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Azerion successfully completes its business combination with EFIC1

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Azerion Holding B.V., a high-growth, profitable, digital entertainment and media company,  and European FinTech IPO Company 1 B.V. (“EFIC1”), a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC)  listed on Euronext Amsterdam, have successfully completed their business combination on  1 February 2022.

As part of the completion of the business combination, the legal form of the combined company has  been converted into a limited company (naamloze vennootschap) and it has been renamed Azerion  Group N.V. (“Azerion Group”). The first day of trading on Euronext Amsterdam under the new name  of Azerion Group’s shares and warrants will be on 2 February 2022 (today) under the new ticker  symbols AZRN and AZRNW, respectively.

The business combination received the support of EFIC1’s shareholders, with more than 95% of the  votes cast at EFIC1’s extraordinary general meeting held on 31 January 2022 (the “EGM”) approving  the business combination.

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The completion of the business combination supports Azerion Group in its ambitions to become a global  digital entertainment and media powerhouse. The business combination furthermore provides for a  strong complementary partnership accelerating future value creation for all stakeholders through  continued investments in Azerion Group’s growth, both organically and through M&A. Azerion Group  expects this listing to create a new long-term supportive shareholder base, permit Azerion Group to  incentivise the existing and future management team and senior staff and continue to attract high calibre  individuals.

The business combination resulted in approximately €93 million of gross total primary cash proceeds,  including approximately €70 million of funds from the EFIC1 escrow account (net of negative interest  and after effectuation of the share repurchase arrangement) complemented by a sponsor and co investor commitment of €23.15 million. With the completion of the business combination, Azerion Group  received approximately €56 million of net primary cash proceeds (net of transaction costs and  expenses), which will be used to continue to pursue value-accretive acquisitions (with Azerion having  a strong acquisition track record and a broad pipeline of potential targets), and to further invest in  organic growth initiatives (such as new games and features, platform investments, etc.) as well as  general corporate purposes.

Immediately after completion of the business combination and the related restructuring steps (including  the cancellation of 31,228,299 ordinary shares that were repurchased by EFIC1 from its shareholders),  the issued share capital of Azerion Group is as follows:

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Type of security #¹

Ordinary Shares (excl. treasury) 111,483,296

Ordinary Shares in treasury² 70,078,452

Total Ordinary Shares 181,561,748

Capital Shares 22

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Conditional Special Shares 1,152,886

Warrants³ 12,736,605

Please see section 6.4. “Description of Securities” in the EFIC1 Shareholders Circular dated 13 December 2021  for a description of the classes of securities of Azerion Group.

1. Excluding any conditional and unconditional option rights and Founder Warrants existing at the date of this press  release, which in aggregate entitle the holders to receive up to a maximum of 24,160,245 Ordinary Shares. 2. The Ordinary Shares in treasury can be used for acquisitions, exercise of warrants and option rights and other  general funding purposes.

3. The outstanding Warrants listed on Euronext Amsterdam at the date of this press release entitle the holders to  receive up to 12,736,605 Ordinary Shares.

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Immediately after completion of the business combination, the ownership percentages of Ordinary  Shares are as follows:

Shareholder % Ordinary Shares⁴

Principion Holding B.V.⁵ 74.3%⁶

Azerion former depositary receipt holders 7.5%

Azerion former stock appreciation rights holders 4.0%⁷

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Former EFIC1 converted special shares holders 5.9%

Other Shareholders 8.3%

Total 100.0%

Based on Azerion Group’s information. Actual share ownership percentages and regulatory filings and notifications  of ownership percentages may differ.

4. Excluding treasury shares as well as any conditional and unconditional option rights and Founder Warrants  existing at the date of this press release, which in aggregate entitle the holders to receive up to a maximum of  24,160,245 Ordinary Shares.

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5. An entity controlled by Azerion’s co-founders and co-CEOs.

6. Including shares held for settlement of future acquisition-related earn out and other obligations. 7. Excluding shares held for settlement of future acquisition-related earn out and other obligations.

Atilla Aytekin, co-founder and co-CEO of Azerion says: “Today marks an important step for Azerion,  and we are excited to finally enter the public markets and continue to grow and advance our platform  whilst raising our profile amongst our customer and partner groups and talented workforce globally. We  are proud to achieve this important milestone, and we look forward to our next growth phase and future

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as a public company. I am grateful to the entire Azerion team for all their hard work, which has brought  us to this pivotal moment, and for the dedicated support of our partner EFIC1.”

Martin Blessing, former Chief Executive Officer of EFIC1, adds: “The journey of our SPAC EFIC1 comes  to a successful end while the exciting journey of Azerion as a listed company starts now. The whole  EFIC1 team thanks its shareholders for their support. We look forward to continuing our partnership  with Azerion over the long term and wish the company, its founders, employees and shareholders  success as they continue their impressive growth story.”

To celebrate the completion of the business combination, the management team of Azerion Group will  ring the opening bell at Euronext Amsterdam at 09.00 CET on 2 February 2022. A live stream of the  event and replay can be accessed via this link.

Advisers

Credit Suisse Bank (Europe), S.A. acted as capital markets adviser, Hogan Lovells International LLP  acted as legal adviser and ABN AMRO Bank N.V acted as financial adviser to EFIC1.

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N.M. Rothschild & Sons Limited acted as financial adviser, Stibbe N.V. acted as legal adviser, and  Citigroup Global Markets Europe AG and Jefferies GmbH as capital markets advisers to Azerion.

ABN AMRO (acting in cooperation with ODDO BHF SCA), ING Bank N.V. and Pareto Securities AB  acted as co-capital markets advisers to EFIC1, and Clifford Chance LLP acted as legal adviser to the  capital markets advisers.

Liquidity Provider

As from 2 February 2022, Azerion Group will enter into a liquidity provider agreement pursuant to which ABN AMRO Bank N.V. will act as liquidity provider for the trade in listed shares of Azerion Group.

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CS2 Intel Extreme

CS2 Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2024 SuperComputer: NaVi to bounce back after Blast Fall Final loss

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Final: Natus Vincere (36.5%) to beat Team Vitality (28.1%)

Semifinal 1: Natus Vincere (52.6%) to beat MOUZ (16.3%)

Semifinal 2: Team Vitality (47.7%) to beat G2 Esports (18.7%)

Quarterfinal 1: G2 Esports (39.8%) to beat FaZe Clan (32.8%)

Quarterfinal 2: MOUZ (35.9%) to beat Eternal Fire (24.7%)

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Group stage

  1. Natus Vincere – 48.7% to finish 1st; 17.0% to finish 2nd; 84.1% to make playoffs

  2. Team Vitality – 40.8% to finish 1st; 17.4% to finish 2nd; 77.7% to make playoffs

  3. G2 Esports – 19.3% to finish 1st; 20.4% to finish 2nd; 56.7% to make playoffs

  4. MOUZ – 14.5% to finish 1st; 21.8% to finish 2nd; 53.0% to make playoffs

  5. FaZe Clan – 13.9% to finish 1st; 21.0% to finish 2nd; 50.2% to make playoffs

  6. Eternal Flame – 40.7% to finish 1st; 16.2% to finish 2nd; 40.7% to make playoffs

  7. Liquid – 16.3% to finish 7-8th; 35.7% to make playoffs

  8. Virtus.pro – 15.4% to finish 7-8th; 29.9% to make playoffs

  9. Astralis – 28.9% to finish 9-12th; 31.5% to make playoffs

  10. The MongolZ – 32.7% to finish 9-12th; 25.4% to make playoffs

  11. Complexity – 34.3% to finish 9-12th; 21.2% to make playoffs

  12. Heroic – 26.8% to finish 9-12th; 23.5% to make playoffs

  13. paiN – 36.5% to finish 13-16th; 21.0% to make playoffs

  14. FURIA – 36.4% to finish 13-16th; 20.9% to make playoffs

  15. 9z – 44.7% to finish 13-16th; 14.6% to make playoffs

  16. Imperial – 49.1% to finish 13-16th; 13.9% to make playoffs

It has been quite the run for NaVi despite their loss with back to back grand finals in recent weeks but CSDB.gg’s predictive model suggests there will be no let up for the Ukrainian esports organisation.

G2 will also be looking to build more momentum in preparation for Majors season with NiKo on a quest to finally get over the line this year to win his first major title. Hopefully Rio won’t have to see a repeat of his reaction in the semifinals at BLAST Premier Fall Final 2024 where he punched a hole in a table after losing out to Team Vitality in a key moment.

However, the hosts of Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2024 may want to lockdown any nearby furniture and reinforce their desks if G2 are set for disappointment at the semifinals stage as predicted by the CSDB.gg SuperComputer.

A victory in Rio could be even more consequential for how the end of the year shapes up for the leading teams on the circuit. The Valve Global rankings have both teams close at the very top (NaVi at 1988 and G2 at 1953) meaning a win for either team could hand them a key advantage when it comes to who enters the Majors as top seed. 

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Back-to-back wins in T1 events for G2, should they prosper in Rio, would set the Berlin-based team on an incredible trajectory going into the winter months.

Meanwhile, Brazilian hopes for glory look slight according to the CSDB.gg SuperComputer with FURIA, the team co-owned by Neymar, having only been given a 20.9% chance of even making the playoffs. 

They are the leading contenders to make an impact for the home crowd but there are other teams flying the flag for Brazil with paiN and Imperial also set to give it their best to give local fans something to cheer on.

In terms of forecasted matchups of note, G2 and FaZe Clan could offer up a fascinating encounter in the quarterfinals should both teams qualify, with each organisation rated as having a strong chance of making the semis with little to separate them should they meet.

How was the CSDB.gg CS2 Tournament SuperComputer created?

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The CSDB.gg CS2 Tournament SuperComputer is a predictive model created using world ranking points, team quality ratings and performance trends. An element of randomness is also included in the model to avoid the best teams and players always winning, to reflect the fact that upsets can happen.

Every tournament is simulated 1,000 times with the results aggregated into a percentage rating of the chances teams or players have to achieve the predicted result.

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eSports

Max Verstappen to attend GAMERGY, the world’s largest esports, gaming and entertainment event

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In an exciting announcement for motorsports and gaming fans alike, three-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen will be making a special appearance at the GAMERGY event for the exciting Heineken Player 0.0 Global Final in Madrid this December. This immersive entertainment and gaming Experience promises to bring together the worlds of motorsport and gaming, offering fans a unique experience.

GAMERGY, one of the largest global gaming and esports events, will take place in Madrid this December from the 13th-15th, 2024. The 10th edition of the event will host exhilarating activities featuring cutting-edge technology, live competitions, traditional sports activations and phygital interactive experiences that cater to a wide audience.

“In the past few years, we have seen how the traditional sports and gaming ecosystems have come closer together in innovative and immersive ways. At our most recent GAMERGY México edition, we saw our tennis, football, boxing, skateboarding and paddle activations being amongst the most popular gaming fair attractions. We are very excited to partner with Heineken in adding Player 0.0 to the digital fandom,” said Cristina Carranza, Global Head of Sales at GGTech.

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Heineken® Player 0.0 Global Final featuring Max Verstappen
23 finalists from all around the world will be joining us in Madrid for a simulated racing competition with the aim of winning the title of Player 0.0 Global Champion. Expect a high-octane race where the finalists will demonstrate their skills, speed and agility. During the Player 0.0 Global Final, festival goers will also have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see Max Verstappen on stage. This unique experience is expected to draw immense crowds and therefore fans are encouraged to arrive early.

Exclusive Merchandise and Memorabilia
Fans attending the event will have the opportunity to purchase exclusive GAMERGY merchandise. Limited-edition collectibles will be available for purchase. Don’t miss the chance to take home a piece of history!

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Asia

Xsolla to Present Global Expansion Solutions at Tokyo Game Show 2024

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Xsolla, a global video game commerce company, will showcase its cutting-edge solutions at Hall 4, Booth #04-C48, during the Tokyo Game Show 2024, which will take place from September 26-27, 2024, at the Makuhari Messe Convention Center in Tokyo, Japan. Xsolla’s booth will feature live demonstrations of its latest solutions aimed at helping game developers and publishers succeed in expanding to international markets.

During the event, Jin Jeong, Regional Vice President of Xsolla Japan, will deliver a keynote session focusing on the critical role of Xsolla’s Merchant of Record (MoR) solutions in transforming the way game companies handle cross-border transactions, taxes, and regulatory complexities. This session will offer developers and publishers a comprehensive look into how Xsollasimplifies global operations, allowing studios to focus on creating games while Xsolla handles the business side.

In addition to showcasing their MoR solutions, Xsolla will demonstrate how their payment systems and cross-play/cross-pay features enhance global reach for game developers of all sizes and across all platforms. Xsolla will also showcase how they help video game companies integrate with various payment methods worldwide, allowing developers to monetize their games across different regions easily.

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David Stelzer, President of Xsolla, emphasized the significance of this event for the company: “We’re thrilled to be part of the Tokyo Game Show and to present our latest solutions designed to empower game developers and publishers to expand globally. Our mission is to support the gaming industry with the tools they need to thrive in international markets, and we are eager to showcase how Xsolla can make global expansion easier and more effective.”

Attendees are invited to visit Xsolla’s booth to meet with the team of experts, who will be available to provide insights, answer questions, and discuss how their tailored solutions can help game developers and publishers grow their businesses. For those interested in more in-depth discussions, Xsolla also offers one-on-one meetings to explore specific solutions for global market expansion.

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