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EXCEL ESPORTS launches BT Power of Better Awards, names gaming charity SpecialEffect as inaugural winner of main award

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EXCEL ESPORTS, the leading British competitive gaming culture brand, has today announced that UK based gaming charity SpecialEffect has won EXCEL’s inaugural BT Power of Better Award, the focal award at its recently launched BT Power of Better Awards.

  • The BT Power of Better Awards, organised by EXCEL and its lead partner BT, is a new series of awards for EXCEL, its staff, players and its community.
  • The focal award is the BT Power of Better Award itself, which recognises an individual or organisation in the esports community that has made a lasting better change for the esports community in 2020.
  • UK Gaming Charity SpecialEffect has been presented with the award due to its ongoing support in 2020 for severely physically disabled and vulnerable people, by continuing its life-transforming work through online assessments, remote support and equipment supervision, despite the impact of COVID-19.
  • SpecialEffect is a charity that specialises in helping physically disabled people play video games. The organisation works with developers to create personalised game control devices as well as make their games more accessible.
  • Other BT Power of Better Awards include the LOL Player of the Year, LOL Blooper of the Year, LOL Fan of the Year, LOL Doggo of the Year and LOL Moment of the Year.
  • The Power of Better Awards follows EXCEL’s recent brand update which included the unveiling of a bold and unique visual identity in esports that saw it evolve into a professional team that adds purpose to its passion for gaming through its unique vision of The Power of Better; a commitment to improve in everything it does and to use its platform to have a positive impact on the wider gaming and esports community.
  • As part of the award win, EXCEL and BT have made a donation of £500 towards the charity.

Kieran Holmes Darby, Co-Founder and Chief Gaming Officer of EXCEL ESPORTS said: Every single year I’m completely blown away by the work that SpecialEffect does and in the face of a global pandemic, the charity has gone above and beyond to continue to support the vulnerable people it exists to help, by bringing them the fun and inclusivity that video games have to offer. I’m truly honoured to name the charity the winner of the inaugural BT Power of Better Award, there is simply no other organisation that I know of that deserves this more than them.” 

Tom Donegan, Fundraising and Communications Team Leader, at SpecialEffect, said: “Kieran and the team at EXCEL ESPORTS were one of the first organisations to welcome us into the world of esports several years ago, when we first started attending events and tournaments to raise awareness of SpecialEffect amongst the community. Since then, we’ve been really lucky to make many great friends from across the esports ecosystem, from individual players and teams, to national and international organisations, who have all been incredibly generous in their support of the charity. What seems to be true across the board is a real affinity with our work and a deep understanding of how enabling people with physical disabilities to play videogames can have such a positive and life-changing impact. In a year that has brought with it so many serious challenges, it is wonderful to have our work recognised with this award and we are incredibly grateful to everyone involved.”

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UniPin Accelerates Esports Growth Through Nationwide Campus Esports Championship in India, Expansion to 50+ Universities in 2026

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UniPin, the leading digital entertainment and esports enabler across Asia, had launched the UniPin Campus Championship India, a large-scale interuniversity esports tournament designed to unite and empower student gamers through competition, collaboration and community building.

Running from October to December 2025, the championship will bring offline esports tournaments to eight major cities: Mumbai, Pune, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Lucknow. Winners from each campus qualifier will advance to the Grand Finale in January 2026, where they will compete for national recognition and esports glory.

The championship officially kicked off in Pune (MIT Pune, Oct 30) and Mumbai (NMIMS Mumbai, Oct 31). Both campuses recorded overwhelming enthusiasm from students eager to represent their universities, demonstrating the growing momentum of esports within India’s student communities. Packed audiences, spirited support and competitive gameplay marked a strong opening for the multi-city series.

“The UniPin Campus Championship India underscores UniPin’s ongoing commitment to cultivating the next generation of esports talent while strengthening a culture of collaboration, discipline, and sportsmanship among young players. As India’s gaming ecosystem continues to grow, we are proud to provide a platform that empowers students to showcase their skills, connect with the community, and pursue their passion at a competitive level,” said Paras Gupta, Manager of Esports, Community & KOL at UniPin India.

Expansion Vision: 2026 and Beyond

Building on the momentum of this inaugural championship, UniPin India is preparing an even larger nationwide initiative for 2026, with plans to reach more than 50 universities across India. The expansion aims to elevate intercampus esports into a mainstream student activity by integrating workshops on esports careers, community networking and developer engagement — not only fostering competition, but also building pathways into the gaming and digital entertainment industry.

This upcoming expansion signals UniPin’s long-term investment in India’s esports ecosystem and strengthens its commitment to making esports accessible, structured and sustainable at the grassroots level.

“This expansion is not just about growing the tournament footprint. By 2026, we aim to reach every major campus so they can have a thriving esports community supported by the right infrastructure, education, and exposure,” Paras added.

Through the UniPin Campus Championship, UniPin reinforces its mission to accelerate the growth of esports and digital entertainment in Asia by creating inclusive opportunities for young players to connect, compete and thrive.

The post UniPin Accelerates Esports Growth Through Nationwide Campus Esports Championship in India, Expansion to 50+ Universities in 2026 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Globant and Riot Games Announce Partnership

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Globant and Riot Games announced a multi-year strategic partnership to support some of Riot’s most critical innovation initiatives and fan communities across League of Legends and VALORANT Esports. This collaboration brings together Riot’s world-class esports experiences with Globant’s global expertise in digital reinvention.

As its new digital transformation partner, Globant will support some of Riot Games’ most critical tech initiatives, including future explorations in artificial intelligence that augment esports viewing experiences and mobile integration capabilities. During the multi-year partnership, the two companies will push the boundaries of technology to unlock teams to deliver richer, more tailored experiences for millions of players and fans globally.

“Globant shares our commitment to deliver the most resonate and engaging experiences for players and fans around the world. Their deep expertise in technology will help us accelerate areas of the business so Rioters can focus on pushing creative boundaries of what’s possible in esports and live events,” said David Mulhall, Global Head of Esports Partnerships and Business Development at Riot Games.

“We are thrilled to join forces with Riot Games to expand the future of gaming and esports. This partnership reflects our shared belief that technology and creativity can reshape how communities connect, play, and experience entertainment,” said Martin Migoya, Co-founder and CEO of Globant.

Globant brings extensive experience across media, entertainment, and gaming that reinforces its role as a transformative technology partner. Through its Media & Entertainment and Games Studios, the company supports global organizations in areas such as content creation and management, streaming platforms, game development, art services, quality assurance, product management, and ongoing live operations. Globant is also a trusted partner to leading sports and entertainment brands, including FIFA and Formula 1. By combining deep industry expertise with advanced technologies like AI, Globant has established itself as a key enabler of innovation and fan engagement for some of the world’s most influential organizations in sports, media, and gaming.

The post Globant and Riot Games Announce Partnership appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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Spectatr.ai Partners with ANOC, ISSA to Power Real-Time Highlights for Islamic Solidarity Games

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Spectatr.ai, a Sequoia-backed innovator in AI-powered sports technology, is partnering with the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and the Islamic Solidarity Sports Association (ISSA) to deliver real-time highlight clips during the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

This collaboration aligns with the wider digital content partnership between ANOC and ISSA and will transform how the Games are experienced globally — bringing high-quality, real-time match, moment and daily highlights from more than 20 sports over 15 days to fans worldwide. This announcement follows news of the strategic partnership between Spectatr.ai and Triple B Media to empower sports organisations around the globe to improve the sports fan experience through the power of artificial intelligence.

Earlier this year, ANOC and ISSA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance the global visibility of the Islamic Solidarity Games, which will bring together more than 3500 athletes from 57 National Olympic Committees. Under the MoU, ANOC will broadcast the Games live via ANOC.tv, produce digital content through the ANOC.tv studio, and distribute highlights worldwide through the ANOC Digital Content Hub. Spectatr.ai’s technology will serve as the AI backbone of this initiative, ensuring every defining moment from decisive goals to emotional victories is captured and shared within seconds.

“Our collaboration with ANOC brings AI-powered storytelling to one of the world’s most unifying sporting events. We are honored to support Riyadh 2025 by showcasing every story, emotion and achievement as it happens — reaching fans everywhere in real time,” said Richa Singh, Co-Founder of Spectatr.ai.

Spectatr.ai will deploy its proprietary PULSE engine, an on-cloud, low-latency highlights system that identifies key moments such as goals, finishes, podiums and record-breaking performances. These clips will be enriched with metadata and instantly distributed to ANOC, ISSA and global partners. The system will generate both broadcast-ready and social-media-optimized formats, including vertical 9:16 videos for platforms such as Instagram Reels, TikTok and YouTube Shorts.

“This collaboration reflects ANOC’s ongoing commitment to innovation and the digital amplification of sport. By integrating real-time AI technology into the Islamic Solidarity Games, we are ensuring that every inspiring performance and emotional moment reaches fans around the world instantly,” said Gunilla Lindberg, secretary general of ANOC.

Through this partnership, each of the 57 participating NOCs will receive customised daily highlight packages, enabling equitable visibility for athletes and federations of all sizes. The system’s automated tagging and search functionality will make all footage easily discoverable, reusable and ready for archival and storytelling use.

The Games will feature traditional and emerging disciplines, including camel racing, duathlon and esports. The collaboration between Spectatr.ai, ANOC and ISSA aims to serve as a model for future multi-sport events — demonstrating how AI can drive real-time global engagement, operational efficiency and commercial value.

The post Spectatr.ai Partners with ANOC, ISSA to Power Real-Time Highlights for Islamic Solidarity Games appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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