eSports
AQM launches new Esports season for AC Milan
AC Milan Women players Bergamaschi and Fusetti to get closer to the world of Esports with the AQM team – ready for a new season with their pro-players
AC Milan and QLASH, a leading European Esports organization, are consolidating their collaboration by getting ready to get AQM’s season underway. AQM was launched a year ago and is ready to represent the Rossoneri in Italy and internationally, in a sector that is constantly growing, with around 6 million fans in Italy (data provided by OIES Sports) and 474 million fans worldwide – up by over 75 million since 2019 – (data provided by Statista). Furthermore, 1.62 million spectators tune in to more than one live Esports event on a weekly basis, an increase of 15% since July 2020 (data provided by Nielsen Sports).
The launch of the new season coincides with the Milan Games Week, the most important consumer show for video games in Italy, which starts today and lasts until Sunday 14 November. QLASH will be present at the event with their own dedicated stand and will be hosting the AQM team for different physical and digital activities.
The Rossoneri gaming world and football world will collide with the AQM pro-player Crazy set to meet Rossonere players Valentina Bergamaschi and Laura Fusetti. For this special occasion, the two AC Milan Women stars will swap their boots for controllers and put their gaming ability to the test on FIFA 22, under the supervision of Crazy himself.
Bergamaschi and Fusetti will then take part in a special live streaming event on AC Milan’s Twitch channel live from the Milan Games Week alongside streamers Lollo and Francesco Specchia.
AQM are coming off a largely positive first season, which saw the team reach the Brawl Stars World Finals and the Final Eight of the very first edition of eSerie A 2021. The AQM squad have been preparing for the new season since September when the pro players met at the QLASH House to work with the coach and team manager on their body and on their mind, but also on the economic aspect of creating the first team on FIFA Ultimate Team.
In this new season, AQM will wear a special shirt designed by PUMA with the special DryCell technology, which combines the tradition of the Club with its iconic Rossoneri colours and the innovation that QLASH brings to the world of Esports. For the first time, the BitMex logo will appear on the sleeve of the shirt. BitMex are the Rossoneri’s Official Sleeve Partner and will accompany the Esports team through its growth path. The special shirt is available at AC Milan’s physical and digital stores, as well as on QLASH’s online shop.
The season is set to kick off at the end of this month with the Online Qualifiers of the FIFA Global Series and the FIFAe Club Series 2021/22.
This new and exciting season will then continue with AQM playing the Brawl Stars World Finals, to be held between 26 and 28 November in Bucharest, Romania. AQM’s Crazy will then represent the team in the next edition of the eChampions League 2021/22, the Club World Series 2021/22 and the eSerie A TIM 2022, alongside another player selected via a draft process.
Casper Stylsvig, Chief Revenue Officer of AC Milan said: “After a very successful first year, which has brought us some really great results, we are delighted to be heading towards the beginning of a new exciting Esports season with our AQM team, under the expert guidance of our partner QLASH. We entered this dynamic world last year and we are pleased to continue on this path, which represents an important step in the process of modernization and innovation of our Club.”
Luca Pagano, co-founder and CEO of QLASH added: “We cannot wait to get out there on the virtual playing fields, proud to be representing the prestigious colours of AC Milan and to wear a fantastic jersey specially designed by PUMA. Our main goal is to improve the great results already achieved last season.”
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anime
G2 drops limited-edition One Piece streetwear capsule on June 25
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.
eSports
Study: 400m Gen Z esports fans say brand activations drive purchases
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.
eSports
How Not to Tilt When Facing Challenges: NAVI Performance Coach Urszula Klimczak and GG.BET Have Released a Special Project about Mental Health
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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