eSports

BOOM Rivalry named champions in GAMERS GALAXY: Dota 2 Invitational Series Dubai 2022 in epic finale comeback

Published

4 years ago

March 7, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

BOOM Rivalry emerged victorious at the Grand Finals of the GAMERS GALAXY: Dota 2 Invitational Series Dubai 2022, pulling off an incredible comeback run to stake its claim as one of the top Dota 2 teams in the world and taking home the bulk of the AED 1,000,000 prize pool.

The five-day series came to an epic conclusion on Sunday, as Galaxy Racer, headquartered in Dubai, played host to a thrilling clash between BOOM Rivalry and Tundra Esports, having battled through a field of nine of the biggest Dota 2 teams across a series of gruelling group matches and knockout rounds.

The final day began with a scintillating lower bracket final clash between BOOM Rivalry and Nigma Galaxy, giving Dota 2 fans a fast-paced and right-to-the-wire battle. While Nigma Galaxy equalised the tie to take the match to a final third match, BOOM Rivalry put in a fantastic comeback performance to progress and set the stage for a pulse-racing Grand Final against Tundra Esports.

Tundra Esports dealt ‘first blood’ in the Grand Final, putting in a thrilling first game display to lead the tie, but BOOM Rivalry immediately fought back in a dominant performance in the second game to even things up. The third map could have gone either way, with BOOM Rivalry looking strong in the early phases, but Tundra Esports eventually fought back in an incredibly attritional battle to win the game and step within one win from claiming the Championship.

With everything on the line, BOOM Rivalry showcased their poise under pressure and turned in some clutch plays to give fans a fifth and final game. The two teams saved the best round for last, with a spectacular fifth match that showcased some of the best Dota 2 combat and tactics in motion. Eventually, BOOM Rivalry’s momentum proved too much to handle, and the team came away with the match and Championship after a string of unlikely comeback victories.

With a gruelling round robin in the first round and a tough bracket in the knockouts, getting to the final was no easy feat for BOOM Rivalry, playing eight intense rounds on the Final day, after having to overcome the likes of OG, Team Secret and The International (TI) Champions Team Spirit en route to the final

BOOM Rivalry Captain, Rolen Andrei Gabriel “skem” Ong, said: “It was amazing that we managed to make it through the final day of the competition, playing eight games to win the Championship, and it gives us a lot of confidence. Our mentality is to keep learning every game and every tournament, it doesn’t matter where as long as we’re still learning and playing as a team.”

“This tournament in Dubai was great, especially as a LAN tournament, the atmosphere you get between teams while you’re playing is unlike any other experience, and the ping is just so much better.“

Broadcasted live from Dubai Studio City, the GAMERS GALAXY: Invitational Series Dubai 2022 was the first significant Dota 2 LAN event of the year, while the latest Gameplay Patch 7.31 shook up the meta to add an extra layer of complexity and intrigue to the competition.

The tournament, hosted by Galaxy Racer, was the biggest Dota 2 event in MENA history and starred a talented roster of teams competing for the AED 1,000,000 prize pool, seeing over 2 million concurrent viewers across all livestream channels globally.

Founder and CEO of Galaxy Racer, Paul Roy, said: “Congratulations to BOOM Rivalry, they’ve been exceptional throughout the tournament and have given fans around the world a real spectacle in the Grand Finals. As MENA’s largest-ever Dota 2 tournament, we’re so proud to have delivered what has been an amazing event, showcasing the best teams and players in an exceptional broadcast production, once again putting the region on the map as one of the most exciting esports hubs in the world.”

Dota 2 presenters, Sheever and Kyle helped bring the competition and the playoffs to life for viewers, while the Grand Finals also saw Cap, along with an all-star casting team of past TI winners, N0tail, KuroKy and SumaiL as a broadcasting first, with the trio bringing unparalleled strategic insight into the fascinating matchup to the delight of the Dota 2 community.

GAMERS GALAXY host, Kyle “melonzz” Freedman, added: “There was a lot of doubt about Tundra Esports after all the roster changes, but they’ve shown that they are real competitors, while BOOM Rivalry looks like it has a global superstar in the making with Yopaj. He plays with a ton of confidence and it looks like he’ll be a top player for a long time.

“The success of the GAMERS GALAXY: Dota 2 Invitational Series Dubai 2022 shows that Dota 2 is a truly international game, and proves how important the LAN experience is for players and what it can bring to fans, even if it’s behind closed doors. LAN is where the biggest Championships should be decided.”

GAMERS GALAXY: Dota 2 Invitational Series Dubai 2022 was the largest esports tournament in MENA, and featured the first-ever Augmented Reality (AR) implementation, showcasing elements of Dubai including the iconic skyscraper Burj Khalifa, together with the desert dunes through state-of-the-art animation and visual graphics animation. The flawless AR implementation and next-gen production quality received tremendous praise from the Dota 2 community.

eSports

McDonald’s Germany signs on as presenting partner for G2 NORD and G2 Hel

Published

2 hours ago

May 19, 2026

Wladimir P.

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McDonald’s Germany has partnered with G2 as presenting partner of G2 NORD, the organisation’s League of Legends academy team competing in Germany’s Prime League. The deal also includes support for the return of G2 Hel, G2’s women’s League of Legends team.

Under the agreement, McDonald’s Germany branding, including the “ich liebe es” (I’m lovin’ it) tagline, will appear on G2 NORD and G2 Hel jerseys. The partners also plan a year-long content programme focused on player storytelling and behind-the-scenes access, including a series featuring team president Niklot “Tolkin” Stüber.

G2 positioned the partnership around its regional development pathway. G2 NORD was formed earlier this year through a collaboration between G2 and NORD Esports, and the organisation said the roster has already won the Prime League Winter Snowdown and reached the playoffs in its first EMEA Masters run.

The company said McDonald’s Germany’s backing enables G2 Hel’s return, with the team set to compete in the upcoming Game Changers circuit. “This partnership goes beyond traditional sponsorship, it’s a shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of talent development and creating meaningful opportunities within the space,” said Alban Dechelotte, CEO of G2. Stijn Mentrop-Huliselan, CMO of McDonald’s Germany, added: “We’re proud to support G2 Nord and to celebrate the return of G2 Hel – a strong signal for equity, visibility and inclusion in esports.”

To launch the collaboration, McDonald’s and G2 released an announcement video featuring Jankos, Sola, Tolkin, Team Nord and Caltys, produced in-house by G2. McDonald’s Germany said its lead agency Scholz & Friends supported the development and execution of the partnership.

The post McDonald’s Germany signs on as presenting partner for G2 NORD and G2 Hel appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

chess

S8UL’s Aravindh Chithambaram qualifies for Esports World Cup 2026 chess event

Published

1 day ago

May 18, 2026

Wladimir P.

s8ul’s-aravindh-chithambaram-qualifies-for-esports-world-cup-2026-chess-event

S8UL’s Grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram has qualified for the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 Chess main event after winning the Road to EWC qualifier at DreamHack Atlanta, according to the organization. S8UL said the result makes him the first Indian player to secure qualification for the Chess main event.

The qualifier used a group stage and playoffs format, with two games per series and Armageddon as the tiebreaker, played at 10 minutes with no increment. Aravindh advanced from Group B into the Upper Bracket semifinals after wins over Kyler Raines, Justin Liang, Oleksander Bortnyk, and Christopher Woo.

In the Upper Bracket semifinals, Aravindh beat Woo 2-1 after two draws and an Armageddon decider. He then defeated Alexey Sarana 2-1 in the Upper Bracket Final to reach the grand final, where he faced Sarana again. S8UL said the grand final used a double-match format, and after Sarana won the opening two games from the Lower Bracket side, Aravindh came back to win the Armageddon decider to take the qualifier.

The win earned the 26-year-old USD 15,000 (~INR 14 lakh) and one of the eight qualification slots confirmed so far for the EWC 2026 Chess main event, scheduled for August 11 to 15 with a USD 1.5 million (~INR 14 crore) prize pool. S8UL said it is now qualified for three EWC 2026 titles, following Fortnite and Honor of Kings.

“Qualifying for the Esports World Cup this year is a very proud and exciting moment for me, especially with so many top players and organizations from around the world competing at the event. This particular format leaves very little room for error, as every decision matters when you are playing 10-minute games without increment against some of the strongest players in the world. I am also very grateful to the team at S8UL for their consistent support and belief in me since last year. Their approach towards chess and nurturing Indian talent has been incredibly encouraging, and I am looking forward to representing the organization and giving my best at the main event” Chithambaram said.

S8UL added that fellow Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Pranesh M remain in contention to qualify for EWC 2026 Chess via the Champions Chess Tour Leaderboard, Last Chance Qualifiers, and an India Rising slot scheduled to conclude on July 5. “One of the things we’ve consistently focused on at S8UL is creating opportunities for Indian talent to compete and succeed on the biggest global stages. Aravindh Chithambaram qualifying for the Esports World Cup is a huge moment, not just for us as an organization, but for Indian chess overall. The level of competition and pressure in this format is extremely high, which makes this achievement even more special. We’ve always believed India has the talent to stand alongside the very best in the world, and seeing Aravindh become the first Indian to qualify really reinforces that belief,” said Animesh Agarwal, Co-founder and CEO, S8UL Esports.

The post S8UL’s Aravindh Chithambaram qualifies for Esports World Cup 2026 chess event appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Cologne City Hall

Shortlists Revealed Across Categories for the Esports Leaders Honours Awards 2025-26

Published

1 day ago

May 18, 2026

Wladimir P.

shortlists-revealed-across-categories-for-the-esports-leaders-honours-awards-2025-26

The shortlists for the inaugural Esports Leaders Honours awards ceremony have been unveiled across categories including Esports Leader, Rising Star in Esports, Standout Esports Advertising Campaigns, Best Product Innovation in Esports, Access & Grassroots Champions in Esports and Industry Development of the Year.

The awards ceremony, where the winners will be revealed live on the night will take place at Cologne City Hall (Kölner Rathaus) on 19 June 2026, with the Lord Mayor Torsten Burmester in attendance. During the invitation-only evening event, winners will be revealed live on the night and receive their awards on stage at City Hall.

Esports Leaders Honours is a new awards programme and platform created by The Esports Radar to celebrate the people, organisations and projects that helped to define the year in esports and deserve recognition. This year the ceremony forms a part of Global Esports Industry Week (GEIW).

Winners will receive their awards on stage at the event at City Hall.

Access & Grassroots Champions in Esports

• Shortlist: Stefy Bau (CEO, Init Esports), Mags Byrne (Founder, EStars), Ole Martin Gjestad (Founder, KRED Norge), Désiré Koussawo (President, SAGES Africa), David Kosir (Founder, Friendly Fire), Elliot Mack (Co-Founder and CEO, DAIGON Esports), Jon Winkle (Founder, EPIC.LAN)

Esports Leader

• Shortlist: Akshat Rathee, Anna Rozwandowicz, Fabien ‘neo’ Devide, HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, Monica Dinsmore, Niccolo Maisto, Ralf Reichert, Robbie Douek

Rising Star in Esports

• Shortlist: Bilguunbat Enkhbayar (Co-Founder and CEO, The MongolZ), Emanuele Acerbis (CEO & Co-Founder, NOVO Esports), Heloisa Passos (Founder, trexx), Kalam Neale (Head of Education, British Esports), Liam Whitehead (Head of Partnerships, Method), Meg Cabaras (Senior Account Executive, Esports & Gaming, Octagon), Sheridan McGuire (Founder, College Esports News)

Standout Esports Advertising Campaigns

• Shortlist: DHL x EFG x Chew Productions – The Dispatch, G2 x Solo Leveling (Crunchyroll), HEROIC x Razed, Jameel Motorsport x Esports World Cup 2025, Team Liquid x Magnus Carlsen, Team Vitality x Nescafé Latte, Team Vitality x Stake

Best Product Innovation in Esports

• Shortlist: DPM LOL, EVA (Esports Virtual Arenas), Logitech G – the ProX2 Superstrike Mouse, Runestone, Shikenso, UNEVN – the BASE PC Solution, ZOWIE by BenQ

Industry Development of the Year

• Shortlist: BLAST and GamingMalta announce multi-year partnership, including permanent studio spanning over 1,000m², The launch of Esports Nations Cup, India drafts new rules to regulate esports and gaming, with esports formally recognised as sports under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, The sale of Moonton, creator of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, to Saudi Arabia’s Savvy Games Group in a deal valued at approximately $6 billion, Qiddiya-owned RTS fully acquires Evo, Riot Games opening up for betting sponsors in EMEA and Americas, the PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners moving to purchase Electronic Arts (EA) for $55 billion

The “Local Hero” category will see the winner announced on the night too, but this one does not include a shortlist. This category recognises an individual who has made a significant contribution to the betterment of esports locally to wherever the ceremony is being hosted. Given this year’s ceremony is taking place in Germany, The Esports Radar has partnered with E-Sport-Bund Deutschland (ESBD), who will decide this edition’s winner.

Sam Cooke, CEO of The Insights Group (The Esports Radar), said: “As ever with this kind of exercise and selecting those who deserve recognition across these areas this was extremely difficult, but we’re really pleased with those we’ve chosen! They’ve all contributed something meaningful in different ways to esports over this past year in particular, and for many of them for much longer than that too.

“We’re excited to celebrate these people, organisations and the space in Cologne at City Hall in June, and even more excited to scale this Honours platform into the future; we want it to be more representative and do the sector worldwide justice; those developments and that process will follow soon after 19th June.”

The post Shortlists Revealed Across Categories for the Esports Leaders Honours Awards 2025-26 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.