eSports
WePlay Esports and top CS:GO teams unite for WePlay Academy League
The WePlay Esports media holding company and leading world Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) organizations have announced the WePlay Academy League. The new circuit is aiming to shape the standards for the CS:GO industry in fostering new talents.
With the support of top CS:GO teams, the up-and-coming players will have an opportunity to get closer to the professional esports scene and gain first-hand competitive experience.
The WePlay Academy League Season 1 begins with an online round-robin Group Stage, where the teams meet each other twice. The three strongest teams advance to the double-elimination Playoffs that will take place at the WePlay Esports Arena Kyiv. The team that takes eighth place is eliminated. The remaining four enter the Gauntlet stage to fight for the remaining slot in the Playoffs. The total prize pool of the CS:GO league Season 1 is $100,000.
To participate in the tournament, the players and teams must fit a list of requirements. Each team will consist of at least four players aged between 16 and 20.
Participating teams:
- NAVI Junior
- Young Ninjas
- mouz NXT
- BIG. OMEN Academy
- Astralis Talent
- VP.Prodigy
- Fnatic Rising
- FURIA Academy
Event schedule:
- Group Stage — July 19 – August 01, 2021 (possible tie-breaker matches will take place on August 03)
- Gauntlet Stage — August 07–08, 2021
- Playoffs — August 27–29, 2021
“The WePlay Academy League is a perfect breeding ground for daring CS:GO talent who are willing to challenge the status quo. With the new regular event circuit, the up-and-comers will be able to hone their skill and potentially get picked for the main roster. Many future CS:GO world champions will look back at the WePlay Academy League as the first event in which they got real on-stage experience,” says Eugene Shepelev, lead esports manager at WePlay Esports.
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RESPWNED and LOTUS 8 have signed a partnership to launch the GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival in 2026, marking the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival brand’s expansion into Canada.
RESPWNED manages the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival brand, while LOTUS 8 is a Canada-based company focused on event development and partnerships. The companies said they will jointly develop and deliver the Winnipeg event, combining global esports IP management, event production, commercial partnerships, and local execution.
“This partnership represents an exciting milestone for GIRLGAMER as we continue to expand globally and bring our platform to new audiences,” said Tiago Fernandes, Managing Partner at RESPWNED. “Canada is a dynamic and fast-growing Esports market, and we are proud to collaborate with LOTUS 8 to deliver a meaningful and impactful event experience.”
Steven Vuong, representing LOTUS 8, added: “We are thrilled to partner with RESPWNED to bring the GIRLGAMER Festival to Canada. This collaboration reflects a shared vision of building inclusive, high-quality esports experiences while creating strong commercial and community value. Together, we are laying the foundation for a standout event in 2026.”
The GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival is planned as a family-oriented event with business networking, brand activations, and community programming, and is expected to include international and local talent. Additional details, including dates, venue, and participating partners, will be announced in the coming months.
The post RESPWNED partners with LOTUS 8 to bring GIRLGAMER festival to Winnipeg in 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
RESPWNED, the company that manages the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival brand, and LOTUS 8, a Canada-based company focused on event development and partnerships, today announced their partnership to the launch of the GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival.
The strategic partnership marks a significant step in expanding the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival brand into Canada.
This brings its globally recognized platform for competitive gaming, inclusivity, and industry engagement to a new market.
The GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival is envisioned as a family-oriented event, with business networking, brand activations, and community-driven experiences.
Under the terms of the agreement, RESPWNED and LOTUS 8 will work collaboratively to develop and deliver the event, combining their respective expertise in global esports IP management, event production, commercial partnerships, and local market execution.
“This partnership represents an exciting milestone for GIRLGAMER as we continue to expand globally and bring our platform to new audiences,” said Tiago Fernandes, Managing Partner at RESPWNED.
“Canada is a dynamic and fast-growing Esports market, and we are proud to collaborate with LOTUS 8 to deliver a meaningful and impactful event experience.”
Steven Vuong, representing LOTUS 8, added: “We are thrilled to partner with RESPWNED to bring the GIRLGAMER Festival to Canada.
This collaboration reflects a shared vision of building inclusive, high-quality esports experiences while creating strong commercial and community value.
Together, we are laying the foundation for a standout event in 2026.”
The GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival will feature a combination of international and local talent, brand partnerships, and programming designed to foster diversity, inclusion, and innovation within the gaming and esports ecosystem.
Further details, including dates, venue, and participating partners, will be announced in the coming months.
RESPWNED LTD
RESPWNED is a United Kingdom-based company specializing in esports IP management, event production, and industry consultancy.
The company manages the GIRLGAMER Esports Festival brand, a global platform dedicated to creating opportunities and visibility for women in gaming and esports.
LOTUS 8
LOTUS 8 is a Canada-based premier esports organization based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Dedicated to building championship-calibre teams across North America, they are at the forefront of innovation in competitive gaming.
As pioneers in the industry, they have developed the Performance Mindset Mindfulness, a system designed to support mental health in esports.
This holistic approach blends mental wellness practices, meditation, nutrition, fitness, and proper sleep hygiene into their competitive strategy.
The post RESPWNED and LOTUS 8 to launch GIRLGAMER Winnipeg Festival in 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Team Vitality won BLAST Rivals Spring 2026 in Fort Worth, Texas, defeating Natus Vincere 3-0 in the Counter-Strike 2 grand final, according to the organisation’s announcement.
BLAST Rivals Spring 2026 featured eight teams and a $350,000 prize pool. Vitality opened with a 2-1 win over FUT Esports, then beat G2 2-1 in the group winner’s match to book a semifinal spot.
In the semifinals, Vitality moved past GamerLegion 2-0 to reach the final, where it completed a clean sweep of NAVI.
Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut was named tournament MVP. Vitality also positioned the result as its fifth title of the season and noted it followed its IEM Rio victory and a record of two ESL Grand Slam titles.
The post Team Vitality sweeps NAVI 3-0 to win BLAST Rivals Spring 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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