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eSports

Copper Box Arena, the Home of eSports, as the Positive effects of gaming are revealed in new study

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Better gyms and leisure surveyed over 2,000 people in the UK, including almost 1,000 gamers, on the benefits of gaming and their perceptions of what a gamer is.

  • 95% underestimate the physical activity and training regimes of pro gamers.

  • 86% of people in the UK don’t think eSports athletes deserve the same recognition and respect as traditional athletes.

  • Non-gamers get just 12 minutes more sleep per night than gamers.

  • Over a third of gamers say their attention has improved since starting gaming.

Copper Box Arena on Queen Elizabeth Park in East London celebrated it’s 10 year anniversary this year and is fast becoming the home of eSports in the UK, with a new study revealing the diverse image of gamers and eSports professionals across the country, as well as a host of positive impacts associated with gaming.

The research from Better, operators of the Copper Box Arena, found that 96% of gamers report positive impacts in their day-to-day lives, with benefits including improvements to their attention span (33%), stress relief (50%), a sense of escapism (48%), and improved mental health (30%). For many, gaming allows players to connect with others online and temporarily escape the stresses of the real world, with Copper Box Arena providing a huge platform for the gaming community to share in these benefits.

Copper Box Arena is drawing in avid eSports fans from all over the world, and Stuart Hutchison, General Manager at Copper Box Arena, said: “We’re immensely proud to be part of the emergence of eSports. Copper Box Arena is rapidly becoming the home of eSports in the UK after hosting huge tournaments such as League of Legends, Apex Legends, and Call of Duty: Warzone Global Series Finals already this year.”

86% of people in the UK don’t think eSports athletes deserve the same recognition and respect as traditional athletes.

Despite the gaming industry’s rapid growth and the evident benefits of gaming, the study revealed that there is still some way to go to convince non-gamers, with many misconceptions of gaming still prevalent.

Overwhelmingly, 86% of respondents in the UK do not believe that eSports athletes deserve the same recognition and respect as traditional athletes. Furthermore, only one in five respondents viewed eSports as a legitimate form of competitive sport compared to traditional sports like football and rugby, and almost 9 in 10 Brits were unwilling to accept eSports into the Olympics.

Additionally, over half of the UK population (54%) believes gaming can cause some form of social isolation, and three in 10 feel it would encourage poor mental health. While our study showed gamers were actually spending more time outside than non-gamers, Brits still believe gaming would lead to a lack of exercise (58%), an unhealthy lifestyle (47%), and a poor diet (42%).

However, there is a glimmer of hope for eSports enthusiasts, as a quarter of Brits believe that eSports has the potential to attain the same level of popularity as traditional sports in the future, signifying potential growth amongst fans of the industry.

Commenting on the comparison, Nathan David, Head of Foundation at the College of eSports (CoEs), which offers innovative and practice-focused degrees in a range of international eSports business areas, said: “If you speak to any performance athlete, they will tell you that despite the physical aspect of sport and competition being key, the mental and psychological factors are just as important; dealing with stress and performing under pressure are two parallels often referred to.

“I think you will see an attitude change in the perception of eSports over the next 5 to 10 years or so as misconceptions and further understanding of our industry is addressed.”

Non-gamers get just 12 minutes more sleep per night than gamers.

The prevailing stereotype of gamers as isolated, sedentary individuals glued to screens has long persisted. However, the research reveals that gamers actually spend longer on average outside each day than non-gamers. With regards to sleep, over half (56%) of Brits felt gaming would encourage a lack of sleep. However, non-gamers stated they get an average of just under six and a half hours a night, compared to gamers’ six hours and 16 minutes, revealing a minuscule 12-minute difference between the two.

Nathan David said: “We always promote a healthy, balanced lifestyle that includes promoting your wellbeing socially, mentally, and physically. It is undeniable that gaming is almost entirely sedentary, but it is achievable to still be physically and mentally healthy despite playing games. Good sleep/recovery, a balanced diet, and physical activity are necessary in all forms of life, including for esports players or gamers.”

eSports

PlayVS Announces Multi-year Partnership with Zenni Optical

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PlayVS, the leading esports platform in North America, announced a multi-year partnership with Zenni Optical, the world’s leading online eyewear retailer. This partnership establishes Zenni as the official eyewear partner of PlayVS, bringing exclusive benefits to PlayVS’ esports community.

As part of this collaboration, Zenni will serve as the official eyewear partner of the PlayVS Cup, the annual national esports championship for high school students. The Cup provides top scholastic esports teams from across the country with an opportunity to compete for a national title and earn recognition and awards, including college scholarships. Zenni’s partnership will help power scholarship prizes for Cup finalists, furthering PlayVS’ dedication to empowering students and supporting their educational and athletic ambitions. These scholarships not only aid with alleviating financial strain, but also highlight esports as a viable pathway to academic and professional success.

Zenni’s eyewear will also be included in the prize packages that PlayVS Cup champions and PlayVS Awards winners receive, providing students with high quality eyewear to complement their gaming performance. Additionally, Zenni will offer members of the PlayVS community exclusive discounts on eyewear.

“We are excited to partner with PlayVS and expand our ongoing support of the gaming and esports community. Empowering a dedicated high school esports program that not only will generate awareness around the importance of eye health to a new generation of gamers but also support their academic pursuits is such an amazing opportunity for Zenni to partner with,” said Robb Chiarini, Head of Partnerships, Licensing, & Events at Zenni Optical.

Through this partnership, Zenni will also be integrated into PlayVS’ content series, Road to the PlayVS Cup, a set of videos showcasing different esports programs across the nation as they compete to earn a spot in the PlayVS Cup.

“Partnering with Zenni is a natural fit for us as we continue to grow the high school esports community. Zenni shares our commitment to supporting students in both esports and academics. By joining forces with Zenni, we’re empowering students with scholarships and enabling them to partake in healthy competition to foster their esports careers. We’re excited to work together and bring Zenni’s eyewear to our community of gamers,” said Jon Chapman, CEO of PlayVS.

The post PlayVS Announces Multi-year Partnership with Zenni Optical appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Genius Sports Signs Partnerships with Bayes Esports and GRID

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Genius Sports Limited has signed new partnerships with Bayes Esports and GRID Esports (GRID) to provide sportsbooks with the highest-quality official esports offering.

GRID, as the only game data platform directly working with the game publishers will provide Genius Sports with exclusive access to official live esports data from League of Legends, and VALORANT, the fastest-growing betting esports title, alongside Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six data, and a robust portfolio of CS2 and Dota2 data from the global tournaments by BLAST and Champion of Champions.

Genius Sports’ sportsbook partners will also be able to access official streaming and data visualizations powered by official GRID data.

Bayes Esports is helping power Genius Sports’ esports offering with its highly granular Live Match Data. As the exclusive data partner of key esports tournament organisers such as ESL FACEIT Group, Bayes Esports covers the majority of official live data for Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 esports, which brings in some of the highest revenue for sportsbooks.

Genius Sports will further enhance its offering with Bayes Esports’ data product suite, including low-latency video and live data-powered widgets. Select Genius Sports products will be available through Bayes Esports’ distribution in return.

Going forward, Genius Sports will provide sportsbooks worldwide with an end-to-end esports trading product across pre-match and in-play, powered by ultra low-latency data to guarantee sharp odds and maximum market uptime. Through this product, sportsbooks can unlock new revenues by reaching a highly engaged audience with high-octane, year-round content.

“We are thrilled to announce these new partnerships with Bayes and GRID, two leaders in their field, to create an unrivalled esports content suite for our sportsbook partners. As the new home of esports for sportsbooks, we will provide our partners with the highest-quality data and odds on the most prestigious titles in the sport,” said Matt Stephenson, Global Partnerships Director at Genius Sports.

The post Genius Sports Signs Partnerships with Bayes Esports and GRID appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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DACH CS Joins as Member of Esports Integrity Commission

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The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has announced that DACH CS GmbH (DACH CS), a tournament organiser seeking to revitalise competitive Counter-Strike in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, has officially joined ESIC membership.

By joining ESIC, DACH CS commits to upholding the highest standards of competitive integrity. The membership requires the league to implement ESIC’s Integrity Programme across all of its tournaments, tackling key issues such as match-fixing, cheating, and doping, fostering a culture of fair play within the region.

As an ESIC member, DACH CS will integrate ESIC’s codes of conduct, actively cooperate in investigations, and enforce ESIC’s rulings. This commitment aligns DACH CS with global best practices, ensuring that the DACH Counter-Strike esports scene operates with a proven integrity framework.

Stephen Hanna, Chief Executive Officer of ESIC, said: “DACH CS’s dedication to rebuilding and strengthening the competitive Counter-Strike scene in the DACH region makes them a valuable addition to ESIC’s growing membership. Their commitment to competitive integrity and fair competition aligns perfectly with our mission to safeguard esports. We look forward to working closely with them to support a sustainable and transparent ecosystem for players, teams, and stakeholders in the region.”

Anton Christoph, Founder & Managing Director of DACH CS, said: “At DACH CS, we’re on a mission to take the Counter-Strike Scene in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland to old and new heights! We’re super excited to be joining forces with ESIC, as we’re confident that this is a vital step in keeping our community’s most prized values at the heart of our operations. By teaming up with ESIC and aligning with their globally recognised integrity standards, we’re making a promise to you, our players, teams and stakeholders, to provide a competitive environment that’s both trusted and well-structured. We are excited to work closely with ESIC to build a sustainable and respected esports landscape in the DACH region.”

The post DACH CS Joins as Member of Esports Integrity Commission appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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