Latest News
SNIPER GHOST WARRIOR CONTRACTS 2 RELEASES MAJOR CONTENT UPDATE – ‘BUTCHER’S BANQUET’ – FREE ON ALL PLATFORMS
Modern warfare shooter, Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2, released last month to considerable success, and today launches a major content expansion. Ominously titled, ‘Butcher’s Banquet’, the update is free for all players on PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC, and is immediately available as a patch to the main game.
Featuring an all-new expansive region, ‘Butcher’s Banquet’ takes place in a stunning desert-like area, complete with luscious oases, dramatic waterfalls, and mysterious temples. And whilst it might be especially picturesque, make no mistake – it’s certainly no holiday destination. Following the recent turmoil in Kuamar – the setting of SGW Contracts 2’s main campaign – new threats have been allowed to surface, the most dangerous of which is Mahmoud Zarza… aka ‘The Butcher’.
The new expansion builds on all the elements players loved about the base game, including the 1000m+ extreme-range sniping, next-gen graphics, more intelligent NPCs, and the most lethal array of weapons yet. The challenging sniper game is set in Kuamar, a lawless region of the Middle East, located along the Lebanese and Syrian borders. Players take on the role of Raven, Contract Sniper Assassin, and are tasked with toppling a brutal dictatorship by completing a series of replayable missions that can be approached in a number of ways. SGW Contracts 2 features large-scale sandbox maps, a variety of side missions and objectives, realistic weapons and gadgets, and a range of unlockable skills and equipment.
Players can purchase SGW Contracts 2 on PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC for $39.99 / €39,99 / £34,99 / AUD69.95. Releasing 24th August, the PS5 edition can be preordered now and arrives with a free copy of the Crossbow Carnage DLC pack, in addition to a suite of next gen features, including 4k resolution, enhanced textures and visuals, Adaptive Triggers, Haptic Feedback and improved SSD loading times.
anime
G2 drops limited-edition One Piece streetwear capsule on June 25
The esports organisation’s second anime apparel collaboration will be sold exclusively via g2esports.com/shop.
G2 is launching a limited-edition G2 | One Piece capsule collection on June 25, with the drop available exclusively through the organisation’s online store at g2esports.com/shop.
The collection is inspired by One Piece’s Gear 5 Monkey D. Luffy and includes hoodies, zip-ups, t-shirts, caps, sleeves, and tote bags. According to G2, the items use a black-and-white palette and feature a minimalist embroidered logo alongside a custom G2 | One Piece Jolly Roger that combines the G2 samurai emblem with Luffy’s straw hat.
“At G2, we’re continuing to push the culture and fashion of esports beyond competition alone, and this One Piece collection is a natural extension of that,” says Sabrina Ratih, COO of G2 Esports. “We wanted to create a capsule that continues to elevate the esports fashion space – understated, premium, and stylish enough for everyday wear, while still carrying the spirit of adventure, ambition, and individuality that defines One Piece and G2 alike. Every piece is designed to bridge the gap between fandom and everyday style, and continuing our mission to redefine what esports fashion can be.”
G2 described the drop as its second anime collaboration, following a previous apparel collaboration with Solo Leveling. The company positioned the release as part of its broader effort to connect esports, anime, and streetwear.
One Piece debuted in 1999 and remains one of the largest anime franchises globally. G2 cited over 600 million manga copies sold and more than 1,160 episodes for the series.
The post G2 drops limited-edition One Piece streetwear capsule on June 25 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Latest News
Ygam joins four UKRI-funded gambling harms research partnerships
Projects sit within UKRI’s Research Programme on Gambling and the GHR-UK Evidence Centre, backed by the statutory levy.
Ygam has been named as a partner on four projects funded through the UKRI Research Programme on Gambling, supported by the statutory levy. The charity will work with academic teams including the University of Birmingham, Bournemouth University, the University of Plymouth, Lancaster University, and Liverpool John Moores University.
The four projects sit within the Gambling Harms Research UK (GHR-UK) Evidence Centre, which coordinates 19 one-year Innovation Partnerships under the programme. UKRI has been appointed by the UK Government to oversee research commissioned through the new statutory Gambling Levy. Under the levy, 20% of annual funding will be allocated to research, equating to £22.1 million in 2025/26.
Emily Tofield, Chief Executive of Ygam, said: “We are pleased to be working in partnership with leading university partners, contributing our expertise in a key strategic area of our work. A defining strength of our approach is that it is grounded in robust insight and research, underpinning everything we do. This enables us to understand how and why harms emerge and translate that into practical, preventative education that is credible and scalable. We look forward to achieving these outcomes together and informing effective measures to prevent harms among children and young people.”
Ygam said its advisory panels — including young people, individuals with lived experience, community and faith leaders, gaming and esports representatives, and student ambassadors — will help shape the research to reflect “real-world experience and diverse community perspectives.”
The four partnerships are: INTEGRATE (University of Birmingham, Ygam, Al-Hurraya and Community Connexions), focused on intersectional gambling harm and interventions for children, young people and emerging adults; “From Evidence to Action: Safeguarding Neurodivergent Young People in Gamified Digital Environments” (Bournemouth University, Ygam, Work’n’Diversity CIC), focused on gambling-like risks in gamified digital environments; GRASP (University of Plymouth-led partnership including NatCen, NHS and third-sector organisations, and Ygam), mapping support pathways and gaps in prevention and recovery; and GRACE-Net (Lancaster University and Liverpool John Moores University with local authorities, NHS partners, third-sector organisations and Ygam), testing collaborative approaches in the North West of England and sharing learning more widely.
The post Ygam joins four UKRI-funded gambling harms research partnerships appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
eSports
Study: 400m Gen Z esports fans say brand activations drive purchases
EFG, Hero Esports and Niko Partners survey 8,000 fans across eight markets; 74% report ads and brand presence influence buying.
ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), Hero Esports and Niko Partners have released a multi-country Gen Z esports study claiming around 400 million Gen Z consumers (20%) regularly engage with esports. The findings were published on 25th June 2026 in Cannes, France, in a white paper titled The Esports Generation: Who They Are & Why They Spend.
The report is based on survey data from 8,000 Gen Z esports fans aged 13-30 across eight markets. It positions esports as a high-attention channel for brands: 85% of respondents said they notice branding in esports, while 74% self-reported that advertising and brand participation in gaming spaces influences their purchasing behaviour. The study also reports that 66% have bought a product following a collaboration or co-branding partnership with an esports team, game or player.
On consumption and fandom touchpoints, the study found 71% regularly watch gaming content, including 66% who watch gaming livestreams and 33% who watch or listen to gaming podcasts. It also points to offline reach: 21% said they regularly attend gaming conventions and esports events, with the average respondent attending at least one in-person event in the past nine months.
The white paper also breaks out claimed purchase categories linked to esports collaborations over the past year, led by food and beverage (33%), electronics (33%) and fashion (32%). Beyond core categories, it reports 28% bought esports-related collectibles, 17% purchased makeup, beauty, or skincare products, and 10% bought from partnered brands in other categories.
Niccolo Maisto, CEO at ESL FACEIT Group said: “Esports has evolved into one of the most effective channels for companies looking to connect with Gen Z audiences at scale. What makes it unique is not just its reach, but the depth of engagement and trust that exists between fans, players, teams, and events. This research shows that esports fans are highly invested participants, not passive viewers, creating an opportunity for brands that show up authentically and build meaningful and lasting connections with this key audience.”
Danny Tang, Co-Founder and CEO of Hero Esports said: “This whitepaper confirms what we at Hero Esports have long believed: esports has evolved into a global cultural and economic force. The data shows an audience that is young, diverse, and deeply engaged. For brands, the message is clear—esports is no longer a niche market; it is the premier platform to connect with the next generation of consumers. We are proud to partner with Niko Partners and EFG to provide this blueprint for understanding and succeeding in this dynamic industry.”
Lisa Hanson, CEO at Niko Partners said: “Our data shows that, much like fans of other sports, Gen Z esports fans are incredibly passionate and have formed strong bonds within their communities. However, their media and consumer affinities extend well beyond gaming and esports, with our research revealing naturally connected interest areas that create valuable overlapping opportunities for brands and partners that show up authentically in this ecosystem.”
The post Study: 400m Gen Z esports fans say brand activations drive purchases appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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