eSports
IESF Concludes World Esports Summit and Unites the World Esports Family
Over 40 esports industry experts gathered in Busan to discuss the current state and future development of esports
The International Esports Federation (IESF) 2022 World Esports Summit wrapped up after two days and eight insightful panel discussions with key stakeholders in the World Esports Family and the wider esports ecosystem, including IESF President Vlad Marinescu and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Head of Virtual Sports Vincent Pereira. The 2022 edition of the WE Summit took place at the Busan Esports Arena in Busan, South Korea, as well as virtually online with support from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Busan Metropolitan City, and Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency.
This year was the seventh installment of the WE Summit, which debuted a refreshed branding and visual identity. Panelists included industry executives, global brands, government officials, and other esports leaders.
During the first day of the event, EA Sports Senior Program Manager Byungho Kang, KRAFTON Esports Lead Paul Kim, Nielsen Sports Commercial Leader Pelle Karlsso, IESF Athletes’ Committee Chairperson Tiffany Lim, Advance Learning Partnership Consultant Nesli Kolasinli and more shared their insights and determined the key esports factors of success such as unity, close collaboration, recognition, education, and strong leadership.
IESF President Vlad Marinescu said: “We had a spectacular two days of the World Esports Summit that shined a spotlight on the World Esports Family. IESF would like to thank all of our passionate panelists, moderators, and esports fans who joined us here in Busan and virtually from around the world, and everyone who helped make the summit possible. We are so proud to host this annual event to provide a platform for esports leaders and stakeholders from member federations to discuss key issues in esports and the future of responsible esports worldwide.”
To close out the final day of the WE Summit, IESF Secretary General Boban Totovski moderated a panel entitled “The Dynamic Roles of Esports Organizations,” which featured Marinescu and Pereira as well as World Esports Consortium President Daniel Cossi, Asian Electronic Sports Federation COO Steve Tae Hyung Kim and ESL FACEIT Group SVP Public Affairs David Neichel.
During the panel, when asked about the Olympic vision for the future of esports, Pereira said: “The Olympic Esports Week in 2023, which we announced last week, will be a physical event that will include competition in virtual sports, hybrid games that will engage in physical activity, but also mobile games, console games and PC games. We’ll also have exhibitions to showcase the best of esports aligned with the Olympic values and the Olympic spirit.”
In addition to eight discussion panels, the first day of the WE Summit closed with the Referee Summit, moderated by Nesli Kolasinli, where three panelists came together to learn and develop the highest standards of referee training for IESF’s 129 member federations to be used at events such as the annual World Esports Championships.
Day two of the WE Summit opened with the WE Academia Seminar. The winning research paper on this year’s Academia Competition subject, “Health Wellness and Well-being in Esports,” was presented. The submission entitled “Diversification of Esports Events for the Guarantee of Right for the Disabled” earned a grand prize of 4,000,000 KRW and a certificate from President Marinescu.
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eSports
DreamHack Dallas Hosts Over $1M in Esports Competitions Across Marquee Titles
ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), the leading esports and video game entertainment company, and DreamHack, a leading global gaming festival, have announced a full slate of esports programming for DreamHack Dallas, taking place the weekend of May 31-June 2, 2024, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
One of DreamHack’s longest-running North American gaming festivals, DreamHack Dallas features everything gaming under one roof. From the world-famous bring-your-own-computer (BYOC) LAN party, panels, and an expo, to art, cosplay, creator meet-and-greets, and much more, DreamHack Dallas offers attendees a great variety of activities for an unforgettable experience. Furthermore, the festival will host 13 unique esports competitions – including iconic titles like Counter-Strike 2, Overwatch, StarCraft® II, and more to come – with over $1 million in total prizing.
For the first time, several DreamHack Dallas esports events – including competitions in EA SPORTS FC 24, Tekken 8, Street Fighter 6, and more – will offer aspiring competitors the chance to qualify for this summer’s debut Esports World Cup. With new pipelines to a $60 million prize pool and a global audience in Riyadh, DreamHack is offering more opportunities than ever for grassroots talent to fight their way to the world stage.
“Esports has been part of the fabric of DreamHack Dallas since the festival’s inception, and we’re excited once again to welcome tens of thousands of fans this summer to celebrate their favorite competitive titles,” said Shahin Zarrabi, Vice President, Festivals, ESL FACEIT Group. “From the 100th IEM event to the first-ever OWCS live event and qualifiers for Esports World Cup, DreamHack is celebrating every type of gamer, from world-class competitors to the next breakout stars.”
Dallas Hosts 16 Top Counter-Strike 2 Squads for 100th IEM Event
The birthplace of North American Counter-Strike esports will invite 16 of the world’s best teams to clash in Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) Dallas, the 100th IEM event. With an ESL Pro Tour (EPT) Masters trophy, $250,000 in prizing, and qualification to an EPT Championship up for grabs, fans will watch as hometown heroes challenge international hopefuls in the US’s biggest Counter-Strike event of the year.
Overwatch Luminaries Assemble for First-Ever International Live Event for OWCS
The first-ever in-person Major tournament of Blizzard Entertainment and EFG’s Overwatch Champions Series invites eight of our competitive region’s top teams for a three-day showcase of industry-class talent. Featuring a prize pool supported by crowdfunding, fans can watch the action unfold live – or at home with the official broadcast or partnered co-streams – as teams face off to be the first team to claim an international OWCS title and qualify to compete at Esports World Cup.
ESL Impact Returns to DreamHack Dallas with $123K Season Finale
ESL Impact, a global all-women Counter-Strike circuit, returns to DreamHack Dallas for the exciting conclusion of Season 5 of competition. Eight of the world’s best women’s Counter-Strike teams representing North America, Europe, South America, and Asia will face off to see who will claim the title and the lion’s share of the $123,000 prize pool.
ESL Pro Tour in StarCraft® II Makes Masters Stop at DreamHack Dallas
The EPT in StarCraft® II, the title’s premier global esports circuit, continues with the ESL SC2 Masters: Spring 2024 Finals at DreamHack Dallas. Not only will competitors battle for their share of the $100,000 prize pool, but the opportunity to qualify for StarCraft® II competition at this summer’s inaugural Esports World Cup.
EA SPORTS FC 24 at DreamHack Dallas Kicks off Esports World Cup Qualifications
Electronic Arts’ soccer title, EA SPORTS FC 24, comes to DreamHack Dallas for the first time this summer with a world-class tournament. With the top two players securing their spot at Esports World Cup this August, the competition offers up to 250 competitors their first opportunity to qualify for EWC, in addition to $100,000 USD in total prizing.
Fighting Games take Center Stage with New DreamHack Fighters, Esports World Cup Tournaments
DreamHack’s marquee fighting game hub, DreamHack Fighters, brings six open tournaments to Dallas, including a mix of modern mainstays and FGC classics. Open to all registered attendees, competitors can face off to claim a slice of the $16,000 total prize pool. Participating titles include:
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – Singles ($5,000)
- UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes (UNI 2) ($2,500)
- Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising ($2,500)
- Guilty Gear Strive ($2,500)
- Mortal Kombat 1 ($2,500)
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate – Doubles ($1,000)
For the first time, DreamHack will also host competitions in Tekken 8 and Street Fighter 6, which include the chance to qualify for Esports World Cup. Both tournaments offer $50,000 in prizing each, as well as pipelines to compete on some of the titles’ biggest stages in Riyadh this summer.
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.
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