eSports
TEAM VITALITY REVEALS NEW VALORANT ROSTER WITH DESTRIAN, MOLSI, AND TWISTEN!
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Team Vitality is pleased to announce that it has signed Michał “MOLSI” Łącki, Tomas “Destrian” Linikas, and Karel “Twisten” Ašenbrener to compete under its banner in the new European VALORANT competitive circuit. The trio joins returning Team Vitality stars Santeri “BONECOLD” Sassi and Jokūbas “ceNder” Labutis who helped lead the team to victory at the VRL 2022 France: Revolution league, and to significant milestones in the VALORANT Regional Leagues 2022: Finals.
The rebuilt roster signifies Team Vitality’s ambition to take the newly formatted VCT European League by storm in 2023. After a solid team performance in 2022, where Team Vitality made it to both closed qualifiers in the 2022 VCT, the organisation hopes to advance next year with a revamped roster. With a mixture of European talent and the ambition to become an international contender, Team Vitality is bringing together a powerful fusion of its own VALORANT veterans, combined with rising talent guided by the direction of the remarkable coaching staff.
The team will be coached by Salah ‘Salah’ Barakat (Head Coach) who will direct the new roster towards success. Having previously taken OG LDN UTD to the EMEA Last Chance Qualifiers before the VALORANT Champions 2022, and coached North American talent such as FaZe Clan, the young coach plans on building a cohesive unit in and out of the server. Harry‘ Gorilla’ Mepham has also been signed on for an extra two years as the sixth player, Joe ‘Strong’ Edwards as Positional Coach, and Robert ‘Mulgan95’ Mulgan will continue to act as team Manager.
The disruptive line-up, who is ready to battle their way to the top of the European scene will be making their debut at Riot Game’s biggest VCT tournament to date in São Paulo, Brazil, where they will be testing their mettle against all 30 of the global VALORANT partnered teams.
The full Team Vitality VALORANT roster:
- Santeri “BONECOLD” Sassi (Poland, 24)
○ The VALORANT World Champion 2021, also led Vitality to the VRL 2022 France: Revolution league as captain
- Jokūbas “ceNder” Labutis (Lithuania, 21)
○ Began his career in CS:GO before becoming one of the most promising players in VALORANT
- Tomas “Destrian” Linikas (Lithuania, 23)
○ Placed first in LVP – Rising Series #4 when playing for LDN UTD and 4th place in LCQ EU in 2021
- Michał “MOLSI” Łącki (Poland, 25)
○ Placed first in LVP – Rising Series #4 and first made a name for himself in CS:GO
- Karel “Twisten” Ašenbrener (Czech Republic, 18)
○ One of the most promising duelists in European VALORANT with some of the best statistics in VCT 2022
“Whilst we have already begun proving our strength in VALORANT, when we were given the opportunity to join the VCT European League, we knew we had to create a robust and carefully curated team that would make us a serious contender for the best team in Europe. We’re incredibly proud of the roster we’ve created, and we cannot wait to see how far they go next year.” said Fabien “Neo” Devide, Co-Founder and Esports Director, Team Vitality.
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Asia
Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Strategic Partnership with Tencent
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Partnership to drive EWC’s expansion in China, leveraging Tencent E-sports’ networks and expertise to connect Chinese esports with EWC’s global ecosystem
The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) announced a partnership with Tencent, making Tencent E-sports the EWCF’s strategic partner in China to drive the expansion of the Esports World Cup’s presence in the region. This partnership marks a significant milestone in the EWCF’s purpose to unite global esports fans under one competitive umbrella and underscores its commitment to integrating the world’s most important and rapidly growing esports market into the Esports World Cup platform. The agreement was formalized at the Empower Esports Worldwide Series – The Esports Operation and Technology Session in Shenzhen, China.
The collaboration will establish a dedicated Development Team to enhance EWC’s visibility, engagement, and industry collaboration in China, while leveraging EWC’s and Tencent E-sports’ networks and expertise to connect Chinese esports with EWC’s global ecosystem. Tencent E-sports will provide marketing expertise, strategic consulting, and operational support to deliver diverse content and experiences.
“The Esports World Cup has created a global stage for competitive gaming, demonstrating its influence not only in China but across the world,” said Mars Hou, Vice President of Tencent Games and General Manager of Tencent E-sports. “Through this partnership, we are committed to elevating EWC’s presence in China and integrating our esports industry with the world’s largest competitive gaming event. We look forward to deepening our collaboration with EWCF to push esports forward on a global scale.”
“The Esports World Cup’s purpose is to create a global platform for esports and gaming fans worldwide, and investing in key growth markets for esports is a core pillar of our mission,” said Thamer Al Shuaibi, Chief of Staff at the Esports World Cup Foundation. “China plays a critical role in this vision, and Tencent’s leadership in gaming and esports positions it as an essential partner. By combining our expertise, we will continue to strengthen esports as an industry, providing new opportunities for Chinese players and Clubs, and bringing the best of the Esports World Cup to Chinese fans.”
Esports World Cup 2025 will once again unite gaming and esports communities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a global competition that will crown the next Esports World Cup Champion. The tournament’s unique cross-game format will reward Clubs and players competing for a life-changing prize pool in a mix of platforms and genres, bringing together esports’ best players, Clubs and games under one banner in the largest-ever celebration of esports.
The post Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Strategic Partnership with Tencent appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Compliance Updates
ESIC Implemented its Anti-doping Testing Programme at IEM Katowice 2025
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The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) implemented its comprehensive anti-doping testing program at IEM Katowice 2025, organised by ESL FACEIT Group (EFG). Conducted at EFG’s request, this initiative reinforced the commitment of both organisations to maintaining the highest standards of competitive integrity in esports.
ESIC’s anti-doping procedures, carried out in accordance with the ESIC Anti-Doping Code, ensured that all participating competitors at IEM Katowice adhered to globally recognised best practices. The programme featured advanced testing protocols, thorough monitoring and rigorous enforcement measures, all designed to uphold fair competition.
“At ESIC, our mission is to protect the integrity of the esports ecosystem. By deploying our anti-doping testing at IEM Katowice 2025, we reaffirmed our dedication to supporting event organizers like EFG in hosting competitions where athletes compete responsibly and ethically,” Stephen Hanna, Chief Executive Officer of ESIC, said.
Over the past few years, ESIC has administered more than 700 anti-doping tests at major esports events, including those hosted by EFG. This extensive experience further cements ESIC’s reputation for providing industry-leading services that prioritise player welfare, competitive fairness and a culture of transparency.
“Protecting integrity is paramount for esports, which is why EFG and ESIC are constantly working together to ensure fair competition. ESIC have proven themselves to have the experience, as well as an advanced system that provides the credibility and peace of mind needed at one of our biggest and most prestigious events, IEM Katowice,” Carsten Kramer, Director of Tournament Management at EFG, said.
The post ESIC Implemented its Anti-doping Testing Programme at IEM Katowice 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
Abios partners with Kindred Group to provide full esports betting solutions
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New partnership will see Kambi’s Esports division deliver its full suite of esports products, including odds via Kambi’s Odds Feed+ API, to Kindred’s in-house sportsbook
Abios, a leading esports data and odds provider and part of Kambi Group, is pleased to announce a multi-year partnership with Kindred Group, one of the world’s leading online betting and gaming operators, to provide its full range of best-in-class esports betting solutions.
Abios will supply its complete esports package, including odds, data, widgets and always-on content, to Kindred’s Unibet and 32Red brands, providing the operator’s in-house sportsbook with unrivalled esports betting experiences.
Leveraging Kambi’s Odds Feed+ API, Abios will deliver its high-uptime odds feed which includes comprehensive esoccer and ebasketball coverage, as well as leading esports titles such as Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends, Dota 2 and VALORANT. Utilising automated modelling, Abios’ low latency odds feed utilises official tournament data to power leading features such as bet builder and player props.
The new agreement is in addition to the Esports odds service Abios currently provides to Kindred as part of Kambi’s Turnkey Sportsbook service.
Anton Janér, Managing Director and Co-founder of Abios, said: “We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with Unibet and the wider Kindred Group, a leader in the global sports betting and gaming market. This agreement showcases the value of Abios’ full esports odds packages and our ability to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of operators and enables them to reach new audiences through the growth of esports.”
Ben Colley, Sportsbook Director of Kindred Group, added: “Esports continues to grow in popularity, and it’s essential that we offer our customers the best possible experience in this exciting category. Extending our partnership with Abios via Kambi’s Odds Feed+ API and leveraging their deep expertise and esports odds solutions ensures we remain at the forefront of esports betting, delivering unparalleled products and services to our players.”
The post Abios partners with Kindred Group to provide full esports betting solutions appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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