eSports

Danny Lopez Joins Galaxy Racer As Chief Content Officer

Published

4 years ago

August 10, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Galaxy Racer (GXR), one of the fastest-growing esports organizations in the world, headquartered in Dubai, has announced the appointment of Danny Lopez as Chief Content Officer.

Lopez has over six years of experience at a senior level in esports and gaming, and will lead the development and implementation of best-in-class global content strategy by creating show-stopping entertainment across all areas of the business. He has recently been nominated as a finalist for ‘Esports Creative Of The Year’ by the Esports Awards, which is dedicated to showcasing top class performance and innovation.

Lopez was previously the Director of Brand and Content at Guild Esports, an esports team co-owned by David Beckham, where he led the creative content development and execution across the board. He has also held Creative Director roles at a number of organizations, including the likes of Fnatic. Further to this, he played an instrumental role in the viral content between Dr. Disrespect (one of the biggest global streamers) & Astralis (4 time CS:GO major world champions).

Galaxy Racer was founded in 2019 with an impressive roster of eleven esports teams in League of Legends, Dota 2, CS:GO, Fortnite, PUBG Mobile and Free Fire, with over 60 male and female esports athletes from 22 countries, with over 20 content creators across Middle East North Africa (MENA) and Southeast Asia (SEA), amassing over 160 million followers and generating over 1 billion monthly views.

Paul Roy, CEO of Galaxy Racer said, “Danny brings along a wealth of experience, which we recognize and value his creative talent. I’ve personally seen his content and he’s definitely the best of the best in the industry. As Galaxy Racer pushes forward with our aggressive expansion plans, having a creative leader to spearhead our content across the group is imperative, especially for our esports and content creators’ verticals. We look forward to having Danny onboard with us. Welcome to our galaxy!”

Danny Lopez, Chief Content Officer of Galaxy Racer added, “After meeting with Paul, I was bought in immediately, his global aspirations for Galaxy Racer were something I wanted to be a part of. The creators that Galaxy Racer work with have unrivalled scale and this is a great opportunity for me to help drive that growth by creating best-in-class content. I’m excited to lead the brand vision and continue to create groundbreaking content on a global platform – so watch this space! As a proud father to twin girls, I admire Galaxy Racer’s commitment to support female gamers and love how passionate the business is about leading the change of the narrative in our exciting industry. ”

Recently, Galaxy Racer joined forces together with Arsenal superstar English Premier League footballer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and his brother William-Fils “Willy” Aubameyang, by hosting the first-ever Fortnite esports tournament between Europe and the Middle East, the Galaxy Racer Aubameyang Cup, with a EURO 10,000 prize pool.

Galaxy Racer has formed a global partnership with Waverider, an IP content creation and management company centred around pop culture and entertainment.

Galaxy Racer is the organizer in Dubai for Girl Gamer Festival – the first and only ‘Esports Festival’ to celebrate women’s competitiveness in video games, and has organized Australia’s largest independent Fortnite tournament for the esports community and Fortnite tournaments in India and Pakistan, each tournament with a US$10,000 prize pool.

Galaxy Racer has formed a partnership with eLaliga, the top professional football division of the Spanish league system. This partnership is the first time a Dubai-based esports organisation will team up with a significant worldwide FIFA event.

Galaxy Racer is creating a true 360-degree esports, gaming, content and lifestyle brand. Their group company, Riva Technology and Entertainment (RTE), have secured a strong streak of acquisitions, partnerships and brand licensing deals, including the iconic comic book series publisher Dark Horse Comics, with RTE producing multiple mobile games based on the massively successful The Umbrella Academy comic books and Netflix series.

Earlier this year, RTE invested in multiple companies including SUB2r who produce broadcast-quality streaming video cameras, Recast an over-the-top (OTT) platform, BBox Sports an Augmented Reality company, the leading games publisher Rogue Games and OKLetsPlay, the leading platform for players to compete each other in competitions against other players across the world.

RTE also owns a majority stake in global games producer Firefly Games, who have experience working with major studios and brands for world-renowned intellectual properties (IP) from Dreamworks Animation, NBC Universal, Skydance Media, and now MGA Entertainment, a consumer entertainment products company, to produce and publish mobile games based on their hit properties L.O.L Surprise! and Rainbow High, both featured in Netflix.

RTE has recently invested in My LADS, an Augmented Reality (AR) technology engagement firm which powers fan engagement.

Galaxy Racer has recently brought onboard former Disney executive Guenther Hake, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Disney Consumer Products in Greater China and CEO at Oriental DreamWorks, who will be assisting in an advisory role with Galaxy Racer’s brand partnerships, consumer products, apparel and merchandising endeavours.

Galaxy Racer has also recruited ‘Marketing Innovator of the Year – Finalist’ in the Marketing Excellence Awards 2020, former AirAsia and EVOS Esports marketer, Allan Phang as their Chief Marketing Officer, who will be leading global marketing initiatives.

Galaxy Racer is on hyper-growth mode and is actively hiring executive roles, including esports and gaming talents across the globe.

Berlin Gaming Industry

Tom Achsel Joins FACTORY-C to Spearhead “Home of Indies” Communications

Published

4 days ago

January 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

tom-achsel-joins-factory-c-to-spearhead-“home-of-indies”-communications

FACTORY-C, the Berlin-based communications powerhouse specializing in gaming and esports, has announced the appointment of Tom Achsel as Event Communications Manager. Achsel will join the “Home of Indies” team alongside project initiator Christiane Gehrke, focusing on the platform’s global expansion and upcoming presence at Gamescom 2026.

With over a decade of experience in the tech and gaming sectors, Achsel brings a massive professional network and deep operational expertise to the agency.

A Veteran of the Berlin Gaming Scene

Tom Achsel is a well-known figure in the German development community. His career highlights include:

Games Academy: Served as Head of Marketing & Events at one of Europe’s oldest game development institutions.
Games Ground Berlin: Co-founded and led communications for the Berlin Gaming Festival, curating impactful B2B programs and speaker lineups.
IGDA Berlin: Serves as Vice-Chairman, strengthening ties between local developers and the global gaming ecosystem.

Christiane Gehrke, Senior Event Communication & Sales Manager at Factory-C

“Tom knows the indie scene from multiple perspectives and has a sharp understanding of the needs of indie developers,” said Christiane Gehrke, Senior Event Communication & Sales Manager at FACTORY-C. “He brings everything needed to support the continued development of Home of Indies.”

Scaling the “Home of Indies” Platform

Since its debut in 2022, Home of Indies has grown into a central pillar of the Gamescom Indie Area. The platform provides a shared booth for independent developers, lowering the barrier to entry for international studios.

2025 Growth: The booth expanded to 440 square meters, featuring over 50 games from a dozen countries.
New Features: The project recently added a dedicated Spotlight Stage, streaming booths, and professional networking areas via MeetToMatch.

As Event Communications Manager, Achsel will lead the outreach strategy for Gamescom 2026, ensuring that the creative diversity of the global indie scene receives maximum visibility among press, influencers, and players.

The post Tom Achsel Joins FACTORY-C to Spearhead “Home of Indies” Communications appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

BlueBottle

BlueBottle Launches “League Broadcast” SaaS for Streamlined Esports Production

Published

4 days ago

January 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

bluebottle-launches-“league-broadcast”-saas-for-streamlined-esports-production

BlueBottle, the Munich-based esports technology innovator, has officially launched League Broadcast, its professional-grade production software, via a new Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) subscription model.

Announced on January 7, 2026, this B2C release moves the platform from selective partner deployments and its long-standing beta phase into a publicly accessible tool for leagues, tournament organizers, and individual content creators worldwide.

Professional Broadcast Tools for All Tiers

League Broadcast is designed to automate and elevate the visual storytelling of competitive gaming, specifically targeting the League of Legends ecosystem. The software bypasses traditional API limitations by using low-level game data collection to provide real-time, high-fidelity visualizations.

At launch, BlueBottle has introduced a tiered pricing structure to suit different operational scales:

Tier	Status	Key Features	Target Audience
Free	Available	Core overlays, essential team/player data, basic game stats.	Grassroots creators & amateur streamers.
Basic	Available	Commercial usage rights, customizable pre-game elements, professional draft tools.	Semi-pro leagues & small event organizers.
Pro	Coming Soon	Advanced analytics, event-driven automation, premium production tools.	Professional leagues & high-scale live operations.

Supported by Creative Europe Media

The transition to a scalable SaaS model was significantly bolstered by funding from Creative Europe Media, the European Union’s flagship program for the audiovisual and creative sectors. This backing allowed BlueBottle to invest in:

Enhanced Stability: Hardening the software for 24/7 live environments.
Improved Infrastructure: Faster development cycles and dedicated customer support.
Accessibility: Lowering the barrier for European creators to produce “broadcast-quality” content that competes with high-budget international productions.

“This launch represents more than a new pricing model — it’s the moment League Broadcast becomes accessible to the wider esports community,” said Lars Eble, CTO at BlueBottle. “We were able to invest in long-term product quality… ensuring that our B2C customers receive the same level of reliability previously reserved for large partners.”

Strengthening the European Esports Ecosystem

By providing affordable, automated tools for real-time data visualization—such as dynamic gold graphs, inhibitor timers, and 3D in-world branding—BlueBottle is positioning itself as a core infrastructure provider for the digital media age. The platform allows smaller organizations to monetize their formats more effectively through professional-looking sponsor placements and deeper viewer engagement.

The post BlueBottle Launches “League Broadcast” SaaS for Streamlined Esports Production appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Akshat Rathee

Indian Esports 2026: Strategic Growth and the Asian Games Milestone

Published

6 days ago

January 6, 2026

Wladimir P.

indian-esports-2026:-strategic-growth-and-the-asian-games-milestone

The Indian esports landscape is transitioning from a period of rapid “spectacle” growth to a phase defined by lasting institutional structure. Following the implementation of the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA), 2026 is set to be the year where regulatory clarity, international competition, and domestic grassroots development converge.

The Impact of PROGA: Policy into Practice

The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA), signed into law in August 2025, has officially moved from policy to practice. Its primary contribution to 2026 is the explicit separation of esports from money-based gaming.

Legitimacy: By categorizing esports as a legitimate competitive pursuit, PROGA has unlocked state-level adoption and cleared the way for schools and colleges to integrate gaming into their sports frameworks.
Commercial Confidence: With a clear regulatory environment, brands in sectors like FMCG, automotive, and BFSI are now viewing esports as a stable, long-term youth engagement platform rather than a risky experiment.
Athlete Pathways: PROGA facilitates the creation of standardized national registries for athletes, ensuring that competitive integrity is maintained across grassroots and professional tiers.

The Asian Games 2026: A Global Stage

The Asian Games 2026 in Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, serves as the most critical milestone for the ecosystem this year.

Medal Status: Esports will feature as a full medal event with 11 confirmed titles, including League of Legends, PUBG Mobile (Asian Games Version), and Pokémon UNITE.
Indian Prospects: India’s best historical result (quarter-finals in League of Legends at Hangzhou) has set a high bar. For 2026, the focus has shifted toward high-performance training camps and long-term athlete mentorship to secure a podium finish.
Multi-Sport Integration: Participation alongside traditional athletes reinforces the narrative that esports is a viable professional career, further encouraging government investment through schemes like Khelo India.

Market Evolution and Key Trends

The Indian gaming market is projected to reach approximately $5.02 billion in 2026, driven by a massive player base exceeding 500 million gamers.

Trend	Impact in 2026
Mobile Dominance	Over 95% of the market remains mobile-first, fueled by 5G expansion and affordable hardware.
Beyond BGMI	2026 is seeing a push to diversify the market into fighting games, sports simulations, and PC titles to avoid “one-title dependency.”
Monetization Shift	Revenue is shifting from pure advertising toward battle passes, subscription models, and in-game progression.
Tier II & III Growth	Most new user acquisition is coming from smaller cities, demanding more vernacular and localized content.