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VALORANT Esports EMEA is expanding – here’s what to expect!

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3 years ago

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Reading Time: 5 minutes

 

In 2022, we aspire to make VALORANT the biggest FPS esports in the world – and it’s clear from the performances we’ve seen so far that EMEA is emerging as a true powerhouse region.

Following a phenomenal opening year, 2022 will see a number of significant, exciting changes made to VALORANT esports within EMEA.

By developing a new, multi-layered ecosystem, we can give opportunities to all players; from amateur and aspiring pro gamers participating in the newly created VALORANT Regional Leagues and VALORANT Regional Circuits, to the new wave of women taking VALORANT esports to the next level through our Game Changers programme; to the world’s truly elite VALORANT stars through the VALORANT Champions Tour.

Most importantly, the expansion of the EMEA ecosystem will also benefit our loyal fans, giving them more opportunities to support their country, local team or favourite player and witness the best in the region battle it out for glory.

VALORANT CHAMPIONS TOUR

The VALORANT Champions Tour is the pinnacle of FPS esports in EMEA and our 2021 season produced some incredible and memorable moments for teams and fans alike, especially from our top four EMEA teams (Acend, Gambit, Fnatic, Team Liquid) who fought hard to make it to the first ever VCT Champions competition! In 2022, the EMEA VCT structure will be adapted to suit the whole region, allowing all the localised territories in the wider EMEA umbrella to grow and maintain a healthy level of competition.

The four EMEA teams that participated in VALORANT Champions 2021 will be invited back to VCT Stage 1 in 2022. A further eight spots will be up for grabs through two open and closed qualifiers in each territory; four spots in EU, two from Turkey and two from CIS. Teams from MENA will be able to compete in any of these qualifiers.

Teams will be able to qualify to VCT Stage 2 through the VCT promotion tournament; where the winners of the eight VRLs (more on these below) in Stage 1 will compete to face off against the bottom two VCT teams, with two VCT spots on the line.

We will have more information on the overall format for VCT soon, so expect to hear more from us in early 2022.

Get ready to cheer on some of the most elite competitors VALORANT esports has to offer, as they compete not just for the title of the best in EMEA, but for global supremacy.

RLS

One of the new, exciting layers of the ecosystem we will be introducing to the VALORANT esports EMEA is the VALORANT Regional Leagues (VRLs).

The VRLs will become the peak of regional VALORANT esports, providing a highly competitive platform for talent development with a distinctly national flair.

In 2022, we will be launching eight new EMEA VRLs in:

  • Spain (Players from Portugal and Italy are also eligible to compete in this league) operated by LVP
  • France (Players within Benelux are also eligible to compete in this league) operated by Freaks 4U Gaming
  • UK, Ireland & Nordics operated by Promod Esports
  • Poland + EE (Players from Israel are also eligible to compete in this league) operated by FRENZY
  • CIS operated by GIG Me
  • MENA operated by Calyx Gaming
  • Turkey operated by ESA Esports
  • DACH operated by Freaks 4U Gaming

Each league will be operated by our partner organisers and will run for two stages across the year, with a regular season and playoffs crowning a champion in each league. A certain number of the participating teams will be decided through VRL open qualifiers, at least once per season. At the end of stage one, the winner of each VRL will qualify for the VCT Promotion Tournament. In stage 2, each VRL winner will then qualify for the VRL EMEA finals.

Note: The number of VRL qualifiers and available spots may vary based on the results of the aforementioned VCT promotion tournament

The new VRLs will provide highly-skilled players with deeply satisfying competitive experiences, as well as giving them the rare opportunity to improve their skills in a structured ecosystem that fosters healthy, top-level competition.

On top of this, VRLs offer keen VALORANT fans the chance to celebrate and cheer on their national teams as they go head-to-head with the rest of EMEA.

The 2022 VRL season will kick-off with qualifiers on January 24, with the first split beginning the week of February 14.

Stay tuned and get ready to show your regional pride as teams battle it out to become their national champions!

GAME CHANGERS EMEA

After an incredible year for the Game Changers initiative across the globe, our teams have proven they are #HERETOSLAY, – and now it’s time to show that VCT Game Changers EMEA is here to stay!

We’re planning three exciting VCT Game Changers EMEA series in 2022, kicking-off in January with the remaining two taking place in May and September. Teams who succeed in these events will qualify for a place in the Global Game Changers event planned for November.

We’re also introducing the Game Changers EMEA Academy, a place for new teams and friends to compete in a safe space in up to six tournaments throughout the year. We’re excited to see brand new faces bring the fire to our Game Changers tournaments, be bold and stake your claim!

Game Changers is an important platform for our women players – the start of their path to pro. So, to encourage these teams to aim higher than ever before, the VCT Game Changers EMEA 2022 circuit will run parallel to the series within the wider EMEA ecosystem avoiding any overlaps where possible, allowing our teams to compete in both the Game Changers tournaments alongside the VRL’s and VCT open qualifiers.

To our Game Changers community – this is your time. Your platform. The world is listening. Bring the fire.

VRCS

From 2022 onwards, we want to make sure we’re helping to develop and promote grassroots VALORANT talent across the region. With this goal in mind, we’ll be starting to roll out a series of new competitions specifically for these players called VALORANT Regional Circuits (VRCs).

We hope that these circuits will help elevate EMEA’s thriving amateur competitive ecosystem to new heights. They’ll provide players of all skill levels with a chance to experience the thrill of organised competition and prove themselves against other competitors in their region.

The typical circuit will give local players the opportunity to compete in individual competitions throughout the season, and earn circuit points for their team. At the end of the season, the teams with the most points will then battle it out in an effort to become the circuit champions.

Over the course of next year, players will see these Regional Circuits popping up across EMEA, with the hope that, in time, players all over EMEA will have a VRC to compete in.

BROADCASTING AND VIEWERSHIP

In 2022 we are significantly ramping up the number of VALORANT Esports competitions being broadcast in the EMEA region. Fans will be able to tune in and watch a huge number of VALORANT Esports competitions, including:

  • VCT Qualifiers
  • VCT Regular Season Stages 1 and 2
  • VCT Masters Stages 1 and 2
  • VCT Promotion Tournament
  • The EMEA Last Chance Qualifier
  • VCT Champions 2022
  • Three EMEA Game Changers Tournaments
  • All eight VALORANT Regional Leagues
  • The VRL Finals

As an absolute minimum, we will be broadcasting all VCT events in eight languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Turkish, and Polish, Arabic. We will continue to update the community on any other languages we’ll be broadcasting in closer to the time of the event.

As we continue to work hard to further grow this burgeoning esport and reach a wider audience, we hope this new format will give certainty to fans and players alike as to how VALORANT esports in EMEA will look across the year. We truly believe that through this new ecosystem, we can build deeper engagement between teams and players, discover the future of VALORANT talent, and build up a lifelong fanbase.

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Hero Esports Announces Venues for ACL Grand Finals 2025

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1 day ago

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April 25, 2025

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Hero Esports, an industry leader and the largest esports company in Asia, has announced its championship venues for the Asian Champions League (ACL) Grand Finals 2025 taking place May 16-18 in Shanghai. The landmark event will transform three of the city’s most iconic venues into battlegrounds for nine premier esports titles, cementing Shanghai’s status as the global esports capital.

The tournament is expected to attract 80,000+ live attendees across three venues, with global broadcasts reaching millions via Twitch, YouTube and TikTok. Participating teams will be competing for a total prize pool of $2 million. Selected ACL winners will earn direct entry to the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia—the largest esports event in history due to take place from July to August.

“Shanghai’s selection as our host city reflects its unmatched esports infrastructure and passionate community. By combining elite competition with DreamHack’s festival energy, we’re creating a new blueprint for global esports events,” said Jonny Wang, CEO of ACL.

“This is Hero Esports’ most ambitious project to date. The ACL bridges Asian talents with the world stage while delivering unforgettable fan experiences through cutting-edge production,” said Danny Tang, Co-Founder & CEO of Hero Esports.

The post Hero Esports Announces Venues for ACL Grand Finals 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Esports World Cup Foundation Confirms Full Game Lineup, Schedule, and Club Championship Rules for EWC 2025

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1 week ago

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April 17, 2025

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

 

200 Clubs, 2,000 players, 25 tournaments across 24 games, and a $70M+ prize pool set the stage for the largest celebration of competitive excellence and esports fandom

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has finalized the full lineup of games, tournament schedule and Club Championship rules for the Esports World Cup 2025 (EWC), the world’s largest esports event, set to return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 through August 24. This summer, over 2,000 elite players and 200 top Clubs from more than 100 countries will battle across 25 tournaments in 24 games, for a record-breaking $70+ million life-changing prize pool, the largest in esports history.

The Esports World Cup 2025 will once again unite gaming and esports communities for a global competition that will crown the next Esports World Cup Club Champion, while elevating esports as a global sport and driving long-term growth for the entire ecosystem.

The confirmed EWC 2025 game lineup will include iconic esports titles spanning fan-favorite shooters, battle royales, MOBAs, fighting games, and chess. New additions — CROSSFIRE, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves, chess and VALORANT — join the prestigious lineup of returning titles, making this the most diverse and competitive EWC yet.

With the schedule locked, the stage is set for seven weeks of world-class competition. The initial wave of tickets are now on sale, and the countdown is on for the biggest celebration of esports, kicking off with the EWC Festival on July 7. Below is the schedule for each EWC tournament.

Week 1 (July 8–13):
VALORANT featured at 2025 Esports World Cup (July 8-13), Apex Legends at 2025 Esports World Cup 10–13), FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves at 2025 Esports World Cup (July 10–12),  Rennsport at 2025 Esports World Cup (July 8–11), Dota 2 at 2025 Esports World Cup – Week 1 (July 8-13)

Week 2 (July 15–20):
League of Legends featured at 2025 Esports World Cup (July 16–20), Free Fire at 2025 Esports World Cup (July 16–20), Dota 2 at 2025 Esports World Cup – Week 2 (July 17–19), Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Women’s Invitational at 2025 Esports World Cup (July 15–19), Honor of Kings World Cup at 2025 Esports World Cup  – Week 1 (July 15–20)

Week 3 (July 22–27):
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 at 2025 Esports World Cup (July 24–27), PUBG MOBILE World Cup at 2025 Esports World Cup – Week 1 (July 25-27),  Honor of Kings World Cup at 2025 Esports World Cup  – Week 2 (July 23-26), StarCraft II at 2025 Esports World Cup (July 22–25), Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Mid Season Cup at 2025 Esports World Cup – Week 1 (July 23–27)

Week 4 (July 29–August 3):
Overwatch Champions Series: MidSeason Championship at 2025 Esports World Cup (July 31–August 3), PUBG MOBILE World Cup at 2025 Esports World Cup – Week 2 (July 29-30 / August 1–3), Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Mid Season Cup at 2025 Esports World Cup – Week 2 (July 30–August 2), Chess at EWC 25 (July 29–August 1)

Week 5 (August 7–10):
EA SPORTS FC 25 at 2025 Esports World Cup (August 7–10), Call of Duty: Warzone at 2025 Esports World Cup (August 6–9), TOM CLANCY’S RAINBOW SIX SIEGE X at 2025 Esports World Cup (August 7–9)

Week 6 (August 11–17):
Rocket League featured at 2025 Esports World Cup (August 14–17), PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS at 2025 Esports World Cup (August 12–16), TEKKEN 8 at 2025 Esports World Cup (August 13–16), Teamfight Tactics featured at 2025 Esports World Cup (August 14–15)

Week 7 (August 19–24):
Counter-Strike 2 at 2025 Esports World Cup (August 21–24), Street Fighter 6 at 2025 Esports World Cup (August 20–23), CROSSFIRE at 2025 Esports World Cup (August 19–23)

EWC 2025 will unfold across four dedicated arenas, each spotlighting one game at a time to deliver the best fan experience. Select titles will host Last Chance Qualifiers in the Festival zone — giving players one final shot at advancing to the main stage.

The Esports World Cup has introduced a refined tournament schedule to enhance viewership across its expanded lineup. Finals will now take place on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays – reducing overlap and ensuring dedicated coverage for each title. Tickets for EWC 2025 are now available to purchase at esportsworldcup.com.

The total $70+ million prize pool is allocated across the Club Championship, Game Championships, MVP Awards, and EWC Qualifiers. Out of this, $27 million is dedicated to the EWC Club Championship — an innovative cross-game format that rewards the top 16 Clubs for their performance across multiple titles, with $7 million reserved for the 2025 champion. Game Championships will feature their own prize pools, totaling over $38 million combined, while standout players will compete for a share of the $450,000 MVP Award pool.

Open to all participating organizations, the Club Championship awards points for top-eight finishes across tournaments. To claim the title, Clubs must secure at least two top-eight placements and win at least one tournament. New for 2025, joint ventures — collaborations between two distinct organizations on a specific roster — will be ineligible for points, with Clubs required to compete under one aligned name throughout the EWC to qualify. The Club that shows both consistency and competitive excellence across the entire EWC calendar, will be crowned the Esports World Cup Club Champion at the EWC 2025 closing ceremony on August 24, 2025.

At EWC 2024, Team Falcons dominated with 5,665 points and three tournament wins to claim the $7 million Club Championship. Team Liquid and Team BDS followed in second and third, with 2,545 and 2,000 points respectively. The top 10 also featured some of the biggest names in global esports: Gaimin Gladiators, T1, Virtus.pro, Team Vitality, Twisted Minds, Gen.G, and LOUD — all delivering standout performances across multiple titles, setting the stage for EWC 2025.

The post Esports World Cup Foundation Confirms Full Game Lineup, Schedule, and Club Championship Rules for EWC 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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BETBY LAUNCHES INDUSTRY-FIRST ESPORTS BETTING TIPS, ENHANCING WIDEST SPORTS COVERAGE IN THE MARKET

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1 week ago

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April 16, 2025

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BETBY, a leading provider of innovative sportsbook solutions, has announced a major update to its Betting Tips feature, introducing insights for esports. This industry-first addition positions BETBY as the supplier with the widest betting tips coverage in the iGaming market, enhancing the player experience by delivering data-driven tips that help bettors make more informed and confident decisions.

Part of BETBY’s award-winning AI Labs suite of tools, Betting Tips will provide insights derived from the latest news, key team and player statistics, and other relevant information for popular titles such as Counter-Strike. Betting Tips will cover all major esports tournaments for supported titles, based on betting volume and regardless of the event tier, ensuring comprehensive industry-wide coverage.

In addition to expanding into esports, Betting Tips now delivers significantly improved tip quality. Around 99% of all tips now include a relevant supporting fact or statistic, resulting in clearer, more actionable insights. These enhancements contribute to a more engaging and valuable experience for both operators and bettors.

The integration of esports into Betting Tips reflects BETBY’s commitment to innovation and adaptability in the rapidly evolving betting landscape. The introduction of esports betting tips is also expected to drive higher conversion rates, providing operators with a valuable tool to engage esports enthusiasts more effectively.

To maximize accessibility, Betting Tips will be available in 25 languages: English, Portuguese (Brazilian and European), Spanish, Turkish, Russian, German, Japanese, French, Italian, Kazakh, Azerbaijani, Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Estonian, Finnish, Arabic, Chinese, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Latvian, Polish, Romanian, and Georgian. This multilingual support ensures a seamless experience for operators and bettors worldwide.

“Integrating esports into our Betting Tips marks a significant milestone in our mission to provide comprehensive and innovative solutions to our clients,” said Danil Emelyanov, Head of BETBY’s AI Labs. “As the esports industry continues to grow worldwide, we recognize the importance of offering tailored insights that cater to this dynamic market. This expansion not only reinforces our commitment to innovation but also solidifies our position as a leader in the sports betting sector.

In addition to expanding into esports, Betting Tips continues to offer intelligent insights across a wide range of traditional sports, including Soccer, Ice Hockey, Basketball, Tennis, Cricket, American Football, Handball, Volleyball, Baseball, and Table Tennis. This ensures that operators can engage bettors across all major sports verticals.

The post BETBY LAUNCHES INDUSTRY-FIRST ESPORTS BETTING TIPS, ENHANCING WIDEST SPORTS COVERAGE IN THE MARKET appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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