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7 state ministers unveil franchise teams for Esports Premier League 2021, the final leg of ESPL to kickstart on August 16

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India’s first-ever franchise-based Esports league, the Esports Premier League (ESPL) has finalised the top eight teams as the ultimate face off in the inaugural edition of the nation-wide Esports league is set to begin on August 16. State ministers from seven regions launched their respective franchise team names, logos, and jerseys.

While the Esports industry has been in quest to gain legitimacy and recognition from the government, involvement and acceptance from the government at this level to the tournament is a giant stride for Esports industry in India.

“To have the best gamers from across the country representing final eight franchise teams as well as their team’s official jersey being unveiled by the state ministers is a matter of absolute honor and pride. Even in its inaugural edition, ESPL has received exceptional response from the Esports community, the players and the audience,” said Mr. Vishwalok Nath, Director, ESPL.

Here is the complete list of Ministers and personalities that unveiled teams representing their respective states:

  • Mr. V. Srinivas Goud

Hon’ble Minister of Sports & Youth Services

Govt. Of Telangana

 

  • Mr. Sunil Chhatrapal Kedar

Hon’ble Minister of Sports and Youth Welfare

Govt. of Maharashtra

 

  • Mr. Manish Sisodia

Deputy Chief Minister

Govt. of Delhi

 

  • Mr. Manoj Tiwary

Hon’ble Minister of Department of Youth Services and Sports

Govt. Of West Bengal

 

  • Mr. K.C. Narayana Gowda

Hon’ble Minister of Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports Department of Planning

Govt. of Karnataka

 

  • Mr. Ashok Chandna

Hon’ble Minister of Sports & Youth Affairs (Independent charge)

Govt. of Rajasthan

 

  • Mr. Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi

Hon’ble Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs
Govt. of Punjab

  • RJ Balaji

Radio jockey, director, sports broadcaster, and writer based out of Chennai

 

The final eight franchises teams and the players were chosen through a draft process. And the teams that are qualified through various stages of the competition for the draft process include BADGE99, Total Gaming, 4 UNKNOWN, TSM FTX, No Chance, AFF Esports, Head Hunters, and TWO SIDE GAMERS. Each of these teams were picked to represent a city team and in the final stage during the draft, popular influencers and Esports gamers were roped in to conduct the process.

The eight franchise teams are Punjab Paladins, Chennai Celestials, Delhi Dukes, Hyderabad Hydras, Kolkata Kaijus, Rajasthan Reapers, Mumbai Marshals, and Bangalore Ballistics. Below is the complete list of players of all these teams who will represent the respective state teams:

BADGEE99 will represent Kolkata Kaijus

 

Ø  Hriteek Ranjan

Ø  Muhammed Faizal. N

Ø  Prahast Garg

Ø  Azmal Akhtar Choudhury

Ø  Yogesh Buchale

 

 

Total Gaming will represent Hyderabad Hydras

 

Ø  Ajay Sharma

Ø  Vora Hetkumar

Ø  Daksh Garg

Ø  Narai Yadav

Ø  Anshul Rawat

4 UNKNOWN will represent Rajasthan Reapers

 

Ø  Swastik Madhukar Dushing

Ø  Anand Madhukar Dushing

Ø  Radhe Thakor

Ø  Vadehr Anil Devashibhai

Ø  Mohd Zuber

 

AFF Esports will represent Delhi Dukes

 

Ø  Owais Bhati

Ø  Kanishk Verma

Ø  Rahil Katoch

Ø  Pavan Adwani

Ø  Arpit Tyagi

 

TWO SIDE GAMERS will represent Bengaluru  Ballistics

 

Ø  Ritik Jain

Ø  Ojasvi Kamra

Ø  Vihan Datta

Ø  Bhavesh Lakhwani

No Chance will represent Chennai Celestials

 

Ø  Priyansh

Ø  Devesh Chauhan

Ø  Aritra Adak

Ø  Priyanshu Kumar

Ø  Soumya Sundar

 

TSM FTX will represent Mumbai Marshals

 

Ø  Sagar Patel

Ø  Indranil Saha

Ø  Jayesh Yadav

Ø  Naitik Khosto

Ø  Asjad Khateeb

 

Head Hunters will represent Punjab Paladins

 

Ø  Satyam Thakur

Ø  Md. Abdul Moghni

Ø  Aasim Usama

Ø  Jatin Taneja

Ø  Priyanshu Halder Saha

ESPL 2021, which began on June 16, will see the athletes competing in the popular battle royale game Free Fire as the winners will have INR 25 lacs prize money to win.

This final phase has lot more in store and a spectacle series of matches and exciting live-action will be streamed on Disney+ Hotstar, Free Fire official streaming platform Booyah and Malayalam OTT platform Koode alongside official YouTube and Facebook channels of India Today and Aaj Tak and its websites.

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THE ESPORTS AWARDS CROWNS THE BEST IN ESPORTS FROM THE PAST DECADE, INCLUDING NADESHOT, SJOKZ AND FAKER

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The Decade Awards ceremony, held alongside the Esports World Cup as part of the ‘Summer of Celebration’, saw an incredible 9.8 million votes cast by fans, celebrating esports and gaming’s most legendary figures in a landmark tribute to a decade of excellence.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, August 24th, 2025: The most prestigious night in the esports calendar returned this evening, as the Esports Awards hosted their one-off special, the “Decade Awards”. Presented by Trevor “Quickshot” Henry, Jessica “JessGOAT” Bolden and Barney Banks, this year’s Decade Awards marked the Esports Awards’ 10th anniversary and honoured a decade of industry-defining achievements and trailblazers in esports across 14 different categories.

Among the evening’s standout honours was League of Legends superstar Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, who was named Esports PC Player of the Decade, alongside his team T1, who were crowned Esports Team of the Decade, and their coach Kim “kkOma” Jeong-gyun, recognised as Esports Coach of the Decade. Riot Games were also at the forefront, receiving multiple accolades including Esports Publisher of the Decade, Esports Game of the Decade for League of Legends, and Esports Live Event of the Decade for the unforgettable League of Legends Worlds 2017 Championship.

Marking the grand finale of the Summer of Celebration, the Esports Awards delivered yet another iconic evening, with a star-studded roster of presenters taking to the stage to announce the winners. Highlights included legendary professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, Twitch sensation Tyler1, renowned content creator and Sidemen member Vikkstar, and multiple-time EVO champion Justin Wong.

Over the past decade, the esports scene has grown exponentially, with countless players, teams and creators contributing to its growth into the global phenomenon it is today. Tonight, the Decade Awards celebrated those who have defined the last ten years in esports, honouring the individuals, teams and organisations whose achievements have left a monumental mark on the industry. The complete list of Decade Awards winners is as follows:

  • Esports Game of the Decade – League of Legends
  • Esports Personality of the Decade – Matthew “Nadeshot” Haag
  • Streamer of the Decade – Félix “xQc” Lengyel
  • Esports Commercial Partner of the Decade – Intel
  • Esports Content and Coverage Platform of the Decade – Liquipedia
  • Esports Publisher of the Decade – Riot Games
  • Esports Live Event of the Decade – League of Legends Worlds 2017
  • Esports PC Player of the Decade – Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok
  • Esports Breakthrough Player of the Decade – Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut
  • Esports Controller Player of the Decade – Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro
  • Esports Coach of the Decade – Kim “kkOma” Jeong-gyun
  • Esports Team of the Decade – T1 – League of Legends
  • Esports Organisation of the Decade – Team Liquid
  • Esports On-Air Talent of the Decade – Eefje “Sjokz” Depoortere

“Over the past ten years, the growth in the esports industry has been incredible to see, and it’s been a great honour to recognise the icons who have contributed to its rise in popularity,” says Mike Ashford, CEO of the Esports Awards, “Tonight, we showed the world just how global and impactful esports has become, and celebrated the individuals and companies that have consistently driven its success. Congratulations to all the winners, and thank you to the esports community for your ongoing dedication and support.”

The Decade Awards is brought to you by the Esports World Cup, Oakley and Media Partner Hitmarker. The full stream can be found here: twitch.tv/esportsawards.

The post THE ESPORTS AWARDS CROWNS THE BEST IN ESPORTS FROM THE PAST DECADE, INCLUDING NADESHOT, SJOKZ AND FAKER appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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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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