In the latest ESI Digest, Riot Games took the spotlight, announcing the launch of a range of international esports events as well as a new partnership with HyperX.
Described as the ‘big news announcement’ of the week by Esports Insider Sub-Editor Tom Daniels, Riot Games announced that its League of Legends: Wild Rift title will launch its debut global esports tournament in the fourth quarter of 2021.
The firm’s Global Head of Esports also confirmed during the company’s media conference that there are plans for further regional tournaments following the success of a Southeast Asian competition.
In addition, Riot Games revealed the details of its new partnership with peripherals firm HyperX, which will serve as an official sponsor of the Valorant Champions Tour, and also announced Berlin as the host city of its ‘mid-tier’ Masters Event.
Lastly, the esports operator announced that its next Teamfight Tactics global championship will take place in October in China.
“In my opinion, I think this is great,” Daneils commented. “I love the fact that it’s not just League of Legends and Valorant that’s getting attention.
“We’re seeing the likes of Teamfight Tactics and Wild Rift in particular getting the chance to shine and become integrated into these media press conferences where all their esports events are going to be revealed.
“It’s a very interesting time and it does really showcase the significance that Riot Games now has on the esports markets.
The second major story of the week was the appointment of Julien Dupont as Fanatic’s Partner Development Director, as the firm reportedly aims to grow its audience to over one billion in the future.
Daniels noted that Dupont has considerable esports experience, commenting: “Deupont did a great job at Team Vitality, and so it’s not surprising to see him move into Fanatics role when it became available.”
Additional news saw Beastcoast, the North American esports organisation, close its pre-seed funding round at $2.5 million, acquiring investment from Andover Ventures, Elevate Ventures, and Techstars, in addition to Steven Temares (formerly of Bed Bath & Beyond) and Scott Dorsey, a Managing Partner at High Alpha Ventures.
Staying stateside, OverActive Media – the company behind MAD Lions, Toronto Ultra, and Toronto Defiant – struck a multi-year deal with energy drinks manufacturer Red Bull, announcing the development of the Red Bull Gaming Studio.
Finally, returning to Europe, Spanish esports group Vodafone Giants detailed its sponsorship arrangement with Nestle’s Nesquik brand, which will see the latter’s logo appear on the team’s jerseys and social media platforms.
Source – Esports Insider
