eSports

Team Vitality and adidas unveil Alternate Jersey 2021 and its first apparel collection

Published

4 years ago

September 20, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The white jersey with copper and grey elements will pay homage to Team Vitality’s inception and growth into the biggest esports team in France with a growing global presence. The jersey drop will form the first full alternate apparel range with Team Vitality’s athletes Nicolas “Nikof” Frejavise and Oskar “Selfmade” Boderek being the face of the campaign

The jersey is available now at shop.vitality.gg

Leading global esports organisation Team Vitality is excited to reveal its Alternate Jersey for 2021 which aims to showcase the brand’s roots in the city of Paris and export them to the world. As a symbol of culture, Paris is home to some of the best art, music and fashion in the world and Team Vitality has chosen to express the city’s lifestyle through the Alternate Jersey design.

This year the jersey is yet again white but with grey and copper stripes. Grey represents the iconic streets and monuments of Paris while the copper colour represents the trophies won by the team since Team Vitality’s inception in 2013. For the first time, the Alternate jersey is accompanied by a selection of other apparel including track pants and full-zip vest, two key pieces in sportswear and lifestyle fashion which represents the esports organisation through its colour scheme, and the inspiring city of Paris.

Developed in the heart of Paris with Team Vitality and the bustling city at the forefront, the concept behind the collection symbolises the boundless energy and creativity of Paris, and the determination and success of Team Vitality using “Vitality from Paris” as the collection’s signature. Highlighting the elite talent housed within Team Vitality and the beauty of the Parisian natives, the Alternate Jersey and collection feature some of Team Vitality’s best esports players.

Showcasing the collection includes Nicolas “Nikof” Frejavise, a recognisable Fortnite star who has been competing under Team Vitality and displays his impressive skillset within Fortnite. The collection also features Oskar “Selfmade” Boderek, a legendary athlete and accomplished star who made a name for himself in the League of Legends scene and is still improving and developing with Team Vitality’s LEC team.

To celebrate the launch of the new Alternate Jersey and collection, Team Vitality is hosting the “Vitality Alternate Launch”, an event dedicated to its fans, taking place today in the heart of Paris, at Team Vitality headquarters, V.Hive. Joining fans for the special event will be Team Vitality players and ambassadors who will be wearing the jersey and other items from the collection. As part of the event, fans will have the opportunity to participate in the reconstruction of the campaign visuals, allowing them to imitate Nikof and Selfmade who are the face of the jersey and Alternate collection.

The new jersey also cements another milestone in Team Vitality’s partnership with adidas, which has resulted in the launch of several innovative and successful products. Earlier this year, Team Vitality introduced its 2021 Pro Jersey, the first adidas jersey designed from the ground up for an esports team. All elements of the jersey: the collar, the sleeves, the pattern … were chosen and worked on by both brands.

The Alternate Jersey 2021 highlights the duality of Team Vitality: with performance on one side including state-of-the-art technology and quality clothing and lifestyle on the other side with unique, innovative and creative designs.

Since its inception in 2013, Team Vitality has grown into one of the biggest esports organisations in the world and home to some of the biggest and best esports players. This year Team Vitality has continued to build upon its esports legacy, most recently announcing its international expansion into Brazil and India, as well as partnerships with Socios and Aldi.

Berlin Gaming Industry

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

Published

54 minutes 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

2 hours 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

1 day 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.