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☆ Esports World Cup in Saudi Arabia, worth more than $60M, hopes to send ‘positive message’ to struggling industry
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Boasting the largest prize pool in esports history, this year’s inaugural 2024 Esports World Cup (EWC) could prove to be a pivotal moment for the industry. Clubs will be able to choose which games they participate in before the best performing team across the various championships will be crowned the ultimate Esports World Cup champion for the very first time. Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation, hopes this new competition in Saudi Arabia can be a game changer. “Setting the record for largest esports prize pool is a remarkable achievement, but what I’m most proud of is the positive message this sends to the wider esports and gaming community,” Reichert said in a statement. In 2023, Saudi launched ‘The National Gaming and Esports Strategy’ (NGES) which hopes to make the country the center of the competitive gaming world by 2030.

Persons: Ralf Reichert, ” Reichert, Saudi Arabia –, “, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, ” Organizations: CNN, Apex, EA Sports FC, of, League, Riot, New York Times, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Saudi, National Gaming, Saudi’s, New Global Sport Locations: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Saudi

☆ Esports joins Pan Am Games, but medals won't count
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Steve Keating | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

But any medals won will not be added to their country's official total as they were at the recent Asian Games where esports had full medal status and was one of the most popular events drawing huge enthusiastic crowds. Like the Asian Games the Pan Am competition will be closely watched by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as Esports makes a push for a spot on the Olympic programme. While esports is making its Pan Am Games debut, gamers have been part of many other multi-sport competitions, including the Commonwealth and the European Games. One reason esports medals are not being counted at the Pan Am Games is that gamers are not subject to doping controls like every other athlete in Santiago. Authorities in Hangzhou ploughed $627 million into building a new esports venue while the Pan Am Games competition will be staged in a tent in a grassy corner of the Games fan zone.

Persons: SANTIAGO, Esports, esports, Paul Foster, Foster, Steve Keating, Toby Davis Organizations: Pan American, Asian, International Olympic Committee, Pan Am, Commonwealth, European, IOC, Global Esports Federation, Doping Agency, Esports, Ams, Pan Am Games, Thomson Locations: Sunday's, esport, Santiago ., Hangzhou, Santiago

☆ Esports made their 'tense and exciting' debut at this year's Asian Games
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Esports, or professional video gaming, were an official sport at the Asian Games for the first time. AdvertisementAdvertisementEsports, or competitive video gaming, debuted as an official event at this year's Asian Games in Hangzhou, China that concluded earlier this month. Due to the event's popularity, esports tickets were sold on a lottery basis, with more than five million entering the ballot, according to Hangzhou Asian Games data. We're excited to see the landscape of esports events around the world expand," said John Robinson, president of US esport organization 100 Thieves. The Olympic Esports Series is "a global virtual and simulated sports competition created by the IOC, and in collaboration with International Federations and game publishers."

Persons: —, esports, Chris Liu, Liu, Esports, JADE GAO, John Robinson, Kim Gwanwoo, WANG ZHAO, Matt Woods, AFK, Grant Rousseau, " Rousseau Organizations: Asian Games, of, EA Sports FC Online, Singapore, Service, Professional, EA Sports FC, South Korea, Team Malaysia, China, Xinhua News Agency, South, Associated Press, Fighter, Getty, Olympic, IOC, International Federations, Guardian, Team Falcons Locations: Hangzhou, China, Thailand, Wuxi, esports, Asia, Pacific, US, South Korea, AFP, Los Angeles

☆ Asian Games: South Korea's Esports stars target medal success -- and a military exemption
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Yoonjung Seo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

For South Korean male participants, winning a gold medal in the Asian Games or Olympic Games not only brings honor but also grants them a military exemption. However, the mandatory duty can be waived for some athletes, in particular those who win an Olympic medal or a gold medal in the Asian Games. Seven games will be featured as official medal events at the 19th Asian Games, building on the success of the pilot event at the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Games. The venue for the Asian Games esports competitions is state-of-the-art and an impressive sight to see. With its inclusion as an official Asian Games medal event, the possibility of esports becoming a part of the Olympic Games is a topic of growing debate.

Persons: Suga, Oh, Wang Zhao, Son Heung, ” Shin, ”, esports, ” Kim Sa, “, ” Lee Kyung, Kwak, hyouk, it’d, ” Kwak, Thailand’s Teedech, Lee Sang, –, Michael Chow, Yoonjung Seo, Michael Jordan, ” Chow, Faker, JUNG YEON, Philip Fong, Rowan Crothers, “ I’m, I’ll, ” Crothers, Jess Bolden, Chow, Niko, Young Organizations: CNN, Gaming, Hangzhou Asian Games, Asian Games, Games, BTS, Asian, Getty, Premier League soccer, Tottenham Hotspur, Marine Corps, Republic of Korea Marine Corps, “ Times, CNN Sport, FIFA, Hangzhou, South Korea, Believer Company, Riot, South, Team Korea, League, “ League, SK Telecom, Riot Games, Microsoft Studios, Xbox, Studios, International Federation of, Phonographic Industry, EA Sports FC Online, PUBG, of Valor, of, Olympic, International Olympic Committee, Maekyung Media, Paralympic, IOC, Kodikara, International Federations, Niko Partners Locations: South Korea, Hangzhou, AFP, Seogwipo, Jeju, Republic of, Seoul, esports, Jakarta, South, . South Korea, Palembang, Asia

☆ Musk's 4-second surprise appearance at a video game tournament was met with boos and the crowd chanting 'bring back Twitter'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Kai Xiang Teo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A clip showing the crowd chanting "Bring back Twitter," has gone viral on X. That can't be from in here, surely," one of the commentators said, trying to bring the audience's focus back onto the game. AdvertisementAdvertisementElon Musk, the owner of X, formerly known as Twitter, made a surprise appearance on Saturday at the world championship final of esport Valorant and was immediately met with a chorus of boos and the crowd chanting, "Bring back Twitter." A clip of his appearance, shared on Saturday by X user Jake Lucky, has since racked up over 7 million views on the platform. That can't be from in here, surely," one of the commentators said, trying to bring the audience's focus back onto the game.

Persons: Elon Musk, esport Valorant, Jake Lucky, Musk –, Musk Organizations: Morning, Twitter Locations: Los Angeles, Indonesia

☆ British Grand Prix: Max Verstappen and Red Bull strive for perfection as F1 team chases unbeaten season
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Amanda Davies | Thomas Schlachter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

I love, of course, driving to the limit, but I love winning,” Verstappen tells CNN Sport’s Amanda Davies ahead of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Robert Szaniszlo/NurPhoto/Getty ImagesRed Bull team principal Christian Horner is also hungry for more wins despite the team’s unrelenting start to the season. “It’s not something probably I will look back to when I’m 60 or 70.”Red Bull will be hoping to go unbeaten through the 2023 F1 season. His father, Jos Verstappen, was a successful racing driver in his own right and became the first ever Dutchman to secure an F1 podium finish. The F1 driver sees a big future for the virtual racing esport.

Persons: Max Verstappen, ” Verstappen, Amanda Davies, “, Red Bull, Sebastian Vettel, Verstappen, Sergio Pérez, Robert Szaniszlo, Christian Horner, “ It’s, ” Horner, Horner, ”, ‘, Bull, Michael Potts, Jos Verstappen, What’s, Laszlo Balogh Organizations: CNN, Prix, Silverstone, Verstappen, Vettel, Red Bull, CNN Sport, Formula, BSR Agency, Getty, Grands Prix Locations: British

☆ Meta is killing Echo VR, one of its popular Oculus metaverse games
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

"After many discussions internally and with our partners at Meta, we have made the difficult decision to shut down Echo VR," the post stated. Over the past few years, Echo VR has catapulted into the league of an e-sport. Echo VR can be played using the Meta's Oculus Quest, Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro, and Rift S devices, according to the Oculus website. One fan on Reddit went as far as to describe Echo VR as "more than just an esport, Echo VR is a sport. A petition titled "Save Echo VR" has been created on change.org, and has already racked up 9,848 signers.

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