Ralf Reichert’s Post

If you weren't sure whether Esports was gaining acceptance or not... Exhibit A: FIFA Partners with Rocket League for a World Cup style format https://lnkd.in/gzkCyW7e Christian Volk, Director eFootball and Gaming at FIFA , emphasized, “The FIFAe World Cup featuring Rocket League marks a new era for FIFAe, providing a groundbreaking platform for FIFA’s member assocations to compete on one of the most relevant esports titles. This milestone partnership highlights our commitment to evolve our football esports ecosystem and continue to build the biggest stages for all communities to fame their game.” Exhibit B: F1 Esports - Sim Racing League has been going 7 seasons strong https://f1esports.com/ When a passion for gaming and competition looks very similar to a problem with gaming, we need to look closer to truely understand what is happening behind the scenes with young gamers. For Esports participation, we always suggest a structured approach to make sure that training doesn't get out of hand for young gamers and that the nuance of the game gets the explanation it deserves.

SAUDI ARABIA ANNOUNCES HOSTING OF 2025 OLYMPIC ESPORTS GAMES On 12 July 2024, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) partnered with the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Saudi Arabia to host the first Olympic Esports Games in 2025 in Saudi Arabia. This groundbreaking move follows the IOC’s recent announcement that the IOC Executive Board (EB) is establishing an Olympic eSports Games. The proposal will be put forward at the IOC Session on the eve of the opening of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where details on the venue, specific dates, procedures and titles will be considered. The IOC has stressed that International Federations that have already entered into an eSports version of their sport for inclusion in the Olympic Esports Games will be the IOC’s first partners. The same will be true for National Olympic Committees that have already incorporated esports into their activities. At the same time, the IOC will have to create a new dedicated structure within its organization, clearly separate from the Olympic Games' organizational and financial model. To address the specific nature of the Olympic Esports Games, the IOC will also have to take a different approach to the funding and organization of these games.

Olympic Esports to Become Standalone Event Like the Winter Olympics. I was thrilled to see the Olympic Esports is moving forward, but I have to say, the list of games could be much better! While I understand they need to start somewhere, some of the chosen games are very questionable. I hope they refine the list and include more relevant esports titles to attract a larger online audience. An expert advisor would be beneficial to ensure the selection appeals to esports fans. A Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) should be top of the list as that is filling stadiums already, DOTA 2 & LOL at the least! Including top-tier esports games, the Olympic Esports can attract a broad audience and establish itself as a premier event in the esports calendar. The games they have chosen are not ESports so this event could be catastrophic, like some kind of hellish cringey E3 on steroids. For instance, Gran Turismo is a decent choice, but Sim Racing is where the real excitement lies. Top drivers like Max Verstappen use Sim Racing for training, and there's a good chance you might have virtually raced against an F1 driver if you're playing Sim Racing. I do think including Chess is a fantastic idea, as it will attract a significant audience. To make this Olympic event more appealing and organized, I would suggest breaking it down into games with an estabished popularity, competitive scene and global reach. Here are some top contenders across various genres. First-Person Shooter (FPS).... Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS) Valorant Overwatch 2 Rainbow Six Siege Call of Duty: Warzone Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA).... League of Legends Dota 2 Battle Royale.... Fortnite PUBG Apex Legends Fighting Games.... Street Fighter V Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Mortal Kombat 11 Sports Simulations.... FIFA NBA 2K Strategy and Board Games.... Hearthstone StarCraft II Clash Royale Chess (Digital) Racing Games.... Rocket League Gran Turismo

👾🧨🪙⚔️🔥 Another week, another milestone for the Esports World Cup Foundation! The inaugural event program this summer will feature some of the most celebrated esports icons of all time, along with newer games that are writing the next chapter of esports. Consider the stature of these titles: 👾StarCraft II — an industry-defining lineage, one of the most celebrated esports icons of all time, fueled by a passionate global fanbase eager to cheer on Serral, Maru, Clem, Cure, Dark and more at the Esports World Cup. 🧨Counter-Strike 2 — the legendary tactical shooter’s latest iteration, whose professional circuit consistently sets the bar for memorable esports moments (like Team Spirit’s incredible championship run at Katowice this month). 🪙 Dota 2 — a lovingly complex MOBA that marries the most complex game design with incredible mechanical expression, serving millions of fans who tune into The International (one of the most prestigious events in all of esports) every year. ⚔️Mobile Legends: Bang Bang — one of the world’s most accessible mobile MOBAs that has developed its global audience at an astonishing rate, growing from just under 55,000 peak concurrent viewers in 2017 to over 5 million peak concurrents in 2023. 👑Honor of Kings — one of the world’s most played mobile MOBAs, boosting tens of millions of downloads, which is finally making its international expansion after almost a decade of being incredibly successful in China. One of the Esports World Cup core promises is to bring the world's best games under one roof for a historic tournament, to bring together its communties and the industry. We are proud to announce these outstanding titles for the inaugural event, and we're just getting started! Batch 2 incoming. #EsportsWorldCup #SC2 #CS2 #DOTA2 #MLBB #HoK #HonorofKings #esports

Exciting news for the esports industry! The upcoming Esports World Cup tournament is set to offer a staggering $60 million prize pool - a life-changing amount that will undoubtedly attract top talent from around the globe. This massive prize money underscores the rapid growth and increasing legitimacy of competitive gaming. Esports is transitioning from a niche hobby to a thriving, global entertainment industry with enormous viewership and revenues. The World Cup will serve as a landmark event, showcasing the incredible skill, dedication, and competitive spirit of the world's best esports players. Beyond the prize money, this tournament represents a significant milestone for the industry. It signals the vast potential and bright future of esports, as traditional sports leagues, media companies, and brands continue investing heavily in this dynamic space. The record-breaking prize pool will inspire the next generation of gamers and further propel esports into the mainstream. I'm excited to follow the action and see which teams and players will emerge victorious at the Esports World Cup. This tournament has the potential to captivate audiences worldwide and elevate esports to new heights. The future of competitive gaming has never looked brighter. #esports #worldcup

Title: Seeking Fair Play and Transparency in Esports Tournaments As passionate esports competitors, my team and I have always believed in fair play and transparency. Recently, we participated in the "One Blade Cup," a critical qualifier for the BGMS main event, organized by Nodwin Gaming. After leading the scoreboard on Day 1, we were suddenly banned from the tournament just hours before Day 2, without any explanation. We complied with all the tournament rules and submitted our POVs and handcam recordings as requested. Despite being ready for any device checks, we were met with complete silence from the management and were not allowed to compete further. As finalists of BGIS and BMPS, the two official LAN events that happened last year, and having finished 6th in BMPS, we have always adhered to fair play standards and have a proven track record of professionalism in esports. We urge Nodwin Gaming to send our POVs to Krafton and let Krafton take the decision on our situation. This experience is not just disheartening for us but also for the entire esports ecosystem. Out of the 24 BGMS slots, only 4 are qualifiers while 20 are invites, making it already challenging for new teams to break through. Incidents like these make it even more difficult for new teams to enter the esports scene. This is a dark day in the history of esports. We are hopeful for a fair resolution and urge tournament organizers to uphold the principles of transparency and integrity in esports. Our team is committed to fair play, and we believe that every player deserves a chance to compete without fear of unjust treatment. #krafton #Esports #FairPlay #Transparency #BGMS #OneBladeCup #GamingCommunity NODWIN Gaming Nazara Technologies Limited KRAFTON India Karan Pathak Akshat Rathee Ekansh Arora Siddhant Dhirani Sean (Hyunil) Sohn Shibna Ramla Nitish Mittersain Hyungsuk Kim Mibu Jonghyuk Kim Anuj Sahani Jared Joseph

🚀 𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯! 📊 The report provides detailed data, charts and insights on esports tournaments, their breakdown across video games, game types and platforms, prize money awarded, live audiences and more. You will also find the list of players and teams that won the biggest cash prizes during the year and much more. 🗺️🏟️ 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 which have hosted the most major tournament finals on their territory. Who from the Middle East, Asia, Europe North America has hosted the most international tournaments? 📖 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: - The report executive summary - The total prize money distributed and tournaments - The prizes money and tournaments share by game type - The prize money and tournaments per gaming device type - Top 10 games by prize money - Top 10 tournaments by prize money - Top regions and countries per number
of tournaments and prize money - The most winning players of the year - The most winning teams of the year - The most popular esports games on Twitch - The most popular esports tournaments - Toornament.com activity data in 2023 #esports #gaming #esportsindustry #tournaments #charts

Man, #RainbowSixSiege at #EsportsWorldCup really gets your adrenaline going. Just look and enjoy this match—it's like an action movie in real-time in front of your eyes. The tactical play, the explosive rushes, the fast ropes from atop a building SWAT style, so only your head is exposed, not the full body, and the way you create your own vantage points by transforming a wall into cheddar cheese. You don't have to – you can go hardcore Rambo Style with a SPAS 12 shotgun, creating huge holes to see through – that your enemy obviously can also aim through, which turns this into quite a risk/reward scenario. Or more tactical ones for a little peak with your sidearm. The way you can really turtle in with all of these barriers – this is such a special game. And what a special match at Esports World Cup: Bleed Esports vs. w7m esports. The Castle Builders against the aggressive Brazilians with fire in their blood. That is a bit of a Brazilian thing in esports right? They are all balls to the walls, we are going to dominate the map, no matter what happens, kinda players. Really impressive performance. What I absolutely love about being here in Riyadh, is that you get to have dinner with a lot of these players and often get to know them on a personal level. And when you play for 750.000 US-Dollar for the first place, of course you gotta keep your cool. A lot of esports teams now have their own psychologists with them and it works – Esports World Cup is about keeping your cool, playing your style – forcing the enemy into your direction and your pace. Look at #Bleed – the masters of Ninja Turtles, the fortress builders. The moment the map starts, they deploy all barriers and shields available and always play in tactical formation. They deploy cameras, mines, really want to do everything possible to control a certain sector of the map. But #W7M knew that and often went for a multi-wall breach downstairs while the rest of the squad came in on the 2nd floor. They rush really fast and with extreme precision, lurking the enemy out for a duel, which is smart against a squad that thrives on order and formation. If you look closely at how W7M analyzes Bleeds patterns and baits them out of their own super well-choreographed kill zones – that's just mad impressive. Ubisoft, Ubisoft Montréal, Red Storm Entertainment & and other Ubisoft studios have truly built a tactical shooter for the ages. With enormous strategic depth in its arsenal, over 70 classes, its verticality, the way you cheddar cheese walls like a Texas Cop, and how different teams encounter these situations with super different paces and tactical plays. Have you watched the Rainbow Six Siege matches so far at Esports World Cup? Because you should. They are all available on Youtube and Twitch. And if you are in Riyadh, let me know and we'll have some delicious Saudi coffee, strategize how to include you in the ecosystem and brainstorm what's next

Many categories of products are no stranger to esports & gaming sponsorships, and gaming chairs are certainly not one of them. Dmytro Murko of Esports Charts & Streams Charts broke down insights into gaming chair representation in esports tournaments: 1️⃣ Razer Inc. - 35.6% 2️⃣ Secretlab - 26.1% 3️⃣ Herman Miller - 7.1% 4️⃣ TGIF, EUREKA ERGONOMIC®, AutoFull Gaming Chair - 4.8% 5️⃣ MAXNOMIC, Mavix Chairs, Haworth, DXRacer USA, Arena, Aorus, AndaSeat - 2.4% For reference, this is for LAN tournaments in 2023 with prize pools of $300K and above. The article mentioned how Razer’s representation was bolstered by the Gamers8 tournament in Saudi Arabia, as well as the CS Asia Championships 2023. Secretlab seems to be a popular chair among teams as well as tournament organizers, with multiple esports covered like Counter-Strike, Dota 2, LoL, ML:BB, VALORANT, Overwatch, and others. Interesting to see if this will change more in the future. As a Counter-Strike esports fan, DXRacer and Maxnomic were big sponsors of esports tournaments in the past however it seems as those brands have diminished their sponsorship presence. Follow #MoreMark for #Business content in #Gaming, #Esports, and #Creators!

The recent announcement by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) of the official launch of the Olympic Esports Games starting in 2025 has opened up several possibilities. I would like to add some thoughts on this announcement, particularly regarding the future scenarios that could develop. Although there is talk of a potential enhancement, direct or indirect, of the international status of all activities involving video game competitions, there are realistic chances that the proposed path may not effectively include esports as a sporting activity to the extent one might expect. By organizing a separate event, esports have effectively been relegated to a category distinct from "classic" sports, which is not the case in Asia, where esports have been part of the Asian Games since 2023. This choice is driven by the desire to gather the broadest possible support within the National Olympic Committees, which indeed voted unanimously for the establishment of the Olympic Esports Games as a separate event. This decision might not be crucial in itself, but following the results of the Olympic Virtual Series (which later became the Olympic Esports Series), the growth might not meet many expectations. On one hand, this is due to a deliberate choice, given the internal IOC faction that has always opposed the inclusion of video games as a sport. On the other hand, it is due to the limitations that the IOC itself will impose on managing competitions, considering the numerous warnings over the years regarding "violent" video games. Another significant factor will be the games themselves. Game developers will need to decide whether to include their IPs in the Olympic Esports Games. We must acknowledge that many games, due to their violent content, do not adhere to the fundamental principles of the Olympic Games and, therefore, cannot be included, at least in the immediate future. There could certainly be "sporting versions" of certain games, but the general public will still have access to the "normal" versions. Having different versions and being unable to include all the games used in competitions in a single event opens the possibility of having various esports circuits outside of the Olympic Esports Games, potentially attracting more followers than the Olympic Esports Games themselves, as is the case with some sports. Another possible scenario is the establishment of a non-sporting (super) Federation dedicated to esports that regulates the entire sector, supported and promoted by the developers themselves. With the announcement of the officialization of the Olympic Esports Games, we are witnessing a pivotal change that could bring new awareness to the entire sector and serve as a benchmark for esports competitions worldwide. This may not mark the end of a "non-sporting" path but could instead accelerate the creation of new organizations. #esports #sport #IOC #OEG #Gaming #VideoGames #CompetitiveGaming #GamingIndustry