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Celebrities From the Billion Dollar Esports Industry Celebrated at the Esports Awards

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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

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Hyprop and MTN Launch SHIFT COD Tournament as Part of 2025 Shift Gaming Experience

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With four spots, one stage and R60 000 on the line, South Africa’s sharpest squads are gearing up for a Call of Duty clash like no other.

The 2025 Hyprop MTN Shift Gaming Experience is about to get louder, faster and more intense. Hyprop, in collaboration with MTN, is introducing SHIFT COD – a Call of Duty tournament designed to test South Africa’s sharpest squads in a no-excuses, high-pressure arena. Four online qualifiers. One LAN finale. R60,000 in prize money. Only the best survive.

The format stays sharp and unforgiving: each qualifier is a single-elimination best-of-five series. Teams will battle across Hardpoint, Search and Destroy, and Control. Only the top squad from each of the four qualifier events will earn a shot at the LAN finale, taking place at Canal Walk on 12 and 13 September. Finalists will cover their own travel and accommodation, but the stage – and the spotlight – will be waiting.

“The Shift Gaming Experience is about putting real competition at the centre of public spaces and connecting people through the power of play,” said Christie Stanbridge, Brand and Campaigns Marketing Manager at Hyprop. “Adding Call of Duty to the lineup takes the intensity up a notch. We’re giving gamers a serious platform to show what they can do – live, on stage and in front of a crowd.”

The four qualifiers took place online, where teams signed up for free:

All qualifier finals were broadcast, giving fans full access to the action and allowing players to gain exposure beyond the scoreboard.

Four teams qualify for the LAN finale, where they’ll compete in a double-elimination bracket for a prize pool structured as follows:

  • 1st place: R30,000
  • 2nd place: R15,000
  • 3rd place: R10,000
  • 4th place: R5,000

Now in its third year, the Hyprop MTN Shift Gaming Experience has become one of the country’s most visible platforms for esports and casual gaming. Hosted at Hyprop-owned malls including Canal Walk, Clearwater and The Glen, the experience blends competitive tournaments with public engagement to bring gaming into the mainstream.

“MTN SHIFT isn’t about gimmicks. It’s built for players, whether you’re grinding in ranked or showing up to prove a point on LAN,” said Stanbridge. “We’ve seen how gaming can energise our spaces and create new communities. SHIFT COD builds on that energy.”

With only four LAN spots available, the window to make your mark is narrow, and the competition will be ruthless. Visit acgl.gg/mtnshift.

Remaining Tournament Dates & Venues:

SHIFT COD is part of the MTN Shift Gaming Experience which takes place at:

Capegate – Online Qualifier: 31 Aug | In-Centre Event: 5 – 7 Sep

Canal Walk – Online Qualifier: 7 Sep | In-Centre Event: 17 – 21 Sep

The post Hyprop and MTN Launch SHIFT COD Tournament as Part of 2025 Shift Gaming Experience appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon Fights off the Competition to Reign as TEKKEN 8 at 2025 Esports World Cup Champion, Securing Back-to-Back EWC Titles

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Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon has claimed the TEKKEN 8 at EWC 25 crown having beaten Yoon “LowHigh” Sun-woong in a 5-2 grand final finish. His victory secures DN Freecs their first win at EWC 25 as he takes home $250,000 of the $1,000,000 prize pool.

Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon had a strong run at EWC 25, losing just one series against Kim “Kkokkoma” Mu-jong in the first match of the second phase. From that point on, however, he went unbeaten on his way to the grand final, even taking down Kim “Kkokkoma” Mu-jong for revenge on his way back from the lower bracket.

In the semifinals, Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon booked his place in the grand final with a 5-3 finish over Kim “CherryBerryMango” Jae-hyun, securing his second EWC TEKKEN 8 grand final in a row. Ulsan showcased his mastery of Dragunov throughout the grand final, setting the scene with a decisive victory in the first set, before taking the title in the seventh set with a 5-2 win.

His grand final opponent, Yoon “LowHigh” Sun-woong, took down Team Vitality’s Jeon “JeonDDing” Sang-hyun in a 5-2 finish to lock his place in the grand final. The former EVO champion displayed his Bryan skills throughout the final against Ulsan, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the overall winner.

“I never expected this. I cannot imagine I would win again. I mean, this year I had a rough start; there was a nerf to Dragunov, I had a lot of difficulties – I wanted to prove myself on this stage, and I have done it,” said Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon. “It’s been like a dream to be here. Thank you to those who support me from everywhere, my team, my friends, all my partners, and especially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for making this the biggest tournament in the world.”

“I’m still hungry. I just want to make myself a legend,” said Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon.

Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon secured 1000 Club Championship points for DN Freecs, who, as a result, jumped up to joint-eleventh place in the Club Championship standings, with 1200 points. Despite having three players in the top eight, DN Freecs will only receive one lot of points.

It was a disappointing showing from Team Falcons in TEKKEN 8, as all three representatives were eliminated before earning any points. With only a few games left to earn points, Team Falcons had high hopes for TEKKEN 8. Elsewhere, Twisted Minds, who secured victory earlier in the day in PUBG, failed to make it two for two on Saturday, also failing to score points in TEKKEN 8 as Arslan “Arslan Ash” Siddique was eliminated by overall winner, Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon.

The post Lim “Ulsan” Soo-hoon Fights off the Competition to Reign as TEKKEN 8 at 2025 Esports World Cup Champion, Securing Back-to-Back EWC Titles appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Twisted Minds Clinch the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS at 2025 Esports World Cup Grand Prize, in the Closest PUBG Final in Years Twisted Minds avenge their 2024 EWC disappointment with a nail-biting win in the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS competition at the Esports World

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Twisted Minds have secured the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS at 2025 Esports World Cup title after coming out victorious in one of the closest PUBG finals ever.

Twisted Minds claimed the title after a ridiculously close final, making up for their failed run at Esports World Cup 2024. The side came into that event as the favourites, having won PUBG Global Series 4 just weeks before heading to Riyadh, but failed to bring it home on the big stage. They would go on to have a very successful end to 2024, but the loss on the EWC stage was a major blip on their impressive year.

Now, at EWC 2025, they have done it, by claiming the championship they craved – and they did so in style in one of the toughest and hardest-fought PUBG grand finals ever. With 12 teams in contention for the overall win by the final game, they held on out with plenty of tenacity and solid plays throughout each game to scoop a high amount of placement points.

This year’s finals will go down in PUBG history as one of the closest ever, as heading into the final two matches, anyone inside the top 12 could have theoretically won the entire event. The intense action of match 11 saw our first breakaway side as Twisted Minds started to pull away, giving themselves a significant lead for the final drop. Twisted Minds would struggle early in the final match, with just two players having to survive to the final stages alone. Eventually, it was just Dmytrii “Perfect1ks” Dubenyuk alive, but it was enough for Twisted Minds to secure an incredible overall victory.

“I’m feeling great, I feel like I’m just thankful for my team, thankful to my family, thankful to my girlfriend, and to the whole Twisted Minds family. To the fans that are here, it was the most amazing tournament, because this crowd was cheering us on the whole event. And now we are finally World Champions,” said Aleksandr “BatulinS” Batulin.

ROC Esports’ Gabriel “sxntastico” Silva was named the SONY MVP, after a series of impressive performances during the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS championship. His 18 kills and 25 knockouts were instrumental in ROC Esports’ surprising performance that saw them top the table at multiple points throughout the event. He will receive an additional $10,000 and the MVP medal to recognise his achievements.

Twisted Minds earn 1000 Club Championship points for their victory; sending them firmly into Championship contention, having moved from 2200 points to 3200 points, just 1200 points behind the leaders. The win is Twisted Minds’ second battle royale victory in the space of two weeks, having won Call of Duty: Warzone in Week 5, keeping their late charge well and truly on.

With a third place finish for Team Falcons, they gain a crucial 500 points in the Club Championship, sending them back into first place with a 200 point lead over Team Liquid. Elsewhere, Virtus.pro, who had the lead entering the final day of PUBG, could only bring home 50 points, enough to keep them joint fourth with newly crowned PUBG champions Twisted Minds.

The post Twisted Minds Clinch the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS at 2025 Esports World Cup Grand Prize, in the Closest PUBG Final in Years Twisted Minds avenge their 2024 EWC disappointment with a nail-biting win in the PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS competition at the Esports World Cup 2025. appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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