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2020 NBA 2K League APAC Invitational: Recap

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The NBA 2K League APAC Invitational has been run and won for another year, and a new MVP was crowned and subsequently established himself as a serious NBA 2K League draft candidate.

The tournament of course established in part to identify regional talent did just that, as 20 of the very best players from the region put on a show of extremely high level NBA 2K basketball befitting of the end-goal, a chance to impress team management and talent evaluators alike and be drafted onto a NBA2K League team.

Seoul, South Korea was the venue, a fitting backdrop for a rapidly growing esports venture in the NBA 2K League. The event was a double header in that the League made a special announcement by officially unveiling and welcoming the Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai as the 23rd franchise.

Enough of the formalities however. It is time to look at how the tournament played out. I thought it would be interesting to provide some overarching thoughts on how the tournament played out including any outstanding individual efforts.

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Michael ‘BearDaBeast’ Key from T-Wolves Gaming said it best in his pre-tournament interview with Jeff Eisenband – “The competition is great. I’m not gonna lie to you. I tell you the truth (sic). I didn’t think these guys could play on the level we play on, so that has shocked me the most”.

The standard of play at the APAC Invitational has been extremely high considering players are thrown together in a short space of time and expected to perform underneath the bright lights of the stage and broadcast cameras which is exactly the type of crucible which forges strong willed players who find a way to win.

The Chinese and South Korean playing contingent impressed me with their overall skill and knowledge of the game. Their task made all the more difficult with language barriers and limited experience on the retail version of NBA 2K. Zhang ‘Cherry_Zi’ Wenxuan on a lock build and Haoyu ‘Ironman’ Li particularly impressed, Cherry_Zi was everywhere on defence and set the tone, perhaps didn’t stuff the stats but snuffed out actions before they happened and Ironman blew game two wide open with some impressive sharp shooting. An honorable mention to Poon Shing Ki ‘TR-Gobert-AP’ George of whom has potential, perhaps didn’t have the best outing but was active, engaged and in the right spots to contribute.

As expected the tournament was a hard-fought battle between ball-handlers and lockdown builds as every game turned into a point guard dual to create space and scoring opportunities. Lockdown builds as expected had a huge say in each game in particular in trying to keep a lid of their matchup.

It was difficult to select a ‘first-team lockdown’ with a three-way battle between xMonaa-, iAmMarioXXIII and Cherry_zi. All three set the tone defensively for their teams by disrupting the point guard play as best they could, blowing up screen-and-roll-actions and jumping passing lanes. However, it was Eugene ‘iAmMarioXXIII’ Pillai who rose above and took first team honours, managing to give a much needed scoring boost to the team with transition buckets and flying around the court on defence picking up the opposing point guard full court.

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The story of the tournament was the extreme proficiency, scoring and shot creation shown by Jordan ‘JaeDubb’ Walden at point guard on ‘Team L5’ leading them to a tournament victory and in the process – collecting a much deserved and unanimous Most Valuable Player Trophy and really announcing himself on the world NBA 2K stage. Jaedubb is well known to the NBA 2K community in Australasia for point guard play. Jaesubb’s performance across both games were complete all round ‘floor general’ performances – setting the table for teammates and scoring at will dropping 34 points and 11 assists in the final.

JaeDubb moves into the draft pool for the upcoming season three NBA 2K League and undoubtedly skyrockets up the draft boards as teams are still searching for franchise cornerstone ball handlers. Season two champions T-Wolves Gaming BearDaBeast showed just how important it is to build around dynamic point-guard-play.

It’s time to nominate this writer’s All-Tournament-First and Second teams. In the interest of fairness, players were selected by position only. There is no fluidity however I’m aware many players are skilled at many positions.

Please note the following is the opinion of the author and not that of the NBA 2K League.

First Team

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PG Jordan ‘JaeDubb’ Walden – MVP.
SG Eugene ‘iAmMarioXXIII’ Pillai
SF Lynard Clark ‘PBE_Clark’ Banzon
PF Li ‘Ironman’ Haoyu
C Meason ‘Milo’ Camille

Second Team

PG Aiden ‘TheGoldenDunk-’ Fleming
SG Zhang ‘Cherry_zi’ Wenxuan
SF Aminolah Jr. ‘PBE_Rial’ Polog
PF Benjamin ‘iki-ll_illuminati’ Teitzel.
C Poon Shing Ki ‘TR-Gobert-AP’ George

Team ‘L5’ are your 2020 APAC Invitational champions. Their starting line-up included:

1. Jordan ‘JaeDubb’ Walden – MVP.
2. Zhang ‘Cherry_zi’ Wenxuan
3. Aminolah Jr ‘PBE_Rial’ Polog
4. Benjamin ‘iki-ll_illuminati’ Teitzel.
5. Hu ‘Lucky_yi_Wesely’ Yi

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There are many extremely talented players in the region. What is undeniable is the appetite for NBA 2K basketball in the Asia-Pacific region. The local scene is growing year over year both in regard to localized tournaments and active participants on the five versus five Pro-Am game mode. The establishment of the Gen.G Tigers of Shanghai is an incredibly important milestone in the league’s trajectory and for global expansion coupled with the APAC Invitational which is a fitting capstone event that brings all the Asia-Pacific countries together to compete for all the marbles – glory on the virtual hardwood and spots in the NBA 2K League draft pool.

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SOFTSWISS Sportsbook Doubles Esports Turnover in Q3 2024

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1 November 2024 – Esports has experienced explosive growth in Q3 2024, doubling turnover compared to the previous quarter. The average bet on cybersports increased by 17.6% quarter-on-quarter. SOFTSWISS, a global tech expert with over 15 years of experience providing innovative iGaming solutions, shares the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook Q3 2024 report.

The top five sports by Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) remain consistent: Football, Tennis, Basketball, Table Tennis, and eFootball. For the second consecutive quarter, eFootball has outperformed Counter-Strike 2, indicating a shifting interest within the esports sector. Nevertheless, football continues to dominate, contributing nearly half of the total GGR.

The average live bet grew by 10% quarter-on-quarter, a positive development for operators as live bets hold 78.6% of turnover. The SOFTSWISS Sportsbook team is actively enhancing the live betting experience, aiming to capitalise on this trend and provide operators with even greater revenue opportunities.

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The average bet grew by 9.7% quarter-on-quarter in Q3 2024, and the number of bets increased by 18.7%. GGR saw a modest growth of 1.5% quarter-on-quarter.

Despite the large number of projects launched for the UEFA Euro 2024, month-on-month statistics show that with the right promotional strategies, projects continue to operate successfully even after such massive events. 

 

Alexander Kamenetskyi, Head of SOFTSWISS Sportsbook, adds: “Aligning a launch with a major sporting event can be a successful strategy, but football is not the only sport that can be leveraged in this way. The growth of cybersports presents new opportunities; for specialised projects targeting specific audiences, esports events can also serve as an effective starting point. 

We continuously focus on product growth and development, enhancing features and user experience to drive further engagement and profitability for our partners.”

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The SOFTSWISS Sportsbook is expanding its global presence. The product team is on track to secure certification in Brazil, conducted by an authorised testing laboratory. Furthermore, for the South African market, the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook has recently integrated a Horse Racing Module. This addition offers operators new business opportunities by covering over 2,400 international and local races monthly. The solution engages players with race cards, silks, and multiple bet types while providing operators unique skins and configurations to align with various brand identities.

The SOFTSWISS team is working on The iGaming Trends Report 2025, which offers a deep dive into key industry developments based on over 50,000 media headlines and insights from industry experts. Covering areas like regulation, marketing, technology, and business growth, this report provides a data-driven perspective on the trends shaping the upcoming year. The SOFTSWISS team shares the possibility of joining the waiting list.

All SOFTSWISS products will be showcased at the final major industry event, SiGMA Europe, at stand 2145.

The post SOFTSWISS Sportsbook Doubles Esports Turnover in Q3 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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BLAST Announces Landmark Expanded Partnership as Blacklyte Becomes Global Chair & Desk Partner Across Five Esports Titles in 2025

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Esport entertainment company BLAST has announced an expanded Global Partnership with Blacklyte for 2025. The landmark partnership marks a significant milestone in esports history, being the first of its kind to encompass five leading esports titles.

As a Global Chair & Desk Partner, Blacklyte will play a pivotal role in supporting the world’s best esports players by providing custom-made esports desks and chairs for the competitive landscape across these five popular esports titles: Rainbow Six Esports (Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege), BLAST Premier (Counter-Strike), BLAST Slam (Dota), RLCS (Rocket League Championship Series), and FNCS (Fortnite Championship Series).

This partnership not only showcases Blacklyte’s commitment to the esports community but also emphasises its dedication to elevating the industry by providing players with the best equipment possible to compete at the elite level.

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Last month, BLAST announced Blacklyte as the first commercial partner for Fortnite Competitive for the FNCS Global Championship 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas, United States.

The expansion of the partnership means Blacklyte will cover all esports titles BLAST operates in 2025. The partnership will focus on delivering unique and immersive experiences for fans and players alike. Alongside Blacklyte’s products being used by streamers and players across more than ten arena events and many more studio events in 2025. Blacklyte will also be integrated physically into these events and within broadcasts.

Blacklyte produces desks that set a new standard for quality and durability. These state-of-the-art desks are designed to withstand everything. They will be showcased at the BLAST Premier World Final in Singapore for the first time.

Alexander Lewin, SVP of Commercial Revenue for BLAST, said: “We are proud to expand our partnership with Blacklyte to encompass all five of our esports titles heading into 2025. This marks a landmark moment for BLAST. We work across a number of leading esports ecosystems, which gives us the ability to leverage these different communities and tournaments. This partnership is testament to harnessing that network to create best-in-class partnerships.”

Alexander Liu, CEO at Blacklyte, said: “We are excited to enter into this unprecedented partnership with BLAST, which will enable us to reach a broader audience and create a lasting impact across multiple titles. This collaboration signifies a new era for esports, where we can unify diverse gaming communities under one strategic initiative, providing equipment to help esports players compete at the top level.”

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The post BLAST Announces Landmark Expanded Partnership as Blacklyte Becomes Global Chair & Desk Partner Across Five Esports Titles in 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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GG.BET is inviting BLAST Premier: World Final attendees to the GG.BOOTH to take part in some fun activities

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From October 30 to November 3, the BLAST Premier: World Final 2024 will be held at the Resorts World Convention Centre on Sentosa island in Singapore. GG.BET, the tournament’s exclusive betting partner, is inviting the arena’s attendees over to the GG.BOOTH during the playoff to bag some unique merch and join in some fun activities, including autograph sessions with the teams. GG.BET also has a special 200% deposit bonus and a freebet lined up for its users.

The World Final is the concluding stage of the 2024 Counter-Strike 2 tournament season in the world-famous BLAST Premier series. In the final, the strongest 8 teams will butt heads, with 6 advancing to the playoff and battling it out in a LAN tournament for a $1,000,000 prize pool.

GG.BET have created a special area so that fans can have an even more amazing experience at the playoffs, from November 1-3. Here, you’ll be able to take photos to remember the event by and create posters to support your favorite team. Don’t forget to grab some merch so you stand out from the crowd. You’ll find the GG.BOOTH on the left as you enter the Resorts World Convention Centre via the main entrance.

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There’ll be activities going on at this spot with a host and GG.BET brand ambassadors, as well as autograph sessions with the teams. More details about the activities will be posted on the GG.BET pages on Đ„ and Instagram. Make sure to follow so you don’t miss a thing!

GG.BET is also offering its users a special bonus for BLAST Premier: World Final 2024: a 200% deposit bonus and a $50 freebet.

 

How to use your bonus on GG.BET:

  1. Register on the GG.BET website or log in to an existing account.
  2. Activate this offer in the Bonuses section.
  3. Make a deposit of at least $20 to get a bonus of up to 200% and a freebet.

This offer is available from 00:00 (UTC+0) on 30 October 2024 to 23:59 (UTC+0) on 03 November 2024.

In 2024, BLAST Premier and international betting brand GG.BET entered into an exclusive one-year partnership. For the entire tournament season, GG.BET has been organizing exciting online and offline activities for Counter-Strike 2 fans, as well as creating exclusive content featuring the players.

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The post GG.BET is inviting BLAST Premier: World Final attendees to the GG.BOOTH to take part in some fun activities appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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