eSports
FIBA and EFG agree long term cooperation and launch eFIBA Season 1
ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) and FIBA (International Basketball Federation), announced the inaugural season of FIBA’s official NBA® 2K23 tournament: eFIBA Season 1.
eFIBA has had three successful editions of FIBA Esports Open in 2020 and 2021 and Season 1 has now been launched across social media.
“We are excited about the upcoming tip-off of the eFIBA Season 1, FIBA’s eBasketball tournament on NBA2K23, and our collaboration with EFG,” said FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis. “These upcoming seven tournaments will provide National Federations with the opportunity to compete against the best eBasketball national teams in the world, building on the momentum created from the FIBA Esports Open events in 2020 and 2021.”
“The NBA2K community and game is in the top 3 sports game titles globally.” said Roger Lodewick, President Sports Games at EFG. “We’re therefore thrilled to start this long term cooperation with FIBA and develop and serve the eFIBA community. It will enable us to complement the NBA2K offering with competitive national team eBasketball and provide the community with bold and entertaining online and in person events.”
The tournament consists of 7 online regional events across all 4 FIBA Regions (Europe, Americas, Asia and Africa).
Regional Qualifiers
– January 20th: eFIBA 2023 Qualifiers Asia
– January 21st: eFIBA 2023 Qualifiers Africa
– January 22nd: eFIBA 2023 Qualifiers Europe
Regional Finals
– January 24th: eFIBA 2023 Finals Asia (Middle East & South East Asia)
– January 24th: eFIBA 2023 Finals Africa
– January 25th: eFIBA 2023 Finals Americas (North & South America)
– January 25th: eFIBA 2023 Finals Europe
A total of 30 National Federations are divided into six conferences and will be competing for the title of Conference Champions throughout the very intense inaugural season.
PARTICIPATING NATIONS
AFRICA: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Madagascar, Morocco, Tunisia
AMERICAS: Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Puerto Rico
ASIA: Qatar, Indonesia, Lebanon, Mongolia, Philippines, Saudi Arabia
EUROPE: Belgium, Cyprus, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine
Each Nation Federation is represented by a team of a minimum of five players, each playing their own personal in-game avatar.
Several of the FIBA Esports Open 2021 champion Nations are participating in the inaugural season of eFIBA and they will need to bring their A-game. The 30 participating Nations will bring the very best NBA 2K23 players in the world and Season 1 will undoubtedly bring out the emotions of frustration, joy and everything in-between.
The eFIBA Season 1 will be all about national pride as the very best players from each of the 30 participating nations fight it out on the court to gain glory for their own country.
Make sure you don’t miss a beat by checking out the eFIBA_official channels on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.
eFIBA Season 1 can be followed on the Region event websites in Africa, the Americas (North and South), Asia (Middle East & South East Asia) and Europe. Broadcasts will be live on Twitch and YouTube via FIBA.
For more general information, visit eslfaceitgroup.com or follow ESL FACEIT Group and ESL on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Asia
Banijay Asia and NODWIN Gaming form Strategic Partnership to Amplify Youth Engagement in India

Banijay Asia, a part of Banijay Entertainment, and NODWIN Gaming, a material subsidiary of Nazara Technologies, today announced a strategic partnership to revolutionize esports, gaming and youth entertainment in India. This collaboration marks a significant step in blending cutting-edge content with the booming gaming and youth culture ecosystem. As part of this alliance, Banijay Asia will take the helm in producing Playground, NODWIN Gaming’s flagship gaming reality show that has redefined the intersection of gaming, entertainment, and influencer culture in the region. The partnership will also bring new scripted and captive reality shows to daylight, with both companies co-developing new intellectual properties (IPs) and pioneering fresh content concepts across gaming, esports and youth culture.
Deepak Dhar, Founder & Group CEO – Banijay Asia & Endemol Shine India, commented, “This collaboration with NODWIN Gaming is an exciting extension of our vision to create content that resonates with evolving youth audiences. Gaming is not just a sport; it’s a culture, a lifestyle, and a massive content opportunity. With Playground and our upcoming IPs, we aim to redefine engagement and storytelling in this space.” He further added, “I look forward to the creative collaboration with Akshat Rathee, and Joost Roset who we previously worked with, in bringing iconic global IPs to India. This is an invaluable opportunity to create clutter-breaking formats in the youth and gaming space.”
With a diverse portfolio of high-impact IPs including the televised esports tournament – BGMI Masters Series (BGMS), Comic Con India, NH7 Weekender, and more, NODWIN Gaming is a key player in the gaming, esports and youth entertainment ecosystem.
Talking about the partnership, Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder & MD, NODWIN Gaming, said, “Youth entertainment is evolving rapidly, and our partnership with Banijay Asia positions us perfectly to lead that change. With Playground, we’ve just begun to explore what’s possible. Backed by Banijay’s global expertise, we’re now set to scale the IP across multiple languages and markets, with the ambition of building an international format. At the heart of our approach is our philosophy of ‘timeshare of mindshare’. We’re not just creating content, we’re creating cultural moments. The Rusk creative team will stay actively involved as we expand the universe of Playground, aiming to grow from one show to between five and ten each year. This is just the beginning of a bold new chapter in gaming and youth content.”
With gaming emerging as one of the most influential youth-driven industries, this partnership is poised to set new benchmarks in how gaming and entertainment are consumed in India. By leveraging Banijay Asia’s expertise in content creation and NODWIN Gaming’s deep-rooted understanding of gaming communities, the collaboration promises to push creative boundaries and capture the imagination of young audiences nationwide.
Banijay Entertainment has strong expertise in the gaming space, via its global distribution arm Banijay Rights, with successful gaming activations leveraging key brands including Peaky Blinders, Black Mirror, Simon’s Cat and MasterChef.
The post Banijay Asia and NODWIN Gaming form Strategic Partnership to Amplify Youth Engagement in India appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Esportes da Sorte
Esportes Gaming Brasil, the group behind Esportes da Sorte and Onabet, announces Hugo Baungartner as Executive Director for Institutional Relations and Partnerships
The executive will focus on expanding the group’s presence in Brazil’s regulated market, with an emphasis on institutional engagement, new business, and compliance.
Esportes Gaming Brasil, the group composed of Esportes da Sorte and Onabet, announces the appointment of Hugo Baungartner as its new Executive Director of Institutional Relations and Strategic Partnerships (Chief Business Officer – CBO). He joins the company’s leadership team with the mission of strengthening institutional engagement with public authorities, regulatory bodies, and strategic partners, as well as driving the continued expansion of the group in Brazil.
Baungartner will be responsible for liaising with institutions such as the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA/MF), the Federal Revenue Service, the Central Bank, and COAF, as well as certification bodies and accredited laboratories. His responsibilities also include preparing the company for developments in the regulatory landscape.
“Hugo’s arrival strengthens our ability to act strategically in a constantly evolving sector. He brings an experienced, technical perspective aligned with the principles of governance and innovation that guide our group’s companies,” said Darwin Filho, CEO of Esportes Gaming Brasil.
“Brazil is going through a crucial moment in regulating the sector, and being at the forefront of this movement with such a relevant group is a challenge that truly motivates me. Our goal is to ensure our operations not only meet legal requirements but also serve as a benchmark for best practices, innovation, and sustainable growth,” said Hugo Baungartner.
With over 28 years of experience in the technology and gaming sectors, Baungartner will also be responsible for developing partnerships with global providers, evaluating merger and acquisition opportunities (M&A), and structuring new projects with full legal and regulatory compliance. He previously held leadership roles at companies such as Grupo Aposta Ganha, RCT Gaming, and Prohards.
The post Esportes Gaming Brasil, the group behind Esportes da Sorte and Onabet, announces Hugo Baungartner as Executive Director for Institutional Relations and Partnerships appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
eSports
GeoGuessr Joins the Esports World Cup Festival 2025

The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) and GeoGuessr announced that GeoGuessr will join the Esports World Cup Festival tournament program, a new series of competitive events held alongside the Esports World Cup 2025 (EWC). The Esports World Cup and its accompanying EWC Festival will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 through August 24.
The EWC Festival will play host to a Last Chance Wildcard Tournament for the 2025 GeoGuessr World Championship. Taking place during Week 3 (July 21–27), the last chance tournament will feature a $20,000 prize pool and award two spots for the GeoGuessr World Championship later this year in Copenhagen on August 29–30. 16 of the top ranked GeoGuessr players will be invited to compete for the final two places on the global stage.
Celebrated for transforming online exploration into a competitive experience, GeoGuessr joins the EWC Festival as a global fan favorite. Launched in 2013, the geography-based guessing game gained worldwide momentum in 2020, similar to Chess, which also debuts at EWC 2025 this year. Since then, GeoGuessr has attracted millions of players to its browser-based and Steam platforms, connecting players through exploration of countries, continents, and cultures. Using the widely recognized Google Street View, GeoGuessr makes exploring the world accessible to all.
“We’re excited to welcome GeoGuessr to the Esports World Cup 2025 as part of our EWC Festival tournament program,” said Fabian Scheuermann, Chief Games Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation. “Few games have captured the imagination of players around the world quite like it – its blend of exploration, puzzle solving, and fast-paced competition has turned it into a global phenomenon. Together, we are bringing GeoGuessr’s official tournament to the Middle East to grow global ecosystems, expand opportunities for players and fans, and showcase the diversity of modern competitive gaming on the world’s biggest stage.”
Since launching the official GeoGuessr World Championship in 2023, the game has further elevated itself into a professional esport, with elite players and creators drawing global audiences across competitive circuits and livestreams.
The inclusion of GeoGuessr at EWC represents a major milestone for the game’s competitive scene, placing it alongside iconic titles and opening new opportunities to reach players and fans worldwide. The EWCF remains committed to providing games with strong communities and competitive potential the platform to grow and thrive.
The Esports World Cup Festival is a global celebration of gaming and esports culture. From esports tournaments and live music stages to retro arcades, anime cafes, cosplay shows and creator studios, the EWC Festival invites millions to explore and play together in the heart of Riyadh during the Esports World Cup.
The Esports World Cup 2025 will feature 2,000 elite players and 200 Clubs from over 100 countries, competing in 25 tournaments across 24 games for a record-breaking $70+ million prize pool.
The post GeoGuessr Joins the Esports World Cup Festival 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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