eSports

Martin ‘Deficio’ Lynge is joining the Misfits Gaming Europe team as a director

Published

6 years ago

October 22, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Misfits Gaming Europe, the European division of Misfits Gaming, has been in the need for some reorganization for quite some time. It’s no secret that the team has been looking for a new director lately and it seems that they’ve identified the right person for that position. His name is Martin ‘Deficio’ Lynge. He has been a part of the industry for quite some time and is considered one of the biggest experts of the European esports industry.

Lynge’s previous experience

Lynge, indeed, is no stranger to the esports world: he was general manager at Origen as well as a European League of Legends Championship series commentator. Basically, he has been a part of the industry for quite some time, and his knowledge can help the team grow even better than ever before.

Ben Spoont, Misfits Gaming Group Co-Founder and CEO, publicly stated his excitement for having Lynge on their team. Not only he has great management skills, which he already showcased in his previous experiences, Lynge will also bring his vision for the future of esports and a strategy to make it happen, something all esports experts and fans should watch closely. Misfits Gaming already did great hires in the US, so we expect lots of great results here too!

What will he do for Misfits Gaming Europe?

Lynge was hired as the director because he is considered the right talent to develop a solid infrastructure and because of his ability to focus on strategic growth. The company has been looking for new ways to expand in the last few years, and Lynge might be the key for that to happen. As such, he will be based in Berlin, where he can be closely in touch with the European team.

Creating the right infrastructure in Europe is something that the team have been aiming to do for quite some time and is considered critical for the growth of the entire Misfits Gaming team, not just in Europe. Based on the new director’s comments, there’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes. They have nothing to announce as of now, but, according to the rumors, Lynge already started working to deliver the best experiences for all users. Having someone as experienced as him is very important and he definitely has the potential to help the team quite a bit.

Conclusion

Lynge coming to Misfits Gaming Europe is a huge, amazing deal, and a great win for the company, especially at a time when the esports industry seems ready to explode, as shown by the constantly increasing number of bookmakers offering odds on esports tournaments. We expect the Misfits Gaming team to benefit quite a bit from this decision, and we are sure that we will soon start to see more and more companies trying to improve their European infrastructure. As the European esports scene is growing, many US-only teams are eyeing European talent and we are seeing them expand. This is great for the industry, and it does show that talent is indeed everywhere and there’s always the potential for a lot of benefits. We have to see how things will expand and evolve, but Misfits Gaming Europe does seem to have a very bright future with Lynge at its helm!

BLAST

BLAST opens New York HQ as 2025 revenue tops $133m on 40%+ growth

Published

4 hours ago

July 1, 2026

Wladimir P.

blast-opens-new-york-hq-as-2025-revenue-tops-$133m-on-40%+-growth

Esports and live events operator says it stayed profitable in 2025 and plans 15 arena events across 13 cities in 2026.

BLAST has opened a New York City headquarters in Brooklyn as the company reported record growth and profitability in 2025, including more than $133 million in revenue and over 40% year-over-year growth.

The new U.S. headquarters is located at 45 Main Street in Brooklyn within a shared 55,000-square-foot office space. BLAST said the hub will support partnerships, live events and commercial growth across North America as it expands its U.S. operations.

The North American push is being led by Chief Business Officer Leo Matlock, who has relocated to New York, alongside Steve Rossi, who joined earlier this year as SVP of Brand Partnerships. BLAST said its U.S. team has grown to eight full-time employees.

BLAST said it has staged seven tier-one esports events in North America over the past 16 months, across Austin, Fort Worth, Boston, Raleigh, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. The company cited “more than $102 million” in economic impact from the 2025 BLAST.tv Austin Major alone, including more than $9 million in hotel expenditures. It also recently announced the Rocket League World Championship will return to Fort Worth in September 2026.

In 2025, BLAST said its broadcasts delivered more than 2 billion live views globally and 300 million hours watched, spanning live events in 22 cities worldwide. The company also said it distributes content via 29 broadcast partners, including SuperSport, France TV and RTBF, reaching audiences in more than 150 territories and 30+ languages.

“Competitive entertainment has become one of the fastest-growing sectors in global media because it combines community, technology and live experiences in entirely new ways,” said Robbie Douek, CEO of BLAST. “The next generation of fans want entertainment that feels participatory, social and global by default. That shift is creating enormous opportunities for brands, publishers, creators and host cities, and we believe BLAST is uniquely positioned to help lead that evolution after a landmark year in 2025.” BLAST said it plans to host 15 arena events across 13 cities and three continents in 2026.

The post BLAST opens New York HQ as 2025 revenue tops $133m on 40%+ growth appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

BLAST

BLAST reports 40% revenue growth in 2025, opens New York headquarters

Published

4 hours ago

July 1, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

blast-reports-40%-revenue-growth-in-2025,-opens-new-york-headquarters

BLAST, the Denmark-founded competitive entertainment and esports events company, reported record growth and continued profitability in 2025 and said it has opened a New York headquarters as it expands across North America.

The company said it delivered more than 40% year-over-year growth and generated more than $133 million in revenue in 2025, while remaining profitable and continuing to invest in global expansion. BLAST said its U.S. headquarters at 45 Main Street in Brooklyn sits within a shared 55,000-square-foot office space and will serve as its central base for partnerships, live events and commercial growth across North America.

The expansion is being led by Chief Business Officer Leo Matlock, who has relocated to New York, and Steve Rossi, who joined earlier this year as SVP of Brand Partnerships. BLAST said its U.S. team has grown to eight full-time employees.

BLAST pointed to recent North American activity, saying it has hosted seven tier-one esports events across Austin, Fort Worth, Boston, Raleigh, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City over the past 16 months. The company said these events have generated economic impact for host destinations, including more than $102 million from the 2025 BLAST.tv Austin Major alone, including more than $9 million in hotel expenditures. BLAST also said the Rocket League World Championship will return to Fort Worth in September 2026.

On content reach, BLAST said its 2025 broadcasts delivered more than 2 billion live views globally and 300 million hours watched across live events in 22 cities, distributed through 29 broadcast partners across online platforms and linear broadcasters. “We’re seeing tremendous momentum globally and all across North America, not just in esports fandom, but in how brands, game publishers, cities and entertainment companies are thinking about gaming culture, engaging competitions and digital-first audiences,” said Leo Matlock, Chief Business Officer at BLAST. The company said it plans to host 15 arena events across 13 cities and three continents in 2026.

The post BLAST reports 40% revenue growth in 2025, opens New York headquarters appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

asia qualifiers

India qualifies for Esports Nations Cup 2026 VALORANT main event

Published

1 day ago

June 30, 2026

Wladimir P.

india-qualifies-for-esports-nations-cup-2026-valorant-main-event

India has qualified for the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026 VALORANT main event after advancing through the Asia regional qualifiers. The nation-based tournament runs in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from November 2 to 29, with VALORANT scheduled for November 8 to 15.

The Asia qualifier featured nine teams in a double-elimination bracket, with best-of-one matches until the upper- and lower-bracket finals, which were best-of-three. India opened with a 13-2 win over Nepal, then dropped to the lower bracket after a 5-13 loss to Japan. The team then eliminated Pakistan (13-9) and Mongolia (13-10) before securing qualification by beating Hong Kong 2-0 (13-10, 13-6).

India’s roster includes in-game leader Sagnik Roy (Hellf) alongside Abhirup Choudhury (Lightningfast), Aman Yadav (Hoax), Venkatesh Sharma (Venky), and Daivik Chauhan (Dc). Norbu Tsering (Karam1L) and Shravana Sahoo (Techno) are listed as substitutes, with Abhishek Bajaj (GodspeedxD) named as coach. NODWIN Gaming is India’s National Team Partner (NTP) for ENC 2026.

Venky led the Asia qualifiers in eliminations with 117 across India’s six matches, according to the organiser. The company also said more than 100,000 viewers watched the Asia qualifier finals across co-streams and official ENC broadcasts.

Speaking about the qualification, Sagnik Roy (Hellf), IGL of India’s VALORANT team, said, “This qualification means a lot because of what it represents for India’s VALORANT scene. After the loss against Japan, we knew we had to reset quickly and focus on one game at a time. Every player stepped up when it mattered, and our ability to stay composed under pressure helped us turn things around. The growth of the game’s ecosystem over the last few years has created a pool of players capable of competing at the highest level, and this team is a reflection of that progress. Every international opportunity helps push the ecosystem forward and inspires the next generation of competitors. We are excited to compete at the inaugural Esports Nations Cup and want to make the most of this chance.”

ENC 2026 VALORANT will feature 32 national teams competing for a USD 1.5 million (~INR 14 crore) prize pool. Sixteen teams were invited via ENC Rankings based on official Riot Games competition results, with 14 places decided through regional qualifiers. The United Arab Emirates has a Host Region Wildcard, and one Solidarity Wildcard slot remains, due to be announced at the end of August once qualifiers conclude.

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