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AyoRichie emerges victorious at Red Bull Golden Letters after incredible upsets against Tekken’s biggest stars

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Richie “AyoRichie” Olusanya has been crowned Red Bull Golden Letters champion, overcoming Joey Fury in the Grand Final after a weekend of tense Tekken 7 action at the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in London.

AyoRichie won out at the new Tekken 7 LAN event, which was broadcast live from the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in London, staking a claim as one of the UK’s rising stars in Tekken as a series of outstanding performances saw them rise to the top of 100 aspiring and professional players.

The Brit proved a force to be reckoned with throughout the weekend, pulling off an unbelievable series of upsets over some of Tekken’s biggest stars to set up a tense Grand Final against Loser’s Bracket winner Joey Fury.

The Grand Final started as a tense affair where Joey Fury’s experience could stand out, as the American pulled off a clean sweep to take the first game and, despite signs of a recovering AyoRichie, shortly after took home the second, scoring a ‘Perfect’ in the process. The third was a closer affair but a confident Joey Fury capitalised to pull off a clean sweep in the set and confirm a Grand Final Reset with everything to play for.

In the second set, AyoRichie immediately took the advantage and displayed the incredible form he’d shown throughout the tournament, scoring a clutch ‘Great’ score that saw him gain enough momentum to take game one. The second game went all the way as the pair traded blows, and while AyoRichie’s momentum scooped him game two to put him within reach of the Championship, Joey Fury proved clutch in game three to take it to a pulse-racing fourth game.

With another game ramping up the tension, AyoRichie pressed his advantage in a brilliant display, securing a clean sweep to win the set and the Red Bull Golden Letters trophy.

The Championship Sunday played host to a series of epic matchups, after the Saturday had whittled down the field of 96 players to the four best players and saw Tekken 7 stars including Anakin, Super Akouma, Joey Fury & Chickenmaru entering the fray.

Despite the star-studded field of competitors, AyoRichie was the story of the tournament, battling through from Open Qualifiers with some excellent performances to reach the top eight. He reached another level on Championship Sunday as the Rize Gaming player pulled off surprise upsets against Super Akouma, Joey Fury and home-favourite Anakin to set up a Grand Final against Loser’s Bracket winner Joey Fury.

Following his amazing performance in the Grand Final, newly-crowned Red Bull Golden Letters Champion Richie “AyoRichie” Olusanya said: “I can’t describe the feeling of coming away with the win, I’ve been working so hard at the game and it’s finally paid off so I’m just excited to see what’s going to happen next.

“The [Golden Letters] format brings so much hype to it, the scoring can work against you but it’s sick and so great to watch and play in. It was unbelievable playing here in front of a live audience – with people cheering you on there’s nothing like it at all and that atmosphere definitely inspired some of the performances today.”

Red Bull Golden Letters pioneers a unique format that offers a fresh and scintillating twist to the classic Tekken 7 formula. In best of five sets, players who can carry out dominant wins or clutch plays and earn ‘Perfect’ or ‘Great’ scores – Tekken’s iconic golden letters – will reap the rewards with automatic wins.

The format helped inspire some unforgettable matches and mouth-watering moments as some of the best Tekken 7 pros showed off their poise under pressure, with a total of 14 Golden Letters victories throughout the competition..

Red Bull Golden Letters host Hassan “Spag” Farooq, commented after the Grand Final: “It’s great to see a UK player put in this kind of amazing performance on home turf at Red Bull Golden Letters. When he started out during the pandemic everyone in the UK could see he had potential for greatness but he’s proved it now with a huge breakout performance.

“Nothing like the Golden Letters format had been done before and it’s been a huge success, genuinely adding to the viewing experience and building up the hype even more for fans with some unforgettable moments, and we’re already hearing people want another one.”

As the Official Hardware Partner The ‘Legion by Lenovo: Beat the Pro’ challenge saw players compete against the best of the best for a chance to win exclusive Legion by Lenovo prizes, with five challengers taking a win against Tekken stars Anakin, Super Akouma, Joey Fury and Chickenmaru to take home exclusive Lenovo headsets. Tekken fans were also treated to additional mouth-watering clashes ahead of the Grand Final as continents collided in UK vs EU and UK vs The World special exhibition matches.

Tekken icon Hassan “Spag” Farooq was front and centre of yet another blockbuster Tekken event as the live broadcast host, supported by an all-star casting team of Rasheed “Bubsy” Jenkins, Hussain “Gosain” Shah and Kobi “K-Wiss” Scarlett. As one of the first major Tekken 7 LAN events of the year, the broadcast garnered over 18,000 concurrent viewers across all channels.

Red Bull Golden Letters was delivered in partnership with ​​Lenovo Legion, official hardware partner of The Red Bull Gaming Sphere.

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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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