eSports

Riot Games Announces First Official Global VALORANT Tournament – First Strike – To Crown Regional Champions

Published

5 years ago

September 25, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Riot Games announced First Strike, the first tournament organized and operated by the publisher for its newly released competitive 5v5 character-based tactical shooter – VALORANT. This global event will provide opportunities for players around the world to begin building their regional legacy through a series of tournaments.

First Strike will continue to build on the momentum of VALORANT esports by leveraging a decade of Riot Games’ industry-leading experience producing best-in-class esports events and broadcasts. Riot Games is also the largest global esports producer in the world, running and broadcasting weekly professional league competitions in multiple global regions, as well as winning multiple Emmys for the League of Legends World Championship, the world’s most viewed esports event.

“VALORANT is a deeply competitive title with global appeal and the necessary elements to become the next premier esport,” said Whalen Rozelle, Senior Director of Esports at Riot Games. “First Strike will provide our thriving competitive ecosystem with the platform to showcase their greatness, build regional legacy, and a foundation that will support the esport for years to come.”

First Strike will be a global set of tournaments, composed of multiple regional finals taking place across North America, Europe, CIS, Turkey, Asia, Oceania, Brazil, and the Middle East. Each region will host a series of merit-based qualifiers, resulting in multiple Riot-produced, top eight First Strike Finals, running from December 3 – 6. The winners will earn the right to call themselves the first official regional VALORANT champions. Both professional teams and aspiring amateur squads will have opportunities to qualify for the First Strike finals through online tournaments operated by premier esports organizations.

“Esports remains one of the best investments we can make to support our community for the long term,” said Anna Donlon, Executive Producer of VALORANT. “As we’ve already seen from the Ignition Series, there’s a huge demand and hunger for VALORANT to be played at a professional level, and we’re so excited to be starting that journey with fans, players, and organizations. As a development team, supporting the competitive world of VALORANT is one of our top priorities, and we are committed to this journey.”

Since its release, VALORANT has become one of the fastest growing esports, attracting massive online viewership and the commitment of numerous established professional players from a wide range of competitive backgrounds, as well as emerging discovered talent. To support the growth of VALORANT esports, Riot Games partnered with more than 20 premier event organizers to launch the VALORANT Ignition Series, delivering numerous tentpole competitions that attracted the attention of millions of fans. During the past six months, hundreds of VALORANT tournaments have taken place across a wide range of formats, awarding more than $1 million in prizes to teams and players all over the world.

eSports

Vlad Marinescu Re-Elected as 10th IESF President

Published

4 days ago

December 10, 2025

George Miller

vlad-marinescu-re-elected-as-10th-iesf-president

Reading Time: < 1 minute

The International Esports Federation (IESF) concluded its 17th Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, alongside the 17th World Esports Championship Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) Finals. Member federations from around the world gathered to review the federation’s annual progress, adopt key motions, and participate in the 10th IESF Elections, marking a milestone moment in the federation’s governance history.

During the election session, Vlad Marinescu was re-elected as the 10th President of the IESF, securing his second term. His re-election reflects the continued confidence of the membership in his leadership and vision for the future of the World of Esports.

“I am truly grateful for the trust placed in me to continue leading the International Esports Federation,” Marinescu said. “As we mark our 10th election cycle, we remain steadfast in our commitment to unity, transparency, and the sustained growth of the World of Esports.”

Delegates reviewed strategic priorities for the year ahead, including enhanced governance standards, expanded athlete development initiatives, and strengthened international cooperation. Voting on member-submitted motions underscored the federation’s collective commitment to advancing integrity, professionalism, and institutional maturity across the esports ecosystem.

The assembly also elected the IESF Board for 2026, comprising:

Board Members:

HRH Prince Omar Bin Faisal – Jordan
Afiq Fadhli Bin Narawi – Malaysia
Elin Yoojung Moen – Norway
Clint Kennedy – United States
Flip De Bruyn – Namibia

The OGM concluded as the 17th World Esports Championship MLBB Finals continued, highlighting IESF’s ongoing mission to unite nations through Esports and support athletes, federations, and fans worldwide.

The post Vlad Marinescu Re-Elected as 10th IESF President appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Bet builder

GG.BET launches Bet Builder for a new way to bet

Published

2 weeks ago

December 3, 2025

George Miller

gg.bet-launches-bet-builder-for-a-new-way-to-bet

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Customers can now use Bet Builder, a format that lets them build their own set of markets on one match into a single bet with higher odds. Bet Builder is available for both esports and sports events. You can try out the new feature with a deposit bonus of up to 150% and a free bet worth up to $50.

Customers can now place a combined bet on a single match by picking various options for how events in the match will play out. For example, in CS2, customers can choose which team will win on a specific map, how many kills a specific player will rack up, how many rounds will be played on a single map, and so on.

To place a Bet Builder bet, pick an event that hasn’t started yet, press the ‘Bet Builder’ button, put together your selection of markets from those available, get higher combo odds, and finish placing the bet in one click. At this initial stage, GG.BET is offering Bet Builder on football, basketball, hockey, CS2, Dota 2, LoL, and VALORANT, with more sports and disciplines to be added down the line.

“GG.BET has always been known for embracing unconventional markets and elaborate betting options. Bet Builder is there to meet customer demand for more interesting formats in a single match. The ability to make predictions right down to a specific round and any other tiny detail of a match is what gives users variety and improves their skills,” the GG.BET press office explained.

GG.BET is offering customers the opportunity to test out the Bet Builder format with a deposit bonus of up to 150% and a free bet of up to $50.

The post GG.BET launches Bet Builder for a new way to bet appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Asia

IESF Officially Opens the World Esports Championship 2025 in Kuala Lumpur

Published

2 weeks ago

December 3, 2025

George Miller

iesf-officially-opens-the-world-esports-championship-2025-in-kuala-lumpur

Reading Time: < 1 minute

The World Esports Championship 2025 (WEC25) is officially open in Kuala Lumpur, welcoming athletes, fans, and delegations from around the globe. With 19 nations taking part in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), this year’s event stands as the most internationally diverse MLBB competition in IESF history.

After a year filled with national and regional qualifiers and preparations from teams around the world, the world’s top esports athletes have arrived in Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur. The opening ceremony set the tone for the days ahead, offering fans a first glimpse of the excitement and atmosphere surrounding this year’s championship.

“WEC25 reflects the continued growth of esports as a space for connection, competition, and shared passion,” said IESF General Secretary Boban Totovski. “Bringing together 19 nations for MLBB is a milestone not just for the title, but for the entire esports ecosystem. We are proud to bring this edition of the championship to Kuala Lumpur.”

As the competition officially kicks off, the schedule is fully packed with exciting match-ups among Nations, competing for their flag and country. The best from all over the world will have the unique opportunity to become the MLBB World Champion.

IESF extends its gratitude to the Malaysian government and the Ministry for Youth and Sports, partners, athletes, and global supporters who continue to elevate the championship’s reach and impact.

The post IESF Officially Opens the World Esports Championship 2025 in Kuala Lumpur appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.