eSports
BLAST Premier donates $5K to gaming and mental health charity Safe In Our World
Esports tournament organiser BLAST Premier has donated $5000 to Safe In Our World – a video game charity that supports players, teams and organisations in the industry struggling with mental health issues.
The donation will go towards helping the charity continue to deliver some of its impressive work in the field of mental and physical wellbeing for the betterment of the wider gaming and esports industries.
Professional esports athletes and gamers struggling with mental health issues and burnout has become a common theme over the last few years, with the pressure put on elite esports stars ever increasing and players’ schedules becoming more demanding than ever.
Safe In Our World was founded in 2019, with a mission to foster positive mental health wellbeing and deliver support not only for players but also developers, publishers, retailers and the other people and teams who drive the video games industry forward.
Some of the impressive work the charity has undertaken to date includes launching a Level Up Mental Health Programme that empowers companies to priorities its employees mental health, creating a Safer Together Discord channel that offers a safe space to interact with fellow gamers and introducing a Community Manager Mental Health Course, which is free for community managers and public-facing roles within the industry.
The global Counter-Strike tournament organiser set aside fines that were accumulated and deducted from teams during the 2021 Spring Season (February-June) and donated them to a charity of choice.
Emily Medd, Director of Digital at BLAST, said: “Never has it been so important to protect and educate esports stars and gamers on the significance of physical and mental wellbeing both on and off the server. Safe In Our World are doing brilliant work in this area, helping gamers understand and talk about their mental health freely – we’re delighted to be able to make a contribution to their outstanding work.”
Rosie Taylor, Charity Officer for Safe In Our World, said: “We’re delighted to have BLAST’s support to continue to eliminate the stigma around mental health in games. It’s paramount to have resources available to every player and every employee in the industry, so that everybody feels safe to reach out and learn more about mental health; not only to support themselves but each other as well.”
The charity’s burning ambition is to grow into a default destination for gamers and developers grappling with mental health issues to ask for help, access information, and read about real people in the gaming space who have had their own struggles — and how they have dealt with them.
BLAST Premier is a worldwide Counter-Strike tournament series that unites all major events, offers opportunities to all regions across the globe and crowns the world champions of CS:GO. Up to 32 teams will take part in the seven BLAST Premier events over the course of 2021 with a combined prize pool of $2,475,000 on the line.
eSports
IESF Announces the European Regional Qualifiers for Esports World Championship
The International Esports Federation (IESF) has announced the European Regional Qualifiers for the 16th World Esports Championship. From July 6 to July 31, 750+ athletes from Europe will compete for a slot at WEC24, set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
As the only fully online event hosted by IESF in 2024, this tournament will spotlight Europe’s best esports talent across four game titles. The event will feature competition in the following categories:
- CS2 Open
- CS2 Women
- MLBB Open (Mobile Legends: Bang Bang)
- MLBB Women
- PUBG MOBILE
- DOTA2
Athletes from 43 nations will compete in the event, determined to claim victory and proceed on their journey on the “Road to Riyadh”. The national champions of the eFootball series will advance directly to WEC24.
Igor Nedeski, Esports Manager at IESF, said: “We’ve ensured that despite being exclusively online, the European Regional Qualifiers will deliver the same level of intensity and high standards as the other regional qualifiers. Athletes and fans can look forward to an exciting and competitive experience as the battle for a spot at the World Esports Championship kicks off.”
The post IESF Announces the European Regional Qualifiers for Esports World Championship appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Abid Abedi
Introducing iSports at iCode: A Cutting-Edge Esports Program for Aspiring Gamers
iCode, a premier coding and STEM learning program for kids, announced its latest addition to its program offerings: iSports, a one-of-a-kind esports program geared towards young gamers aged 8-13.
Starting the week of June 3, 2024, this innovative 12-week esports course will be offered across the entire iCode franchise and is dedicated to introducing students to the thrilling world of competitive gaming in a safe and secure environment. This season will revolve around the popular game Fortnite, which will feature a special iCode-only map within the platform.
“iSports will serve as a great summer activity for kids to get out of the house, but the overall goal is to foster personal development through the many dynamic skills competitive gaming requires. The iSports program places a strong emphasis on developing important life skills like sportsmanship, teamwork and strategic thinking. It will keep participants engaged and learning while school is out, and parents can rest assured knowing that their children are playing in a controlled environment,” Abid Abedi, founder and CEO of iCode, said.
Throughout the 12-week iSports season, participants will dedicate one hour per week to gameplay and skill development. All sessions are led and supervised by knowledgeable iCode coaches. Their administration along with the exclusive iCode-only map is specifically designed to provide a secure gaming experience with a safe, monitored environment. The program culminates in the opportunity to compete in a tournament-style championship to crown the best gamer across iCode national network.
iCode is partnering with MSI to supply an array of state-of-the-art gaming equipment including high-quality headsets and top-tier gaming computers equipped with speedy processors. Gamers will also have access to advanced gaming chairs for maximum efficiency and comfort. This setup will ensure that every participant enjoys a premium gaming experience, mirroring the standards of professional esports environments. In addition, MSI will provide prizes to the top iSports gamers, including one of their brand new Claw handheld gaming devices.
“MSI has been dedicated to cultivating gaming and esports for years with significant achievements. We’re thrilled and honored to partner with iCode to develop this community to another level,” David Chou, VP of Sales at MSI, said.
eSports
HAWKS TALON GC SET FOR THE STEAL ON APRIL 19TH FOR CHANCE TO ENTER NBA 2K LEAGUE 3V3 PLAYOFF
Hawks Talon GC, the official NBA 2K League affiliate of the Atlanta Hawks, will begin play in the STEAL on Friday night against No. 14 Blazer5 Gaming at 7:30 p.m.
Talon collected 90 points over the SLAM and SWITCH, earning 60 points in the SLAM and 30 points in the SWITCH to earn the No. 3 seed heading into the STEAL.
Should Talon advance, they would play the winner of No. 6 Cavs Legion GC and No. 11 Hornets Venom GT on Saturday at 3:45 p.m., followed by the semifinals at 5:15 p.m., and the finals at 5:45 p.m. All games can be followed on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.
“The STEAL is probably the toughest tournament in the 2K League, but the guys are locked in and ready to fight for their season,” said Hawks Talon head coach Ismael ‘MAELO’ Diaz Tolentino. “We are looking forward to going out there and proving that we belong amongst the best teams in the league. We were only a game away from clinching a playoff berth and we honestly think we are one of the teams to beat in this tournament.”
Talon owns a 4-4 record in bracket play thus far during the 2024 season over the SLAM and SWITCH opens, going 3-2 over the SLAM and 1-2 over the SWITCH.
The single elimination 3v3 tournament includes all 15 NBA 2K League teams that have not clinched a spot in the 3v3 playoffs, plus one community team from an open qualifier. The final two teams in the STEAL will earn a spot in the 3v3 playoffs beginning next week, with the winner receiving a winner-take-all cash prize.
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