eSports
ESL FACEIT Group and Znipe Esports reveal FACEIT Watch: A cutting-edge, new digital streaming platform from esports fans for esports fans

Designed for the competitive gaming community and now open to all, FACEIT Watch is created to disrupt the esports content distribution model by putting users in control of their viewing experience.
Designed in collaboration with Znipe Esports, a technical partner, FACEIT Watch marks the first major product launch from FACEIT that moves beyond gameplay by offering its audience a unique streaming experience tailored to the user.
Featuring a unique multi-perspective view selector where users can watch their favorite player’s perspective directly next to the main event stream, it enables esports fans to pause and rewind, with access to killcams and live-generated replays of key moments and adjust the volume of caster and multi-perspective sounds, as well as disable spoilers, letting them personalize how they engage with FACEIT Watch streaming content.
Earlier this year, FACEIT announced its collaboration with Call of Duty 2024 Challengers Season and partnership with Overwatch, that aim to grow the community of competitive gamers and fans on its platform. The launch of FACEIT Watch will provide an unparalleled viewing experience and create a new way for users to connect and enjoy content with friends, bringing fans closer together. By enabling users to watch their favorite players’ perspectives and offering tools that mean they will never miss a play again, FACEIT Watch establishes a new environment where esports enthusiasts can discuss and debate, celebrate victories, and forge lasting connections.
“Our mission at EFG is to create worlds beyond gameplay. FACEIT Watch represents a new chapter for the platform as it moves beyond the ultimate competitive environment to play and provides players multiple ways to engage with their favorite games,” said Warren Leigh, Senior Vice President of Product, Digital Platforms, ESL FACEIT Group. “On the FACEIT platform, we’ve had unparalleled insight into the needs and nuances of this community for over a decade, and, together with Znipe Esports, we’ve designed FACEIT Watch to meet them. We look forward to hearing their feedback after Katowice and continuing to develop and optimize Watch with them.”
Johan Ryman, CEO, Znipe Esports, added: “We are honored and excited about being a part of this initiative from EFG and their commitment towards the esports community and looking forward to our combined efforts to create best in class esports streaming.”
Over 100,000 viewers have tuned in so far on FACEIT Watch during the play-ins of EFG’s flagship event, IEM Katowice, which culminates this weekend and will see the world’s best Counter-Strike 2 teams battle it out for a share of the $1,000,000 prize pool.
FACEIT Watch is now available to all at FACEIT.com. Tune in to see the Grand Final of IEM Katowice on the 11th of February on FACEIT. Watch at 17:00 CET.
eSports
Hyprop and MTN Launch SHIFT COD Tournament as Part of 2025 Shift Gaming Experience

With four spots, one stage and R60 000 on the line, South Africa’s sharpest squads are gearing up for a Call of Duty clash like no other.
The 2025 Hyprop MTN Shift Gaming Experience is about to get louder, faster and more intense. Hyprop, in collaboration with MTN, is introducing SHIFT COD – a Call of Duty tournament designed to test South Africa’s sharpest squads in a no-excuses, high-pressure arena. Four online qualifiers. One LAN finale. R60,000 in prize money. Only the best survive.
The format stays sharp and unforgiving: each qualifier is a single-elimination best-of-five series. Teams will battle across Hardpoint, Search and Destroy, and Control. Only the top squad from each of the four qualifier events will earn a shot at the LAN finale, taking place at Canal Walk on 12 and 13 September. Finalists will cover their own travel and accommodation, but the stage – and the spotlight – will be waiting.
“The Shift Gaming Experience is about putting real competition at the centre of public spaces and connecting people through the power of play,” said Christie Stanbridge, Brand and Campaigns Marketing Manager at Hyprop. “Adding Call of Duty to the lineup takes the intensity up a notch. We’re giving gamers a serious platform to show what they can do – live, on stage and in front of a crowd.”
The four qualifiers took place online, where teams signed up for free:
All qualifier finals were broadcast, giving fans full access to the action and allowing players to gain exposure beyond the scoreboard.
Four teams qualify for the LAN finale, where they’ll compete in a double-elimination bracket for a prize pool structured as follows:
- 1st place: R30,000
- 2nd place: R15,000
- 3rd place: R10,000
- 4th place: R5,000
Now in its third year, the Hyprop MTN Shift Gaming Experience has become one of the country’s most visible platforms for esports and casual gaming. Hosted at Hyprop-owned malls including Canal Walk, Clearwater and The Glen, the experience blends competitive tournaments with public engagement to bring gaming into the mainstream.
“MTN SHIFT isn’t about gimmicks. It’s built for players, whether you’re grinding in ranked or showing up to prove a point on LAN,” said Stanbridge. “We’ve seen how gaming can energise our spaces and create new communities. SHIFT COD builds on that energy.”
With only four LAN spots available, the window to make your mark is narrow, and the competition will be ruthless. Visit acgl.gg/mtnshift.
Remaining Tournament Dates & Venues:
SHIFT COD is part of the MTN Shift Gaming Experience which takes place at:
Capegate – Online Qualifier: 31 Aug | In-Centre Event: 5 – 7 Sep
Canal Walk – Online Qualifier: 7 Sep | In-Centre Event: 17 – 21 Sep
The post Hyprop and MTN Launch SHIFT COD Tournament as Part of 2025 Shift Gaming Experience appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon Fights off the Competition to Reign as TEKKEN 8 at 2025 Esports World Cup Champion, Securing Back-to-Back EWC Titles

Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon has claimed the TEKKEN 8 at EWC 25 crown having beaten Yoon “LowHigh” Sun-woong in a 5-2 grand final finish. His victory secures DN Freecs their first win at EWC 25 as he takes home $250,000 of the $1,000,000 prize pool.
Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon had a strong run at EWC 25, losing just one series against Kim “Kkokkoma” Mu-jong in the first match of the second phase. From that point on, however, he went unbeaten on his way to the grand final, even taking down Kim “Kkokkoma” Mu-jong for revenge on his way back from the lower bracket.
In the semifinals, Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon booked his place in the grand final with a 5-3 finish over Kim “CherryBerryMango” Jae-hyun, securing his second EWC TEKKEN 8 grand final in a row. Ulsan showcased his mastery of Dragunov throughout the grand final, setting the scene with a decisive victory in the first set, before taking the title in the seventh set with a 5-2 win.
His grand final opponent, Yoon “LowHigh” Sun-woong, took down Team Vitality’s Jeon “JeonDDing” Sang-hyun in a 5-2 finish to lock his place in the grand final. The former EVO champion displayed his Bryan skills throughout the final against Ulsan, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the overall winner.
“I never expected this. I cannot imagine I would win again. I mean, this year I had a rough start; there was a nerf to Dragunov, I had a lot of difficulties – I wanted to prove myself on this stage, and I have done it,” said Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon. “It’s been like a dream to be here. Thank you to those who support me from everywhere, my team, my friends, all my partners, and especially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for making this the biggest tournament in the world.”
“I’m still hungry. I just want to make myself a legend,” said Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon.
Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon secured 1000 Club Championship points for DN Freecs, who, as a result, jumped up to joint-eleventh place in the Club Championship standings, with 1200 points. Despite having three players in the top eight, DN Freecs will only receive one lot of points.
It was a disappointing showing from Team Falcons in TEKKEN 8, as all three representatives were eliminated before earning any points. With only a few games left to earn points, Team Falcons had high hopes for TEKKEN 8. Elsewhere, Twisted Minds, who secured victory earlier in the day in PUBG, failed to make it two for two on Saturday, also failing to score points in TEKKEN 8 as Arslan “Arslan Ash” Siddique was eliminated by overall winner, Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon.
The post Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon Fights off the Competition to Reign as TEKKEN 8 at 2025 Esports World Cup Champion, Securing Back-to-Back EWC Titles appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
Twisted Minds Clinch the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS at 2025 Esports World Cup Grand Prize, in the Closest PUBG Final in Years Twisted Minds avenge their 2024 EWC disappointment with a nail-biting win in the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS competition at the Esports World Cup 2025.

Twisted Minds have secured the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS at 2025 Esports World Cup title after coming out victorious in one of the closest PUBG finals ever.
Twisted Minds claimed the title after a ridiculously close final, making up for their failed run at Esports World Cup 2024. The side came into that event as the favourites, having won PUBG Global Series 4 just weeks before heading to Riyadh, but failed to bring it home on the big stage. They would go on to have a very successful end to 2024, but the loss on the EWC stage was a major blip on their impressive year.
Now, at EWC 2025, they have done it, by claiming the championship they craved – and they did so in style in one of the toughest and hardest-fought PUBG grand finals ever. With 12 teams in contention for the overall win by the final game, they held on out with plenty of tenacity and solid plays throughout each game to scoop a high amount of placement points.
This year’s finals will go down in PUBG history as one of the closest ever, as heading into the final two matches, anyone inside the top 12 could have theoretically won the entire event. The intense action of match 11 saw our first breakaway side as Twisted Minds started to pull away, giving themselves a significant lead for the final drop. Twisted Minds would struggle early in the final match, with just two players having to survive to the final stages alone. Eventually, it was just Dmytrii “Perfect1ks” Dubenyuk alive, but it was enough for Twisted Minds to secure an incredible overall victory.
“I’m feeling great, I feel like I’m just thankful for my team, thankful to my family, thankful to my girlfriend, and to the whole Twisted Minds family. To the fans that are here, it was the most amazing tournament, because this crowd was cheering us on the whole event. And now we are finally World Champions,” said Aleksandr “BatulinS” Batulin.
ROC Esports’ Gabriel “sxntastico” Silva was named the SONY MVP, after a series of impressive performances during the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS championship. His 18 kills and 25 knockouts were instrumental in ROC Esports’ surprising performance that saw them top the table at multiple points throughout the event. He will receive an additional $10,000 and the MVP medal to recognise his achievements.
Twisted Minds earn 1000 Club Championship points for their victory; sending them firmly into Championship contention, having moved from 2200 points to 3200 points, just 1200 points behind the leaders. The win is Twisted Minds’ second battle royale victory in the space of two weeks, having won Call of Duty: Warzone in Week 5, keeping their late charge well and truly on.
With a third place finish for Team Falcons, they gain a crucial 500 points in the Club Championship, sending them back into first place with a 200 point lead over Team Liquid. Elsewhere, Virtus.pro, who had the lead entering the final day of PUBG, could only bring home 50 points, enough to keep them joint fourth with newly crowned PUBG champions Twisted Minds.
The post Twisted Minds Clinch the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS at 2025 Esports World Cup Grand Prize, in the Closest PUBG Final in Years Twisted Minds avenge their 2024 EWC disappointment with a nail-biting win in the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS competition at the Esports World Cup 2025. appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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