eSports
2020 NBA 2K League APAC Invitational: Recap
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.
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.
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
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
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.
Mumbai turned into a gamer’s paradise as Red Bull hosted the first-ever Red Bull AFK Party – a one-of-a-kind celebration that brought together gaming, music, and culture in a way India has never seen before. Described by many as the coolest party for gamers, the night united the country’s top gaming creators, esports stars, and fans for an immersive, high-energy experience done the Red Bull way.
The party welcomed people the Red Bull way, with a real static Formula 1 car right at the entrance. Inside, the venue transformed into a playground for gamers: an adrenaline-pumping RC Racing Track hosted by Ocean Sharma, Red Bull Athlete V3nom’s Reflex Challenge to test reaction speeds, Retro Arcade Section with a life-sized PAC-MAN and Tetris arcade, while the Console Gaming Zone buzzed with intense matches in EA FC 25 and Street Fighter.
As the night wore on, the gaming gave way to a packed dance floor with sets from OG Shez and DJ Kaartl.
V3nom on Red Bull’s Push for Gaming in India
The Red Bull AFK put Red Bull’s gaming athletes at the heart of the experience, showing the brand’s commitment to growing the ecosystem. As V3nom summed it up:
“Red Bull is getting into gaming full-on, hosting a lot of events and bringing together top creators and gaming athletes at gatherings like Red Bull AFK. It’s a huge and positive step for the community. I’m really happy to see it, and I hope events like this continue because we have so much more to do for gaming in India, ensuring future generations can make the most of the opportunities ahead.”
When asked about his favorite part of the party, V3nom added: “I think my V3nom Reaction Challenge, because it combines a bit of fitness with reaction time, and tests your reflexes — which are essential for gaming.”
From Mumbai to Dubai – The Tetris Challenge
One activation that had everyone talking was the Tetris challenge, inspired by Red Bull Tetris. Here, players could stack their way up the leaderboard for a chance to represent India at the Red Bull Tetris World Finals in Dubai later this year — bringing a global competitive pathway right to the AFK floor.
Jonathan’s Championship Moment
Another highlight was the Street Fighter x BC One Dance-Off, a crossover where gaming skill met dancing. Four creators — Jonathan, Ocean, Sharkshe, and V3nom — each teamed up with a professional dancer for a two-part battle.
After Sharkshe edged past Ocean and Jonathan toppled V3nom in the semis, the grand finale saw Jonathan dominate in Street Fighter before his dance partner delivered a flawless routine to seal the win.
The post From Street Fighter Glory to a Global Tetris Path: Inside the First-Ever Red Bull AFK Party appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
BASILISK, the global esports organization built to champion science, announced the signing of legendary fighting game competitor Justin ‘Jwong’ Wong as captain of its newly formed Fighting Game Community (FGC) Division. Wong will lead BASILISK’s entry into the FGC by recruiting players, developing community events, and creating FGC – science crossover content.
“Justin isn’t just a competitive genius – he is a cultural icon and humble leader within the FGC. We are incredibly proud to have him leading our FGC division and support the amazing work he already does for the community,” said BASILISK co-founder Christopher Bothur.
A nine-time Evolution Championship Series (Evo) Champion and Guinness World Record holder, Wong brings unparalleled FGC credibility and expertise to BASILISK. His reach extends across the entire FGC fandom of millions, and he was immortalized in Evo Moment #37 which has over 100 million views.
As Captain of BASILISK FGC, Wong will leverage BASILISK’s data analytics to scout and train the next generation of FGC pros.
“Math is super important to fighting games. I’m excited to join science’s esports team. I’m passionate about finding promising players with a positive mentality and shaping them into the next big thing. I want to see somebody else in the spotlight after me and help them reach their potential. If we can discover the next world champion, that would be fantastic,” said Wong upon joining BASILISK.
The signing comes on the heels of BASILISK’s new partnerships with The Planetary Society and Caltech’s Institute for Quantum Information and Matter (IQIM), announced in July. These collaborations create a powerful bridge between renowned scientific institutions and gamers, which Wong will amplify to his millions of followers and fans.
“Justin is a dream addition to our organization. He exemplifies the dedication and analytical capacity required to be an esports champion or great scientist,” added BASILISK co-founder Hans Kassier.
Wong becomes the second “GOAT” (Greatest of All Time) to join BASILISK, alongside Finnish StarCraft 2 legend Joona “Serral” Sotala, who just captured the SC2 Esports World Cup Championship in July 2025. The signing also creates opportunities for cross-over content with BASILISK’s diverse roster, including chess Grandmaster Vincent Keymer and award-winning science communicator Kyle Hill, who brings over 2.5 million followers and a vast network of science enthusiasts to the organization.
The post Fighting Game GOAT Justin Wong Joins BASILISK, Science’s Esports Team appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Riot Games, in association with Aftermath Ventures, has officially concluded the inaugural Legends Ascend South Asia, with S8UL Esports emerging victorious after four months of intense competition. The win secures them the coveted spot at the League of Legends Championship Pacific (LCP) Wild Card Playoffs, set to take place between August 28 to August 31, where they will face top teams from across the region for a chance at LCP 2026 promotion.
Legends Ascend South Asia, announced in April 2025, set out to provide a structured, competitive platform for the region’s League of Legends talent. With a total prize pool of INR 10,00,000, the tournament brought together 95 teams from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, and Bhutan, competing across three open qualifiers, a round robin league stage, and double-elimination playoffs.
The tournament kicked off with three open-registration qualifiers held from April to May, producing nine standout teams: S8UL Esports, Kakao Gaming, PnX ASCENSION, Revenants, SUVO HATERS, Jetfire’s Dojo, Syndicate, Poro Patrol, and Report Precog Gaming. These teams advanced to the Round Robin Stage in June and July, where S8UL Esports, Kakao Gaming, Revenants, and Syndicate emerged as the top four to enter the playoffs.
The Double Elimination Playoffs in July and August delivered high-stakes best-of-three and best-of-five clashes, with S8UL Esports displaying consistency, adaptability, and fearless drafting en route to the championship title. The final standings were:
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S8UL Esports – Champions (Advance to LCP Wild Card Playoffs)
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Kakao Gaming
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Revenants
Spanning over 29 broadcast days, Legends Ascend South Asia generated more than 1.3 lakh YouTube views and attained a reach of over 7 lakh through the Aftermath Ventures’ FragNation channel. The event also saw 12 community watch parties across the region, amassing an additional 1.25 lakh views from grassroots fan hubs.
Speaking on the conclusion of the tournament, Arun Rajappa, Country Manager, India & South Asia, Riot Games, said: “Legends Ascend was about discovery, growth, and empowering the South Asian League esports landscape by providing them with a structured pathway to compete alongside global talents. Seeing S8UL lift the trophy after such a grueling journey is a testament to the depth of talent here, and we couldn’t be more excited for them as they head to the LCP Wild Card Playoffs.”
Mansoor ‘Nabu’ Ahmed, Founder & CEO, Aftermath Ventures, added: “From the first qualifier to the final game, Legends Ascend showcased what South Asia’s League of Legends community is capable of. The passion from players, fans, and watch-party hosts has been incredible. Congratulations to S8UL Esports for not just winning, but setting an example for the next generation of players in the region.”
As S8UL Esports prepares to represent South Asia at the LCP Wild Card Playoffs, the success of Legends Ascend South Asia underscores Riot Games’ long-term vision of building sustainable competitive pathways for amateur players in the region.
Fans can relive all the action from Legends Ascend South Asia on the FragNation YouTube channel, and follow Riot Games India & South Asia for updates on the region’s next big competitive milestones.
The post S8UL Esports crowned champions of Legends Ascend South Asia 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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