eSports

The Russian Association for Electronic Communications announces the new Gaming industry and esports cluster

Published

5 years ago

September 22, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Russian Association of electronic communications (RAEC) announces the creation of the Gaming industry and esports cluster.

The new cluster’s purpose is to solve practical problems in the communication field of communication with the media, opinion leaders and the general public.

Priority tasks will be:

Work with public opinion, convey a common industry position on the role of video games in society and their impact on it through a pool of experts, release and aggregation of information materials;
Identification, coordination and verification of unified data on the gaming and esports markets based on independent research and market participants ‘ own information;
Development of educational projects and activities.

The cluster is designed to bring together leading organizations and experts from the gaming industry and provide them with the necessary platform for communication with target groups, to become an intermediary between representatives of the gaming world and society.

The initial group of cluster experts includes:

Karina Konkova, Communications Director at MY.GAMES (cluster co-chairman in the “Gaming industry” direction);
Yaroslav Meshalkin, Chief Strategic Communications Officer at ESforce Holding (cluster co-chairman in the “Esports” direction);
Ilya Salamatov, CEO of META Publishing;
Artem Vinokurov, Vice-President of the Russian Esports Federation;
Elena Grigoryan, Marketing and Advertising Director at MY.GAMES;
Vladislav Arkhipov, PhD in law, head of the Theory and history of state and law department at Saint Petersburg state University, adviser to the practice of intellectual property, information technology and telecommunications of the international law at Dentons, author of the course “Legal esports issues”;
Sergey Glamazda, Virtus.pro General Manager;
Stepan Shulga, Head of esports at Parimatch, esports evangelist;
Nikolay Petrosyan, Head of Media direction at ESforce Holding, Head of Cybersport.ru;
Olga Morozova, author of the “Igrology”, researcher at the Institute of Psychology in the Russian Academy of Sciences, specialist of the Moscow center for video game research;
Anton Oleynik, General Producer of RuHub Studio;
Leonid Koen, senior consultant (sports industry and esports) at Odgers Berndtson Russia.

The cluster is open for new participants, and the conditions for joining the expert group are described on the official website of RAEC: https://raec.ru/en/ All applications will be reviewed jointly by RAEC and cluster experts.

Sergey Plugotarenko, Director of the Russian Association for Electronic Communications (RAEC):

“RAEC has long been interested in gaming and esports — not only as a hobby for employees, although many of us like to play, but also as drivers of the media and entertainment industry. For several years in a row, we held panels about video games within Russian Internet forum and Russian Internet Week. As a result, we realized the need for a strong communication platform, within which industry representatives can form a consolidated position and build a dialogue with society. This platform should be our new cluster. To create it, we turned to the largest market players and recognized experts, and as a result, we found a strong mutual interest.”

Karina Konkova, Communications Director at MY.GAMES, co-chairman of the RAEC Gaming industry and esports cluster:

“Games are one of the fastest growing segments of the global entertainment industry, with a global audience of more than 2 billion people. The role and prospects of this market in the digital economy are well understood by its participants, but not always obvious to audiences far from game development. We believe that open dialogue, systematic research and educational initiatives will allow games and esports to better identify their real economic potential and enable talented Russian specialists and developers to achieve success both locally and internationally.”

Yaroslav Meshalkin, Chief Strategic Communications Officer at ESforce Holding, expert on the esports mass culture on the Council of the State Duma Committee on Physical Culture, Sports, Tourism and Youth Affairs, co-chairman of the RAEC Gaming industry and esports cluster:

“Video games and esports like to be periodically blamed for all the deadly sins, masking real social problems behind it. Thanks to RAEC, we are able to work systematically with the perception of games and computer sports at all levels that interest us. The second and no less important task that our cluster is designed to solve is the formation of a unified approach to market assessment, since now the figures of different research companies are very different from each other and need to be verified by the industry Association.”

The Gaming industry and esports cluster started working. You can find out about the results of its activities on the cluster’s page: https://raec.ru/clusters/gaming-esports/.

Call of Duty Warzone esports

Team Vitality Expands FPS Dominance Ahead of Esports World Cup 2026 With PUBG, Warzone and CrossFire Entry

Published

8 hours ago

February 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

team-vitality-expands-fps-dominance-ahead-of-esports-world-cup-2026-with-pubg,-warzone-and-crossfire-entry

Team Vitality Accelerates FPS Expansion Ahead of Esports World Cup 2026

Team Vitality has officially announced a major competitive expansion ahead of the 2026 Esports World Cup (EWC), confirming its entry into three additional shooter titles: PUBG (PC), Call of Duty: Warzone, and CrossFire. The move strengthens the organisation’s growing dominance across FPS and tactical shooter esports, following championship success in Counter-Strike and VALORANT during the 2025 season.

The expansion signals a decisive strategic push as Team Vitality looks to build on its Top 3 overall club finish at the 2025 Esports World Cup, positioning itself as one of the most versatile and ambitious multi-title organisations in global esports.

Call of Duty: Warzone – Vitality Returns With Proven EWC Pedigree

Team Vitality is officially re-entering the competitive Call of Duty: Warzone ecosystem for the 2026 season, assembling a veteran-heavy roster built for immediate impact. The lineup includes Angel “Sage” Quinones, who secured a third-place finish at last year’s Esports World Cup, alongside experienced EWC finalists.

The new Warzone squad begins its EWC qualification journey through the Warzone Resurgence Series, with two pivotal LAN finals scheduled at DreamHack Birmingham and DreamHack Atlanta. Strong performances at these events will be crucial in securing Team Vitality valuable points and a place at the 2026 Esports World Cup.

Call of Duty: Warzone Roster

Rasim “Blazt” Ogresevic (USA)
Logan “Skullface” Greifelt (USA)
Angel “Sage” Quinones (Mexico / Guatemala)
Ethan “Ebatez” Bates (USA) – Coach

PUBG (PC) – A Strategic Return to a Global Esports Pillar

Team Vitality is making its long-awaited return to PUBG (PC) competition, marking its first appearance in the title since 2019. The roster is anchored by players recently competing under the Nemiga banner, who finished sixth at the PUBG Global Championship, reinforcing Vitality’s intent to compete at the highest international level.

This return also unlocks strategic synergies with Bigetron by Vitality, the organisation’s established PUBG Mobile powerhouse in Southeast Asia. As PUBG’s global ecosystem increasingly bridges PC and Mobile competition, Team Vitality aims to unite its worldwide fanbase and elevate brand visibility across both platforms.

PUBG (PC) Roster

Aliaksandr “Gedrox” Puchko (Belarus)
Vladislav “Lev4nte” Tasenko (Russia)
Andrey “Qw1zzy” Pobedinskiy (Russia)
Artem “hallomybad” Baskakov (Russia)
Ramazan “H1RUZEN” Valiullin (Russia) – Coach
Sergei “MrTok” Britok (Russia) – Manager

CrossFire – Entering a New Region With Championship Ambitions

Expanding into CrossFire for the first time, Team Vitality has acquired ROC Esports’ former lineup, establishing its operations in Egypt with a dedicated gaming house. The squad will compete in the CrossFire West League (EMEA), with two critical competitive splits scheduled for March–April and June–July.

Success in the regional league is expected to be the gateway to qualification for the Esports World Cup, while long-term ambitions stretch further toward the CrossFire Stars World Championship in China. Team Vitality enters the ecosystem as a dangerous challenger, targeting dominance beyond regional competition.

CrossFire Roster

Youssef “tottziN” Nasser (Egypt)
Ahmed “SNARE” Salah (Egypt)
Mohamed “Snake” Ahmed (Egypt)
Mohamed “Horus” Mahrous (Egypt)
Abdelrahman “slayer” Fawzy (Egypt)
Andrei “strey” Solovev (Russia) – Coach
Kislay “Drolo” Satyaj (India) – General Manager
Ammar “Apps” Ahmed (Egypt) – Substitute
Abdelrhman “Bone” Mahmoud (Egypt) – Substitute

Building Toward a New FPS Dynasty

With momentum from a Top 3 finish at the 2025 Esports World Cup, Team Vitality is targeting even greater success in 2026, driven by the belief that every win counts.

Fabien “Neo” Devide, President and Co-founder of Team Vitality, commented that the expansion reflects the organisation’s commitment to elite competition and long-term growth across shooter esports. Corporate Director of Global Operations Danny Engels added that the move strengthens Vitality’s position to build a true multi-title FPS dynasty on the world’s biggest competitive stage.

As the countdown to the 2026 Esports World Cup begins, Team Vitality’s expanded shooter portfolio signals a clear message to rivals: the organisation is all-in on global FPS supremacy.

The post Team Vitality Expands FPS Dominance Ahead of Esports World Cup 2026 With PUBG, Warzone and CrossFire Entry appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

eSports

Decade of Impact — World Esports Summit Marks Its 10th Edition

Published

18 hours ago

February 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

decade-of-impact-—-world-esports-summit-marks-its-10th-edition

The International Esports Federation (IESF) has successfully wrapped up the significant 10th edition of the World Esports Summit 2025, reinforcing its position as a key event for the progress of the World of Esports and global collaboration.

Focused on the theme “Shaping the World of Esports,” the 2025 Summit convened federations, publishers, global sports organizations, technology innovators, and integrity agencies to collaborate on the future of esports as a structured, credible, and universally unified field.

This anniversary edition showcased a robust and varied group of speakers, demonstrating IESF’s dedication to collaboration across sectors. Significant input was provided by Gustavo Arellano (FIBA), Eric Stranne (FIA), Ray Ng (Moonton), James Yang (Tencent), Valentin Capelli (WADA), Junghwan Han (KADA), Dipesh Makwana (Alibaba Cloud), Tomica Madjercic (Sportradar), and Ivan Dimitrijevic (EXPO 2027 Belgrade), as well as senior esports officials from across the globe.

Conversations during the Summit focused on essential aspects of IESF’s mission, such as governance and federation development, maintaining competitive integrity and anti-doping measures, technological advancements, and fostering sustainable ecosystem growth. The emphasis on diplomacy and collaboration emphasized esports’ increasing alignment with global sports standards and international organizations.

With the 10th edition of the World Esports Summit, IESF has once more showcased its leadership by uniting the global esports community, connecting regions, aligning stakeholders, and establishing common priorities for the future.

With unprecedented involvement, elevated discussions, and a distinct strategic vision, World Esports Summit 2025 represents a pivotal milestone in IESF’s continuous endeavor to influence the future of esports via unity, trustworthiness, and global cooperation.

The post Decade of Impact — World Esports Summit Marks Its 10th Edition appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

eSports

Esportes da Sorte to be official sponsor of Brazil’s leading Carnival celebrations in 2026

Published

1 day ago

February 10, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

esportes-da-sorte-to-be-official-sponsor-of-brazil’s-leading-carnival-celebrations-in-2026

Tuesday 10th February 2026: Leading Brazilian iGaming company Esportes da Sorte will deliver one of the most extensive Carnival activations in the industry for Carnival 2026, with an official presence at the country’s most iconic and emblematic celebrations.

The brand will serve as the official sponsor of festivities in seven Brazilian capitals — Recife, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Natal and Maceió — as well as having a strong presence in Olinda, a city of major cultural significance. The national project will also include special activations in Caicó (RN), a key production hub for the brand’s promotional merchandise.

This initiative reflects Esportes da Sorte’s continued investment in Brazilian popular culture, built over several years across different regions of the country. In 2026, this positioning takes shape through a structured national project that embraces the diversity of Carnival formats — from traditional street blocos to electric trios and major urban stages — with visual identity and activations designed city by city, respecting local symbols, aesthetics and narratives.

“Carnival is part of Brazil’s cultural identity and also part of Esportes da Sorte’s journey. Being present at the country’s main Carnival celebrations is a strategic choice that reinforces our long-term commitment to popular culture, to the cities, and to the people who live this festival in the streets,” said Darwin Filho, CEO of Esportes Gaming Brasil.

“Our Carnival project was designed city by city, respecting the unique characteristics and culture of each sponsored location. The idea is to ensure a real presence and unique experiences for Carnival-goers, integrating the brand organically into the rhythm of each celebration. Whether through blocos, trios or major urban hubs, we want to strengthen ourselves as the brand that elevates the connection between culture and entertainment,” said Marcela Campos, Vice President of Esportes Gaming Brasil.

Beyond its on-the-ground presence, Esportes da Sorte’s Carnival 2026 strategy includes an integrated media and engagement approach, featuring activations across TV, radio, out-of-home media and a national PR operation before, during and after the festivities, focused on high-quality coverage and organic content generation.

The project will also include content and influencer engagement initiatives across multiple locations, expanding organic reach while capturing behind-the-scenes moments and Carnival experiences.

In 2025, the brand was present in more than 100 blocos and street parties across different regions of the country. For 2026, Esportes da Sorte is taking things to the next level, consolidating a nationwide project and reinforcing its leadership role in Brazil’s largest popular event.

The post Esportes da Sorte to be official sponsor of Brazil’s leading Carnival celebrations in 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.