eSports
Celebrities From the Billion Dollar Esports Industry Celebrated at the Esports Awards
The Esports Awards, the Oscars of esports, is excited to announce the full list of winners from this year’s ceremony which were unveiled during an industry-first virtual celebration that saw millions of viewers tune in. Hosted by Eefje “Sjokz” Depoortere and presented by the likes of WWE Superstar Xavier Woods, renowned DJ Steve Aoki, and Tottenham footballer and EXCEL ESPORTS brand ambassador Dele Alli, over thirty awards were given out, more than ever before, showcasing the Esports Awards’ commitment to recognising every corner of the industry.
Esports is a billion-dollar industry that houses millions of fans and has seen big brands and big faces like TikTok, Louis Vuitton, Lexus, David Beckham, Drake, and Spotify enter the space. The Esports Awards is the only global annual ceremony that celebrates and honors figures from all areas of the industry. 2020 marks a landmark year for the Esports Awards as it celebrates its fifth year of celebrating and recognising excellence in esports. This year is its most ambitious event to date, with big-name partners in Lexus and Verizon, as well as a groundbreaking virtual online ceremony in partnership with LiveCGI. The CGI studio is a truly immersive and true-to-life showcase which has been handcrafted by LiveCGI’s unique expertise and top grade technology.
Among the big winners for the night were Riot Games who took home Esports Publisher of the Year In Association with LiveCGI and Esports Game of the Year in association with The Koyo Store for League of Legends. The awards didn’t stop there with Esports Content Team of the Year going to the League of Legends European Championship and the LOL Season Opening being named Esports Creative Piece of the Year.
Team Secret took home an impressive three awards including Esports PC Player of the Year for Michał “Nisha” Jankowski, Esports Coach of the Year for Lee “Heen” Seung Gon, and the coveted Esports Team of the Year for its Dota 2 roster.
In the player categories, Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro took home Esports Console Rookie of the Year in Partnership with SCUF and Esports Console Player of the Year in Partnership with SCUF after a breakthrough year which saw him take home multiple trophies including the biggest competition in the calendar, Call of Duty Championship. Elsewhere, Ryu “Keria” Min-seok picked up Esports PC Rookie of the Year In Association with Matrix Keyboards on the back of a stand out performance at the League of Legends World Championship and Made Bagas “Zuxxy” Pramudita took home Esports Mobile Player of the Year.
The full list of Esports Awards winners are:
- Esports Mobile Game of the Year presented by Verizon – Freefire
- Esports Publisher of the Year In Association with LiveCGI from Esports Supply – Riot Games
- Esports Game of the Year in association with The Koyo Store – League of Legends
- Esports Supporting Agency of the Year in association with Grind Gaming – CSA
- Esports Coverage Website of the Year in association with Sizzle Creative – Esports Observer
- Esports Play of the Year in association with Respawn – İsmailcan “XANTARES” Dörtkardeş (BIG)
- Esports Creative/Creative Team of the Year in Association with eBeatz – Paper Crowns
- Esports Journalist of the Year – Emily Rand
- Esports Content Team of the Year – League of Legends European Championship
- Esports Content Creator of the Year In Association with Esports Stadium Arlington – UpUpDownDown
- Esports Caster of the Year (Play by Play) – Clayton “CaptainFlowers” Raines
- Esports Caster of the Year (Colour) – Michael “KiXSTAr” Stockley
- Esports Host of the Year – Eefje “Sjokz” Deporteere
- Esports PC Rookie of the Year In Association with Matrix Keyboards – Ryu “Keria” Min-seok (T1)
- Esports Console Rookie of the Year in Partnership with SCUF – Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro (Dallas Empire)
- Esports Mobile Player of the Year – Made Bagas “Zuxxy” Pramudita (Bigetron RA)
- Esports Console Player of the Year in Partnership with SCUF – Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro (Dallas Empire)
- Esports PC Player of the Year – Michał “Nisha” Jankowski (Team Secret)
- Esports Team of the Year – Team Secret (Dota 2)
- Esports Personality of the Year presented by Lexus – Carlos “ocelote” Rodríguez Santiago
- Streamer of the Year Presented by Lexus – Ibai
- Esports Organisation of the Year – G2 Esports
- Esports Cosplay of the Year – Glory Lamothe
- Esports Creative Piece of the Year in association with eBeatz – LOL season opening
Last night the Esports Awards hosted the inaugural Esports Awards Prelude which saw a total of ten awards handed out. The winners included the likes of Logitech, Chad “SPUNJ” Burchill, and Eavesdrop Podcast. It also played host to the Lifetime Achievement in Esports Class of 2020 which honours individuals who have had a long-lasting impact and dedicated their professional life to improving the industry.
- Esports Collegiate Award – Tyrelle Appleton
- Esports Hardware Provider of the Year – Elgato
- Esports Commercial Partner of the Year – Logitech
- Lifetime Achievement in Esports – Class of 2020
- Johnathan “Fatality” Wendel
- Daigo Umehara
- Richard Lewis
- Craig “Torbull” Levine
- Michael Sepso
- Lim ‘Boxer’ Yo-Hwan
- Esports Photographer of the Year – Rich Loch
- Esports Videographer of the Year – Logan Dodson
- Esports Coach of the Year – Lee “Heen” Seung Gon (Team Secret)
- Esports Analyst of the Year – Chad “SPUNJ” Burchill
- Esports Content Series of the Year – Eavesdrop Podcast
- Panel’s Choice Award in association with Touch of Ginger – Michal Slowinski
- Panel’s Choice Award in association with Touch of Ginger – Steve Dudenhoeffer
“It has been a milestone year, not just for the Esports Awards, but for the esports industry. We have been faced with many challenges and hurdles as well as opportunities to showcase how resilient and talent led our industry is. As we conclude our fifth year with more votes, more viewership, and more mainstream partners than ever before I am pleased that we were able to put together an ambitious virtual event to celebrate those who have really made a difference and continued to push our industry forward.” said Michael Ashford, Managing Director, Esports Awards
Asia
8Bit Creatives partners with NODWIN Gaming as the exclusive talent partner for DreamHack India
8Bit Creatives, India’s leading esports consulting and talent management agency, has announced its partnership with NODWIN Gaming, a leader in new-age youth entertainment, gaming, and esports, as the exclusive Talent Partner for DreamHack India 2024.
With this partnership, 8Bit Creatives will leverage its significant reach in the Indian gaming, esports and youth communities through its prominent and talented roster of creators. These creators will create content leading up to the festival and also host meet-and-greet sessions.
India’s biggest gaming festival, DreamHack India, is set to take place from 15th to 17th November at the Hitex Exhibition Centre in Hyderabad, marking its fifth edition. For half a decade, the India edition of the global festival has become one of the most anticipated events of the Indian gaming ecosystem. Bringing together a plethora of events, including esports tournaments, BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) events, cosplay competitions, music concerts, and stand-up comedy, DreamHack India is the celebration of gaming, esports, pop-culture, and entertainment.
8Bit Creatives, CEO and founder Animesh Agarwal said “DreamHack India is one of the most prominent events in the Indian gaming and esports calendar and we’re proud to be the exclusive talent partners for it. This is further recognition of 8Bit Creatives’ ability to meaningfully engage the gaming and youth audiences across the country. Our belief in working with the right creators who create experiences that resonate with the youth audiences distinguishes our offerings and we can’t wait to share what we have in store for DreamHack India 2024 with our audiences!”
This is not the first time that 8Bit Creatives will partner with DreamHack India. The organisation was also the talent partner for the event in 2022.
Commenting on the partnership, NODWIN Gaming, Co-founder and MD Akshat Rathee said “Our vision at NODWIN Gaming is to create unforgettable experiences for the youth, and DreamHack has proven to be the ultimate platform to realise that vision, bringing together gaming, entertainment, and community in an immersive celebration. We’re thrilled to have 8Bit Creatives as our exclusive Talent Partner for DreamHack India 2024. It’s especially exciting to welcome iconic creators like Mortal, who joined us in our very first edition, back for this landmark fifth year, alongside fan favourites like Snax, Kaashvi, Thug, and Payal. These creators bring a unique energy that connects deeply with our fans and elevates every moment. Their presence underscores our commitment to crafting electrifying experiences year after year, building on the momentum of events like BGMS and past DreamHack editions. Together with 8Bit and this powerhouse lineup, we’re setting the stage for an unforgettable event that will bring fans and creators closer than ever before!”
8Bit Creatives’s content and esports division S8UL became the only organisation in the year to win ‘Content Group of the Year’ award for the third consecutive year at the Esports Awards 2024. Additionally, they are the only organisation from India to ever win an Esports Award in any category. Earlier this year, gaming content creators from 8Bit Creatives including Naman Mathur, Payal Dhare and Animesh “Thug” Agarwal were invited for a meet and greet session with the honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
The organisation has been at the forefront of India’s gaming and content ecosystem with its extensive range of services, including talent management, campaign curation and execution, brand activations and more.
The post 8Bit Creatives partners with NODWIN Gaming as the exclusive talent partner for DreamHack India appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
SOFTSWISS Sportsbook Doubles Esports Turnover in Q3 2024
1 November 2024 – Esports has experienced explosive growth in Q3 2024, doubling turnover compared to the previous quarter. The average bet on cybersports increased by 17.6% quarter-on-quarter. SOFTSWISS, a global tech expert with over 15 years of experience providing innovative iGaming solutions, shares the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook Q3 2024 report.
The top five sports by Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) remain consistent: Football, Tennis, Basketball, Table Tennis, and eFootball. For the second consecutive quarter, eFootball has outperformed Counter-Strike 2, indicating a shifting interest within the esports sector. Nevertheless, football continues to dominate, contributing nearly half of the total GGR.
The average live bet grew by 10% quarter-on-quarter, a positive development for operators as live bets hold 78.6% of turnover. The SOFTSWISS Sportsbook team is actively enhancing the live betting experience, aiming to capitalise on this trend and provide operators with even greater revenue opportunities.
The average bet grew by 9.7% quarter-on-quarter in Q3 2024, and the number of bets increased by 18.7%. GGR saw a modest growth of 1.5% quarter-on-quarter.
Despite the large number of projects launched for the UEFA Euro 2024, month-on-month statistics show that with the right promotional strategies, projects continue to operate successfully even after such massive events.
Alexander Kamenetskyi, Head of SOFTSWISS Sportsbook, adds: “Aligning a launch with a major sporting event can be a successful strategy, but football is not the only sport that can be leveraged in this way. The growth of cybersports presents new opportunities; for specialised projects targeting specific audiences, esports events can also serve as an effective starting point.
We continuously focus on product growth and development, enhancing features and user experience to drive further engagement and profitability for our partners.”
The SOFTSWISS Sportsbook is expanding its global presence. The product team is on track to secure certification in Brazil, conducted by an authorised testing laboratory. Furthermore, for the South African market, the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook has recently integrated a Horse Racing Module. This addition offers operators new business opportunities by covering over 2,400 international and local races monthly. The solution engages players with race cards, silks, and multiple bet types while providing operators unique skins and configurations to align with various brand identities.
The SOFTSWISS team is working on The iGaming Trends Report 2025, which offers a deep dive into key industry developments based on over 50,000 media headlines and insights from industry experts. Covering areas like regulation, marketing, technology, and business growth, this report provides a data-driven perspective on the trends shaping the upcoming year. The SOFTSWISS team shares the possibility of joining the waiting list.
All SOFTSWISS products will be showcased at the final major industry event, SiGMA Europe, at stand 2145.
The post SOFTSWISS Sportsbook Doubles Esports Turnover in Q3 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
CS2 Intel Extreme
CS2 Intel Extreme Masters Rio 2024 SuperComputer: NaVi to bounce back after Blast Fall Final loss
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%)
Group stage:
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Natus Vincere – 48.7% to finish 1st; 17.0% to finish 2nd; 84.1% to make playoffs
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Team Vitality – 40.8% to finish 1st; 17.4% to finish 2nd; 77.7% to make playoffs
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G2 Esports – 19.3% to finish 1st; 20.4% to finish 2nd; 56.7% to make playoffs
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MOUZ – 14.5% to finish 1st; 21.8% to finish 2nd; 53.0% to make playoffs
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FaZe Clan – 13.9% to finish 1st; 21.0% to finish 2nd; 50.2% to make playoffs
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Eternal Flame – 40.7% to finish 1st; 16.2% to finish 2nd; 40.7% to make playoffs
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Liquid – 16.3% to finish 7-8th; 35.7% to make playoffs
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Virtus.pro – 15.4% to finish 7-8th; 29.9% to make playoffs
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Astralis – 28.9% to finish 9-12th; 31.5% to make playoffs
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The MongolZ – 32.7% to finish 9-12th; 25.4% to make playoffs
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Complexity – 34.3% to finish 9-12th; 21.2% to make playoffs
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Heroic – 26.8% to finish 9-12th; 23.5% to make playoffs
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paiN – 36.5% to finish 13-16th; 21.0% to make playoffs
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FURIA – 36.4% to finish 13-16th; 20.9% to make playoffs
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9z – 44.7% to finish 13-16th; 14.6% to make playoffs
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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.
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?
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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