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Six Formula 1 drivers to race in China Virtual Grand Prix

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Following the success of the second installment of the F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix, six Formula 1 drivers will battle it out at the Virtual Chinese Grand Prix this Sunday, 19th April at 18:00 BST. After winning the last race on his debut, Charles Leclerc will be out for victory once again, as he takes on his fellow Formula 1 competitors, George Russell, Antonio Giovinazzi, Lando Norris, Alex Albon and Nicholas Latifi on Sunday’s starting grid.

Alongside a star-studded grid of Formula 1 drivers, Real Madrid and Belgium international goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois makes his Virtual Grand Prix debut for Red Bull, with a host of other exciting names set to be announced over the coming days.

This weekend’s virtual Grand Prix is the third race in the new F1 Esports Virtual Grand Prix series, which gives fans the chance to watch Formula 1 races virtually during the ongoing COVID-19 situation.

This weekend’s Grand Prix will take place at the Shanghai International Circuit, China on the day when the official Formula 1 Heineken Chinese Grand Prix 2020 would have originally taken place. Drivers will join the race remotely, with a host broadcast live from the Gfinity Esports Arena from 6:00pm (BST) on Sunday April 19 – a change from previous weekends where races have started at 8:00pm.

The broadcast which will be available on the official Formula 1 YouTube, Twitch, Weibo and Facebook channels, is expected to run for 1 hour 30 minutes, with a qualifying period where grid positions will be determined based on the drivers’ fastest lap time, followed by a 28-lap race. The Virtual Grand Prix will also be broadcast live with international broadcast partners in over 100 countries including in the UK on Sky Sports and in the US on ESPN.

In addition to the Chinese Virtual Grand Prix, the F1 Esports Series China Championship will kick off its 2020 Season on Sunday with a Pre-season Event. The 2020 Season will retain much of the same structure with qualification, regional finals, and the Grand Final – but will see the introduction of a brand-new Pro League which was not part of the 2019 Season. The Pro League is a 22 race online championship following the same point scoring mechanic as the Formula One World Championship. The top ten racers from the Pro League driver standings will enter the Grand Final directly and compete with other racers from the regional finals for the chance to sign for an official F1 Esports team.

The Pre-season Event itself will include two online exhibition races. The first will be an All-Star race at Circuit de Monaco where top racers from the 2019 Season will put on a show, whilst the second will be a Pro League pre-season race at Shanghai International Circuit where the Pro League teams will get a chance to showcase their talents in front of fans.

This weekend’s F1 Esports Pro Exhibition race will precede the virtual Grand Prix – and is set to begin at 5:00pm (BST). The broadcast will be available on the official Formula 1 YouTube, Twitch and Facebook channels as well as selected TV broadcasters and is expected to run for 1 hour.

Julian Tan, Head of Digital Business Initiatives and Esports said:

“From an esports perspective, the last Virtual Grand Prix was one of our most successful events we’ve ever put on, so it’s great to be back and be able to continue building something that has proven hugely popular. It’s very important to us that we can give our fans something to look forward in these uncertain times, so to see such an impressive list of returning drivers is fantastic. We hope the racing action is just as thrilling and fun as last time out!”

View the Virtual Chinese Grand Prix promo trailer here

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Hero Esports Announces Venues for ACL Grand Finals 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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LEADING SCORES APP LIVESCORE EYES ASIA GROWTH WITH EXPANDED BRAND PRESENCE IN THAILAND

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LiveScore, home to the world’s leading app for sports scores, announces it is expanding its brand activation and presence in Thailand. This development marks a significant milestone in its ongoing commitment to localising its services and engaging with football fans across Asia.

This strategic move highlights LiveScore’s commitment to expanding its presence in the region, beginning with Thailand and Indonesia. LiveScore has experienced substantial growth in Asia Pacific, with Thailand and Indonesia specifically representing a significant portion of LiveScore’s 7.6m users in Asia in 2024.

In line with this expansion, LiveScore has partnered with local agency, Holarchy, to enhance brand awareness and activation in the region. This step is crucial to the overall strategy aimed at engaging fans and brand partners throughout Asia. With the World Cup nearing, this expansion allows LiveScore to connect with dedicated football fans as it seeks to establish itself as the leading platform for football fans, and paves the way for exciting collaborations with regional brands.

This expansion showcases LiveScore’s ongoing commitment to Fuelling Fans’ Passion for Sport, providing localised content, live scores, and news that resonates with fans on a personal level.

To further cement its commitment to local audiences, LiveScore has launched its official Thai social media account, @livescore.th. LiveScore’s Thai-specific account will feature localised content from the global LiveScore account, complimented with content specifically crafted for Thai fans, making it easier than ever for fans to stay engaged with their favourite sports.

Beyond social, fans can look forward to a series of LiveScore events such as watch parties, with all activations designed to bring more fans closer to the games they love.

Dominic Vye, Marketing Director, LiveScore, said: “Sports, especially football, hold immense popularity across Asia. We’ve chosen Thailand as the first country for our Asia expansion because of the undeniable passion of Thai fans. From their vibrant love for food to their pride in national teams and unwavering enthusiasm for the Premier League, Thai fans stand out. With LiveScore already enjoying a strong following and a loyal user base, this expansion marks an incredibly exciting step forward for both us and the fans.”

“LiveScore has always been driven by our mission to Fuel Fans’ Passion for Sport, and the incredible passion of Asian football fans only motivates our commitment to building a personal connection with fans in every market. We’re witnessing a phenomenal growth as fans from all over the world engage with us more than ever, especially as excitement builds towards the World Cup in 2026, and we’re proud to provide them with real-time updates and content that is tailored to their interests and needs.

“This is just the beginning, and we’re looking forward to working with more like-minded brands committed to building meaningful connections with football fans across Asia.”

The post LEADING SCORES APP LIVESCORE EYES ASIA GROWTH WITH EXPANDED BRAND PRESENCE IN THAILAND appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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NOVOMATIC Announces New Strategic Distribution Partnership with Harvest Gaming

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NOVOMATIC has announced a new strategic distribution partnership with Harvest Gaming, a renowned company based in Singapore. This new venture marks an important step in NOVOMATIC’s strategy of expanding its presence across Asia and reinforces the Group’s long-term commitment to international growth through strong regional collaborations.

Under the new agreement, Harvest Gaming will represent NOVOMATIC’s leading portfolio of land-based gaming solutions in Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. With its in-depth market knowledge, excellent industry relations, and a customer-focused approach, Harvest Gaming is ideally positioned to support NOVOMATIC’s growth and deliver tailored solutions to local operators.

“We are delighted to partner with Harvest Gaming in order to strengthen our footprint in Southeast Asia. Their deep understanding of the regional markets and dedication to supporting our customers make them excellent representatives of the NOVOMATIC brand. This partnership will allow us to serve operators in Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam better with our tailored, high-performance gaming solutions,” Michael Barsin of NOVOMATIC Sales said.

“We are proud to be appointed as NOVOMATIC’s distributor for this important region. NOVOMATIC is globally recognized for its innovation, quality, and reliability – values that perfectly reflect our own business philosophy. We look forward to working closely with the NOVOMATIC team to support our customers and drive mutual growth in Southeast Asia,” Alfred Hwee, General Manager at Harvest Gaming, said.

This new partnership further expands NOVOMATIC’s global distribution network and enhances the Group’s ability to meet the specific needs of customers in one of the most dynamic regions of the international gaming industry.

The post NOVOMATIC Announces New Strategic Distribution Partnership with Harvest Gaming appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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