eSports
Esports player engagement: Latency Vs Delay
How does latency impact the success of the esports market? Is the industry paying this issue enough attention?
Regardless of whether it’s esports or traditional sports betting, latency is a critical issue that must always be considered in your market offering. The current levels of latency and delay in esports means that punters are at a significant disadvantage when they place bets – to the point that it detracts from the overall experience. Improving latency and delay is essential to achieving parity with the broader sports betting sector, and the future growth of esports betting more broadly.
The most important differentiator between esports and traditional sports is not latency but delay. Latency only refers to the common and often unavoidable situation where the video stream is lagging behind the real time gameplay. Delay, however, is an intentional feature in esports, used as a tool to increase the Tournament Organiser’s control over the broadcast content.
Purposely inputting delay is an industry standard these days and has a direct impact on player engagement. TO’s are constantly trying to find the right balance for delay, as they need to manage competitive and betting integrity against risk, while maintaining broadcast quality.
Although the issue of latency is being handled well in industry, the issue of delay is not. Many industry stakeholders are not attempting to overcome this challenge at all. It’s not just a matter of a few seconds, but many video streams can have up to 10 minutes delay!
The scale of this issue is completely different to any latency related issues. The impact it’s having on player engagement is game changing and I believe it’s an aspect that needs a lot more attention from our sector.
How important is the tier of tournament as a factor when influencing the impact of latency or delay in betting markets?
In esports, latency levels are heavily influenced by the tier of tournament or match. The lower tier esports leagues with more niche gaming titles typically will not have an official data supplier. There is no mass data feed for everyone to access. For matches like these, the punters, operators, players and spectators are all receiving their information from one place; the online stream, meaning no unfair edge when comparing data speed to stream speed. In situations like this, nobody has an advantage, so issues of delay and latency are far less problematic.
The biggest risks to gaming integrity are usually observed in the highest tiers of esports. Top level games that are being broadcast all over the globe and have official data feeds are where the issues of latency and delay have the biggest impact.
The delay between video feed and odds feed is most disparate with MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) games such as League of Legends or DOTA 2.
MOBA games usually consist of continuous gameplay for 40 – 50 minutes with no pauses or rounds. Even with delays of up to 5 minutes, a lot can happen that will change the dynamic of the game and moreover, change the final result. This puts the operator at a greatly increased risk, making it unfair for punters using the stream content to make bets from irrelevant odds.
Games such as Counter-Strike and Valorant are ‘rounds based’ games, meaning their gameplay is a lot more fragmented. So, with a 5-minute delay, the viewer will only be 1 or 2 rounds behind at most which is typically not enough of a window to impact the final result of an entire match. Added to this the fact that punters are only allowed to bet on one round at a time, the opportunity to benefit from the time delay is notably minimised.
What can the key stakeholders in the top tier of esports do to decrease delay in the streams whilst still upholding the highest standards to sports integrity?
In esports there will always be an element of delay to ensure broadcast quality and the integrity of competition – particularly to prevent stream sniping and cheating during games. With this in mind there are two different approaches to this: decreasing delay or aligning data with this delay.
For broadcast and integrity reasons you can only reduce the delay to a certain level, but that still doesn’t get to the heart of the problem. Punters are still behind not by seconds, but by several minutes. And it’s the top tier esports events, particularly ones with exclusive data feeds, that have the biggest disparity of information between operator and punter. Which in turn stifles the live betting potential of the biggest events of the year.
The more equitable solution for the industry would be to align the delay of the data feed with that of the stream. It sounds very simple right?
Applying this change in a way that parallels the sports betting ecosystem not only creates a fairer environment for the end user, the punter, but unlocks so many more opportunities for live engagement.
Official rights holders should think carefully and partner with companies that will create a fair ecosystem and who give betting operators the best ability to not only maximise revenues but who can deliver the best customer betting experience. This status quo has gone on for too long with suppliers of non esports specific betting products holding rights packages for some (not all) tournaments and throttling betting turnover and user experience.
Even with no perceived delay, operators using suppliers with quality products will still be able to price markets efficiently, while giving the punters a better overall experience.
How does latency impact sports integrity and how can it be improved going forward?
The answer to this question is a double-edged sword: Latency and Delay.
For esports and its general viewing experience, latency plays a key role. Most data providers are already utilising advanced technology to optimise every part of the streaming process and keep latency levels to a minimum. I don’t believe there to be too much of an issue there.
The core challenge is associated with Delay. We’ve heard from many stakeholders in the industry who say that there is a major problem with unfair betting in esports because punters are being supplied old information.
Most esports bettors prefer to watch the live match stream while betting, enhancing their in-game experience. However, when they notice that the odds on screen are not accurately reflecting the streamed gameplay, players understandably become discouraged from further engagement as the levels of credibility are impacted.
Sports integrity and fairness are important factors but not the only side effect of delay in esports. Being able to create an exciting experience for the punter is business critical. They need to be able to interact with the gameplay in as close to real time as possible. Statistics show that matches with the biggest delays also have the lowest betting volume, further demonstrating the need for improvement in this area. Latency itself is not a problem, the current industry level is under 10 seconds which is not perfect but is not problematic as most people don’t have the means or knowledge to be able to exploit that level of latency. The key to enhanced customer experience and the highest levels of sports integrity is in being able to better manage the delay, keeping the most up to date data possible displayed on the screen.
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With four spots, one stage and R60 000 on the line, South Africa’s sharpest squads are gearing up for a Call of Duty clash like no other.
The 2025 Hyprop MTN Shift Gaming Experience is about to get louder, faster and more intense. Hyprop, in collaboration with MTN, is introducing SHIFT COD – a Call of Duty tournament designed to test South Africa’s sharpest squads in a no-excuses, high-pressure arena. Four online qualifiers. One LAN finale. R60,000 in prize money. Only the best survive.
The format stays sharp and unforgiving: each qualifier is a single-elimination best-of-five series. Teams will battle across Hardpoint, Search and Destroy, and Control. Only the top squad from each of the four qualifier events will earn a shot at the LAN finale, taking place at Canal Walk on 12 and 13 September. Finalists will cover their own travel and accommodation, but the stage – and the spotlight – will be waiting.
“The Shift Gaming Experience is about putting real competition at the centre of public spaces and connecting people through the power of play,” said Christie Stanbridge, Brand and Campaigns Marketing Manager at Hyprop. “Adding Call of Duty to the lineup takes the intensity up a notch. We’re giving gamers a serious platform to show what they can do – live, on stage and in front of a crowd.”
The four qualifiers took place online, where teams signed up for free:
All qualifier finals were broadcast, giving fans full access to the action and allowing players to gain exposure beyond the scoreboard.
Four teams qualify for the LAN finale, where they’ll compete in a double-elimination bracket for a prize pool structured as follows:
- 1st place: R30,000
- 2nd place: R15,000
- 3rd place: R10,000
- 4th place: R5,000
Now in its third year, the Hyprop MTN Shift Gaming Experience has become one of the country’s most visible platforms for esports and casual gaming. Hosted at Hyprop-owned malls including Canal Walk, Clearwater and The Glen, the experience blends competitive tournaments with public engagement to bring gaming into the mainstream.
“MTN SHIFT isn’t about gimmicks. It’s built for players, whether you’re grinding in ranked or showing up to prove a point on LAN,” said Stanbridge. “We’ve seen how gaming can energise our spaces and create new communities. SHIFT COD builds on that energy.”
With only four LAN spots available, the window to make your mark is narrow, and the competition will be ruthless. Visit acgl.gg/mtnshift.
Remaining Tournament Dates & Venues:
SHIFT COD is part of the MTN Shift Gaming Experience which takes place at:
Capegate – Online Qualifier: 31 Aug | In-Centre Event: 5 – 7 Sep
Canal Walk – Online Qualifier: 7 Sep | In-Centre Event: 17 – 21 Sep
The post Hyprop and MTN Launch SHIFT COD Tournament as Part of 2025 Shift Gaming Experience appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon Fights off the Competition to Reign as TEKKEN 8 at 2025 Esports World Cup Champion, Securing Back-to-Back EWC Titles
Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon has claimed the TEKKEN 8 at EWC 25 crown having beaten Yoon “LowHigh” Sun-woong in a 5-2 grand final finish. His victory secures DN Freecs their first win at EWC 25 as he takes home $250,000 of the $1,000,000 prize pool.
Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon had a strong run at EWC 25, losing just one series against Kim “Kkokkoma” Mu-jong in the first match of the second phase. From that point on, however, he went unbeaten on his way to the grand final, even taking down Kim “Kkokkoma” Mu-jong for revenge on his way back from the lower bracket.
In the semifinals, Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon booked his place in the grand final with a 5-3 finish over Kim “CherryBerryMango” Jae-hyun, securing his second EWC TEKKEN 8 grand final in a row. Ulsan showcased his mastery of Dragunov throughout the grand final, setting the scene with a decisive victory in the first set, before taking the title in the seventh set with a 5-2 win.
His grand final opponent, Yoon “LowHigh” Sun-woong, took down Team Vitality’s Jeon “JeonDDing” Sang-hyun in a 5-2 finish to lock his place in the grand final. The former EVO champion displayed his Bryan skills throughout the final against Ulsan, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the overall winner.
“I never expected this. I cannot imagine I would win again. I mean, this year I had a rough start; there was a nerf to Dragunov, I had a lot of difficulties – I wanted to prove myself on this stage, and I have done it,” said Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon. “It’s been like a dream to be here. Thank you to those who support me from everywhere, my team, my friends, all my partners, and especially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for making this the biggest tournament in the world.”
“I’m still hungry. I just want to make myself a legend,” said Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon.
Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon secured 1000 Club Championship points for DN Freecs, who, as a result, jumped up to joint-eleventh place in the Club Championship standings, with 1200 points. Despite having three players in the top eight, DN Freecs will only receive one lot of points.
It was a disappointing showing from Team Falcons in TEKKEN 8, as all three representatives were eliminated before earning any points. With only a few games left to earn points, Team Falcons had high hopes for TEKKEN 8. Elsewhere, Twisted Minds, who secured victory earlier in the day in PUBG, failed to make it two for two on Saturday, also failing to score points in TEKKEN 8 as Arslan “Arslan Ash” Siddique was eliminated by overall winner, Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon.
The post Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon Fights off the Competition to Reign as TEKKEN 8 at 2025 Esports World Cup Champion, Securing Back-to-Back EWC Titles appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
Twisted Minds Clinch the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS at 2025 Esports World Cup Grand Prize, in the Closest PUBG Final in Years Twisted Minds avenge their 2024 EWC disappointment with a nail-biting win in the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS competition at the Esports World Cup 2025.
Twisted Minds have secured the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS at 2025 Esports World Cup title after coming out victorious in one of the closest PUBG finals ever.
Twisted Minds claimed the title after a ridiculously close final, making up for their failed run at Esports World Cup 2024. The side came into that event as the favourites, having won PUBG Global Series 4 just weeks before heading to Riyadh, but failed to bring it home on the big stage. They would go on to have a very successful end to 2024, but the loss on the EWC stage was a major blip on their impressive year.
Now, at EWC 2025, they have done it, by claiming the championship they craved – and they did so in style in one of the toughest and hardest-fought PUBG grand finals ever. With 12 teams in contention for the overall win by the final game, they held on out with plenty of tenacity and solid plays throughout each game to scoop a high amount of placement points.
This year’s finals will go down in PUBG history as one of the closest ever, as heading into the final two matches, anyone inside the top 12 could have theoretically won the entire event. The intense action of match 11 saw our first breakaway side as Twisted Minds started to pull away, giving themselves a significant lead for the final drop. Twisted Minds would struggle early in the final match, with just two players having to survive to the final stages alone. Eventually, it was just Dmytrii “Perfect1ks” Dubenyuk alive, but it was enough for Twisted Minds to secure an incredible overall victory.
“I’m feeling great, I feel like I’m just thankful for my team, thankful to my family, thankful to my girlfriend, and to the whole Twisted Minds family. To the fans that are here, it was the most amazing tournament, because this crowd was cheering us on the whole event. And now we are finally World Champions,” said Aleksandr “BatulinS” Batulin.
ROC Esports’ Gabriel “sxntastico” Silva was named the SONY MVP, after a series of impressive performances during the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS championship. His 18 kills and 25 knockouts were instrumental in ROC Esports’ surprising performance that saw them top the table at multiple points throughout the event. He will receive an additional $10,000 and the MVP medal to recognise his achievements.
Twisted Minds earn 1000 Club Championship points for their victory; sending them firmly into Championship contention, having moved from 2200 points to 3200 points, just 1200 points behind the leaders. The win is Twisted Minds’ second battle royale victory in the space of two weeks, having won Call of Duty: Warzone in Week 5, keeping their late charge well and truly on.
With a third place finish for Team Falcons, they gain a crucial 500 points in the Club Championship, sending them back into first place with a 200 point lead over Team Liquid. Elsewhere, Virtus.pro, who had the lead entering the final day of PUBG, could only bring home 50 points, enough to keep them joint fourth with newly crowned PUBG champions Twisted Minds.
The post Twisted Minds Clinch the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS at 2025 Esports World Cup Grand Prize, in the Closest PUBG Final in Years Twisted Minds avenge their 2024 EWC disappointment with a nail-biting win in the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS competition at the Esports World Cup 2025. appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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