eSports

Everything you need to know ahead of ESL One Berlin powered by Intel®

Published

3 years ago

April 24, 2023

Reading Time: 2 minutes

ESL’s Dota tournaments will soon return to Germany with the ESL One Berlin Dota 2 Major powered by Intel®. 18 of the top Dota 2 teams from around the world compete for a prize pool of $500,000 and aim to secure prized Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) points for The International 12 qualification. Fans will witness intense competition with the final matches to be held at the iconic Velodrom in the German capital.

Here is all you need to know about the ESL One Berlin Dota 2 Major:

Following an incredibly successful Major in Stockholm, Sweden, last year, ESL One is returning to the 2023 DPC calendar with the top 18 organisations worldwide competing for a $500,000 prize pool as well as valuable DPC points in the German capital this May. The 18 teams will be whittled down to eight for the live finals weekend of May 5 – 7. Because the ESL One Berlin Major is sold out, around 15,000 fans are expected to come over the weekend, with around 5,000 fans per day, to watch the top teams battle it out for the top spot at the Velodrom in Berlin.

Dota 2 teams from Eastern Europe, Western Europe, North America, South America, Southeast Asia, and China can look forward to a spectacular conclusion of the DPC Spring Tour 2022-2023.

Schedule and Format
Group Stage: April 26 – 30

Two groups of nine teams will see six teams qualify from each group. The games will be played in a single round-robin format and all matches in this stage will be best-of-two.

Playoffs: May 2 – 7

The top 12 teams from the Group Stage will face off in a double-elimination bracket, with all matches being played in a best-of-three format. Eight teams will progress to the finals at the Velodrom.

Finals: May 5 – 7

The Finals, in front of a live crowd at the sold-out Velodrom, will see the remaining eight teams battle in a best-of-three format to find the top two teams for the Grand Final, which will be played in a best-of-five format.

Teams involved:

beastcoast	BetBoom	Evil Geniuses
Execration	Gaimin Gladiators	9Pandas
Invictus Gaming	OG	PSG.LGD
Shopify Rebellion	TALON	Team Aster
Team Liquid	Team SMG	Team Spirit
TSM	Tundra Esports	Xtreme Gaming

Commentators and Analysts

Hosts:
- Neal “Tsunami” Khandheria
- Jorien “Sheever” van der Heijden
- Ted “PyrionFlax” Forsyth

Sideline Reporter
- Jake “SirActionSlacks” Kanner

Commentators / Analysts
- Mira “Ephey” Riad
- Alexandra “Sheepsticked” Roberts
- Andrew “Jenkins” Jenkins
- Owen “ODPixel” Davies
- Ioannis “Fogged” Loucas
- Austin “Cap” Walsh
- Avery “SVG” Silverman
- Peter “ppd” Dager
- Brian “BSJ” Canavan
- Troels Lyngholt “syndereN” Nielsen
- Shannon “SUNSfan” Scotten
Remote commentators / Analysts
- Gareth “Gareth” Bateson
- Dominik “Lacoste” Stipić
- Lachlan “Ares” Williams
- David “GoDz” Parker
- Ricky “rkryptic” Peterson
- John “johnxfire” Nathan Fernandez
- Gabriel “Lyrical” Cruz
- Clinton “Fear” Loomis
- Trent “Trent” MacKenzie
- Kevin “Purge” Godec
- Tim “Dktruman” de Lange
- Filipe “Astini” Astini

Prize Money:

TOTAL	$500,000
1st	$200,000
2nd	$100,000
3rd	$75,000
4th	$50,000
5th – 6th	$25,000
7th – 8th	$12,500

In-Arena experience
ESL One Berlin will host numerous other on-site activities. There will be signing sessions for fans to get players’ autographs, a balloon artist to sculpt your Dota heroes and an airbrush tattooist, so you can show your colors and support your team! Fans also have the opportunity to visit partner booths inside the arena – including DHL, Intel and Monster Energy – participate in several exciting activations and win amazing prizes.

eSports

Esports Awards 2026 Returns for Global Honors

Published

53 minutes ago

April 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

esports-awards-2026-returns-for-global-honors

The Esports Awards is set to return in 2026, bringing together the global esports community for its annual celebration of excellence.

Scheduled to take place in North America later this year, the awards will honor the top players, teams, creators, and innovators who defined the past year in competitive gaming. Exact dates and venues will be revealed in the coming months.

Last year marked a major milestone for the Esports Awards, celebrating 10 years of esports achievements at the HyperX Arena in Las Vegas. The ceremony recognized industry icons such as Mathieu “Zywoo” Herbaut, iShowSpeed, and Animesh “Thug” Agarwal, while inducting six new members into the Lifetime Achievement in Esports: Class of 2025. Earlier in 2025, the Esports Awards hosted the one-off Decade Awards, which drew a global audience of 36.25 million live viewers.

For the 2026 edition, fan-favorite categories such as Esports Game of the Year, Esports Personality of the Year, Streamer of the Year, and Esports Team of the Year will return, giving fans a direct voice in recognizing the standout moments and figures in esports over the past year. Winners will be determined through a combination of community voting and input from the Esports Awards Panel, which includes seasoned industry veterans, broadcasters, creators, and professional players, ensuring both credibility and integrity.

In addition to the main ceremony, the Esports Awards Golf Invitational will make a comeback, offering a day of networking and friendly competition for industry leaders, creators, and esports competitors ahead of the awards.

Michael Ashford, CEO of the Esports Awards, said: “The Esports Awards continues to shine a spotlight on the very best in esports and gaming, and we’re pleased to return for 2026. Following the success of the Decade Awards and our 10th anniversary celebrations, we look forward to recognizing the individuals, teams, and moments that defined the past year in esports.”

Fans are encouraged to follow the Esports Awards’ official X account for updates on venues, dates, nominees, and voting.

The post Esports Awards 2026 Returns for Global Honors appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

eSports

THE ESPORTS AWARDS RETURNS IN 2026 FOR A CELEBRATION OF ESPORTS EXCELLENCE

Published

53 minutes ago

April 7, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

the-esports-awards-returns-in-2026-for-a-celebration-of-esports-excellence

The Esports Awards will return later this year for its 2026 edition, taking place in North America and honouring the outstanding players, teams, creators and innovators of the past year in esports
Last year marked a major milestone for the Esports Awards, celebrating 10 years of excellence at the HyperX Arena, alongside the one-off Decade Awards, which reached 36.25M live views globally
The Esports Awards Golf Invitational will also return, bringing together industry leaders, creators and competitors for a day of networking and competition ahead of the main ceremony
Full details on the venue, date, nominees and voting will be revealed in the coming months

The Esports Awards has announced the return of its annual ceremony for 2026. Bringing together the global esports community under one roof, the Esports Awards will once again recognise the players, teams, creators and innovators who have defined the past year. The ceremony will take place in North America later this year, with exact dates and venue to be revealed in the coming months.

Last year’s edition of the Esports Awards marked a significant milestone, celebrating 10 years of esports excellence at the HyperX Arena in Las Vegas. The ceremony honoured some of the industry’s most recognised figures, including Mathieu “Zywoo” Herbaut, iShowSpeed and Animesh “Thug” Agarwal, while welcoming six new inductees into the Lifetime Achievement in Esports: Class of 2025 award. Earlier in the year, the Esports Awards also hosted the one-off Decade Awards in August, presented by Trevor “Quickshot” Henry, Jessica “JessGOAT” Bolden and Barney Banks, reaching 36.25M live views globally.

For the 2026 edition, fan-favourite categories including Esports Game of the Year, Esports Personality of the Year, Streamer of the Year and Esports Team of the Year will return, giving the community a voice in recognising the moments and individuals that shaped the past year in esports.

Winners will be determined through a combination of community voting and input from the Esports Awards Panel, a group of industry veterans, broadcasters, creators and players, ensuring the integrity and credibility of the awards.

In addition to the main ceremony, the Esports Awards Golf Invitational will return, bringing together industry leaders, creators and competitors for a day of networking and competition ahead of the awards.

“The Esports Awards continues to shine a spotlight on the very best in esports and gaming, and we’re pleased to return for 2026” said Michael Ashford, CEO of the Esports Awards. “Following the success of the Decade Awards and our 10th anniversary celebrations, we look forward to recognising the individuals, teams and moments that defined the past year in esports.”

Further updates regarding the venue, date, nominees and voting will be announced in the coming months. Fans are encouraged to follow the Esports Awards’ X account for the latest updates.

The post THE ESPORTS AWARDS RETURNS IN 2026 FOR A CELEBRATION OF ESPORTS EXCELLENCE appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

eSports

HERA WINS RED BULL WOLOLO: LONDINIUM AGE OF EMPIRES II

Published

9 hours ago

April 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

hera-wins-red-bull-wololo:-londinium-age-of-empires-ii

Team Vitality celebrated its first Age of Empires II LAN victory as Hamzah “Hera” El-Baher triumphed in the Red Bull Wololo: Londinium final, defeating teammate Kai “Liereyy” Kallinger 5-4. Held at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall, the event drew a packed live audience and thousands of online viewers, transforming the historic venue into a competitive arena for the world’s best players.

Hera dominated the tournament, following up his recent win at the T90 Titans League 5: Platinum League, consolidating his status as one of the top players globally. Team Vitality’s depth was evident, with Liereyy finishing second and Hernan “Hearttt” Pizarro placing sixth.

“Winning at our first LAN on Age of Empires II, and at the Royal Albert Hall no less, is incredible,” said Danny Engels, Team Vitality’s Corporate Director of Global Operations. “A first and second place for our roster reflects our dedication, training, and the support of our fans worldwide.”

This win marks Team Vitality’s successful entry into Age of Empires II, strengthening the French club’s presence in competitive esports. The team will continue its momentum by co-hosting The Garrison 2026 LAN in Hamburg, Germany, from November 25–29, 2026, expected to draw up to 1,000 spectators and become a major fixture on the AoE2 circuit.

The post HERA WINS RED BULL WOLOLO: LONDINIUM AGE OF EMPIRES II appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.