Gaming
ExpressVPN Announces New Partnership with Riot Games
ExpressVPN, the global leader in consumer privacy and security, has announced a new partnership with video game developer, publisher and esports tournament organiser, Riot Games.
As a Summer Split Partner, ExpressVPN will sponsor the championship series taking place from August – September, culminating in this year’s League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) taking place at the Caja Mágica in Madrid. From September 26 to 28, the last standing and best teams from the Summer Split will battle in front of over 10,000 in-person spectators for the Summer Split Champion title and a chance to qualify for the 2025 World Championships – one of the most iconic esports competitions in the world.
Riot Games players will have access to a free 14-day trial of ExpressVPN, empowering gamers with advanced digital privacy and security. League of Legends players will also unlock Hextech Chests when they subscribe to ExpressVPN.
ExpressVPN works with all major gaming consoles, enabling gamers to protect their digital privacy and giving them access to a global network of server locations. ExpressVPN’s custom-built Lightway protocol is built with speed and performance in mind—ensuring protection against DDoS attacks and ISP throttling while allowing gamers to enjoy a fast and secure connection that helps them stay competitive.
Riot Games is one of the world’s leading video game developers and publishers, with its flagship game, League of Legends. The company also organises major esports Championships such as the League of Legends EMEA Championship (LEC) and World Championship.
Zac Eller, GM of Global Partnerships & Business Development at ExpressVPN, said: “For today’s gamers, privacy and performance go hand-in-hand. Whether it’s protecting against DDoS attacks, reducing ping, or unlocking global content, we’re here to help players compete at their best. Riot Games has built a world-class esports ecosystem, and we’re proud to work with them to ensure gamers have the tools they need to stay safe and secure online while supporting the League of Legends community.”
Charlie Allen, EMEA Director of Commercial Partnerships & Biz Dev at Riot Games, said: We’re always looking to collaborate with partners who understand our community and what matters to them. ExpressVPN gets that League of Legends and the LEC aren’t just about gameplay and high stakes, they’re about trust, stability, and showing up in the right way. This partnership isn’t just a logo on a screen; it’s about adding that final layer to elevate the fan experience, connecting two worlds in a way that feels natural and earned – it directly supports our community by helping protect their internet connection and security. Whether you’re grinding ranked, co-streaming the LEC, or traveling to a live event like the Summer Finals in Madrid, digital security matters. It’s a collaboration built not just around shared audiences, but shared values.”
The post ExpressVPN Announces New Partnership with Riot Games appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Battle of the Tribes
POLYTOPIA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2025 BREAKS RECORD PARTICIPATION AS FINALS DRAW CLOSER
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Celebrated strategy game The Battle of Polytopia confirms its first ever World Championships has exceeded expectations with over 10,000 sign-ups in its qualifying rounds. While no stranger to tournaments, previously hosting smaller scale, local tournaments called ‘Polysseums’, developer Midjiwan’s first step into global esports has been met with extreme success. The inclusive esports event has a $10,000 prize pool and will conclude on 6 December 2025, 14:00-21:00.
The finals will take place in front of a live-studio audience, with expert commentary and a chance to peek behind the scenes at Midjiwan itself. First place will receive $4,000, the runner-up will take away $2,000, the third and fourth place finishers will get $1,500, and the fifth and sixth place $500.
The Polytopia World Championship 2025 is being hosted by eSports platform, Challengermode, who Midjiwan has relied on for its monthly local tournaments since 2022. Midjiwan also partnered with Black Molly Entertainment to help organise and manage the event. Black Molly Entertainment have years of experience managing eSports tournaments, with notable events including the Geoguesser World Cup and CS:GO Pinnacle Cup Championship.
Midjiwan has worked closely with its community to ensure engagement is high with each round, building a bespoke ‘Spectator Mode’ into the game so fans can watch each game live through the game itself. In the spectator mode the viewer has visibility of all players simultaneously, with stats on how many cities, technologies, kills and more available for quick access.
Christian Lovstedt, CEO of Midjiwan commented:
“Polytopia has always been about welcoming all kinds of players into the world of 4X strategy. That’s why our championship is open to everyone – not just pros with sponsors. We’ve been thrilled at the amount of interest this tournament received from our community, reaching participation numbers way beyond our expectations. We’re excited to bring the finalists to Stockholm and can’t wait to see the strategies that emerge.”
The Polytopia World Championship 2025 kicked off in September, with its ‘Battle of the Tribes’ qualifying round – weekly battles where players competed to be the best in each of the game’s 12 tribes. After an exciting six weeks, the top player from each tribe faced-off, reducing the qualifiers to six finalists. These six winners are listed down below.
|
Tribe |
Qualifying Player |
|
IMPERIUS |
ArthurL248 |
|
BARDUR |
slimmingboy |
|
OUMAJI |
Dreamlander3000 |
|
HOODRICK |
Theetat |
|
XIN-Xi |
LeLiberateur |
|
LUXIDOOR |
Meisterlampe |
Recaps of each round of the tournament prior to the finals can be watched on the official Battle of Polytopia YouTube channel.
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Part 1: Polytopia World Championship 1st Qualifiers Wrap-Up – BARDUR, IMPERIUS, KICKOO, ZEBASI
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Part 2: Qualifiers Wrap-Up – Oumaji Hoodrick Yadakk & Quetzali – World Champoinship 2025
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Part 3: Final Qualifiers Wrap-Up – Xin-Xi, Luxidoor, Ai-Mo & Vengir – World Championship 2025
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Face-off stream: https://youtube.com/live/GnU6mWPoJiY?feature=share
To watch the finals live on December 6,visit here: https://polytopia.io/stream/
To stay up to date on the Polytopia World Championship 2025, or purchase one of the limited tickets for the live event, visit the official website or join the Official Polytopia Discord.
The post POLYTOPIA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2025 BREAKS RECORD PARTICIPATION AS FINALS DRAW CLOSER appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Betiator
Delasport Unveils a Crash Game for Sports Betting
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Leading iGaming supplier Delasport teases a one-of-a-kind sports betting crash game called Betiator – a new in-play experience that merges live sports with the tension and excitement of crash games.
Inspired by the groundbreaking casino genre, the company once again pushes the whole industry to a new phase in evolution by allowing sports bettors to play in the same easy and fun way as fellow casino players. Crash games are booming in the casino world, showing that players crave more emotional, fast, and visually engaging formats – and Betiator brings that same adrenaline-charged energy to the sportsbook.
It changes the scene by introducing a truly innovative way to bet on sports, keeping players at the edge of their seats during the game. Designed to excite both sports bettors and casino players, it marks a defining moment for innovation.
This product comes as a logical next step in the evolution of live betting and the company’s goal to disrupt the iGaming industry. It demonstrates Delasport’s successful commitment to unique innovation: a strategy they call “Going Beyond Content” –building on the success of products and features like SuperPot, My Sportsbook, My Combo, Double My Winnings, and many more.
“Sports bettors deserve the same level of innovation and excitement that casino players get all the time,” Delasport’s CEO Oren Cohen Shwartz says. “At Delasport we’re taking the whole game to a new playing field with Betiator. Live betting won’t feel outdated anymore as we’re bringing in the thrill of the casino to sports betting.”
While details about Betiator remain under wraps for now, Delasport promises a completely new way to experience live sports. Operators and partners eager to see it in action can schedule exclusive demos and discover more at ICE Barcelona 2026, taking place January 19–21, where Betiator will make its official debut.
The post Delasport Unveils a Crash Game for Sports Betting appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Central Europe
game’s 2026 industry barometer – the mood in the German games industry is beginning to brighten
Reading Time: 2 minutes
The post game’s 2026 industry barometer – the mood in the German games industry is beginning to brighten appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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