organization to fulfill our original purpose and vision: to further strengthen the growth of Esports in Europe, as well as Europe in the Esports World, and to provide the best possible services to the Esports communities and players from most professional to the amateur levels, and create a platform for pan-industrial collaboration models between publishers, professional clubs, amateur teams, small and large, tournament organizers, players, and governmental institutions,” said Ido Brosh.

Tiago Fernandes, current President of the Portuguese Esports Federation, was elected Vice President by the new Board of EEF, following his election as a Board Member. Fernandes has extensive experience in the gaming and tech space working with brands, players, clubs, and tournament organizers.

According to Tiago Fernandes, “the development of grassroots in Europe and closing the widening gap between it and the pro level will be one of the main focuses of the EEF. For that goal we will have to work closely with the publishers, government entities, and, especially, with the community – players, managers, organizations, and tournament organizers.”

The General Meeting had also elected Mr. Karol Cagan (Slovakia), Mr. Boban Totovski (North Macedonia), Mr. Ramil Aliyev (Azerbaijan), Mr. Giulio Cecilenny (Italy), and Mr. Ivan Danishevsky (Ukraine) to serve as members of the Board, while Mr. Konstantine Surkont (Russia, Chairman of the Advisory Committee), Mr. Eduard Anokhin (Ukraine), Mr. Chris Jonasson (Sweden), Mr. Jacopo Lerussi (Italy), and Mr. Balázs Bíró (Hungary) make up the EEF’s Advisory Committee, which serves to ensure all EEF institutions are working in full transparency and are compliant with all relevant laws and regulations.

A Unified Vision for European Esports

The European Esports Federation, commonly referred to as “Esports Europe”, was established by prominent national Esports movements in Europe, following two years of discussions and preparations.

The organization was first established in 2020 in Brussels, Belgium, in an inaugural meeting taking place in the European Parliament in Brussels, and hosted by the Belgian Esports Federation.

Esports Europe aims to present a unifying vision for Esports in Europe to unite and align all key stakeholders of Esports with specific attention to the underlying values of the European communities: transparency, fair play, sportsmanship, human values, and inclusiveness.

Notably, Esports Europe membership includes prominent Esports tournament organizers such as ESL and ESFORCE, alongside national Esports associations and federations in the European Neighbourhood, some of which are recognized by their local sporting authorities as to the official Esports body that administers Esports in their respective country.

Esports Europe represents the interest of European Esports communities in the institutions of the International Esports Federation (IESF).

Berlin Gaming Industry

Tom Achsel Joins FACTORY-C to Spearhead “Home of Indies” Communications

Published

21 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

tom-achsel-joins-factory-c-to-spearhead-“home-of-indies”-communications

FACTORY-C, the Berlin-based communications powerhouse specializing in gaming and esports, has announced the appointment of Tom Achsel as Event Communications Manager. Achsel will join the “Home of Indies” team alongside project initiator Christiane Gehrke, focusing on the platform’s global expansion and upcoming presence at Gamescom 2026.

With over a decade of experience in the tech and gaming sectors, Achsel brings a massive professional network and deep operational expertise to the agency.

A Veteran of the Berlin Gaming Scene

Tom Achsel is a well-known figure in the German development community. His career highlights include:

Games Academy: Served as Head of Marketing & Events at one of Europe’s oldest game development institutions.
Games Ground Berlin: Co-founded and led communications for the Berlin Gaming Festival, curating impactful B2B programs and speaker lineups.
IGDA Berlin: Serves as Vice-Chairman, strengthening ties between local developers and the global gaming ecosystem.

Christiane Gehrke, Senior Event Communication & Sales Manager at Factory-C

“Tom knows the indie scene from multiple perspectives and has a sharp understanding of the needs of indie developers,” said Christiane Gehrke, Senior Event Communication & Sales Manager at FACTORY-C. “He brings everything needed to support the continued development of Home of Indies.”

Scaling the “Home of Indies” Platform

Since its debut in 2022, Home of Indies has grown into a central pillar of the Gamescom Indie Area. The platform provides a shared booth for independent developers, lowering the barrier to entry for international studios.

2025 Growth: The booth expanded to 440 square meters, featuring over 50 games from a dozen countries.
New Features: The project recently added a dedicated Spotlight Stage, streaming booths, and professional networking areas via MeetToMatch.

As Event Communications Manager, Achsel will lead the outreach strategy for Gamescom 2026, ensuring that the creative diversity of the global indie scene receives maximum visibility among press, influencers, and players.

The post Tom Achsel Joins FACTORY-C to Spearhead “Home of Indies” Communications appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

BlueBottle

BlueBottle Launches “League Broadcast” SaaS for Streamlined Esports Production

Published

22 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

bluebottle-launches-“league-broadcast”-saas-for-streamlined-esports-production

BlueBottle, the Munich-based esports technology innovator, has officially launched League Broadcast, its professional-grade production software, via a new Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) subscription model.

Announced on January 7, 2026, this B2C release moves the platform from selective partner deployments and its long-standing beta phase into a publicly accessible tool for leagues, tournament organizers, and individual content creators worldwide.

Professional Broadcast Tools for All Tiers

League Broadcast is designed to automate and elevate the visual storytelling of competitive gaming, specifically targeting the League of Legends ecosystem. The software bypasses traditional API limitations by using low-level game data collection to provide real-time, high-fidelity visualizations.

At launch, BlueBottle has introduced a tiered pricing structure to suit different operational scales:

Tier	Status	Key Features	Target Audience
Free	Available	Core overlays, essential team/player data, basic game stats.	Grassroots creators & amateur streamers.
Basic	Available	Commercial usage rights, customizable pre-game elements, professional draft tools.	Semi-pro leagues & small event organizers.
Pro	Coming Soon	Advanced analytics, event-driven automation, premium production tools.	Professional leagues & high-scale live operations.

Supported by Creative Europe Media

The transition to a scalable SaaS model was significantly bolstered by funding from Creative Europe Media, the European Union’s flagship program for the audiovisual and creative sectors. This backing allowed BlueBottle to invest in:

Enhanced Stability: Hardening the software for 24/7 live environments.
Improved Infrastructure: Faster development cycles and dedicated customer support.
Accessibility: Lowering the barrier for European creators to produce “broadcast-quality” content that competes with high-budget international productions.

“This launch represents more than a new pricing model — it’s the moment League Broadcast becomes accessible to the wider esports community,” said Lars Eble, CTO at BlueBottle. “We were able to invest in long-term product quality… ensuring that our B2C customers receive the same level of reliability previously reserved for large partners.”

Strengthening the European Esports Ecosystem

By providing affordable, automated tools for real-time data visualization—such as dynamic gold graphs, inhibitor timers, and 3D in-world branding—BlueBottle is positioning itself as a core infrastructure provider for the digital media age. The platform allows smaller organizations to monetize their formats more effectively through professional-looking sponsor placements and deeper viewer engagement.

The post BlueBottle Launches “League Broadcast” SaaS for Streamlined Esports Production appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Akshat Rathee

Indian Esports 2026: Strategic Growth and the Asian Games Milestone

Published

2 days ago

January 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

indian-esports-2026:-strategic-growth-and-the-asian-games-milestone

The Indian esports landscape is transitioning from a period of rapid “spectacle” growth to a phase defined by lasting institutional structure. Following the implementation of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA), 2026 is set to be the year where regulatory clarity, international competition, and domestic grassroots development converge.

The Impact of PROGA: Policy into Practice

The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA), signed into law in August 2025, has officially moved from policy to practice. Its primary contribution to 2026 is the explicit separation of esports from money-based gaming.

Legitimacy: By categorizing esports as a legitimate competitive pursuit, PROGA has unlocked state-level adoption and cleared the way for schools and colleges to integrate gaming into their sports frameworks.
Commercial Confidence: With a clear regulatory environment, brands in sectors like FMCG, automotive, and BFSI are now viewing esports as a stable, long-term youth engagement platform rather than a risky experiment.
Athlete Pathways: PROGA facilitates the creation of standardized national registries for athletes, ensuring that competitive integrity is maintained across grassroots and professional tiers.

The Asian Games 2026: A Global Stage

The Asian Games 2026 in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, serves as the most critical milestone for the ecosystem this year.

Medal Status: Esports will feature as a full medal event with 11 confirmed titles, including League of Legends, PUBG Mobile (Asian Games Version), and Pokémon UNITE.
Indian Prospects: India’s best historical result (quarter-finals in League of Legends at Hangzhou) has set a high bar. For 2026, the focus has shifted toward high-performance training camps and long-term athlete mentorship to secure a podium finish.
Multi-Sport Integration: Participation alongside traditional athletes reinforces the narrative that esports is a viable professional career, further encouraging government investment through schemes like Khelo India.

Market Evolution and Key Trends

The Indian gaming market is projected to reach approximately $5.02 billion in 2026, driven by a massive player base exceeding 500 million gamers.

Trend	Impact in 2026
Mobile Dominance	Over 95% of the market remains mobile-first, fueled by 5G expansion and affordable hardware.
Beyond BGMI	2026 is seeing a push to diversify the market into fighting games, sports simulations, and PC titles to avoid “one-title dependency.”
Monetization Shift	Revenue is shifting from pure advertising toward battle passes, subscription models, and in-game progression.
Tier II & III Growth	Most new user acquisition is coming from smaller cities, demanding more vernacular and localized content.