eSports

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

Published

6 years ago

October 7, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

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.”

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.

“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.”

Asia

Esports Foundation opens 2026 co-streaming Creator Program with $2m rewards pool

Published

2 days ago

June 12, 2026

Wladimir P.

esports-foundation-opens-2026-co-streaming-creator-program-with-$2m-rewards-pool

The Esports Foundation (EF) has opened applications for its 2026 Creator Program, committing $2 million (~INR 19 crore) in rewards for co-streamers supporting the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 in Paris and the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026 in Riyadh. EF announced the program on June 12, 2026, from Paris and Riyadh, and said applications are open now, including for creators across India.

EF said co-streaming was a key driver of EWC reach last year, citing 3,500 co-streamers as “one of the key growth pillars” for EWC viewership in 2025. The Foundation is positioning the 2026 Creator Program as a scaled-up initiative, targeting 5,000 creators “across new regions and platforms.”

“This isn’t just an esports trend; it’s a media trend,” said Wasae Imran, Director Broadcast & Distribution at the Esports Foundation. “Across music, video, news and sport, audiences don’t just watch what they’re given anymore. They choose their own experience: what to watch, where to focus, and how deep to go. Esports just lives further down that road than most, and traditional sport is heading the same way. It’s not about delivering a match in one format, it’s about opening up every way into the same moment and letting fans choose how they want to consume it. The Creators Program is how we build for that, by enabling the growth of creators that fans already trust to carry the world’s biggest esports event into every community.”

According to EF, approved creators can co-stream selected tournaments, complete missions, and progress a “Battle Pass” tied to rewards ranging from gift cards and hardware to platform perks and invitations to EWC and ENC. EF said the program supports multiple streaming platforms, including Twitch, YouTube, Bilibili, Huya, and CHZZK.

EF also confirmed operational details for EWC 2026: the event is set for Paris Expo Porte de Versailles from July 6 through August 23, featuring more than 2,000 players and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries across 25 tournaments and 24 games, with a $75 million+ prize pool. ENC 2026 is scheduled for November in Riyadh and will extend the creator program to a nation-based competition format.

The post Esports Foundation opens 2026 co-streaming Creator Program with $2m rewards pool appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

BLAST

BLAST partners with MATCH on premium fan travel for 2026-27 events

Published

3 days ago

June 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

blast-partners-with-match-on-premium-fan-travel-for-2026-27-events

Deal covers travel and hospitality packages across BLAST’s event slate, starting with BLAST Premier Hong Kong Rivals in November.

BLAST has signed a one-year partnership with MATCH to develop premium fan travel experiences and related commercial opportunities across BLAST events in 2026 and 2027, including the BLAST Premier Hong Kong Rivals 2026. The companies said the work will start immediately, with an initial focus on the BLAST Premier Hong Kong Rivals event in November.

BLAST VP of Destinations and Market Development James Woollard said: “We’re thrilled to partner with MATCH, a company with an unrivalled track record in delivering top-tier fan travel experiences at the biggest sporting events in the world. As BLAST continues to grow globally and attract growing numbers of travelling fans, this partnership represents an exciting opportunity to further elevate the live event experience for fans and audiences across esports.”

MATCH is best known for hospitality and accommodation programmes at major sports events, including four consecutive FIFA World Cups from 2010 to 2022, as well as Ryder Cup tournaments, Formula 1 Grands Prix and ATP tennis tournaments. MATCH Director of UK Events and Business Strategy Richard Parker said: “Esports is one of the most exciting growth frontiers in live entertainment, and BLAST stands out as a world-class platform with incredible potential. At MATCH, we see a tremendous opportunity to bring our expertise in creating premium fan experiences into the esports arena. We are very enthusiastic about the possibility of working together with BLAST to deliver innovative, unforgettable experiences for esports fans worldwide.”

BLAST said MATCH will also bring its network of clients, sponsors, federations, agents and media partners to support international attendance and partner activation, alongside MATCH’s technology and operational infrastructure. The announcement follows BLAST’s 2025 live events activity, where the organiser said it delivered 15 arena shows across 10 countries spanning five titles and sold 194,421 tickets.

The post BLAST partners with MATCH on premium fan travel for 2026-27 events appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Counter-strike

Team Vitality opens V.Hub fan zone for IEM Cologne Major

Published

3 days ago

June 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

team-vitality-opens-v.hub-fan-zone-for-iem-cologne-major

Team Vitality is launching an official fan zone, V.Hub, to coincide with the 2026 IEM Cologne Major. The venue will run June 18-21 at KWB im Stadtpalais, a short walk from the LANXESS Arena.

Access to V.Hub will be free for fans who sign up, with limited availability. Team Vitality said the space is intended to bring together its community, partners and Counter-Strike fans attending the event.

The fan zone will include dedicated areas hosted by Team Vitality and partners Skin.Club, ASUS ROG, EVNIA and Blacklyte. The club said activations will include hands-on experiences and opportunities to play bespoke Counter-Strike maps.

Team Vitality also plans match watch parties, a pop-up shop for official merchandise and giveaways, including an ASUS ROG x Team Vitality co-branded mousepad. During the playoff stage, the club said V.Hub will be set up for trophy photo opportunities with its Major trophies.

Food and drink will be available on site throughout the event, including vegetarian options.

The post Team Vitality opens V.Hub fan zone for IEM Cologne Major appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.