eSports
Despite The World Against Him, Ivan Yeo Managed To Find Purpose With New Direction In Life
After building an empire with Number 1 Esports Team in Southeast Asia, EVOS Esports, Ivan was forced to restructure his life due to his growing health concerns. After restructuring his life, he managed to continue his passion of helping people achieve their dreams through web3, thus leading him to create his latest project, Avium.
Singapore, 17th May 2022 – It was five years ago when the ex-CEO of EVOS Esports, Ivan Yeo, was given the news of his Kennedy Disease, a rare disease which would cause him lose his ability to properly walk and speak. While to many, it would be a deterrent, to Ivan, it was a form of motivation.
“It took awhile for me to grasp with the news, it was life changing.”
On a ticking time clock, Ivan was determined to make EVOS Esports into a colossus in the esports industry. In half a decade, EVOS Esports expanded into 5 different countries, picking up 3 World Championship titles in the process, building up one of the influential brands in the gaming sector with influencers around the region representing the brand.
While his mind was not discouraged, his body would not ignore.
As the days went by, every small action was getting a little harder. The mindless tasks weren’t mindless anymore, the simple movements weren’t that simple anymore; that’s when he realized that he had to prepare his succession plan and groom the next generation to take over.
“While I started to feel my body, I knew I couldn’t escape the reality anymore, I had to prepare for the next steps, not only for me but for EVOS Esports as well.”
Throughout 2021, EVOS Esports had a restructure, with Ivan closely with the new management team to pass the baton down, to ensure the organization had a plan after his inevitable succession. By January 2022, Ivan was no longer in charge of the day-to-day operations of the organization.
After stepping down, Ivan decided to use his newfound freedom to focus on his physical & mental health, choosing to follow a strict diet and exercise routine. The down time helped him refocus his life, allowing him to rediscover what was truly important to him.
“For the first time in my life, I could just focus on myself, I had nothing else on my mind except to just get healthier”
Inspiring the next generation & turning dreams into the reality. A phrase that stuck through his mind throughout his life. Ivan wanted to build a platform where he could lay a foundation for people to chase their dreams, he knew going back to EVOS wasn’t an option anymore, he had to find a new outlet.
The Second Wind
It was during late 2021 that Ivan started to pick up Web3 & realized the potential of the space. The industry allowed people to chase their passion in its purest form, with the possibility of enabling millions of people to build their dreams.
“As I thought deeper into the Web3 space, I realized my time at EVOS Esports prepared me perfectly for this, it was basically creating what I envisioned, in a new ecosystem.”
Now, Ivan is fully focused on his new project, Avium, a brand built on the blocks of Web3. It wasn’t just a new platform for Ivan to inspire people and bring people together, it was also a new inspiration for Ivan himself, the potential to change millions of lives through Avium was the spark he needed for his second wind.
While the brand he is carrying has changed, his vision has not, and the his core mission remains on course; to enable passion & build dreams. Ivan truly believes that creating an open metaverse ecosystem will empower millions new opportunities to create that they truly love.
“Everyone has their own belief in what the metaverse is. For me, it’s simple. The metaverse is supposed to allow accessibility to the masses, to connect people with one another, to allow them to enable their dreams. The metaverse isn’t just about the blockchain, it’s about the community. There shouldn’t be limits in life, if you believe, you should be able to make it happen. That is what I’m trying to build and what I have confidence in.”
The past half decade has been one steep challenge for him, through the blood sweat and tears, he is still here following his own passion, to inspire millions. Avium has created a short animation video, drawing inspiration from Ivan’s life story, to outline the struggles of his life and the vision he is aiming to create, as he mentions, there shouldn’t be any limits in life.
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creator-economy
Red Bull runs one-day Balatro speedrun event, Boss Rush, on April 17
Eight creators compete across five timed stages with eliminations, broadcast on Red Bull’s Twitch and YouTube channels.
Red Bull will stage a one-day Balatro speedrun competition, Red Bull Boss Rush, on April 17, 2026. The event brings together eight creators for timed runs in the roguelike deckbuilder, with viewers able to follow via individual creator POV streams and a central hub broadcast.
The competitor lineup includes Red Bull Player Ludwig, plus The Spiffing Brit, FrostPrime, Feinberg, Adef, Yahiamice, mbtyugioh and dreads. Red Bull said live commentary will be provided by esports host Yinsu ‘Yinsu’ Collins, card-game specialist Blake ‘Rarran’ Eram, and DrSpectered.
Boss Rush is structured as five 30-minute stages, with players ranked by completion time. Red Bull said the opening three stages use a shared random seed with unlimited resets, and points are awarded by placement each stage; the bottom four are eliminated after stage 3. Stage 4 determines the finalists, followed by a final winner-takes-all matchup.
The event also includes a downloadable Red Bull Boss Rush mod featuring a custom-branded deck and new Red Bull-themed Jokers, Bosses and Skip Tags. Red Bull highlighted additions including ‘Witch’, ‘Princess and Frog’, ‘Zebra’, Old Dog, ‘Pirate’, ‘Genie’, ‘Prince Charming’, and ‘Jester’, each designed to alter scoring or run economics.
Red Bull Boss Rush will stream on twitch.tv/redbull and Red Bull’s YouTube Gaming channel. Scan is supplying gaming PCs for the competition, according to the company.
Relevant data as follows:
- Red Bull Gaming on Twitch; https://www.twitch.tv/redbull Primary broadcast destination for the event.
- Red Bull Gaming on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/redbullgaming Secondary broadcast destination cited in the release.
- Red Bull Gaming: https://www.redbull.com/ Official Red Bull site for event context and confirmation.
- Balatro on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2379780/Balatro/ Authoritative reference for the game featured in the competition.
- Scan Computers: https://www.scan.co.uk/ PC supplier mentioned as providing systems for the event.
The post Red Bull runs one-day Balatro speedrun event, Boss Rush, on April 17 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Asia
S8UL signs Team Question Mark roster for PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS ahead of EWC 2026
The CIS-based EMEA lineup brings past EWC experience and titles including PUBG Global Series 8 as S8UL targets Riyadh qualification.
S8UL has signed the Team Question Mark (QM) roster to represent the organisation in PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS on PC ahead of the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026. The deal was announced April 16 from Mumbai as S8UL prepares for the tournament in Riyadh, scheduled for July 21 to 26.
The CIS-based EMEA lineup includes:
- captain Roman Zinovev (ADOUZ1E),
- Andrey Ionov (Bestoloch),
- Mansur Tsimpaev (f1lfirst),
- Nikita Odobesku (Molodoct),
- and coach Yermek Torebekov (Ermaak).
S8UL said the roster will compete through the qualification pathway for a place in the 24-team event, which has a $2 million prize pool.
S8UL is adding a roster with a proven record in top-tier PUBG competition, including wins at PUBG Continental Series 7 Europe 2022 and PUBG Global Series 8 in 2025. The team has also posted a Top 3 finish at PUBG Global Series 2 in 2023 and a Top 7 finish at PUBG Global Championship 2022. The organisation said the roster has competed at both previous editions of the EWC in 2024 and 2025 and has amassed approximately $713,000 in total prize winnings.
Commenting on the move, Naman Mathur, Co-founder, S8UL said, “Signing the QM roster is a significant step for us as we continue to strengthen our presence in global esports. PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS is one of the most competitive titles in the world, and this team has consistently proven itself against the very best. At a broader level, this move reflects the direction S8UL is heading in. Over the past year, we have focused on building depth across our rosters and competing consistently at the highest level. As we prepare for the Esports World Cup 2026, we are committed to providing the team with the right support and resources as they aim to make a strong impact in the qualifiers as well as on the global stage.”
Roman Zinovev aka ADOUZ1E added, “Becoming part of S8UL is a big opportunity for us as a team. As a team, we’ve always believed in our ability to compete with the best in the world, and having the backing of a global organisation allows us to push even further. With the Esports World Cup coming up, we’re focused on working through the qualifiers and making sure we deliver performances that match our potential.,”
S8UL said the announcement follows its selection as a Club Partner by the Esports Foundation (EF), placing it among 40 global organisations. The organisation has also listed 13 titles it plans to enter for EWC 2026, including PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, Apex Legends, Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI), Call of Duty: Warzone, Chess, EA Sports FC, FATAL Fury, Fortnite, Honor of Kings, MOBA Legends 5V5, Street Fighter 6, TEKKEN 8, and Trackmania.
Relevant data as follows:
- S8UL Esports: https://s8ul.gg/ Official organisation site for roster and announcement verification.
- PUBG Esports (PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS competitive updates): https://pubgesports.com/ Authoritative source for PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS esports circuits, event results, and qualifiers.
- Esports World Cup (official site): https://esportsworldcup.com/ Event organiser site for EWC 2026 schedule, formats, and prize pool confirmation.
The post S8UL signs Team Question Mark roster for PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS ahead of EWC 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
eSports
MEGA hires Leapfox founder Patrick Collins as VP of Growth
The ex-Wasserman and former Excel Esports partnerships lead joins the London-based group behind the Esports Awards and MOBIES.
The Mobile, Esports and Gaming Alliance (MEGA) has appointed Patrick Collins as Vice President of Growth, the company said on April 15, 2026. Collins will lead growth strategy, including commercial partnerships and new business development, from London.
Collins joins from boutique agency Leapfox, which he founded in early 2022. Prior to that, he led commercial partnerships at UK esports organisation Excel Esports, securing deals with brands including BT, Sony, JD Sports, Neosurf and Chupa Chups, alongside partners such as HyperX, Anda Seat, Belong Gaming Arenas and Chillblast PCs.
Earlier in his career, Collins worked at sports marketing agency Wasserman, where MEGA said he helped secure EE’s six-year partnership with Wembley Stadium and advised brands including American Express, Vodafone and PepsiCo. The company also cited experience working with Premier League football clubs and brands including Barclays, Santander, Under Armour and Puma.
“I’m pleased to officially join MEGA at such an important time for esports and gaming,” said Patrick Collins, VP of Growth at MEGA. “Having worked across traditional sport, esports, and commercial partnerships, and founding Leapfox to bridge these worlds and guide my clients, I’m looking forward to applying my experience to support MEGA and our properties as we continue to grow.”
“We’re delighted to welcome Patrick to MEGA as our new Vice President of Growth,” said Michael Ashford, Co-Founder of MEGA. “His extensive experience, including founding Leapfox, uniquely positions him to shape the future of our company. With Patrick on board, MEGA is determined to accelerate our growth, embark on transformative partnerships, and deliver world-class experiences that will define the next era of esports entertainment.”
Relevant data as follows:
- MEGA (Mobile, Esports and Gaming Alliance): https://themega.global/ Official company site to support the appointment and provide background on MEGA.
- Esports Awards: https://esportsawards.com/ Official site for one of the properties referenced in connection with MEGA.
- MOBIES: https://mobies.com/ Official site for the Mobile Gaming Awards referenced alongside MEGA.
The post MEGA hires Leapfox founder Patrick Collins as VP of Growth appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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