eSports
The Esports Awards Reveals Pro & On-Air Talent Finalists
The Esports Awards, the most prestigious night in the esports calendar, is excited to unveil the finalists for this year’s Pro, On-Air Talent, and Journalism categories which include the likes of Fnatic, Amjad “AngryBird” Al-Shalabi, and Yinsu Collins with voting now live. This year’s Esports Awards, taking place across the 29th and 30th of November, will be hosted by the most innovative and technologically advanced nightclub in Las Vegas, Zouk.
The finalists were announced live across the Esports Awards broadcast platforms, including their Twitch.tv channel by American Esports Host Daniel “dGon” Gonzales, Rocket League Caster and Content Creator Elyse “Herculyse” Herrera, Esports Caster Phil “EEVisu” Visu, and Esports Hosting royalty James “Dash” Patterson.
The Esports Awards will also host PWR UP Las Vegas, held at the luxurious Resorts World Las Vegas. PWR UP Las Vegas is the ultimate esports, tech, and gaming conference. Headlining the event is the groundbreaking Esports Awards Open, a golf tournament blending networking and entertainment with top-tier industry executives and celebrities. PWR UP Las Vegas promises to be an electrifying event that defines the future of esports, tech and gaming, powering up passion within the industry.
The full Pro, On-Air Talent and Journalism finalists are as follows:
Pro
Esports Team of the Year
- Team Vitality – CS:GO
- Team Vitality – Rocket League
- Fnatic – VALORANT
- Evil Geniuses – VALORANT
- New York Subliners – Call of Duty
- JD Gaming – League of Legends
- w7m Esports – Rainbow Six Siege
- Echo – ML:BB
- Gaimin Gladiators – DOTA
- TSM – Apex Legends
Esports Organisation of the Year
- Team Vitality
- LOUD
- Team Liquid
- G2 Esports
- Gen.G Esports
- Karmine Corp
- Moist Esports
- 100 Thieves
- Optic Gaming
- NAVI
- NRG
Esports Coach of the Year
- Danny “Zonic” Sørensen
- Victor “Ferra” Francal
- Christine “Potter” Chi
- Ehsan “DREAL” Javed
- Igor “igoorctg” Santos
- Renzo “Renzo” Oemrawsingh
- Jan “Swani” Müller
- Aske “Cy-” Larsen
- Yoon “Homme” Sung-young
Esports Breakthrough Player of the Year
- Alexis “Zen” Bernier
- Max “Demon1” Mazanov
- Thomas “Scrappy” Ernst
- Kim “D0NGHAK” Min-sung
- Kim “Peyz” Su-hwan
- Anders “Vejrgang” Vejrgang
- Martin “Yike” Sundelin
Esports PC Player of the Year
- Nikola “NiKo” Kovač
- Cho “Maru” Seong-ju
- Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut
- Quinn “Quinn” Callahan
- Nemanja “Hunter” Kovač
- Zhuo “Knight” Ding
- Emir “Alfajer” Beder
- Max “Demon1” Mazanov
- Phillip “ImperialHal” Dosen
- Jung “Chovy” Ji-hun
Esports Controller Player of the Year
- Alexis “Zen” Bernier
- Paco “HyDra” Rusiewiez
- Zain “Zain” Naghmi
- Matthew “KiSMET” Tinsley
- Mashita “acola” Hayato
- Amjad “AngryBird” Al-Shalabi
- Finlay “Rise” Ferguson
- Jack “ApparentlyJack” Benton
- Arslan “Arslan Ash” Siddique
- Phillip “ImperialHal” Dosen
Esports Mobile Player of the Year
- Mohamed “Mohamed Light” Tarek
- Frederic “Bennyqt” Gonzales
- Gaku “Gaku” Mukai
- Erik “Joker” Granström
- Burenbayar “TOP” Altangerel
- Tensai “Tensai”
- Peng “Fly” Yunfei
On-Air Talent
Esports Colour Caster of the Year
- Marc “Caedrel” Robert Lamont
- Dan “Gaskin” Gaskin
- Josh “Sideshow” Wilkinson
- John “JohnnyBoi_i” MacDonald
- Mohan “Launders” Govindasamy
- Thomas “Chance” Ashworth
- Ioannis “Fogged” Loucas
- Dominik “Lacoste” Stipić
- Chad “Spunj” Burchill
- Michael “Hypoc” Robins
Esports Desk Analyst of the Year
- Mimi “aEvilCat” Wermcrantz
- Tyler “Tbates” Bates
- Barento “Raz” Mohammed
- Alyssa “Allycxt” Parker
- Anthony “NAMELESS” Wheeler
- Mira “Ephey” Riad
- Alex “Mauisnake” Ellenberg
- Kale “Genome” Morton
- Mathieu “Maniac” Quiquerez
Esports Host of the Year
- Alex “GoldenBoy” Mendez
- Eefje “Sjokz” Depoortere
- Freya “Freya” Spiers
- Sean “Stax” Stackhouse
- Caleb “WavePunk” Simmons
- Yinsu “Yinsu” Collins
- Chris Puckett
- Jorien “Sheever” van der Heijden
- Lottie Van-Praag
- Ana Xisdê
- James “Dash” Patterson
Esports Play by Play Caster of the Year
- Steven “Tasty Steve” Scott
- Alex “Machine” Richardson
- Brennon “Bren” Hook
- Mark “Onset” Hatcher
- Conner “Scrawny” Girvan
- Brandon Smith
- Callum “Shogun” Keir
- Clayton “Captain Flowers” Raines
- Mitch “Uber” Leslie
- Bruno “BrunoClash” Veiga Lopes
- Miles Ross
- Lauren “Pansy” Scott
Esports Journalist of the Year
- Richard Lewis
- Dominic Sacco
- Kevin Hitt
- Alexander Lee
- James Fudge
- Mikhail Klimentov
- Antonio Yuste
- Cecilia D’Anastasio
- Alejandro Gomis
“I’m continually awestruck by the incredible talent present in the esports industry. It’s an absolute joy to gather everyone and create a space where we can acknowledge, celebrate, and foster growth. I’m eagerly anticipating the upcoming night of fun and camaraderie we’ll share in Las Vegas this November.” Michael Ashford, CEO, Esports Awards
The Esports Awards 2023 campaign key dates:
- 13th – 20th November: Turbo voting period–votes are worth double
- 20th November: Voting closes on all categories but 3
- 25th November: Voting closes for Esports PC Player, Esports Organisation and Esports Team of the Year
- 27th & 28th November: Inaugural Scholars
- 29th & 30th November: Esports Awards 2023
The 2023 Esports Awards is brought to you in partnership with Xfinity, Oakley, Amazon Music, Sizzle Creative, and 5GRV.
In a heart-pounding display of tactical precision and mental fortitude, S8UL Esports has been crowned the VALORANT Challengers South Asia (VCSA) 2026 Split 1 Champions. The victory came after an intense five-map Grand Final against Revenant Xspark, where S8UL emerged victorious with a 3-2 scoreline, solidifying their dominance in the regional VCT ecosystem.
With this win, S8UL takes home the lion’s share of the prize pool—INR ₹9,00,000—and sets a high benchmark for the remainder of the 2026 season.
The Road to the Trophy
S8UL’s journey through Split 1 was a testament to their growth following the 2025 season. Their path to the podium included:
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League Phase Dominance: Consistent performance against seven of South Asia’s elite teams.
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Semifinal Sweep: A commanding 2-0 victory over Asterisk, showcasing a roster peaking at the perfect moment.
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The 5-Map Thriller: A back-and-forth Grand Final against Revenant Xspark that tested the limits of both skill and composure.
Strategic Growth and Leadership
The victory highlights the successful vision of Mithul “8bit Binks” Nayak, the driving force behind this revamped roster. Under the leadership of veteran captain Ganesh “SkRossi” Gangadhar, the team displayed evolved coordination and the ability to clutch out decisive rounds under immense pressure.
“Winning Split 1 gives us confidence, but we know the season is long,” said SkRossi. “I’m proud of how the team stayed focused in the crucial moments.”
Impact on the VCT Ecosystem
VCSA Split 1 serves as the critical pathway for South Asian teams to climb into the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT). By securing the first title of the year, S8UL not only establishes themselves as the team to beat but also positions themselves favorably for international qualification opportunities in Split 2 and beyond.
Animesh ‘Thug’ Agarwal, Co-Founder and CEO of S8UL, noted: “The team showed incredible composure in a high-pressure final. This result is a testament to the work they’ve been putting in behind the scenes. We’ve always believed in this roster.”
The post S8UL Esports Triumphs in VCSA 2026 Split 1: A Grand Final Masterclass appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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.
- 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.
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