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Anzu and Axis Games’ Expanded Partnership Brings Programmatic In-game Ads to Esports League in Industry First

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Anzu.io, the world-leading provider of in-game advertising solutions, today announced the expansion of its exclusive partnership with Axis Games, the developers of the popular game Axis Football and the newly formed Axis Football Esports League. Under the new deal, Anzu’s platform will enable programmatically delivered, blended in-game ads to be shown during a live esports tournament.

This partnership is groundbreaking for the gaming industry; it represents the first time in history that advertisers will have the opportunity to run programmatic campaigns on PC during a live esports event. When choosing Anzu as its partner for this bold move, Danny Jugan, Axis Games’ President, said, “We are excited to partner with Anzu as our advertising supplier. They provide great content and have been a pleasure to work with.”

A few months ago, the two companies created their first partnership which saw Anzu, the only in-game advertising company to hold an ISO 27001 certificate and be a member of the Xbox Tools and Middleware Program, integrate its ad serving platform into Axis Football’s PC and console game content. The ads, which are displayed on in-game objects such as stadium banners, are designed to enhance gameplay by creating an environment that more closely represents the real world. In response to seeing the in-game ads, an Axis Football 2020 beta tester said, “The banner ads added to the stadiums significantly increase the level of immersion in the game.”

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In preparation for the launch of the league, Axis Games has made significant improvements to the game over the past few months, including rebranding the teams, logos, and player uniforms. The tournament will be played by 36 pre-selected gamers from the US, Canada, and Mexico, each representing a team. Fans can watch two live matchups at 6:30 pm and 8 pm EST every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and tune in to weekly preview and post-game shows streamed during the weekends. With Axis Games’ predominantly US fanbase, the tournament games won’t conflict with NFL game times but instead act as a fun, digital supplement to the football season.

With enhanced graphics, the Axis Football Esports League is sure to draw a dedicated audience when games are streamed live.

 

Games, complete with live commentary, will be streamed on both Twitch.tv and YouTube, giving advertisers a tremendous amount of exposure as fans from across the globe log on to watch each game. Advertisers will get access to essential metrics from the streaming platforms, including total views, geolocations, and concurrent viewership statistics. Additionally, Anzu’s platform provides advertisers with detailed campaign analytics and user data, plus precise ad viewability metrics through its ad verification solution, the first and only of its kind in the industry.

Advertisers will also benefit from Anzu’s hyper-location targeting, increasing advertisers’ ability to deliver highly relevant campaigns to specific esports venues and audiences. Furthermore, Anzu’s collaboration with Nielsen Connectivity gives advertisers insights about their campaign effectiveness. Boosting advertiser confidence even more, Anzu partners with Forensiq to include the first-ever fraud detection solution for in-game advertising.

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“Anzu’s premium blended in-game ads represent a new chapter for the gaming and advertising industries. Axis Games is a company that is also interested in reinventing the gaming world through innovative monetization methods while still preserving, and improving, the gaming experience,” said Anzu CEO and Co-Founder, Itamar Benedy. “We are proud to partner with them in this revolutionary endeavor and bring the first programmatic ad campaigns to the esports world.”

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eSports

Four Countries Shortlisted to Host GOTF 2027

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Phygital International (PI), the exclusive rights holders and custodians of The Games of the Future (GOTF), announced that Brazil, Serbia, South Africa, and Uzbekistan are the shortlisted applicants to host GOTF 2027. The Games of the Future is the world’s leading phygital sports tournament, bringing together sports and esports athletes from around the world.

With the UAE set to host GOTF 2025 and Kazakhstan in 2026, the competition for the 2027 edition has drawn significant interest from nations eager to position themselves as leaders in the world of phygital sports.

Nis Hatt, CEO of Phygital International, said: “We received bids from right around the world which highlights the growing awareness and passion for phygital sports globally. We would like to thank all the nations who bid to host The Games of the Future 2027 and are pleased to announce that Brazil, Serbia, South Africa, and Uzbekistan have been selected as the nations shortlisted as potential hosts.”

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Following further evaluations and detailed assessments of each finalist’s proposal, the final decision on the host country for GOTF 2027 will be announced in the summer of 2025.

The post Four Countries Shortlisted to Host GOTF 2027 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Valorant Added to Hero Esports Asian Champions League

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The HERO ESPORTS Asian Champions League (ACL), Asia’s premier multi-title esports tournament hosted by Hero Esports, has officially announced the addition of VALORANT to its inaugural lineup.

Previously, ACL unveiled six game titles: Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2 (CS2), Honor of Kings, Teamfight Tactics, Delta Force, and Crossfire. With VALORANT joining the roster, the total number of games now stands at seven, with more titles expected to be announced soon.

Through continued collaboration with the Esports World Cup, ACL has revealed that the champions of the ACL CS2 and Honor of Kings Tournaments will secure direct entry to the Esports World Cup. Further collaborations on the remaining titles of the ACL are anticipated.

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The ACL VALORANT Tournament will be the only international-level VALORANT tournament held in China during the first half of 2025, attracting top teams from overseas. The Final of the event will take place offline in Shanghai. The event will use world-class production and cutting-edge live broadcasting technology to enhance audience experience.

The ACL is set to take place in the first half of 2025, with the Finals of the ACL CS2 Tournament and Honor of Kings Tournament scheduled for May. The ACL will have a total prize pool of $2 million.

Jonny Wang, CEO of the Asian Champions League, said: “We are excited to announce the addition of VALORANT to the ACL. Our ambition is to make ACL into a truly comprehensive tournament, providing a larger stage for players and teams across various competitions while delivering more exciting content for our audience.”

Danny Tang, Co-Founder and CEO of Hero Esports, said: “We are pleased by the progress of the ACL and its ability to attract top teams and titles to compete across Asia. We look forward to the continued collaboration between Hero Esports, ACL and the Esports World Cup Foundation, which is testament to our shared ambition to shape and empower esports globally.”

The post Valorant Added to Hero Esports Asian Champions League appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Strategic Partnership with Tencent

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Partnership to drive EWC’s expansion in China, leveraging Tencent E-sports’ networks and expertise to connect Chinese esports with EWC’s  global ecosystem

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) announced a partnership with Tencent, making Tencent E-sports the EWCF’s strategic partner in China to drive the expansion of the Esports World Cup’s presence in the region. This partnership marks a significant milestone in the EWCF’s purpose to unite global esports fans under one competitive umbrella and underscores its commitment to integrating the world’s most important and rapidly growing esports market into the Esports World Cup platform. The agreement was formalized at the Empower Esports Worldwide Series – The Esports Operation and Technology Session in Shenzhen, China.

The collaboration will establish a dedicated Development Team to enhance EWC’s visibility, engagement, and industry collaboration in China, while leveraging EWC’s and Tencent E-sports’ networks and expertise to connect Chinese esports with EWC’s global ecosystem. Tencent E-sports will provide marketing expertise, strategic consulting, and operational support to deliver diverse content and experiences.

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“The Esports World Cup has created a global stage for competitive gaming, demonstrating its influence not only in China but across the world,” said Mars Hou, Vice President of Tencent Games and General Manager of Tencent E-sports. “Through this partnership, we are committed to elevating EWC’s presence in China and integrating our esports industry with the world’s largest competitive gaming event. We look forward to deepening our collaboration with EWCF to push esports forward on a global scale.”

“The Esports World Cup’s purpose is to create a global platform for esports and gaming fans worldwide, and investing in key growth markets for esports is a core pillar of our mission,” said Thamer Al Shuaibi, Chief of Staff at the Esports World Cup Foundation. “China plays a critical role in this vision, and Tencent’s leadership in gaming and esports positions it as an essential partner. By combining our expertise, we will continue to strengthen esports as an industry, providing new opportunities for Chinese players and Clubs, and bringing the best of the Esports World Cup to Chinese fans.”

Esports World Cup 2025 will once again unite gaming and esports communities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a global competition that will crown the next Esports World Cup Champion. The tournament’s unique cross-game format will reward Clubs and players competing for a life-changing prize pool in a mix of platforms and genres, bringing together esports’ best players, Clubs and games under one banner in the largest-ever celebration of esports.

The post Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Strategic Partnership with Tencent appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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