eSports

Lavazza with Fnatic to debut into the esports industry with the “Icons of Italy” Campaign

Published

4 years ago

November 10, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Lavazza enters the world of esports with purpose-driven, interactive in-game experience that celebrates coffee and the Italian spirit.

Lavazza and Fnatic, the leading global esports organisation, today announced a partnership to launch the “Icons of Italy” Campaign that brings a custom, co-branded map to the Fortnite game. This first-of-its-kind collaboration marks Lavazza’s innovative entrance into the esports industry in an engaging, unique and disruptive way.

The campaign features professional Fortnite player and streamer, POW3R, telling the lifestyle journey of Lavazza and Fnatic through an interactive in-game experience. Players engage through a custom map called “Icons of Italy” that begins at POW3R’s mansion and where they’ll compete to complete the course as fast as possible.

European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

The timed map is presented to the player as a true experiential journey through Italian culture, symbolically represented by coffee-themed customisation and references to the Lavazza A Modo Mio brand. What makes it truly representative are the Lavazza headquarters in Turin, the Nuvola signed by architect Cino Zucchi, and symbols of Italian cultural heritage such as the Colosseum. The map will have two additional levels added over time. Players will then submit their best runs by posting videos using the hashtag #IconsofItaly and tagging Lavazza, POW3R and Fnatic on Instagram or Twitter.

“We are delighted to announce this collaboration with Fnatic because it represents an important debut for Lavazza in a sector that is experiencing considerable growth, and we could not have hoped for a better partner”, said Carlo Colpo, Group Marketing Communication Director and Brand Home Director. “Esports and gaming is an interesting, challenging world, perfectly in line with the brand’s desire to relate to young people through tools and languages that are more appropriate to them”.

“Fnatic and Lavazza share the same values including a strong sense of heritage, a passion for work ethic and an unrelenting drive to be the best,” said Craig Santicchia, Partner Development Director, Fnatic. “This partnership is a taste of what’s to come from our two brands as we continue pushing boundaries and activating inside the most relevant platforms for Gen Z. Helping Lavazza enter the industry in a fun, disruptive way via these digital experiences shows that the only limitation is our imagination.”

The first prize winner with the fastest time will win a digital meet and greet with POW3R held via Zoom, along with a bunch of co-branded products. The second and third prize winners will receive the co-branded products and Fnatic Gear.

Looking ahead, this partnership will culminate in a two-part documentary that chronicles POW3R’s rise to professional esports stardom, merging the cinematic world with gaming. The documentary will uncover how he, with the support of Fnatic and Lavazza, transformed the Italian market to make gaming a part of mainstream culture. The documentary will be available on December 16 on Fnatic’s Youtube channel.

POW3R will officially kick off the “Icons of Italy” campaign tomorrow, November 11th, live streaming his first run on the custom co-branded Fortnite map via Twitch.

Best Esports Product award

BETBY SHINES AT SiGMA AMERICAS WITH LOCALISED STRATEGY AND WINS ESPORTS AWARD

Published

8 hours ago

April 11, 2025

GamingAmericas.com

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BETBY, the cutting-edge sportsbook provider, has further cemented its position as one of the most innovative suppliers in the sports betting landscape following a standout appearance at SiGMA Americas, the leading event for the iGaming industry in Latin America.

Hosted in São Paulo, Brazil, SiGMA Americas brought together the industry’s most influential stakeholders, with a spotlight on the dynamic and fast-growing Latin American market. BETBY stood out at the event by showcasing the full strength of its flexible sportsbook solution, designed to empower operators with complete control over the betting experience.

A major highlight of the exhibition was BETBY’s showcase of its hyper-localised content capabilities, which empower operators to engage regional audiences with culturally relevant offerings. This strategic focus was exemplified by the industry’s most comprehensive Vaquejada betting solution, a rodeo-style sport particularly popular in northeast Brazil. BETBY’s unique content portfolio, which includes both pre-live markets and an immersive e-sim version of the sport, resonated strongly with operators and attendees. It demonstrated not only a deep understanding of regional preferences, but also the supplier’s ability to create tailored content for any market.

Alongside this, BETBY exhibited continued innovation through its proprietary esports feed BETBY Games, and its comprehensive suite of AI tools AI Labs, which leverages artificial intelligence to deliver personalisation, real-time recommendations, and enhanced operational efficiency.

As further recognition of its ongoing innovation in the iGaming industry, BETBY was honoured with the Best Esports Product award during the SiGMA Americas Awards ceremony. This win underscores BETBY’s vision to redefine the esports betting experience through its BETBY Games solution, which is designed to deliver unmatched flexibility, customisation, and engagement for operators and players.

“This recognition at SiGMA Americas is a proud milestone for our entire team, even though our presence in Brazil this week was about much more than awards,” said Leonid Pertsovskiy, BETBY’s Chief Executive Officer. “It was about connecting with the region, understanding what local players truly value, and showing that we have the technology and vision to meet those needs. We’re building products that scale globally but connect locally, and that’s what sets BETBY apart.”

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eSports

Esports World Cup to Feature Record-breaking Prize Pool of More Than $70M for 2025 Event

Published

9 hours ago

April 11, 2025

Niji Narayan

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has announced a record-breaking $70+ million prize pool for the upcoming Esports World Cup 2025 (EWC), the world’s largest esports event, set to return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 through August 24. With the highest stakes in esports history, the $70+ million prize pool elevates EWC as one of the world’s most prestigious sporting events and reinforces the EWCF’s long-term commitment to the sustainable growth of the esports industry. The total prize pool is a $10 million increase from last summer’s inaugural event, marking a significant step in the Esports World Cup Foundation’s mission to create life-changing opportunities and provide sustainable career paths for competitive players and multidisciplinary esports Clubs.

“The record-breaking $70+ million prize pool, along with our commitment to the Club Partner Program and our multi-year publisher agreements, is a privilege to announce and validation of our purpose to elevate the industry, by giving players, clubs, publishers and all other stakeholders the stability needed to invest for future success. While more than $70 million is an incredible, life-changing sum, it’s always aligned with a long-term vision rather than short-term impact. It’s not just to have more money at stake, but to create opportunities for everyone at every level of the ecosystem, and strengthen the industry for generations to come,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of Esports World Cup Foundation.

With 25 tournaments in 24 games announced to date, including four new games—Chess, Crossfire, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves and VALORANT—EWC 2025 will bring together more than 2000 elite esports players and 200 top Clubs for the largest multi-game competition in history, with a life-changing prize pool rewarding more players and Clubs on the world’s biggest stage.

“Winning the Club Championship crown and $7 million at the inaugural Esports World Cup was a defining moment for Team Falcons. The opportunity to compete in front of our home fans, where they made the arenas shake with every great play, motivated us like never before, and it was an honor to secure the victory for them. We’ve used the momentum and winnings from last year to build on our success and we look forward to continuing that legacy this summer,” said Mosaad Al-Dossary, CEO of Team Falcons.

“Competing at the inaugural EWC contributed to one of the most successful competitive years in our 24-year history, securing a strong second-place finish in the EWC 2024 Club Championship. With our winnings, we expanded into new games like chess, strengthened our international presence in Southeast Asia, and supported philanthropic initiatives. The experience, momentum, and rosters we’ve built over the past year put us in the perfect position to claim the Championship crown at EWC 2025. We believe this to be our year,” said Steve Arhancet, Co-CEO of Team Liquid.

The post Esports World Cup to Feature Record-breaking Prize Pool of More Than $70M for 2025 Event appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Asia

ESFI’s Lokesh Suji Re-Elected as Asian Electronic Sports Federation VP, South Asia, Strengthening India’s Esports Leadership

Published

2 days ago

April 9, 2025

George Miller

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

In a significant boost for Indian esports, Lokesh Suji has been re-elected unopposed as Vice President for South Asia in the Asian Electronic Sports Federation (AESF) during its recent online Electoral General Assembly in Hong Kong for a four-year term. Holding this position since AESF’s inception, Suji’s re-election highlights India’s growing influence in international esports, reinforcing the Esports Federation of India’s (ESFI) role in shaping the region’s competitive gaming landscape.

The AESF Electoral General Assembly, chaired by outgoing President Kenneth Fok, convened representatives from 38 member nations and OCA Deputy Director General Vinod Tiwari. Thailand’s Santi Lothong secured the AESF Presidency with a simple majority, alongside new Vice Presidents for different Asian zones.

“I am deeply grateful for the continued trust placed in me and extend my sincere thanks to Kenneth (Fok) for his leadership and guidance over the years. I also look forward to working closely with Santi (Lothong) for this next phase. This re-election is not just a personal milestone but a testament to the remarkable growth of esports in India and South Asia. Esports in Asia is entering a defining era, and I am committed to ensuring that our players, federations, and stakeholders receive the recognition, opportunities, and platforms they deserve,” said Lokesh Suji, Vice President, South Asia, of AESF and Director of ESFI.

As Asia’s esports governing body, recognised by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), AESF has been instrumental in getting esports included in Asian Games and hosting major tournaments like the Asian Esports Games 2018 and the Asian Games 2022, featuring top titles such as Dota 2, Street Fighter 6, and FIFA Online. AESF has also been selected as the Technical Delegate for Esports at the 20th Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026.

Commenting on Suji’s re-election, Santi Lothong, the incoming AESF President, said: “Having worked alongside Lokesh for years, I have witnessed his unwavering dedication to developing esports in South Asia and beyond. His leadership, vision, and relentless efforts have helped shape the region’s competitive landscape. I look forward to continuing our collaboration and strengthening esports across Asia under this new leadership phase.”

Kenneth Fok, the outgoing AESF President, added: “Lokesh has been a steadfast pillar in AESF’s journey, always pushing to elevate esports across Asia. His passion and commitment have left a lasting impact, shaping key initiatives and strengthening our community. It’s been a pleasure working alongside him, and I am confident he will continue driving esports forward.”

Under Suji’s leadership, India has made significant strides in esports, with historic medal finishes in the Commonwealth Esports Championship 2022, BRICS Esports Championship and Asian Esports Games and strong performances in the Asian Games 2018 and 2022, where Indian athletes proved their mettle against the world’s best. ESFI is further cementing India’s esports dominance with the WAVES Esports Championship (WESC) —a pioneering initiative that fosters homegrown talent and provides Indian players with an international platform to compete at the highest level. WAVES Esports Championship is one of the ‘Create in India Challenge’ as part of Ministry of Information & Broadcasting’s marque event ‘World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit’ (WAVES) to be held on 1-4 May 2025, Mumbai.

Recognized by and Member of the International Esports Federation, Asian Esports Federation, and Global Esports Federation, ESFI remains dedicated to strengthening India’s position on the global esports stage.

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