eSports
Champions of Inaugural Global Esports Games Prove that Esports is Truly a Global Movement
After two days of intense competition, the first-ever champions of the inaugural Global Esports Games have emerged.
And staying true to the Global Esports Federation and GEG’s vision of connecting the world through the power of esports, the diversity of the winners — nine member nations walked away with the 12 medals on offer — have made the inaugural Games a truly global celebration of a #worldconnected.
Without further ado, here are the Singapore 2021 Global Esports Games champions.
eFootball 2022
Brazil, widely regarded as the best footballing nation, can now lay claim to also being the best in the virtual version of the Beautiful Game.
And it couldn’t have been scripted any better, with the inaugural eFootball 2022 gold a fight between Brazil and South American rivals Argentina. Imagine Neymar vs Messi, virtual style.
And when the dust settled, it was Brazil’s João Vitor “CSC_jvictor” Lopes who beat Argentina’s Iván Pablo “MelianTheKing” Melian.
Lopes showcased superior gameplay and was calm and patient when making split-second strategic decisions as the 17-year-old eFootball prodigy earned the gold with a 2-0 win.
Despite the traditional Brazil-Argentina rivalry, both Lopes and Melian shared a heartfelt hug, congratulating each other sincerely after the match.
Iran’s Morteza “esultimates” Mohammadi also scored a resounding 2-0 victory against Singapore’s Dennis “DENNISZZ0910” Zhao to take home a bronze medal.
Women’s DOTA 2
Shining a beacon for women esports, the first-ever major international Women’s DOTA 2 final was an electrifying display of skill and teamwork.
Despite losing the first round to Team Great Britain, Team Singapore showed determination and grit to make an astounding comeback to first tie the game 1-1 before winning an 80-minute decider to clinch the gold. Team Mongolia won the bronze medal.
Street Fighter V: Champion Edition
In the world of Street Fighter V, Chinese Taipei’s Yu-Lin “GamerBee” Hsiang is widely recognised as one of the world’s top gamers. But for all his talent, a major win on the world stage has proved elusive — until the GEG.
Up against the Dominican Republic’s Saul “MenaRD” Mena, Hsiang prevailed to become the GEG’s first Street Fighter V: Champion Edition gold medallist.
“I feel extremely happy because it’s been a long time since I’ve participated in an offline tournament. Facing the best players in the world and emerging the champion means a lot to me. I want to thank all my friends and my country for their support. Without them, I couldn’t win,” Hsiang said.
Hsiang picked Luke against his opponent’s Balrog, who posed a real threat to the veteran throughout the entire match. Despite losing the first game, Hsiang made a comeback and proceeded to win three consecutive games to secure his win.
Mena received the silver medal and Pakistan’s Ahmed “Amu_PS4” Shahid clinched the bronze.
DOTA 2 Open
Team Brazil ended the competition with a convincing 2-0 win against Team Singapore, and in doing so, made history as the first GEG DOTA 2 Open gold medallists.
“Everyone is super happy (about the win). This is our first time coming so far to this part of the world. There are some players who have never experienced an international LAN so this is something new for them,” Team Captain Matheus “KJ” Santos said.
Santos and some of his Brazil teammates have had the experience of playing at the highest level of DOTA 2, having featured at The International in October. And they showed their experience and quality throughout the tournament.
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anime
G2 drops limited-edition One Piece streetwear capsule on June 25
The esports organisation’s second anime apparel collaboration will be sold exclusively via g2esports.com/shop.
G2 is launching a limited-edition G2 | One Piece capsule collection on June 25, with the drop available exclusively through the organisation’s online store at g2esports.com/shop.
The collection is inspired by One Piece’s Gear 5 Monkey D. Luffy and includes hoodies, zip-ups, t-shirts, caps, sleeves, and tote bags. According to G2, the items use a black-and-white palette and feature a minimalist embroidered logo alongside a custom G2 | One Piece Jolly Roger that combines the G2 samurai emblem with Luffy’s straw hat.
“At G2, we’re continuing to push the culture and fashion of esports beyond competition alone, and this One Piece collection is a natural extension of that,” says Sabrina Ratih, COO of G2 Esports. “We wanted to create a capsule that continues to elevate the esports fashion space – understated, premium, and stylish enough for everyday wear, while still carrying the spirit of adventure, ambition, and individuality that defines One Piece and G2 alike. Every piece is designed to bridge the gap between fandom and everyday style, and continuing our mission to redefine what esports fashion can be.”
G2 described the drop as its second anime collaboration, following a previous apparel collaboration with Solo Leveling. The company positioned the release as part of its broader effort to connect esports, anime, and streetwear.
One Piece debuted in 1999 and remains one of the largest anime franchises globally. G2 cited over 600 million manga copies sold and more than 1,160 episodes for the series.
The post G2 drops limited-edition One Piece streetwear capsule on June 25 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
eSports
Study: 400m Gen Z esports fans say brand activations drive purchases
EFG, Hero Esports and Niko Partners survey 8,000 fans across eight markets; 74% report ads and brand presence influence buying.
ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), Hero Esports and Niko Partners have released a multi-country Gen Z esports study claiming around 400 million Gen Z consumers (20%) regularly engage with esports. The findings were published on 25th June 2026 in Cannes, France, in a white paper titled The Esports Generation: Who They Are & Why They Spend.
The report is based on survey data from 8,000 Gen Z esports fans aged 13-30 across eight markets. It positions esports as a high-attention channel for brands: 85% of respondents said they notice branding in esports, while 74% self-reported that advertising and brand participation in gaming spaces influences their purchasing behaviour. The study also reports that 66% have bought a product following a collaboration or co-branding partnership with an esports team, game or player.
On consumption and fandom touchpoints, the study found 71% regularly watch gaming content, including 66% who watch gaming livestreams and 33% who watch or listen to gaming podcasts. It also points to offline reach: 21% said they regularly attend gaming conventions and esports events, with the average respondent attending at least one in-person event in the past nine months.
The white paper also breaks out claimed purchase categories linked to esports collaborations over the past year, led by food and beverage (33%), electronics (33%) and fashion (32%). Beyond core categories, it reports 28% bought esports-related collectibles, 17% purchased makeup, beauty, or skincare products, and 10% bought from partnered brands in other categories.
Niccolo Maisto, CEO at ESL FACEIT Group said: “Esports has evolved into one of the most effective channels for companies looking to connect with Gen Z audiences at scale. What makes it unique is not just its reach, but the depth of engagement and trust that exists between fans, players, teams, and events. This research shows that esports fans are highly invested participants, not passive viewers, creating an opportunity for brands that show up authentically and build meaningful and lasting connections with this key audience.”
Danny Tang, Co-Founder and CEO of Hero Esports said: “This whitepaper confirms what we at Hero Esports have long believed: esports has evolved into a global cultural and economic force. The data shows an audience that is young, diverse, and deeply engaged. For brands, the message is clear—esports is no longer a niche market; it is the premier platform to connect with the next generation of consumers. We are proud to partner with Niko Partners and EFG to provide this blueprint for understanding and succeeding in this dynamic industry.”
Lisa Hanson, CEO at Niko Partners said: “Our data shows that, much like fans of other sports, Gen Z esports fans are incredibly passionate and have formed strong bonds within their communities. However, their media and consumer affinities extend well beyond gaming and esports, with our research revealing naturally connected interest areas that create valuable overlapping opportunities for brands and partners that show up authentically in this ecosystem.”
The post Study: 400m Gen Z esports fans say brand activations drive purchases appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
eSports
How Not to Tilt When Facing Challenges: NAVI Performance Coach Urszula Klimczak and GG.BET Have Released a Special Project about Mental Health
NAVI Performance Coach Urszula Klimczak and NAVI’s title sponsor GG.BET have unveiled Tilt Management, a special project dedicated to mental health. The initiative consists of three in-depth articles covering demotivation, burnout, and dealing with hate – some of the most common mental health challenges faced not only by esports players, but also by their fans. The project places a strong emphasis on practical value, featuring real-life esports cases, proven advice and everyday practices, as well as self-support exercises readers can apply on their own.
Mental health is becoming increasingly relevant year after year, regardless of profession or lifestyle. Many of the challenges professional players experience are familiar to millions of people in their everyday lives. These include loss of purpose, poor work-life balance, conflicts within teams, vulnerability to criticism, and more. While esports professionals can rely on performance coaches and team staff for support, people outside the industry often have to seek professional help on their own – something that does not always happen. One of the key goals of the project is to support people who may not have access to professional guidance by explaining how different issues manifest themselves, offering practical tools for self-care and recovery, and highlighting when it is important to seek help from specialists.
The first article focuses on demotivation. It explains how to recognize its early signs, how to distinguish it from simple exhaustion, and what NAVI does to prevent players from reaching this state. Particular attention is paid to techniques that help regain focus, manage daily routines, and gradually restore energy.
The second article explores burnout both within and beyond esports. Readers can assess themselves using descriptions of the five stages of burnout and their symptoms, learn about NAVI’s approach to maintaining performance under a demanding schedule, and discover why variety in everyday life and taking smaller, more frequent breaks are essential elements of burnout prevention.
The final chapter of the project addresses hate and negativity. It explains why hatred and aggression ultimately say more about the hater than the target, how to establish healthy boundaries, and how to avoid being consumed by criticism – especially self-criticism. NAVI’s strategy for dealing with hate, combined with practical exercises, can help readers to challenge negative thoughts and distinguish constructive feedback from a stream of harmful negativity.
All articles from the Tilt Management special project are available on EGamersWorld.
The post How Not to Tilt When Facing Challenges: NAVI Performance Coach Urszula Klimczak and GG.BET Have Released a Special Project about Mental Health appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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