eSports
KONAMI ANNOUNCES NEW ITALIAN ESPORTS TOURNAMENT COMING TO eFootball™
Konami Digital Entertainment B.V. announced the launch of a brand new esports tournament – the ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’. This is a new tournament based in Italy which will see the integration of eFootball™ partner clubs, their youth players, professional esports players, and – most importantly – their fans.
What is the ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’?
The ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’ represents a new esports venture for KONAMI and the football simulation gaming arena. The tournament will see the integration of three different players forming a team to represent each of the competing clubs. These are: A selected Youth team player; A professional esports player currently part of their existing squad; A club fan who wins an online qualification tournament.
This unique team composition of elite and grassroots esports players alongside the youth selection sees a melding of club representatives unlike anything seen on the current football simulation esports landscape.
Seven eFootball™ partner clubs to be involved
KONAMI is delighted to announce that all seven of its eFootball™ partner clubs based in Italy will be taking part in the ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’. These will include AC Milan, AC Monza, AS Roma, Atalanta BC, FC Internazionale Milano, SS Lazio, and SSC Napoli.
How the competition will work
Prior to the seven clubs taking each other on for the ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’ title, there be the selection processes for their three representatives.
Firstly, each club will hold an internal esports tournament between their Youth team players to determine a representative. This will come alongside a seminar from the KONAMI eFootball Activations team providing an insight into the ever-evolving world of esports and video gaming.
Secondly, there will also be an internal tournament at each club between their respective esports players to determine who will represent them as part of the tripartite.
Thirdly, eFootball™ will run an online in-game tournament for all gamers within Italy called the ‘KONAMICI’ this will be an Italian-only event within eFootball™ 2023. Players can register to compete online with the tournament lasting two weeks in total.
Players do not have to have played eFootball™ prior to this and can participate with no experience of the game. Each club fan can register online and select the club which they hope to represent.
From here, they will play a minimum of 30 online matches against fellow club fans, collecting points as they progress before the online ranking determines the top representatives.
The KONAMICI will take place only on Playstation®4 and Playstation®5 devices and will be free-to-play.
Tournament Schedule
The ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’ is a new form of esports competition with many different elements coming together to bring it to life. The qualification and selection for club representative squads and then the consequential tournament will occur in stages between December 2022 and April 2023.
The KONAMICI qualification phase will commence in February, allowing all seven participating clubs to gain their fan representative with final knockouts concluding by the end of March 2023.
Once each of the clubs has confirmed its three-person team, there will be an offline Group Stage phase where the clubs will play each other to determine their positions in their respective groups. This will be broadcast from the ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’ studio. This stage will affect the draw for the knock-out phase at the Grand Finals weekend later in April.
Finally, with group positions secured, clubs will be drawn against each other for the Quarter Finals. From here, it will be a straight knock-out tournament with two Semi Finals, a Third-place play-off (between the two clubs who lose their respective Semi Finals), and a Grand Final.
The Grand Finals weekend will be an offline, live event hosted at Napoli ComicCon on the weekend of the 22nd-23rd April.
The victorious club will take home a Grand Prize including a specialised eFootball™ multi-media and gaming centre to be installed at their youth training complex.
Throughout the tournament, there will also be a set of episodes of what is to be known as ‘eFootball™TV’ available on the official eFootball™ Youtube channel, recorded in the aforementioned ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’ studio.
These will include analysis and highlights from the ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’, interviews with the players, appearances from partner club players and legends, and an exclusive behind-the-scenes perspective giving fans an all-access view into how eFootball™ works and how the ‘Coppa eFootball Italia’ was brought to life.
Powered by WPeMatico
eSports
SOFTSWISS Sportsbook Doubles Esports Turnover in Q3 2024
1 November 2024 – Esports has experienced explosive growth in Q3 2024, doubling turnover compared to the previous quarter. The average bet on cybersports increased by 17.6% quarter-on-quarter. SOFTSWISS, a global tech expert with over 15 years of experience providing innovative iGaming solutions, shares the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook Q3 2024 report.
The top five sports by Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) remain consistent: Football, Tennis, Basketball, Table Tennis, and eFootball. For the second consecutive quarter, eFootball has outperformed Counter-Strike 2, indicating a shifting interest within the esports sector. Nevertheless, football continues to dominate, contributing nearly half of the total GGR.
The average live bet grew by 10% quarter-on-quarter, a positive development for operators as live bets hold 78.6% of turnover. The SOFTSWISS Sportsbook team is actively enhancing the live betting experience, aiming to capitalise on this trend and provide operators with even greater revenue opportunities.
The average bet grew by 9.7% quarter-on-quarter in Q3 2024, and the number of bets increased by 18.7%. GGR saw a modest growth of 1.5% quarter-on-quarter.
Despite the large number of projects launched for the UEFA Euro 2024, month-on-month statistics show that with the right promotional strategies, projects continue to operate successfully even after such massive events.
Alexander Kamenetskyi, Head of SOFTSWISS Sportsbook, adds: “Aligning a launch with a major sporting event can be a successful strategy, but football is not the only sport that can be leveraged in this way. The growth of cybersports presents new opportunities; for specialised projects targeting specific audiences, esports events can also serve as an effective starting point.
We continuously focus on product growth and development, enhancing features and user experience to drive further engagement and profitability for our partners.”
The SOFTSWISS Sportsbook is expanding its global presence. The product team is on track to secure certification in Brazil, conducted by an authorised testing laboratory. Furthermore, for the South African market, the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook has recently integrated a Horse Racing Module. This addition offers operators new business opportunities by covering over 2,400 international and local races monthly. The solution engages players with race cards, silks, and multiple bet types while providing operators unique skins and configurations to align with various brand identities.
The SOFTSWISS team is working on The iGaming Trends Report 2025, which offers a deep dive into key industry developments based on over 50,000 media headlines and insights from industry experts. Covering areas like regulation, marketing, technology, and business growth, this report provides a data-driven perspective on the trends shaping the upcoming year. The SOFTSWISS team shares the possibility of joining the waiting list.
All SOFTSWISS products will be showcased at the final major industry event, SiGMA Europe, at stand 2145.
The post SOFTSWISS Sportsbook Doubles Esports Turnover in Q3 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
BLAST Announces Landmark Expanded Partnership as Blacklyte Becomes Global Chair & Desk Partner Across Five Esports Titles in 2025
Esport entertainment company BLAST has announced an expanded Global Partnership with Blacklyte for 2025. The landmark partnership marks a significant milestone in esports history, being the first of its kind to encompass five leading esports titles.
As a Global Chair & Desk Partner, Blacklyte will play a pivotal role in supporting the world’s best esports players by providing custom-made esports desks and chairs for the competitive landscape across these five popular esports titles: Rainbow Six Esports (Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege), BLAST Premier (Counter-Strike), BLAST Slam (Dota), RLCS (Rocket League Championship Series), and FNCS (Fortnite Championship Series).
This partnership not only showcases Blacklyte’s commitment to the esports community but also emphasises its dedication to elevating the industry by providing players with the best equipment possible to compete at the elite level.
Last month, BLAST announced Blacklyte as the first commercial partner for Fortnite Competitive for the FNCS Global Championship 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas, United States.
The expansion of the partnership means Blacklyte will cover all esports titles BLAST operates in 2025. The partnership will focus on delivering unique and immersive experiences for fans and players alike. Alongside Blacklyte’s products being used by streamers and players across more than ten arena events and many more studio events in 2025. Blacklyte will also be integrated physically into these events and within broadcasts.
Blacklyte produces desks that set a new standard for quality and durability. These state-of-the-art desks are designed to withstand everything. They will be showcased at the BLAST Premier World Final in Singapore for the first time.
Alexander Lewin, SVP of Commercial Revenue for BLAST, said: “We are proud to expand our partnership with Blacklyte to encompass all five of our esports titles heading into 2025. This marks a landmark moment for BLAST. We work across a number of leading esports ecosystems, which gives us the ability to leverage these different communities and tournaments. This partnership is testament to harnessing that network to create best-in-class partnerships.”
Alexander Liu, CEO at Blacklyte, said: “We are excited to enter into this unprecedented partnership with BLAST, which will enable us to reach a broader audience and create a lasting impact across multiple titles. This collaboration signifies a new era for esports, where we can unify diverse gaming communities under one strategic initiative, providing equipment to help esports players compete at the top level.”
The post BLAST Announces Landmark Expanded Partnership as Blacklyte Becomes Global Chair & Desk Partner Across Five Esports Titles in 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
GG.BET is inviting BLAST Premier: World Final attendees to the GG.BOOTH to take part in some fun activities
From October 30 to November 3, the BLAST Premier: World Final 2024 will be held at the Resorts World Convention Centre on Sentosa island in Singapore. GG.BET, the tournament’s exclusive betting partner, is inviting the arena’s attendees over to the GG.BOOTH during the playoff to bag some unique merch and join in some fun activities, including autograph sessions with the teams. GG.BET also has a special 200% deposit bonus and a freebet lined up for its users.
The World Final is the concluding stage of the 2024 Counter-Strike 2 tournament season in the world-famous BLAST Premier series. In the final, the strongest 8 teams will butt heads, with 6 advancing to the playoff and battling it out in a LAN tournament for a $1,000,000 prize pool.
GG.BET have created a special area so that fans can have an even more amazing experience at the playoffs, from November 1-3. Here, you’ll be able to take photos to remember the event by and create posters to support your favorite team. Don’t forget to grab some merch so you stand out from the crowd. You’ll find the GG.BOOTH on the left as you enter the Resorts World Convention Centre via the main entrance.
There’ll be activities going on at this spot with a host and GG.BET brand ambassadors, as well as autograph sessions with the teams. More details about the activities will be posted on the GG.BET pages on Х and Instagram. Make sure to follow so you don’t miss a thing!
GG.BET is also offering its users a special bonus for BLAST Premier: World Final 2024: a 200% deposit bonus and a $50 freebet.
How to use your bonus on GG.BET:
- Register on the GG.BET website or log in to an existing account.
- Activate this offer in the Bonuses section.
- Make a deposit of at least $20 to get a bonus of up to 200% and a freebet.
This offer is available from 00:00 (UTC+0) on 30 October 2024 to 23:59 (UTC+0) on 03 November 2024.
In 2024, BLAST Premier and international betting brand GG.BET entered into an exclusive one-year partnership. For the entire tournament season, GG.BET has been organizing exciting online and offline activities for Counter-Strike 2 fans, as well as creating exclusive content featuring the players.
The post GG.BET is inviting BLAST Premier: World Final attendees to the GG.BOOTH to take part in some fun activities appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Australia6 days ago
Australia’s BetStop Receives International Regulatory Award
-
Brazilian Ministry of Finance6 days ago
Brazilian Ministry of Finance and IBIA sign sports betting integrity agreement
-
Brazil6 days ago
Delasport Ready for Brazil Expansion
-
Brazil6 days ago
ProntoPaga Transforms its Operating Model in Brazil to Ensure Risk-Free Transactions
-
Canada6 days ago
IAGR announces Toronto as host city for 2025 conference
-
Bonita-Fort Myers Corporation6 days ago
Seminole Tribe of Florida and West Flagler Parties Announce End of Legal Challenges and Beginning of Partnership to Offer and Promote Jai Alai on the Hard Rock Bet App
-
Brazilian Ministry of Finance5 days ago
Brazilian Ministry of Finance and Sportradar Join Forces to Strengthen Integrity of Sports
-
Aristocrat6 days ago
Aristocrat Awarded First Gaming-Related Vendor License from GCGRA