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YAS HEAT ESPORTS kicks off Endurance Cup by Thrustmaster title defence with hard-fought podium

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Abu Dhabi squad claims runner-up spot at opening race of the season whilst community car shows promising pace

The Sim Grid Endurance Cup returned on Saturday, 1 May for the inaugural race of the 2021 campaign. Round 1 saw a total of 540 drivers compete across four splits at the iconic Hungaroring for a three-hour race on Assetto Corsa Competizione.

Reigning champions YAS HEAT powered by Richard Mille dominated proceedings in season two and returned to the fold with one thing on their mind – retaining the title. The team comprised top-tier talent from across YAS HEAT’s Assetto Corsa talent pool, including Eamonn Murphy, Mikhail Statsenko and Andrea Capoccia.

The second car – YAS Community – was led by Jaroslav Honzik or ‘Jardier’ and fielded a squad of YAS HEAT fans as the team repaid the dedication shown by their loyal followers, enabling them to race in a professional esports competition.

It was a dream start to the season for the Abu-Dhabi based team as they put it on pole position for the first race of the season. A tense opening stint saw the top three cars separated by mere tenths from the outset, with YAS HEAT leading the charge.

As the initial pit stops loomed, the Odox Motorsport #122 car made its move, relegating YAS HEAT to second place. Before Statsenko was able to respond, contact with the third place Griphax Engineering car and the subsequent time lost saw the Abu-Dhabi squad drop out of contention for the lead, despite second place being conceded by Griphax Engineering shortly after.

From that point on, the damage was done and the lead remained out of reach as the gap ebbed and flowed between five and ten seconds for the remaining stints. The team crossed the line to claim the runner-up spot but left the Hungaroring knowing they were denied a chance to fight for victory.

Eamonn Murphy, Assetto Corsa Driver, YAS HEAT ESPORTS said: 

“On the day at Hungaroring, we extracted the most out of the 488 EVO, especially with 50kg ballast. The Audi unfortunately, over a full stint, just seemed to have the edge on pace, but, unfortunately for our rivals, this only makes us push harder to find even more time.

“As a team I feel we have progressed even more than last season with better communication before, during and after races, thus increasing levels of preparation for the next time we hit the track. Every mistake or downfall is analysed and worked upon. Fail to prepare, prepare to fail!

“Our ambitions are the same as when we first started out together, championship titles are the main goal… YAS isn’t here to take part, we’re here to take over.”

YAS HEAT Community meanwhile were running well in fifth place – on merit – before a collision ahead spelt disaster for a number of cars and sent the squad tumbling down the order, eventually finishing P14.

Next up on the Endurance Cup calendar is a six-hour race at the iconic Italian circuit of Monza (29 May, 11:00am BST) and can be watched live on The Sim Grid’s YouTube channel.

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G2 drops limited-edition One Piece streetwear capsule on June 25

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The esports organisation’s second anime apparel collaboration will be sold exclusively via g2esports.com/shop.

G2 is launching a limited-edition G2 | One Piece capsule collection on June 25, with the drop available exclusively through the organisation’s online store at g2esports.com/shop.

The collection is inspired by One Piece’s Gear 5 Monkey D. Luffy and includes hoodies, zip-ups, t-shirts, caps, sleeves, and tote bags. According to G2, the items use a black-and-white palette and feature a minimalist embroidered logo alongside a custom G2 | One Piece Jolly Roger that combines the G2 samurai emblem with Luffy’s straw hat.

“At G2, we’re continuing to push the culture and fashion of esports beyond competition alone, and this One Piece collection is a natural extension of that,” says Sabrina Ratih, COO of G2 Esports. “We wanted to create a capsule that continues to elevate the esports fashion space – understated, premium, and stylish enough for everyday wear, while still carrying the spirit of adventure, ambition, and individuality that defines One Piece and G2 alike. Every piece is designed to bridge the gap between fandom and everyday style, and continuing our mission to redefine what esports fashion can be.”

G2 described the drop as its second anime collaboration, following a previous apparel collaboration with Solo Leveling. The company positioned the release as part of its broader effort to connect esports, anime, and streetwear.

One Piece debuted in 1999 and remains one of the largest anime franchises globally. G2 cited over 600 million manga copies sold and more than 1,160 episodes for the series.

The post G2 drops limited-edition One Piece streetwear capsule on June 25 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Study: 400m Gen Z esports fans say brand activations drive purchases

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EFG, Hero Esports and Niko Partners survey 8,000 fans across eight markets; 74% report ads and brand presence influence buying.

ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), Hero Esports and Niko Partners have released a multi-country Gen Z esports study claiming around 400 million Gen Z consumers (20%) regularly engage with esports. The findings were published on 25th June 2026 in Cannes, France, in a white paper titled The Esports Generation: Who They Are & Why They Spend.

The report is based on survey data from 8,000 Gen Z esports fans aged 13-30 across eight markets. It positions esports as a high-attention channel for brands: 85% of respondents said they notice branding in esports, while 74% self-reported that advertising and brand participation in gaming spaces influences their purchasing behaviour. The study also reports that 66% have bought a product following a collaboration or co-branding partnership with an esports team, game or player.

On consumption and fandom touchpoints, the study found 71% regularly watch gaming content, including 66% who watch gaming livestreams and 33% who watch or listen to gaming podcasts. It also points to offline reach: 21% said they regularly attend gaming conventions and esports events, with the average respondent attending at least one in-person event in the past nine months.

The white paper also breaks out claimed purchase categories linked to esports collaborations over the past year, led by food and beverage (33%), electronics (33%) and fashion (32%). Beyond core categories, it reports 28% bought esports-related collectibles, 17% purchased makeup, beauty, or skincare products, and 10% bought from partnered brands in other categories.

Niccolo Maisto, CEO at ESL FACEIT Group said: “Esports has evolved into one of the most effective channels for companies looking to connect with Gen Z audiences at scale. What makes it unique is not just its reach, but the depth of engagement and trust that exists between fans, players, teams, and events. This research shows that esports fans are highly invested participants, not passive viewers, creating an opportunity for brands that show up authentically and build meaningful and lasting connections with this key audience.”

Danny Tang, Co-Founder and CEO of Hero Esports said: “This whitepaper confirms what we at Hero Esports have long believed: esports has evolved into a global cultural and economic force. The data shows an audience that is young, diverse, and deeply engaged. For brands, the message is clear—esports is no longer a niche market; it is the premier platform to connect with the next generation of consumers. We are proud to partner with Niko Partners and EFG to provide this blueprint for understanding and succeeding in this dynamic industry.”

Lisa Hanson, CEO at Niko Partners said: “Our data shows that, much like fans of other sports, Gen Z esports fans are incredibly passionate and have formed strong bonds within their communities. However, their media and consumer affinities extend well beyond gaming and esports, with our research revealing naturally connected interest areas that create valuable overlapping opportunities for brands and partners that show up authentically in this ecosystem.”

The post Study: 400m Gen Z esports fans say brand activations drive purchases appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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How Not to Tilt When Facing Challenges: NAVI Performance Coach Urszula Klimczak and GG.BET Have Released a Special Project about Mental Health

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NAVI Performance Coach Urszula Klimczak and NAVI’s title sponsor GG.BET have unveiled Tilt Management, a special project dedicated to mental health. The initiative consists of three in-depth articles covering demotivation, burnout, and dealing with hate – some of the most common mental health challenges faced not only by esports players, but also by their fans. The project places a strong emphasis on practical value, featuring real-life esports cases, proven advice and everyday practices, as well as self-support exercises readers can apply on their own.

Mental health is becoming increasingly relevant year after year, regardless of profession or lifestyle. Many of the challenges professional players experience are familiar to millions of people in their everyday lives. These include loss of purpose, poor work-life balance, conflicts within teams, vulnerability to criticism, and more. While esports professionals can rely on performance coaches and team staff for support, people outside the industry often have to seek professional help on their own – something that does not always happen. One of the key goals of the project is to support people who may not have access to professional guidance by explaining how different issues manifest themselves, offering practical tools for self-care and recovery, and highlighting when it is important to seek help from specialists.

The first article focuses on demotivation. It explains how to recognize its early signs, how to distinguish it from simple exhaustion, and what NAVI does to prevent players from reaching this state. Particular attention is paid to techniques that help regain focus, manage daily routines, and gradually restore energy.

The second article explores burnout both within and beyond esports. Readers can assess themselves using descriptions of the five stages of burnout and their symptoms, learn about NAVI’s approach to maintaining performance under a demanding schedule, and discover why variety in everyday life and taking smaller, more frequent breaks are essential elements of burnout prevention.

The final chapter of the project addresses hate and negativity. It explains why hatred and aggression ultimately say more about the hater than the target, how to establish healthy boundaries, and how to avoid being consumed by criticism – especially self-criticism. NAVI’s strategy for dealing with hate, combined with practical exercises, can help readers to challenge negative thoughts and distinguish constructive feedback from a stream of harmful negativity.

All articles from the Tilt Management special project are available on EGamersWorld.

The post How Not to Tilt When Facing Challenges: NAVI Performance Coach Urszula Klimczak and GG.BET Have Released a Special Project about Mental Health appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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