eSports
ESPORTS AWARDS TO BE HOSTED AT RESORTS WORLD LAS VEGAS ON DECEMBER 13
The Esports Awards, the most prestigious night in the esports calendar, is excited to kick off its 2022 campaign by announcing its new home at Resorts World Las Vegas. After three incredible years in London and a move to the United States in 2019 to Arlington, Texas, the Esports Awards is levelling up with a new location, a new date and a fresh look for 2022.
The Esports Awards will take place on Tuesday, December 13 with a lavish ceremony at the Resorts World Theatre, a 5,000-capacity world-class entertainment venue. The awards will also be opening their doors to general admission with tickets available now starting from $50 plus fees from esportsawards.com/tickets/.
After an incredible turnout in 2021, which even included an appearance from golf legend Bryson DeChambeau, the Esports Awards Open in partnership with Golf + Gaming Club (GGC) will return for 2022, providing attendees with the perfect opportunity to show off their golf skills. From December 11 – 13, the Esports Awards will also be holding several other events including its Lifetime Achievement Ceremony and Leadership Summit which gives brands, organisations and industry thought-leaders the opportunity to debate and network.
For 2022, the Esports Awards will be making some adjustments to the groupings of its award categories with the new groups being: Entertainment, Industry, Creative, Pro, On-air Talent and Collegiate. Entertainment has taken over the community awards encompassing the original selection of awards with the addition of “Esports Content Series of the Year,” “Esports Game of the Year” and a new award titled, “Esports Content Group of the Year.”
Elsewhere, Esports Apparel of the Year has moved to the Creative Awards group and will be voted on by the creative panel, and Esports Analyst of the Year has been renamed Esports Desk Analyst of the Year.
The Esports Awards is pleased to welcome back Secretlab and Verizon as sponsors for the 2022 campaign. Verizon is returning for its third year and will once again be sponsoring the “Esports Mobile Player of the Year” and “Esports Mobile Game of the Year” awards. Using their 5G Ultra-Wideband technology, Verizon and Esports Awards work together to bring gamers next-level experiences. Presenting the “Esports Team of the Year” award, Secretlab will also be bringing some really exciting activations to the awards.
The Esports Awards 2022 campaign starts now, with nominations now open. Key dates include:
- May 19: Nominations open
- June 30: Finalists for the Entertainment Categories
- July 28: Finalists for the Industry Categories
- August 25: Finalists for the Creative & Collegiate Categories
- September 29: Lifetime Achievement in Esports Class of 2022 reveal
- October 27: Finalists for Pro & On-air Categories
- TBC: Go Home Show
- December 13: Esports Awards 2022
Michael Ashford, the CEO of Esports Awards, commented: “We could not be more excited to start building a legacy with Resorts World Las Vegas. We recognize the awards are a deserved end of year celebration and want to build something that caters to delivering a best-in-class experience. Resorts World Las Vegas as a venue has been very forward-thinking in attracting top-tier events and to see the support for esports is hugely encouraging. A huge shout out to Destination Esports, Resorts World Las Vegas and Hilton Hotels for making it happen.”
“We’re thrilled to welcome the Esports Awards to Las Vegas,” said Lisa Motley, Senior Director Of Sports And Special Events For The Las Vegas Convention And Visitors Authority. “Attendees will enjoy the many “Only Vegas” experiences that make Las Vegas the greatest arena on earth, from world class entertainment to unrivaled dining, sports and attractions.”
Last year’s Esports Awards saw a return to a live ceremony after 735 days at the Esports Awards Stadium in Arlington Texas. A milestone and star-studded event, the awards hosted some of the biggest faces from esports and beyond with the likes of Riot Games, 100 Thieves and Discord all picking up awards. The 2021 Esports Awards campaign also saw over 20 million total viewership, 1 million hours watched and 10 million votes cast.
eSports
EA SPORTS NHL 24 World Championship Winner Announced
A new champion was crowned yesterday in New York during the EA SPORTS NHL 24 World Championship, the National Hockey League announced. Ethan ‘Polgz’ Kerr-Polgar, who represented the Toronto Maple Leafs, earned his first EA SPORTS NHL 24 title, the $30,000 USD grand prize and a custom hockey stick trophy. The 21-year-old, Newmarket, Ont., resident won the back-and-forth, best-of-three series, including winning Game 1 in overtime against fellow Canadian Justin ‘Regs’ Reguly. With the win, Polgz cements his status as the top NHL 24 player in the World.
Polgz (@PolgzNHLon X) is an avid hockey fan and gamer who chose to represent his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs in the EA SPORTS NHL 24 World Championship. His superior offensive skills allowed him to score eight goals in the Final series to earn the World title. Polgz dedicated the win to his mother, who is his biggest supporter and has beat cancer three times.
Fellow Maple Leafs representative Regs finished the day as runner-up. Regs was previously the North American Champion of EA SPORTS NHL 22.
The virtual qualifying events for the live competition were hosted in partnership with Rival on its fan engagement platform that connects gamers from all over the world. The NHL 24 World Championship qualifying spanned two continents and showcased the global reach of virtual hockey.
EA SPORTS NHL 24 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
Round Robin
Polgz (Toronto Maple Leafs) 3 vs. Regs (Toronto Maple Leafs) 2 (OT)
Deeks (Montreal Canadiens) 7 vs Tempannen (Anaheim Ducks) 3
Regs (Toronto Maple Leafs) 2 vs. Tempannen (Anaheim Ducks) 1 (OT)
Polgz (Toronto Maple Leafs) 4 vs. Deeks (Montreal Canadiens) 3
Regs (Toronto Maple Leafs) 5 vs. Deeks (Montreal Canadiens) 1
Polgz (Toronto Maple Leafs) 4 vs. Temppanen (Anaheim Ducks) 1
Standings after Round Robin
1. Eki (*automatically advanced to Semifinal) *defeated Gren for 1st seed
2. Gren (*automatically advanced to Semifinal)
3. Polgz, TOR (3-0-0), 6 pts
4. Regs, TOR (2-0-1), 5 pts
5. Deeks, MTL (1-2-0), 2 pts
6. Temppanen, ANA (0-2-1), 1 pts
Semifinal (best-of-three)
EKI (NYI) vs. Regs (TOR)
Regs wins series 2-0
Gren (BUF) vs. Polgz (TOR)
Polgz wins series 2-0
Final (best-of-three)
Game 1: Polgz, 3 vs. Regs, 2 (OT)
*Polgz took an early lead over Regs by scoring the first goal of the series. Polgz secured a two-goal lead in the second period, which was quickly answered by Regs bringing the score to 2-1. Regs made an epic comeback in the third period, tying up the game with 17 seconds left and forcing the first game into overtime. Despite strong gameplay from both sides, Polgz pulled through to earn the overtime win.
Game 2: Polgz, 0 vs. Regs, 5
*Regs dominated in Game 2 of the Final. He scored two goals in quick succession in the first period, then took a three-goal lead in the second period. Polgz had some good chances in the second period, but ultimately was unable to overcome Regs. Regs sealed the deal with another two goals towards the end of the third period, securing a 5-0 win over Polgz and tying the series at 2-2.
Game 3: Polgz, 5 vs. Regs, 3
*An unstoppable Polgz took the early lead, scoring four unanswered goals in the first period. After a mostly quiet second period, Regs got on the board with two unanswered goals of his own, suddenly cutting Polgz’s lead in half. Entering the third period at 4-2 with Polgz in the lead, Regs made up ground with another goal early in the third period, making for an exciting battle for the win. In the end, Polgz locked in the win with a fifth goal in the third period, winning Game 3 with a final score of 5-3 and ending the series 2-1.
World Championship History
YEAR | WINNER | RUNNER UP |
2024 | Polgz (Ethan Kerr-Polgar) | Regs (Justin Reguly) |
2023 | Jos x 10 (Joseph Olmstead) | EKI (Erik Tammenpää) |
2022* | NA: Regs (Justin Reguly)
EUR: EKI (Erik Tammenpää) |
NA: Gren-35- (Matthew Grenier)
EUR: J-_-JamalTheMan (Jimi Rönkkönen) |
2021* | NA: Gren-35- (Matthew Grenier)
EUR: EKI (Erik Tammenpää) |
NA: Regs (Justin Reguly)
EUR: NikkeDangles (Niklas Tukiainen) |
2020* | CAN: Regs (Justin Reguly)
USA: OF’s HF (Josh Fuss) EUR: Artuzio (Arttu Mustila) |
CAN: YungGren (Matthew Grenier)
USA: Top Shelf Cookie (Matthew Gutkoski) EUR: MrNipsuli (Roni Kajan) |
2019 | Top Shelf Cookie (Matthew Gutkoski) | JohnWayne90 (John Casagranda) |
2018 | EKI (Erik Tammenpää) | Jr Pens (David Roebuck) |
*World Championship canceled due to COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions NA = North America / EUR = Europe
EA SPORTS NHL 23 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL STANDINGS
1. Polgz, Toronto Maple Leafs ($30,000 USD)
2. Regs, Toronto Maple Leafs ($10,000 USD)
3. Gren, Buffalo Sabres ($5,000 USD)
4. Eki, New York Islanders ($5,000 USD)
5. Deeks, Montreal Canadiens ($1,000 USD)
6. Temppanen, Anaheim Ducks ($1,000 USD)
eSports
BITKRAFT Ventures Launches New $275M Venture Fund, Continues to Invest in Early-Stage Gaming and Interactive Media Startups Globally
Once closed, this fund will bring BITKRAFT Ventures’ total assets under management to over $1 billion
BITKRAFT Ventures, one of the leading global games investment platforms, has announced the filing of BITKRAFT Venture Fund 3, a $275 million fund dedicated to driving early-stage investments in gaming and interactive media companies. Serving as the successor to their two Early Stage Equity Venture Funds, BITKRAFT Venture Fund 3 will continue to invest in studios, platforms, and technology globally within the gaming and interactive media space at the Seed and Series A stages. Once closed, this milestone launch will bring BITKRAFT Ventures’ total assets under management to over $1 billion.
Grounded in its vision of synthetic reality, BITKRAFT believes in the transformative power of digital experiences, shaping the future of entertainment. With a core belief that humanity is increasingly immersing itself in digital realms, BITKRAFT recognizes game companies as central to this development, driving the evolution of digital entertainment. Founded by seasoned entrepreneurs and builders in the games ecosystem, BITKRAFT has grown from a small team to over 25 professionals distributed globally, with a presence in key markets in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America.
“At BITKRAFT Ventures, we are as committed to — and optimistic about — the future of the games industry as we were from the inception of BITKRAFT in 2016. We’ve seen continued growth across all major game platforms, in metrics including user engagement, activity levels, and monetization,” says Jens Hilgers, Founding General Partner at BITKRAFT Ventures. “Newly formed game studios have seen substantial break out successes over the last years, and the advent of AI in game production further benefits new upstarts in the space. Additionally, we have witnessed increased interest in game content beyond incumbents from media and tech giants, as well as private equity firms entering the landscape of potential buyers further expanding the exit landscape.”
BITKRAFT Ventures has strategically invested in various stages in a global roster of well-known companies including Frost Giant, a studio dedicated to bringing back real-time strategy; Anzu, an in-game advertising platform revolutionizing the gaming industry; Carry1st, a mobile gaming platform focused on serving the African market; InWorld, a social platform merging the digital and physical worlds; Voicemod, a voice modulation software empowering content creators; Immutable, the creators of the popular blockchain game Gods Unchained; and Karate Combat, an innovative martial arts league bringing high-octane combat sports to global audiences.
BITKRAFT Ventures’ funds exhibited noteworthy performance, as documented by the Cambridge Associates Benchmarking Data Report 2023. BITKRAFT’s inaugural Web 3 fund achieved a top 5% ranking, while its second Venture Fund secured a position in the top 8% of all funds based on Internal Rate of Return (IRR).
Canada
Canadian Gaming Summit: Providing the Framework for Sports Betting Success
As sports betting professionals seek to strengthen their connection with Canadian bettors, the Canadian Gaming Summit will provide the optimal framework for stakeholders to harness brand loyalty, innovate their offerings and strike lucrative partnerships, all aimed at solidifying their presence in the region.
The Sports Betting track is scheduled to take place on the first core day of the summit, Wednesday, June 19, at the Metro Toronto Convention Center. Catering to 3,000 industry stakeholders, discussions will encompass fostering mutually beneficial relationships with sports leagues, strategies to emulate the success of Canadian lotteries, analyzing the profiles of Canadian sports viewers and exploring the future of eSports and daily fantasy sports (DFS).
Opening the track is the panel entitled The Winning Ticket: How Sports Betting Can Emulate Lottery’s Appeal. It will explore the strategies sports betting operators can adopt to rival the popularity of traditional Canadian lotteries. Industry experts will examine whether sports betting operators are taking the right approach to emulate the success, brand loyalty and integrity of lotteries and whether a rise in the popularity of sports betting will affect provincial lottery models.
The session entitled It’s All In The Game: Innovations In Live Betting will shed light on how live, in-gaming betting is leading the way for innovation within sports betting. Industry luminaries will discuss the importance of crafting real experiences for bettors, analyze the profiles of potential bettors and explore strategies to fully integrate sports streaming content with sportsbooks.
The Game Changers: Collaborative Synergy With Sports Leagues panel will explore the power of sports league partnerships and how they are redefining the Canadian sports betting landscape. Expert panelists will delve into the intricacies of such partnerships and discuss how successful partnerships can be leveraged to enhance brand visibility, fan engagement and market presence. The panel will also examine successful case studies, partnership models and ideal strategies for achieving mutually beneficial partnerships.
Expert speakers set to appear across the track will include Conor Murray (VP Marketing, FanDuel), Nic Sulsky (CCO, Pointsbet), Owen Welsh (VP Gaming, Sports Betting and Innovation, CFL), Martin Lycka (SVP American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling, Entain), Britt Doll (Global Marketing Director, Rivalry), Tomer Imber (Senior Director of Sales, Optimove), Iain Montgomery (founder, Now or Never Ventures), Michael Sandalis (founder, Wait What), Peter Czegledy (Partner, Aird & Bellis), Anthony Gaud (founder, Gaud Hammer Gaming Group), Sean Simpson (Senior VP, IPSOS), Paul Burns (President, CGA), Scott Morasch (Senior VP, IPSOS), Sebastian Jedrzejewski (Director Regulatory Affairs, US Integrity), Greg Bloom (CEO, BYB Extreme), Steve McAllister (VP, Parleh Media), Troy Ross (President, TPM Public Affairs), Witek Wachinski (VP Strategy and Development, BetMGM), Patrick Harris (Managing Partner, Rubicon Strategy) with more to be announced.
Attendees will have the opportunity to strengthen their knowledge of the Canadian market through dedicated conference tracks on affiliation, advertising, leadership, land-based operations, payments and compliance. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to attend a pre-day player protection symposium.
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