Connect with us

eSports

The Largest Esports Championships Come to an End

Published

on

Reading Time: 3 minutes

 

The International Esports Federation (IESF) concluded the 14th World Esports Championships Finals, after ten days of thrilling competition, social programs, and a spectacular medal ceremony in Bali, Indonesia.

Over 600 players representing a historic 105 countries competed at the 14th WE Championships across six games: CS:GO, Dota 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, eFootball ™  2023, Tekken 7, and PUBG Mobile. After the national and regional qualifiers, play-in stages, finals, and Grand Finals, 7 teams emerged triumphant, winning the $500,000 prize pool. Indonesia shocked the world by winning three of the seven titles and as a result becoming the 2022 WE Champion Nation.

The 492 hours of fierce competition currently has surpassed 10 million views from a record-breaking 497 matches, also reaching more than 3 million views on TikTok and 185.4 M impressions across other social media platforms. The final detailed media report has been commissioned to Nielsen to understand the full reach of the 53 clean feeds provided for localized broadcasting.

During the Closing Ceremony, the winners were crowned and all of the athletes were celebrated for their endurance and sportsmanship. The re-elected president of IESF Vlad Marinescu presented the champions with the WE Championships trophy and delivered closing remarks to conclude the historic event.

IESF President Vlad Marinescu said in his speech: “Congratulations to Indonesia for hosting the Esports Family and becoming the 2022 WE Champion Nation, and our gold medalists; Indonesia, Kazakhstan, North Macedonia, Pakistan, and Poland. We are grateful to experience the Bali hospitality and grateful to the nation for making History! IESF’s values of respect, friendship, and courage were on full display throughout these ten days of competition. We thank the athletes for their passion and human values displayed  at the World Esports Championships Finals – you have broken barriers and borders displaying the union and unity between 105 competing nations, Bali we have made History!”

Indonesia’s passion for esports energized every competition, with emotional and enthusiastic athletes, families, and fans gathering together to cheer on all of the action, particularly the first-ever women’s CS:GO tournament, which proved to be a significant step towards creating more opportunities for women in esports and building a more inclusive World Esports Family.

At the conclusion of the Closing Ceremony, Bali officially handed over hosting rights to Iași, Romania, who will host the 15th WE Championships Finals in 2023. The next edition of IESF’s flagship event is set to feature over 130 nations and 800 athletes. This marks the second time Romania will host IESF’s flagship event.. Iași is the historical capital of Romania and is well-known as home to multiple prestigious universities. The city offers an exciting opportunity for IESF to engage with a new generation of esports fans and grow the World Esports Family.

IESF General Secretary Boban Totovski said: “Esports has the power to empower and unite people. The Flag Handover Ceremony from Bali  to Iasi is a beautiful representation of this and IESF’s vision of a united World Esports. The culturally rich and youth-centric city is ready to welcome the World Esports Family. Iași has our full confidence and support to deliver an exceptional championship in 2023.”

Iași Deputy Mayor Daniel Juravle said:  “Iasi is a dynamic and full of energy city. We have the youngest population in Romania, a creative youth passionate about everything esports entails. As a city that is the heart of culture and history in Romania and at the same time an IT&C hub in remarkable growth, we have all the prerequisites to organize the 15th edition of the WE Championships in a memorable way. We are excited to develop together the future of the esports industry with the International Esports Federations!”

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Asia

Esports Returns to Singapore with BLAST’s Dota 2 Arena Event After Sellout Counter-Strike World Final 2024

Published

on

Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

  • BLAST Dota Slam Singapore to take place this November at Singapore Indoor Stadium in partnership with Singapore Tourism Board and AEG Presents Asia

  • The world’s best Dota teams will meet in Singapore from 4th – 9th November 2025 to compete for a prize pool of $1,000,000 at the first ever BLAST Slam arena event 

Esports entertainment company BLAST has announced the return of its world-class events to Singapore with the BLAST Dota Slam Singapore, set to take place in November 2025 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB).

This announcement follows the sellout success of the BLAST Premier World Final 2024, which marked BLAST’s Southeast Asia debut and saw more than ten-thousand fans pack out the Resorts World Convention Centre to witness the world’s top Counter-Strike teams compete for the $1 million prize pool.

Building on that momentum, Singapore will now host the BLAST Dota Slam arena event, teaming up with AEG Presents Asia again to bring together the world’s best Dota teams to battle it out for $1,000,000 in front of a live audience and millions of fans tuning in globally across 50+ territories and in 12 languages.

The BLAST Dota Slam Singapore is the latest milestone in BLAST’s global expansion into Dota 2, and reinforces Singapore’s growing reputation as a premier destination for sports and live entertainment. It marks the second consecutive year the city-state has hosted a BLAST arena tournament, following the successful Counter-Strike event in 2024.

James Woollard, Director of Market Development at BLAST, said: “Singapore delivered one of the most passionate esports crowds we’ve ever seen during last year’s BLAST Premier World Final. We’re thrilled to be returning with our next major arena show – this time for Dota 2 – and to once again partner with the Singapore Tourism Board and AEG Presents Asia to help to further grow Southeast Asia’s esports ecosystem. The response to our events in Singapore has been incredible, and this November’s Dota Slam promises to be another landmark moment for fans and for the region. Singapore has an impressive history and pedigree for the biggest international sporting events, supported by STB, and BLAST is proud to be building on this with the biggest esports events.”

Ms Lilian Chee, Director, Sports, Singapore Tourism Board, said: “We are delighted to welcome BLAST back to Singapore, this time with the Dota Slam. Building on the success of the BLAST Premier World Final, this event further reinforces Singapore’s reputation as a world-class destination for sports and live entertainment. We look forward to welcoming the passionate fans, players and partners once again to our vibrant city.”

BLAST’s return to Singapore is set to shine a global spotlight on the city while delivering significant economic benefits and meaningful destination marketing. With an estimated economic impact in the tens of millions, the tournament further demonstrates how esports events are evolving into major cultural and economic drivers for host cities – on par with large-scale traditional international sporting events.

With Singapore, Rio, London, Austin, and Lyon among the major destinations on BLAST’s global calendar this year, it is evident that governments, cities and tourism bodies are recognising the power of esports to attract young and engaged visitors, create jobs, and drive international visibility.

The post Esports Returns to Singapore with BLAST’s Dota 2 Arena Event After Sellout Counter-Strike World Final 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

eSports

BETER Names Adam Conway as General Manager of Esports Business Division

Published

on

beter-names-adam-conway-as-general-manager-of-esports-business-division
Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

Seasoned esports professional joins fast-betting content provider, bringing over 20 years of trading and product experience to elevate its offering

BETER, an award-winning provider of fast-betting content, data, and live streaming for esports and sports, has appointed former SIS senior executive Adam Conway as its new General Manager of Esports Business Division, significantly strengthening the company’s position in the market.

Conway is a highly accomplished manager in the betting industry, with more than 20 years of experience in overseeing and launching successful product portfolios.

Adam joins BETER following a ten-year tenure at SIS, where he held various positions—from Head of Trading to Global Head of Esports and Competitive Gaming. Before SIS, he held roles at several companies, including Head of Trading at betting powerhouse Ladbrokes.

As Esports General Manager at BETER, Adam will be responsible for strengthening the provider’s leadership in the fast-betting domain, as well as developing and expanding the number of in-house events for the company’s flagship ESportsBattle tournaments, which currently feature disciplines such as eFootball, eBasketball, and eHockey.

Conway will spearhead the development of new disciplines—eCricket and eTennis are set to launch soon—and focus on enhancing relationships with existing clients while establishing new partnerships.

Adam will lead a team of over 200 specialists and 500 professional athletes, delivering more than 500,000 esports events annually across four countries. He will also work closely with key industry bodies, including the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) and the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA).

Gal Ehrlich, CEO at BETER, said: “Adam’s background in esports is unmatched, and we are thrilled to have him on board as we continue to enhance our esports offering, especially our flagship ESportsBattle tournaments.

“We’re already the go-to provider for fast-betting content, data, and live streaming in esports and sports. With Adam as our Esports General Manager, we’re confident we’ll strengthen that leadership and further distance ourselves from the competition.

“We’re excited to welcome Adam and look forward to the significant value his expertise will bring to our partners worldwide.”

Adam Conway, Esports General Manager at BETER, added: “It’s an honour to join BETER and contribute my extensive experience in trading and product development to such a pioneering company.

“BETER is the undisputed market leader, and I’m excited to help ensure it remains at the forefront—delivering exceptional products to operator partners and bettors alike.”

The post BETER Names Adam Conway as General Manager of Esports Business Division appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

eSports

StarLadder to Host 2025 CS2 Major in Budapest’s 20,000-Seat MVM Dome

Published

on

starladder-to-host-2025-cs2-major-in-budapest’s-20,000-seat-mvm-dome
Reading Time: 2 minutes

 

StarLadder today announced that it will host the second Counter-Strike 2 Major of 2025 in Budapest, Hungary, culminating in a four-day Playoff stage inside the MVM Dome – one of the largest and most advanced esports venues in Europe, and one of the biggest CS2 Major venues to date.

The event will run from November 24 to December 14, featuring the world’s top 32 Counter-Strike 2 teams competing for a $1.25 million prize pool and one of the most prestigious titles in the esports world.

Kicking off on November 24, the early stages of the tournament will take place at Budapest’s MTK Sportpark, a recently upgraded venue with seating for 2,000 spectators. This modern, esports-ready venue offers fans a unique opportunity to get close to the action and experience high-level Counter-Strike in the vibrant atmosphere of an offline setting.

From December 11 to 14, the tournament moves to the MVM Dome for the playoffs. With 20,000 seats and cutting-edge production capabilities, the Dome will deliver a stadium-scale experience – featuring record-breaking LED setups, immersive lighting, and arena-wide special effects crafted to elevate the show for every fan on site. Set against the backdrop of Budapest’s iconic pre-Christmas charm, the Major will offer not just world-class esports, but also a chance for fans to experience one of Europe’s most vibrant cities during its most magical season.

“ Hosting another Major is an incredible honor, and we’re determined to make it unforgettable,” said Roman Romantsov, CEO of StarLadder. “Budapest gives us the perfect stage to push the boundaries of what a live CS2 event can look and feel like. From day one to the Grand Finals, we’re building something that fans – both in the arena and watching around the world – will remember. We invite every Counter-Strike fan to be part of this iconic moment with us.”

The post StarLadder to Host 2025 CS2 Major in Budapest’s 20,000-Seat MVM Dome appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Trending