eSports
Guild Esports Announce Entry into CS2 with Signing of Bad News Eagles Roster
Guild Esports has announced its newest entry into Counter-Strike esports with the unveiling of its new roster, the members of Bad News Eagles.
Genc ‘gxx-’ Kolgeci, Flatron ‘juanflatroo’ Halimi, Sener ‘SENER1’ Mahuti, Dionis ‘sinnopsyy’ Budeci and Rigon ‘rigoN’ Gashi surprised everyone when they became the first-ever team from the Albanian-Kosovar region to reach a Major qualifier (RMR) back in 2022, when they qualified for the PGL Antwerp Major. They’ve since competed at, and qualified for the Legends stage in, three Counter-Strike Majors in Antwerp, Rio and Paris – earning prize winnings worth $96,000 in 2023 alone.
What will now be known as the Guild Eagles team will be joined by a backroom staff of some of the most well-respected figures in the Counter-Strike community: head coach Jonatan ‘Devilwalk’ Lundberg (the only multi-Major winner as both a coach and a player), assistant coach Kevin ‘Krystal’ Amend, analyst Kieran ‘KayJay’ Playfair and with James ‘BanKs’ Banks (the team’s manager) joining Guild as a consultant to support the org.
From humble origins in Kosovan net cafes to Paris’ Hall de la Pinède, this roster has experienced an incredible trajectory over the past three years since their competitive debut in 2020. They’ve gained a cult following in both their home region and the wider world with a combined Twitter, Twitch, and Instagram followings of over 112,000, 297,000, and 137,000 respectively, and their path to success and international renown has become a success story of modern Counter-Strike.
With the backing of holistic coaching partner Ground+Air, Guild Esports will support this ascension even further, as Counter-Strike esports takes a step into the future with the launch of Counter-Strike 2 (CS2).
Ground+Air is a performance and wellbeing consultancy that will be delivering a specialist coaching and education programme to Guild Esports’ CS2 roster, designing a tailored state-of-the-art ‘Elite Performance Programme’. Ground+Air has experience inside and outside esports having built and delivered Oracle Red Bull Racing’s Performance Accelerator Programme for F1 Esports. Ground+Air brings years of experience and best practices in building programmes from other sectors; including elite professional football, motor racing, entertainment, banking and technology to build a programme designed to augment in-game performance with out-of-game wellbeing.
Guild Esports intends to deploy this programme to both established and developmental teams under the Guild Esports banner. The programme will consist of a blend of one-to-one coaching and team development workshops, delivered by performance experts from across the worlds of education, elite sports, business and esports.
Jasmine Skee, CEO of Guild Esports, said: “With the release of CS2, we realised that there was no better time for us to increase our presence in Counter-Strike. The trajectory of the Bad News Eagles roster has been inspirational, and embodies the attitude that we value here at Guild Esports – we can’t wait to support them on their journey in CS2 with the help of Ground+Air.”
Jonatan “Devilwalk” Lundberg, Head Coach for Guild Eagles, said: “We’re incredibly excited to represent Guild in CS2. Throughout our conversations with Guild it’s been abundantly clear that they share our vision, and truly want to help this roster succeed at the highest level of competitive Counter-Strike. We’ve had offers from multiple organisations during our time as an unsigned team, but ultimately we found that Guild were the most closely aligned with what we want to achieve in CS2, and were able to provide us the greatest level of holistic support to help us compete at our peak potential. With what we have already seen from meeting the staff and seeing the facilities, we have no doubt this is where we belong to reach the next level in competition.”
eSports
Vlad Marinescu Re-Elected as 10th IESF President
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The International Esports Federation (IESF) concluded its 17th Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, alongside the 17th World Esports Championship Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) Finals. Member federations from around the world gathered to review the federation’s annual progress, adopt key motions, and participate in the 10th IESF Elections, marking a milestone moment in the federation’s governance history.
During the election session, Vlad Marinescu was re-elected as the 10th President of the IESF, securing his second term. His re-election reflects the continued confidence of the membership in his leadership and vision for the future of the World of Esports.
“I am truly grateful for the trust placed in me to continue leading the International Esports Federation,” Marinescu said. “As we mark our 10th election cycle, we remain steadfast in our commitment to unity, transparency, and the sustained growth of the World of Esports.”
Delegates reviewed strategic priorities for the year ahead, including enhanced governance standards, expanded athlete development initiatives, and strengthened international cooperation. Voting on member-submitted motions underscored the federation’s collective commitment to advancing integrity, professionalism, and institutional maturity across the esports ecosystem.
The assembly also elected the IESF Board for 2026, comprising:
Board Members:
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HRH Prince Omar Bin Faisal – Jordan
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Afiq Fadhli Bin Narawi – Malaysia
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Elin Yoojung Moen – Norway
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Clint Kennedy – United States
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Flip De Bruyn – Namibia
The OGM concluded as the 17th World Esports Championship MLBB Finals continued, highlighting IESF’s ongoing mission to unite nations through Esports and support athletes, federations, and fans worldwide.
The post Vlad Marinescu Re-Elected as 10th IESF President appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Bet builder
GG.BET launches Bet Builder for a new way to bet
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Customers can now use Bet Builder, a format that lets them build their own set of markets on one match into a single bet with higher odds. Bet Builder is available for both esports and sports events. You can try out the new feature with a deposit bonus of up to 150% and a free bet worth up to $50.
Customers can now place a combined bet on a single match by picking various options for how events in the match will play out. For example, in CS2, customers can choose which team will win on a specific map, how many kills a specific player will rack up, how many rounds will be played on a single map, and so on.
To place a Bet Builder bet, pick an event that hasn’t started yet, press the ‘Bet Builder’ button, put together your selection of markets from those available, get higher combo odds, and finish placing the bet in one click. At this initial stage, GG.BET is offering Bet Builder on football, basketball, hockey, CS2, Dota 2, LoL, and VALORANT, with more sports and disciplines to be added down the line.
“GG.BET has always been known for embracing unconventional markets and elaborate betting options. Bet Builder is there to meet customer demand for more interesting formats in a single match. The ability to make predictions right down to a specific round and any other tiny detail of a match is what gives users variety and improves their skills,” the GG.BET press office explained.
GG.BET is offering customers the opportunity to test out the Bet Builder format with a deposit bonus of up to 150% and a free bet of up to $50.
The post GG.BET launches Bet Builder for a new way to bet appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
IESF Officially Opens the World Esports Championship 2025 in Kuala Lumpur
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The World Esports Championship 2025 (WEC25) is officially open in Kuala Lumpur, welcoming athletes, fans, and delegations from around the globe. With 19 nations taking part in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), this year’s event stands as the most internationally diverse MLBB competition in IESF history.
After a year filled with national and regional qualifiers and preparations from teams around the world, the world’s top esports athletes have arrived in Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur. The opening ceremony set the tone for the days ahead, offering fans a first glimpse of the excitement and atmosphere surrounding this year’s championship.
“WEC25 reflects the continued growth of esports as a space for connection, competition, and shared passion,” said IESF General Secretary Boban Totovski. “Bringing together 19 nations for MLBB is a milestone not just for the title, but for the entire esports ecosystem. We are proud to bring this edition of the championship to Kuala Lumpur.”
As the competition officially kicks off, the schedule is fully packed with exciting match-ups among Nations, competing for their flag and country. The best from all over the world will have the unique opportunity to become the MLBB World Champion.
IESF extends its gratitude to the Malaysian government and the Ministry for Youth and Sports, partners, athletes, and global supporters who continue to elevate the championship’s reach and impact.
The post IESF Officially Opens the World Esports Championship 2025 in Kuala Lumpur appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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