eSports
Spike Nations returns for third instalment of VALORANT charity tournament
Riot Games teams up with BLAST to deliver the third instalment of the VALORANT tournament Spike Nations next month (14-16 October).
12 EMEA-based teams, made up of professional esports players, popular gaming personalities and streamers from the VCT, VRLs, and Game Changers circuits, will represent their region as they compete against each other for a €60,000 prize pool with teams fighting for a bigger share of the winnings to donate to their charity of choice.
Spike Nations was first launched in November 2020 where 10 teams competed, last year it expanded to 12 teams with Eastern Europe taking home the trophy and over €14,000 for their chosen charity, Te Aud Romania.
The tournament format will consist of three groups of four, where the two top teams in each group will progress to the knockout stage. Fans can also help secure their teams name in the knockouts by donating – with the two teams with the most fan donations securing their place in the second stage of the tournament.
Leo Matlock, MD for Development at BLAST, said: “BLAST are thrilled to welcome back Spike Nations for its third instalment and are delighted to see the fan-favourite tournament become a mainstay of the VALORANT calendar. Through championing first-class technology, production and esports expertise, BLAST has established itself as the leading partner for the world’s biggest and best games. We look forward to further strengthening our long-term relationship with Riot Games, raising money for charities and delivering three days of high-quality VALORANT action, while celebrating the EMEA ecosystem and engaging with passionate fans across the region.”
Felix Morgan, Head of Action Games, EMEA for Riot Games remarked, “The response from players to last year’s event was fantastic, and we’re glad to be able to work with BLAST once again to bring back Spike Nations for a third time. After what has been another exciting year for VALORANT, both in-game, and in our pro competitions, we’re excited for fans once again to get behind their nations and cheer on their favourite creators, pro players and personalities from the scene!”
All 12 teams will be competing for national glory and a chance to raise money for worthy causes as they face each other over three-days of online VALORANT action next month.
The teams competing include:
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Team United Kingdom
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Team France
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Team Spain
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Team Portugal
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Team Nordics
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Team Poland
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Team Turkey
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Team Italy
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Team DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland)
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Team Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg)
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Team Eastern Europe (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Greece, Cyprus and Israel)
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Team MENA (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Libya)
The on-air talent team will be a mix of familiar faces from the VCT scene to up-and-comers from the VRL scene.
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Craig Levine
Zenni Optical Announces Partnership with ESL FACEIT Group (EFG)
Zenni Optical, the world’s leading online eyewear retailer, announced a partnership with ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), the leading esports and video game entertainment company. Designed to integrate eye health education with innovative eyewear solutions for the esports community, the partnership will officially launch at DreamHack festival in Dallas, taking place from May 31 to June 2.
This collaboration will showcase a co-branded collection of lifestyle and competitive eyewear and accessories, highlighting Zenni Optical’s commitment to promoting overall eye health, particularly in addressing issues like eye fatigue and strain. Additionally, the initiative will incorporate essential eye health education across various DreamHack Festivals, in alignment with EFG’s broader mission to foster inclusive gaming worlds and engaged, supported communities.
“DreamHack and ESL represent some of the most community-centric and prestigious competitive events in the world. In their own unique ways, they embody esports for everyone. By partnering with these incredible brands across the gaming and esports spaces, we aim to create engaging experiences that combine eye-health education with innovative eyewear solutions for players and fans at all levels,” said Robb Chiarini, Head of Gaming, Sports, & Events at Zenni Optical.
“We are thrilled to partner with Zenni Optical as the Official Eyewear Partner of DreamHack and ESL. The genuine passion that Zenni has for the esports industry is a refreshing sight to see, and a major driving factor for the decision behind our partnership. Zenni’s ongoing commitment to provide eyewear for everyone mirrors our own drive to create worlds beyond gameplay for gamers everywhere,” Craig Levine, Co-CEO at EFG, said.
Bucks Gaming
CREAM CITY CONVERGENCE ESPORTS TOURNAMENT SELECTED AS CAPCOM PRO TOUR EVENT
Bucks Gaming’s Cream City Convergence Esports Tournament has been selected as a Capcom Pro Tour event, becoming one of just three tournaments in North America chosen to be a qualifier for the prestigious Capcom Cup.
The Capcom Cup is an annual Street Fighter 6 competition, hosted by video game developer and esports organizer Capcom, with a $1 million first place prize. Each year, Capcom selects a small number of tournaments worldwide to serve as Capcom Pro Tour events, with the winning players from each event qualifying for the Capcom Cup. As one of the tournaments selected by Capcom for the honor this year, Cream City Convergence will become the first esports event run by an NBA team to work with a major esports organizer.
Top-ranked Street Fighter 6 players will compete at Cream City Convergence when it returns for its second year on Saturday, Aug. 24, at Baird Center. In addition to Street Fighter 6, this year’s tournament will also have brackets for Tekken 8; Super Smash Bros Ultimate; Super Smash Bros Melee; and Guilty Gear: Strive.
eSports
Kambi and Abios Join ESIC as Anti-Corruption Supporters
The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has announced Kambi and Abios, its esports data subsidiary, as new ESIC Anti-Corruption Supporters. This partnership signals the alignment of Kambi’s longstanding commitment to corporate probity and sports integrity with ESIC’s ongoing battle against match-fixing and corruption in esports.
Kambi and Abios join a distinguished class of other Anti-Corruption Supporter stakeholders who have historically worked with ESIC to ensure that attacks against the competitive integrity of esports competition are appropriately reported and dealt with. Anti-Corruption Supporters assist ESIC in investigating suspicious betting activity, supporting ESIC’s broader mission to combat cheating and betting fraud in the esports industry. Kambi and Abios’ entrance into the Anti-Corruption Supporter class will see the entities actively work with ESIC to assist in ESIC’s mission to disrupt, prevent, investigate and prosecute all attempts to compromise competitive integrity in esport competition.
Abios’ Managing Director and Founder, Anton Janér, commented: “Our mission at Abios has always been to enable the sustainable growth of esports. As such, we’re incredibly excited to join ESIC in their mission to future-proof esports through combatting match-fixing and other integrity-related malpractices. Fair play is a crucial component in ensuring the viability of esports as a long-term community and investment and we hope to be able to support the industry together with ESIC going forward.”
Stephen Hanna, ESIC’s Chief Executive Officer, commented: “We are pleased to welcome Kambi and Abios as Anti-Corruption Supporters. Kambi and Abios are well trusted and recognised operators in their respective industries, and their entrance into the Anti-Corruption Supporter class of ESIC membership emphasises their shared commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity and fair play within the esports industry.”
The post Kambi and Abios Join ESIC as Anti-Corruption Supporters appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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