eSports
VTuber Awards Date Set for December 16, 2023
Please welcome the VTuber Awards, the first major award show dedicated exclusively to virtual creators and their contribution to streaming culture. Hosted by Filian in collaboration with Mythic Talent, the event is intended to celebrate all VTubers worldwide — regardless of their audience size, language, or genre. The first award ceremony will be produced by WePlay Studios.
The VTubing phenomenon has been steadily expanding since the appearance of the first virtual content creators on stage. Today, VTubers constitute 1.4% of the active live gaming community on YouTube and 0.3% of the Twitch community, according to Gamesight.
Popular independent VTuber Filian, together with Mythic Talent, is excited to establish the VTuber Awards, the prime award show celebrating VTubing culture and community worldwide. The VTuber Awards are dedicated to bringing the most notable virtual creators and spotlighting their triumphs in a friendly atmosphere of collaboration and respect.
Filian, host of the VTuber Awards. Visual: VTuber Awards.
“VTubers are amazing! And often not a focus in other award shows. But this one is for us, for VTubers and VTuber fans alike! I can’t wait to see who wins!” shares Filian.
Any VTuber can become a nominee, regardless of their language of communication, audience size, genre of communication, and gender — the award is open to every creator and provides everyone with equal chances and conditions. Now the community will choose the winner in an open vote on the official website from among the creators who were nominated most often.
To learn more about the nomination and voting procedure, as well as to submit your voice, please visit the official website.
The pilot gala evening of the VTuber Awards is scheduled for December 16, 2023, during which winners in more than 20 categories will be determined. The categories for this year’s VTuber Awards include:
- Best Music VTuber
- Best Art VTuber
- Best FPS VTuber
- Best Minecraft VTuber
- Best Roleplay/ASMR VTuber
- Best JustChatting/Zatsu VTuber
- Best Tech VTuber
- Funniest VTuber
- Most Chaotic VTuber
- Lewdtuber of the Year
- VTuber Parent of the Year
- Gamer of the Year
- Miss VTuber
- League of Their Own
- Hidden Gem
- Rising Star
- VTuber of the Year
- Best Philanthropic Event
- Best Concert Event
- Best Streamed Event
- Stream Game of the Year
- Best VTuber Organization
- Rising VTuber Organization
- VTuber Clipper
- Most Dedicated Fan Base
The VTuber Awards will be produced by WePlay Studios and hosted live at the WePlay Esports Arena Los Angeles, with an open broadcast on Filian’s Twitch channel.
VTuber Awards 2023 key dates:
- November 6, 2023 — Start of open voting for award winners in each category
- November 20, 2023 — End of open voting for nomination winners
- December 16, 2023 — VTuber Awards ceremony night

William Lucas, Mythic Talent CEO. Photo: Mythic Talent
“We have high expectations for the success of the show, with Filian at the forefront and an award-winning studio such as WePlay bringing Filian’s vision to life. A huge shout-out to all parties involved, including the VTuber Awards sponsors and partners, for making this show possible, and we’ll see you all on December 16th for what we hope will be a monumental milestone in VTuber history!” comments William Lucas, Mythic Talent CEO.
To keep up with the latest news about the VTuber Awards, follow the official VTuber Awards accounts on X (formerly known as Twitter), TikTok, and Instagram, as well as Filian’s Twitch and YouTube channels.
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.
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.
eSports
How Not to Tilt When Facing Challenges: NAVI Performance Coach Urszula Klimczak and GG.BET Have Released a Special Project about Mental Health
NAVI Performance Coach Urszula Klimczak and NAVI’s title sponsor GG.BET have unveiled Tilt Management, a special project dedicated to mental health. The initiative consists of three in-depth articles covering demotivation, burnout, and dealing with hate – some of the most common mental health challenges faced not only by esports players, but also by their fans. The project places a strong emphasis on practical value, featuring real-life esports cases, proven advice and everyday practices, as well as self-support exercises readers can apply on their own.
Mental health is becoming increasingly relevant year after year, regardless of profession or lifestyle. Many of the challenges professional players experience are familiar to millions of people in their everyday lives. These include loss of purpose, poor work-life balance, conflicts within teams, vulnerability to criticism, and more. While esports professionals can rely on performance coaches and team staff for support, people outside the industry often have to seek professional help on their own – something that does not always happen. One of the key goals of the project is to support people who may not have access to professional guidance by explaining how different issues manifest themselves, offering practical tools for self-care and recovery, and highlighting when it is important to seek help from specialists.
The first article focuses on demotivation. It explains how to recognize its early signs, how to distinguish it from simple exhaustion, and what NAVI does to prevent players from reaching this state. Particular attention is paid to techniques that help regain focus, manage daily routines, and gradually restore energy.
The second article explores burnout both within and beyond esports. Readers can assess themselves using descriptions of the five stages of burnout and their symptoms, learn about NAVI’s approach to maintaining performance under a demanding schedule, and discover why variety in everyday life and taking smaller, more frequent breaks are essential elements of burnout prevention.
The final chapter of the project addresses hate and negativity. It explains why hatred and aggression ultimately say more about the hater than the target, how to establish healthy boundaries, and how to avoid being consumed by criticism – especially self-criticism. NAVI’s strategy for dealing with hate, combined with practical exercises, can help readers to challenge negative thoughts and distinguish constructive feedback from a stream of harmful negativity.
All articles from the Tilt Management special project are available on EGamersWorld.
The post How Not to Tilt When Facing Challenges: NAVI Performance Coach Urszula Klimczak and GG.BET Have Released a Special Project about Mental Health appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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