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eSports
Everything you need to know as UK players battle with the world’s best in London at Red Bull Golden Letters, the unique Tekken 7 LAN event
This weekend, Red Bull Golden Letters will see scores of the UK’s best Tekken 7 players descend on London’s Red Bull Gaming Sphere to compete for a chance to play the very best in the world on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th March.
The LAN event, streamed live from the Red Bull Gaming Sphere and hosted by UK Tekken caster Hassan “Spag” Farooq, will also feature Red Bull’s Tekken superstar Hoa ‘Anakin’ Luu, widely recognised as one of the best fighting game players in the world.
A landmark event for the fighting game scene, Red Bull Golden Letters promises fans a spectacle with a unique format that emphasises perfect plays and showing poise under pressure to earn ‘Perfect’ and ‘Great’ scores – Tekken’s iconic ‘Golden Letters’, that ramp up the stakes.
Here is all you need to know about Red Bull Golden Letters:
Open qualifiers will see 96 players from the UK battling it out against a packed field of challengers, professional players and Tekken superstars, aiming to beat the best in the world and be crowned Red Bull Golden Letters Champion.
The event at London’s Red Bull Gaming Sphere will feature Red Bull’s Tekken icon Hoa ‘Anakin’ Luu, alongside other pro players Super Akouma and Joey Fury, as UK players get a once-in-a-lifetime chance to play the very best live on stream and in person.
In typical Red Bull fashion, Red Bull Golden Letters switches up the traditional formula with a unique format that ramps up the drama and tension by rewarding perfect plays and poise under pressure.
In Red Bull Golden Letters, players who manage to achieve three ‘Perfect’ or ‘Great’ scores automatically win the entire set in the epic ‘First to Three’ clashes. Incentivising high risk for high reward plays, Golden Letters switches up the traditional Tekken gameplay for unforgettable matches and moments.
The event will feature even more mouth-watering action for Tekken 7 fanatics, with a five-on-five Europe Vs The World clash on Sunday, alongside a Legion: Beat the Pro challenge that gives players another chance to take on the Red Bull Players and win exclusive Legion by Lenovo prizes throughout the weekend.
Making the competition even more of a spectacle, one of Tekken’s favourite figures, Hassan “Spag” Farooq will be hosting the event’s broadcast live from the Red Bull Gaming Sphere.
Format
Red Bull Golden Letters’ unique format 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.
Players who manage to achieve three ‘Perfect’ or ‘Great’ scores automatically win the entire set in the epic ‘First to Three’ clashes, which incentivises high risk for high reward plays that shake up the format and gives fans more unforgettable matches and mouth-watering moments.
With 96 players entering from open qualifying, the field of competitors will be pitched against each other in intense bracket pools on day one, eventually whittling them down throughout the day to the top four players who will progress to the Championship Sunday.
Day two will see those four joined by well-known Tekken champions including Red Bull’s Anakin, leading to an epic Grand Finals to battle it out to be named Red Bull Golden Letters Champion.
The weekend will be punctuated with additional segments and challenges. The ‘Lenovo Legion: Beat the Pro’ challenges throughout the weekend will offer players a separate opportunity to take on the best Tekken players in the world for a chance to win exclusive Legion by Lenovo prizes.
Building excitement on day two ahead of the Quarter Finals, Tekken 7 fans will also be able to watch continents collide in a special exhibition match. Pitching five of Europe’s best players against the best the world has to offer, the 5-on-5 Europe versus The World match will see the likes of Anakin, Super Akouma and Joey Fury in a matchup for the ages
Schedule
Saturday March 26th:
- 11:30 GMT – Broadcast begins
- 12:00 GMT – Bracket Pools Wave 1
- 14:00 GMT – Bracket Pools Wave 2
- 16:00 GMT – Top 32 – Top 4 Knockout Rounds
Sunday March 27th:
- 12:30 BST – Broadcast begins
- 13:00 BST – Special Exhibition Match – 5-on-5 EU versus The World
- 14:00 BST until finish – Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and Grand Final
Broadcast
The LAN event will be hosted in London’s home of esports at the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in Shoreditch, and broadcast live on twitch.tv/redbull.
Saturday’s broadcast will begin at 11:30 on Saturday and Sunday.
Broadcast Talent
Host:
- Hassan ”Spag” Farooq
Casters:
- Rasheed “Bubsy” Jenkins
- Hussain “Gosain” Shah
- Kobi “K-Wiss” Scarlett
Partners
Red Bull Golden Letters is delivered in partnership with Lenovo Legion, official hardware partner of The Red Bull Gaming Sphere.
Asia
Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Strategic Partnership with Tencent
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Partnership to drive EWC’s expansion in China, leveraging Tencent E-sports’ networks and expertise to connect Chinese esports with EWC’s global ecosystem
The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) announced a partnership with Tencent, making Tencent E-sports the EWCF’s strategic partner in China to drive the expansion of the Esports World Cup’s presence in the region. This partnership marks a significant milestone in the EWCF’s purpose to unite global esports fans under one competitive umbrella and underscores its commitment to integrating the world’s most important and rapidly growing esports market into the Esports World Cup platform. The agreement was formalized at the Empower Esports Worldwide Series – The Esports Operation and Technology Session in Shenzhen, China.
The collaboration will establish a dedicated Development Team to enhance EWC’s visibility, engagement, and industry collaboration in China, while leveraging EWC’s and Tencent E-sports’ networks and expertise to connect Chinese esports with EWC’s global ecosystem. Tencent E-sports will provide marketing expertise, strategic consulting, and operational support to deliver diverse content and experiences.
“The Esports World Cup has created a global stage for competitive gaming, demonstrating its influence not only in China but across the world,” said Mars Hou, Vice President of Tencent Games and General Manager of Tencent E-sports. “Through this partnership, we are committed to elevating EWC’s presence in China and integrating our esports industry with the world’s largest competitive gaming event. We look forward to deepening our collaboration with EWCF to push esports forward on a global scale.”
“The Esports World Cup’s purpose is to create a global platform for esports and gaming fans worldwide, and investing in key growth markets for esports is a core pillar of our mission,” said Thamer Al Shuaibi, Chief of Staff at the Esports World Cup Foundation. “China plays a critical role in this vision, and Tencent’s leadership in gaming and esports positions it as an essential partner. By combining our expertise, we will continue to strengthen esports as an industry, providing new opportunities for Chinese players and Clubs, and bringing the best of the Esports World Cup to Chinese fans.”
Esports World Cup 2025 will once again unite gaming and esports communities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a global competition that will crown the next Esports World Cup Champion. The tournament’s unique cross-game format will reward Clubs and players competing for a life-changing prize pool in a mix of platforms and genres, bringing together esports’ best players, Clubs and games under one banner in the largest-ever celebration of esports.
The post Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Strategic Partnership with Tencent appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Compliance Updates
ESIC Implemented its Anti-doping Testing Programme at IEM Katowice 2025
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The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) implemented its comprehensive anti-doping testing program at IEM Katowice 2025, organised by ESL FACEIT Group (EFG). Conducted at EFG’s request, this initiative reinforced the commitment of both organisations to maintaining the highest standards of competitive integrity in esports.
ESIC’s anti-doping procedures, carried out in accordance with the ESIC Anti-Doping Code, ensured that all participating competitors at IEM Katowice adhered to globally recognised best practices. The programme featured advanced testing protocols, thorough monitoring and rigorous enforcement measures, all designed to uphold fair competition.
“At ESIC, our mission is to protect the integrity of the esports ecosystem. By deploying our anti-doping testing at IEM Katowice 2025, we reaffirmed our dedication to supporting event organizers like EFG in hosting competitions where athletes compete responsibly and ethically,” Stephen Hanna, Chief Executive Officer of ESIC, said.
Over the past few years, ESIC has administered more than 700 anti-doping tests at major esports events, including those hosted by EFG. This extensive experience further cements ESIC’s reputation for providing industry-leading services that prioritise player welfare, competitive fairness and a culture of transparency.
“Protecting integrity is paramount for esports, which is why EFG and ESIC are constantly working together to ensure fair competition. ESIC have proven themselves to have the experience, as well as an advanced system that provides the credibility and peace of mind needed at one of our biggest and most prestigious events, IEM Katowice,” Carsten Kramer, Director of Tournament Management at EFG, said.
The post ESIC Implemented its Anti-doping Testing Programme at IEM Katowice 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
eSports
Abios partners with Kindred Group to provide full esports betting solutions
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New partnership will see Kambi’s Esports division deliver its full suite of esports products, including odds via Kambi’s Odds Feed+ API, to Kindred’s in-house sportsbook
Abios, a leading esports data and odds provider and part of Kambi Group, is pleased to announce a multi-year partnership with Kindred Group, one of the world’s leading online betting and gaming operators, to provide its full range of best-in-class esports betting solutions.
Abios will supply its complete esports package, including odds, data, widgets and always-on content, to Kindred’s Unibet and 32Red brands, providing the operator’s in-house sportsbook with unrivalled esports betting experiences.
Leveraging Kambi’s Odds Feed+ API, Abios will deliver its high-uptime odds feed which includes comprehensive esoccer and ebasketball coverage, as well as leading esports titles such as Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends, Dota 2 and VALORANT. Utilising automated modelling, Abios’ low latency odds feed utilises official tournament data to power leading features such as bet builder and player props.
The new agreement is in addition to the Esports odds service Abios currently provides to Kindred as part of Kambi’s Turnkey Sportsbook service.
Anton Janér, Managing Director and Co-founder of Abios, said: “We are delighted to strengthen our partnership with Unibet and the wider Kindred Group, a leader in the global sports betting and gaming market. This agreement showcases the value of Abios’ full esports odds packages and our ability to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of operators and enables them to reach new audiences through the growth of esports.”
Ben Colley, Sportsbook Director of Kindred Group, added: “Esports continues to grow in popularity, and it’s essential that we offer our customers the best possible experience in this exciting category. Extending our partnership with Abios via Kambi’s Odds Feed+ API and leveraging their deep expertise and esports odds solutions ensures we remain at the forefront of esports betting, delivering unparalleled products and services to our players.”
The post Abios partners with Kindred Group to provide full esports betting solutions appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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