eSports
First Professional Esports Organisation in the Isle of Man Receives Government Sponsorship
The Isle of Man Government announces its sponsorship of the Island’s first professional esports organisation, underlining its long-term commitment to the industry.
Digital Isle of Man, part of the Government’s Department for Enterprise, has sponsored X7, a new team, with a roster in League of Legends at present and plans to enter further titles. The team was founded on the Isle of Man in December 2020.
The sponsorship follows growing interest in the Isle of Man esports scene at all levels, with Gilly Tho, an Island-based content creator, recently signing for LDN UTD and significant investment and education at the grassroots level.
X7 Esports plans to make an impact in the UK and global esports industry. Focussed on attracting and supporting exceptional talent from across the world, X7 will recognise, nurture and introduce some of the best competitive players to both the UK and European scene.
X7 made its debut during the League of Legends United Kingdom Esports League (UKEL) Summer Open Qualifiers, where they produced a flawless set of results with 10 wins and 0 losses, setting the standard for future Isle of Man Orgs.
Commenting on the sponsorship and sector more broadly, Chris Kissack, Digital Isle of Man’s Head of esports, said:
‘Esports is a fast-growing industry on the Isle of Man, and we are delighted to be able to support X7 on their journey. As the Island’s first professional esports Org competing in a recognised tournament within the industry. It is a very exciting opportunity and demonstrates that the Isle of Man is well-placed to support other such initiatives looking to grow and develop.
‘We continue to show and prove our authenticity and passion for growing esports on the Isle of Man and powering X7 to help them on their journey to compete at the highest level is another example of this. We hope they are the first of many Orgs with Isle of Man connections, whether that’s recruiting future Isle of Man stars or basing themselves here, and we will support them every step of the way.’
Josh Kingett, Founder of X7 Esports commented:
‘I am thankful to Digital Isle of Man for assisting X7 Esports in achieving our goals for the upcoming UKEL Summer 2021 split. All players and staff are excited to work with Digital Isle of Man during our debut professional performance and I feel this will be a strong and valued partnership for the organisation moving forward.
The Isle of Man has a lot to offer in terms of supportive structures and security, and they have already proven this with traditional sports and local companies. Getting involved with esports at such a pivotal time is a good move for the Isle of Man. It’s also great to see the Island continuing to support grassroot initiatives and those wanting to make a name for themselves in this space.
I trust that X7 Esports will be able to help put the Island on the map in this rapidly growing industry, and I look forward to seeing how the Isle of Man continues to support esports into the future.’
In addition to lead sponsorship from Digital Isle of Man, Amber Gaming have also partnered with X7 and are supporting them to scale their brand through the provision of consultancy and professional services, including corporate and accountancy services delivered through their group of companies.
Jade Zorab, Managing Director, Amber Gaming added: ‘The team at Amber Gaming have long been invested in the esports space. As this arena evolves, the growth of professional esports Org owners like X7 is going to be stratospheric so it is important that time is taken now to ensure that they have a robust structure and governance framework in place and are planning with protection, scalability and security in mind.
We are excited to work closely with Digital Isle of Man once again and extremely pleased to see they are supporting and promoting key organisations such as X7 at such a critical point in their journey. Esports has the makings to be a significant industry for the Island going forward and the time is now to get involved to help the sector and its participants reach its full potential.’
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Eight creators compete across five timed stages with eliminations, broadcast on Red Bull’s Twitch and YouTube channels.
Red Bull will stage a one-day Balatro speedrun competition, Red Bull Boss Rush, on April 17, 2026. The event brings together eight creators for timed runs in the roguelike deckbuilder, with viewers able to follow via individual creator POV streams and a central hub broadcast.
The competitor lineup includes Red Bull Player Ludwig, plus The Spiffing Brit, FrostPrime, Feinberg, Adef, Yahiamice, mbtyugioh and dreads. Red Bull said live commentary will be provided by esports host Yinsu ‘Yinsu’ Collins, card-game specialist Blake ‘Rarran’ Eram, and DrSpectered.
Boss Rush is structured as five 30-minute stages, with players ranked by completion time. Red Bull said the opening three stages use a shared random seed with unlimited resets, and points are awarded by placement each stage; the bottom four are eliminated after stage 3. Stage 4 determines the finalists, followed by a final winner-takes-all matchup.
The event also includes a downloadable Red Bull Boss Rush mod featuring a custom-branded deck and new Red Bull-themed Jokers, Bosses and Skip Tags. Red Bull highlighted additions including ‘Witch’, ‘Princess and Frog’, ‘Zebra’, Old Dog, ‘Pirate’, ‘Genie’, ‘Prince Charming’, and ‘Jester’, each designed to alter scoring or run economics.
Red Bull Boss Rush will stream on twitch.tv/redbull and Red Bull’s YouTube Gaming channel. Scan is supplying gaming PCs for the competition, according to the company.
Relevant data as follows:
- Red Bull Gaming on Twitch; https://www.twitch.tv/redbull Primary broadcast destination for the event.
- Red Bull Gaming on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/redbullgaming Secondary broadcast destination cited in the release.
- Red Bull Gaming: https://www.redbull.com/ Official Red Bull site for event context and confirmation.
- Balatro on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2379780/Balatro/ Authoritative reference for the game featured in the competition.
- Scan Computers: https://www.scan.co.uk/ PC supplier mentioned as providing systems for the event.
The post Red Bull runs one-day Balatro speedrun event, Boss Rush, on April 17 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
The CIS-based EMEA lineup brings past EWC experience and titles including PUBG Global Series 8 as S8UL targets Riyadh qualification.
S8UL has signed the Team Question Mark (QM) roster to represent the organisation in PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS on PC ahead of the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026. The deal was announced April 16 from Mumbai as S8UL prepares for the tournament in Riyadh, scheduled for July 21 to 26.
The CIS-based EMEA lineup includes:
- captain Roman Zinovev (ADOUZ1E),
- Andrey Ionov (Bestoloch),
- Mansur Tsimpaev (f1lfirst),
- Nikita Odobesku (Molodoct),
- and coach Yermek Torebekov (Ermaak).
S8UL said the roster will compete through the qualification pathway for a place in the 24-team event, which has a $2 million prize pool.
S8UL is adding a roster with a proven record in top-tier PUBG competition, including wins at PUBG Continental Series 7 Europe 2022 and PUBG Global Series 8 in 2025. The team has also posted a Top 3 finish at PUBG Global Series 2 in 2023 and a Top 7 finish at PUBG Global Championship 2022. The organisation said the roster has competed at both previous editions of the EWC in 2024 and 2025 and has amassed approximately $713,000 in total prize winnings.
Commenting on the move, Naman Mathur, Co-founder, S8UL said, “Signing the QM roster is a significant step for us as we continue to strengthen our presence in global esports. PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS is one of the most competitive titles in the world, and this team has consistently proven itself against the very best. At a broader level, this move reflects the direction S8UL is heading in. Over the past year, we have focused on building depth across our rosters and competing consistently at the highest level. As we prepare for the Esports World Cup 2026, we are committed to providing the team with the right support and resources as they aim to make a strong impact in the qualifiers as well as on the global stage.”
Roman Zinovev aka ADOUZ1E added, “Becoming part of S8UL is a big opportunity for us as a team. As a team, we’ve always believed in our ability to compete with the best in the world, and having the backing of a global organisation allows us to push even further. With the Esports World Cup coming up, we’re focused on working through the qualifiers and making sure we deliver performances that match our potential.,”
S8UL said the announcement follows its selection as a Club Partner by the Esports Foundation (EF), placing it among 40 global organisations. The organisation has also listed 13 titles it plans to enter for EWC 2026, including PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, Apex Legends, Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Call of Duty: Warzone, Chess, EA Sports FC, FATAL Fury, Fortnite, Honor of Kings, MOBA Legends 5V5, Street Fighter 6, TEKKEN 8, and Trackmania.
Relevant data as follows:
- S8UL Esports: https://s8ul.gg/ Official organisation site for roster and announcement verification.
- PUBG Esports (PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS competitive updates): https://pubgesports.com/ Authoritative source for PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS esports circuits, event results, and qualifiers.
- Esports World Cup (official site): https://esportsworldcup.com/ Event organiser site for EWC 2026 schedule, formats, and prize pool confirmation.
The post S8UL signs Team Question Mark roster for PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS ahead of EWC 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
The ex-Wasserman and former Excel Esports partnerships lead joins the London-based group behind the Esports Awards and MOBIES.
The Mobile, Esports and Gaming Alliance (MEGA) has appointed Patrick Collins as Vice President of Growth, the company said on April 15, 2026. Collins will lead growth strategy, including commercial partnerships and new business development, from London.
Collins joins from boutique agency Leapfox, which he founded in early 2022. Prior to that, he led commercial partnerships at UK esports organisation Excel Esports, securing deals with brands including BT, Sony, JD Sports, Neosurf and Chupa Chups, alongside partners such as HyperX, Anda Seat, Belong Gaming Arenas and Chillblast PCs.
Earlier in his career, Collins worked at sports marketing agency Wasserman, where MEGA said he helped secure EE’s six-year partnership with Wembley Stadium and advised brands including American Express, Vodafone and PepsiCo. The company also cited experience working with Premier League football clubs and brands including Barclays, Santander, Under Armour and Puma.
“I’m pleased to officially join MEGA at such an important time for esports and gaming,” said Patrick Collins, VP of Growth at MEGA. “Having worked across traditional sport, esports, and commercial partnerships, and founding Leapfox to bridge these worlds and guide my clients, I’m looking forward to applying my experience to support MEGA and our properties as we continue to grow.”
“We’re delighted to welcome Patrick to MEGA as our new Vice President of Growth,” said Michael Ashford, Co-Founder of MEGA. “His extensive experience, including founding Leapfox, uniquely positions him to shape the future of our company. With Patrick on board, MEGA is determined to accelerate our growth, embark on transformative partnerships, and deliver world-class experiences that will define the next era of esports entertainment.”
Relevant data as follows:
- MEGA (Mobile, Esports and Gaming Alliance): https://themega.global/ Official company site to support the appointment and provide background on MEGA.
- Esports Awards: https://esportsawards.com/ Official site for one of the properties referenced in connection with MEGA.
- MOBIES: https://mobies.com/ Official site for the Mobile Gaming Awards referenced alongside MEGA.
The post MEGA hires Leapfox founder Patrick Collins as VP of Growth appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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