eSports
ESL FACEIT Group and Znipe Esports reveal FACEIT Watch: A cutting-edge, new digital streaming platform from esports fans for esports fans
Designed for the competitive gaming community and now open to all, FACEIT Watch is created to disrupt the esports content distribution model by putting users in control of their viewing experience.
Designed in collaboration with Znipe Esports, a technical partner, FACEIT Watch marks the first major product launch from FACEIT that moves beyond gameplay by offering its audience a unique streaming experience tailored to the user.
Featuring a unique multi-perspective view selector where users can watch their favorite player’s perspective directly next to the main event stream, it enables esports fans to pause and rewind, with access to killcams and live-generated replays of key moments and adjust the volume of caster and multi-perspective sounds, as well as disable spoilers, letting them personalize how they engage with FACEIT Watch streaming content.
Earlier this year, FACEIT announced its collaboration with Call of Duty 2024 Challengers Season and partnership with Overwatch, that aim to grow the community of competitive gamers and fans on its platform. The launch of FACEIT Watch will provide an unparalleled viewing experience and create a new way for users to connect and enjoy content with friends, bringing fans closer together. By enabling users to watch their favorite players’ perspectives and offering tools that mean they will never miss a play again, FACEIT Watch establishes a new environment where esports enthusiasts can discuss and debate, celebrate victories, and forge lasting connections.
“Our mission at EFG is to create worlds beyond gameplay. FACEIT Watch represents a new chapter for the platform as it moves beyond the ultimate competitive environment to play and provides players multiple ways to engage with their favorite games,” said Warren Leigh, Senior Vice President of Product, Digital Platforms, ESL FACEIT Group. “On the FACEIT platform, we’ve had unparalleled insight into the needs and nuances of this community for over a decade, and, together with Znipe Esports, we’ve designed FACEIT Watch to meet them. We look forward to hearing their feedback after Katowice and continuing to develop and optimize Watch with them.”
Johan Ryman, CEO, Znipe Esports, added: “We are honored and excited about being a part of this initiative from EFG and their commitment towards the esports community and looking forward to our combined efforts to create best in class esports streaming.”
Over 100,000 viewers have tuned in so far on FACEIT Watch during the play-ins of EFG’s flagship event, IEM Katowice, which culminates this weekend and will see the world’s best Counter-Strike 2 teams battle it out for a share of the $1,000,000 prize pool.
FACEIT Watch is now available to all at FACEIT.com. Tune in to see the Grand Final of IEM Katowice on the 11th of February on FACEIT. Watch at 17:00 CET.
eSports
VSPO Joins Esports Integrity Commission, Further Strengthening Global Esports Integrity Standards
The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) announced that VSPO, the largest esports company in Asia, has officially become an ESIC member. Founded in 2016, VSPO has established itself as a key player in the global esports industry after hosting events across Asia, Europe and North America. This membership demonstrates VSPO’s commitment to promoting fairness, transparency and ethical conduct in the global esports ecosystem.
VSPO is renowned for its end-to-end esports offerings, including tournament operations, content production, talent incubation and integrated marketing solutions. The company recently announced the Esports Asian Champions League (ACL), Asia’s new premier international esports tournament featuring multiple titles. It has previously hosted high-profile esports events such as the Honor of Kings Pro League (KPL), PUBG Global Championship (PGC) and the esports series at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, collaborating with major game developers and global brands.
By joining ESIC as a member, VSPO aligns with the industry’s most rigorous and widely accepted integrity standards, ensuring the protection and sustainability of its own tournaments and further supporting the esports industry as it continues to grow on a global scale. This will include enforcing ESIC’s Integrity Program across all tournaments and events, which addresses cheating, match-fixing, doping and other unethical behaviours.
As an ESIC member, VSPO commits to upholding the integrity of the esports ecosystem by adopting ESIC’s codes of conduct, cooperating with investigations and enforcing any sanctions imposed by ESIC. This ensures a consistent, global approach to maintaining fair play and transparency, safeguarding the credibility of esports for players, teams and fans alike.
VSPO becomes part of a prestigious roster of ESIC members, which includes some of the world’s most prominent tournament organisers such as ESL FACEIT Group, BLAST, LVP (MEDIAPRO Group) and NODWIN Gaming. VSPO membership comes as the company enters an exciting period. Last week it announced that Founder Dino Ying has transitioned to Executive Chairman, with Co-Founder Danny Tang becoming CEO. VSPO is also set to be renamed to Hero Esports, aligning with its domestic brand as part of its ongoing global growth strategy.
Stephen Hanna, Chief Executive Officer of ESIC, said: “VSPO’s commitment to excellence and its global influence makes it an invaluable addition to our growing membership of leading esports stakeholders. VSPO’s membership reinforces the importance of a unified approach to integrity, and we look forward to working together to ensure that the global esports industry continues to grow on a foundation of fairness and trust.”
Danny Tang, CEO and Co-Founder of VSPO, said: “We are proud to join a community that shares our commitment to maintaining the integrity of the esports ecosystem, protecting the credibility of esports for players and fans. A united front is the only way to ensure all participants can thrive, knowing that their efforts and talents are respected and valued.”
The post VSPO Joins Esports Integrity Commission, Further Strengthening Global Esports Integrity Standards appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
Abios partners Svenska Spel to bolster esoccer offering
Leading Swedish operator enhances its esoccer capabilities with Abios’ comprehensive odds feed, streams and widgets
Abios, a global leader in esports data and odds provision and part of the Kambi Group, has agreed a partnership with Svenska Spel to provide the leading Swedish operator with its full esoccer offering, including its comprehensive range of odds, streams and widgets.
Harnessing real-time data from official rights holders and automated models overseen by an expert trading team, Abios’ esoccer offering covers more than 12,000 matches every month. Having powered esoccer across the Kambi network since 2023, Abios’ offering consistently ranks among the top leagues on the network by number of bets.
Svenska Spel is one of the largest operators in the Swedish regulated market, with an extensive online presence encompassing both sportsbook and casino. Svenska Spel is also the single largest sponsor of Swedish sports, making large contributions to everything from women’s hockey to the Swedish national football team.
Managing Director and Co-founder of Abios, Anton Janér, said: “As a company founded in Stockholm we’re incredibly happy to power Svenska Spel, one of the most well-known brands within Swedish sports. Esoccer has grown rapidly for us in recent months, and it is exciting to see that the novel product features we’ve rolled out have gained traction and boosted results for our partners.”
Ida Björklund, Head of Sports Betting at Svenska Spel, said: “By adding esoccer to our offering, we allow our customers to enjoy an exciting new product that has grown rapidly in popularity. The opportunity for customers to follow their bets throughout the match by watching streams bolsters the user experience, acting as a fantastic complement to our broad and deep offering.”
The post Abios partners Svenska Spel to bolster esoccer offering appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
Kazakhstan to Host the Games of the Future 2026
Following a highly competitive process, Phygital International announced that Kazakhstan has been chosen as the host of the Games of the Future 2026.
This annual tournament, which is the pinnacle event of the phygital sporting world, received hosting bids from countries across the world, all bidding to follow the UAE in becoming hosts of this prestigious event.
Kazakhstan proved itself the ultimate winner with the Phygital International Expert Committee judges, after showcasing its expertise in hosting international tournaments, its state-of-the-art sports venues – along with the perfect mix of being a nation that embraces sports, culture and tradition as well as its technology and innovation capabilities.
The Games of the Future is a unique international event, which brings together the next generation of dynamic sporting heroes from all over the world. Phygital International expects the Games of the Future 2025 in UAE and now, 2026 in Kazakhstan to welcome thousands of world-class athletes and esports persons as part of multinational clubs. They will participate in the multi-sport event which comprises of a number of phygital sport challenges.
Nis Hatt, CEO of Phygital International, said: “We’re hugely excited at the prospect of Kazakhstan receiving the phygital flame from next year’s host, the UAE to host the 2026 tournament. It’s so pleasing to see the exponential growth of not only phygital sports, but also the global phygital community.
“In fact, the host nation bidding process for the Games of the Future 2027 is already hotting up but there’s still time for other countries to put their bid in before the deadline in December.”
Yerbol Myrzabossynov, Minister of Tourism and Sports for the Republic of Kazakhstan, said: “It is a privilege for our great nation of Kazakhstan to be awarded the honour of hosting the Games of the Future in 2026. Our country has supported phygital sport from its very inception, and we take pride in being the next in line to host this great event and we’re excited to receive the phygital flame from the UAE, who’s hosting in 2025 we greatly look forward to.”
The Games of the Future places no restrictions on its participants and welcomes everyone, regardless of their age, gender and nationality. The deadline for submitting applications to host the tournament in 2027 is December 31, 2024.
The post Kazakhstan to Host the Games of the Future 2026 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Aristocrat Gaming7 days ago
Aristocrat Gaming Honored by Gaming Industry with Supplier of the Year, Best Slot, and Best Land-Based Product at the Global Gaming Awards Americas
-
Africa7 days ago
Galaxsys Expands Its Presence in Africa by Partnering with Betika
-
2024 G2E Party7 days ago
SCCG Launches Celebrity BooRay! Exhibition Featuring Mark Wahlberg and Former NBA Stars at 2024 G2E Party
-
Compliance Updates7 days ago
How payments can drive iGaming operators’ growth as they navigate an evolving regulatory landscape
-
American Gaming Association7 days ago
AGA, ECA and BGC Sign MOU
-
Compliance Updates7 days ago
BetConstruct Acquires New Romanian Licence for Casino and Fixed-Odds Betting Activities
-
Latest News7 days ago
Week 41/2024 slot games releases
-
Eastern Europe4 days ago
Amusnet Enters into Partnership with Vivabet