eSports

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

Published

5 years ago

December 21, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

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.”

eSports

FURIA Pulls Off the Reverse Sweep to Win Thunderpick World Championship 2025

Published

4 days ago

October 28, 2025

Niji Narayan

furia-pulls-off-the-reverse-sweep-to-win-thunderpick-world-championship-2025

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Thunderpick, the leading esports betting platform delivering fans cutting-edge tools and experiences, announced that FURIA has emerged victorious at the Thunderpick World Championship 2025 — one of the tournament’s most competitive editions yet, featuring four of the world’s top 10 ranked teams. FURIA takes home the $500,000 first-place prize, with KSCERATO earning his first Grand Final MVP.

FURIA’s steady performance and relentless focus were on full display throughout the tournament, culminating in a Finals victory over Natus Vincere. After NAVI went up two maps to zero, FURIA did what many thought was impossible and completed a dominant reverse sweep with a 13:1 on the decisive map.

Natus Vincere finished second place, earning $150,000. The MongolZ, who won the Thunderpick World Championship last year, finished third after defeating Aurora earlier in the day, receiving $70,000 and $50,000, respectively. Venom, 9z, Imperial and OG all placed fifth through eighth, taking home $20,000 each.

“It is a privilege to congratulate FURIA as the Thunderpick World Champions! This tournament was thrilling, featuring exceptional gameplay. The success of our World Championship is thanks to the incredible teams, streamers, partners, staff, and everyone behind the scenes who made it possible, as well as the passionate fans who make this event so special,” said Kelly Sanders, Head of Strategy at Thunderpick.

This year marks the third consecutive Thunderpick World Championship. Last year, The MongolZ stunned HEROIC to claim their third international title of the season, cementing their status on the global CS2 stage. In 2023, FaZe Clan took the crown after defeating Virtus.pro, with Robin “ropz” Kool earning the MVP title. The TWC 2025 Finals are presented in collaboration with Hotspawn, a leading hub for esports news and analysis.

The post FURIA Pulls Off the Reverse Sweep to Win Thunderpick World Championship 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Betting

LEON Esports announces partnership with GamerLegion’s CS2 team

Published

1 week ago

October 23, 2025

Zoltan Tundik

leon-esports-announces-partnership-with-gamerlegion’s-cs2-team

Reading Time: < 1 minute

LEON Esports is excited to announce a new partnership with GamerLegion’s Counter-Strike 2 team — a leading German esports organization ranked among the top 15 teams in the world, renowned for its consistent top-tier performances.

This collaboration marks a new chapter for LEON Esports, as the brand continues to expand its presence in competitive gaming. Over the years, LEON has become an active force in esports — supporting professional teams and hosting its own tournaments across titles like CS2, Dota, Free Fire and Deadlock.

Together with GamerLegion, LEON Esports aims to bring even more action and engagement to fans — with exclusive offers, special markets, social media giveaways, and more challenges made for true esports and betting enthusiasts.

This partnership follows LEON’s successful collaborations with other major esports organizations such as SAW (Portugal), FlyQuest (Australia), and NFA (Brazil) — strengthening its position as one of the key players in the global esports scene.

Get ready for the next level — follow the action on our channels:

LEON Esports Linktree

The post LEON Esports announces partnership with GamerLegion’s CS2 team appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

eSports

HAVIT Partners with Legendary Galatasaray Esports

Published

1 week ago

October 23, 2025

Niji Narayan

havit-partners-with-legendary-galatasaray-esports

Reading Time: < 1 minute

HAVIT, a leading global consumer tech brand, announced a strategic partnership with Galatasaray Esports, one of Turkey’s most iconic and influential esports teams. This collaboration aims to energise the rapidly growing Turkish gaming ecosystem with cutting-edge gear.

Galatasaray, a symbol of pride, passion and excellence with over a century of sporting heritage, has extended its winning spirit into the digital arena through Galatasaray Esports, now a powerhouse in competitive gaming. By partnering with Galatasaray Esports, HAVIT is not only equipping the team with cutting-edge gaming gear to enhance professional performance but also bringing more high-performance gaming gear to redefine the esports experience in Turkey.

With this partnership, HAVIT and Galatasaray Esports will work together to open a new chapter for Turkish esports. In upcoming competitions, Galatasaray Esports will continue to showcase its strength and team spirit, representing Turkey with pride on the international stage. Meanwhile, HAVIT will provide full support with its outstanding gaming gear, empowering the team to reach new heights.

The post HAVIT Partners with Legendary Galatasaray Esports appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.