eSports
The Esports Awards Reveals Pro & On-Air Talent Finalists

The Esports Awards, the most prestigious night in the esports calendar, is excited to unveil the finalists for this year’s Pro, On-Air Talent, and Journalism categories which include the likes of Fnatic, Amjad “AngryBird” Al-Shalabi, and Yinsu Collins with voting now live. This year’s Esports Awards, taking place across the 29th and 30th of November, will be hosted by the most innovative and technologically advanced nightclub in Las Vegas, Zouk.
The finalists were announced live across the Esports Awards broadcast platforms, including their Twitch.tv channel by American Esports Host Daniel “dGon” Gonzales, Rocket League Caster and Content Creator Elyse “Herculyse” Herrera, Esports Caster Phil “EEVisu” Visu, and Esports Hosting royalty James “Dash” Patterson.
The Esports Awards will also host PWR UP Las Vegas, held at the luxurious Resorts World Las Vegas. PWR UP Las Vegas is the ultimate esports, tech, and gaming conference. Headlining the event is the groundbreaking Esports Awards Open, a golf tournament blending networking and entertainment with top-tier industry executives and celebrities. PWR UP Las Vegas promises to be an electrifying event that defines the future of esports, tech and gaming, powering up passion within the industry.
The full Pro, On-Air Talent and Journalism finalists are as follows:
Pro
Esports Team of the Year
- Team Vitality – CS:GO
- Team Vitality – Rocket League
- Fnatic – VALORANT
- Evil Geniuses – VALORANT
- New York Subliners – Call of Duty
- JD Gaming – League of Legends
- w7m Esports – Rainbow Six Siege
- Echo – ML:BB
- Gaimin Gladiators – DOTA
- TSM – Apex Legends
Esports Organisation of the Year
- Team Vitality
- LOUD
- Team Liquid
- G2 Esports
- Gen.G Esports
- Karmine Corp
- Moist Esports
- 100 Thieves
- Optic Gaming
- NAVI
- NRG
Esports Coach of the Year
- Danny “Zonic” Sørensen
- Victor “Ferra” Francal
- Christine “Potter” Chi
- Ehsan “DREAL” Javed
- Igor “igoorctg” Santos
- Renzo “Renzo” Oemrawsingh
- Jan “Swani” Müller
- Aske “Cy-” Larsen
- Yoon “Homme” Sung-young
Esports Breakthrough Player of the Year
- Alexis “Zen” Bernier
- Max “Demon1” Mazanov
- Thomas “Scrappy” Ernst
- Kim “D0NGHAK” Min-sung
- Kim “Peyz” Su-hwan
- Anders “Vejrgang” Vejrgang
- Martin “Yike” Sundelin
Esports PC Player of the Year
- Nikola “NiKo” Kovač
- Cho “Maru” Seong-ju
- Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut
- Quinn “Quinn” Callahan
- Nemanja “Hunter” Kovač
- Zhuo “Knight” Ding
- Emir “Alfajer” Beder
- Max “Demon1” Mazanov
- Phillip “ImperialHal” Dosen
- Jung “Chovy” Ji-hun
Esports Controller Player of the Year
- Alexis “Zen” Bernier
- Paco “HyDra” Rusiewiez
- Zain “Zain” Naghmi
- Matthew “KiSMET” Tinsley
- Mashita “acola” Hayato
- Amjad “AngryBird” Al-Shalabi
- Finlay “Rise” Ferguson
- Jack “ApparentlyJack” Benton
- Arslan “Arslan Ash” Siddique
- Phillip “ImperialHal” Dosen
Esports Mobile Player of the Year
- Mohamed “Mohamed Light” Tarek
- Frederic “Bennyqt” Gonzales
- Gaku “Gaku” Mukai
- Erik “Joker” Granström
- Burenbayar “TOP” Altangerel
- Tensai “Tensai”
- Peng “Fly” Yunfei
On-Air Talent
Esports Colour Caster of the Year
- Marc “Caedrel” Robert Lamont
- Dan “Gaskin” Gaskin
- Josh “Sideshow” Wilkinson
- John “JohnnyBoi_i” MacDonald
- Mohan “Launders” Govindasamy
- Thomas “Chance” Ashworth
- Ioannis “Fogged” Loucas
- Dominik “Lacoste” Stipić
- Chad “Spunj” Burchill
- Michael “Hypoc” Robins
Esports Desk Analyst of the Year
- Mimi “aEvilCat” Wermcrantz
- Tyler “Tbates” Bates
- Barento “Raz” Mohammed
- Alyssa “Allycxt” Parker
- Anthony “NAMELESS” Wheeler
- Mira “Ephey” Riad
- Alex “Mauisnake” Ellenberg
- Kale “Genome” Morton
- Mathieu “Maniac” Quiquerez
Esports Host of the Year
- Alex “GoldenBoy” Mendez
- Eefje “Sjokz” Depoortere
- Freya “Freya” Spiers
- Sean “Stax” Stackhouse
- Caleb “WavePunk” Simmons
- Yinsu “Yinsu” Collins
- Chris Puckett
- Jorien “Sheever” van der Heijden
- Lottie Van-Praag
- Ana Xisdê
- James “Dash” Patterson
Esports Play by Play Caster of the Year
- Steven “Tasty Steve” Scott
- Alex “Machine” Richardson
- Brennon “Bren” Hook
- Mark “Onset” Hatcher
- Conner “Scrawny” Girvan
- Brandon Smith
- Callum “Shogun” Keir
- Clayton “Captain Flowers” Raines
- Mitch “Uber” Leslie
- Bruno “BrunoClash” Veiga Lopes
- Miles Ross
- Lauren “Pansy” Scott
Esports Journalist of the Year
- Richard Lewis
- Dominic Sacco
- Kevin Hitt
- Alexander Lee
- James Fudge
- Mikhail Klimentov
- Antonio Yuste
- Cecilia D’Anastasio
- Alejandro Gomis
“I’m continually awestruck by the incredible talent present in the esports industry. It’s an absolute joy to gather everyone and create a space where we can acknowledge, celebrate, and foster growth. I’m eagerly anticipating the upcoming night of fun and camaraderie we’ll share in Las Vegas this November.” Michael Ashford, CEO, Esports Awards
The Esports Awards 2023 campaign key dates:
- 13th – 20th November: Turbo voting period–votes are worth double
- 20th November: Voting closes on all categories but 3
- 25th November: Voting closes for Esports PC Player, Esports Organisation and Esports Team of the Year
- 27th & 28th November: Inaugural Scholars
- 29th & 30th November: Esports Awards 2023
The 2023 Esports Awards is brought to you in partnership with Xfinity, Oakley, Amazon Music, Sizzle Creative, and 5GRV.
eSports
Esportes Gaming Brasil certified as Great Place To Work®

Esportes Gaming Brasil, the owner of Onabet and Esportes da Sorte, has been certified as a Great Place To Work®. The recognition – a global reference in people management and organizational climate – highlights the company’s efforts in promoting a positive environment, with development, well-being and inclusion initiatives aligned with the needs of its approximately 600 employees.
The GPTW survey assesses employee perceptions across five pillars – credibility, respect, impartiality, pride and camaraderie. For Sophia Serak, Director of People, participating in the assessment was essential to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement. “We want to be more than a workplace: we’ve created a framework for everyone to develop and feel valued. The certificate proves we are on the right path and motivates us to evolve further”, says the executive.
More than just a welcoming environment, Grupo Esportes Gaming Brasil has built a space where everyone has the freedom to be themselves, clarity about where they can go, and real support to grow. An environment where values such as trust, listening, and collaboration are at the heart of decisions — from the selection process to the choice of leaders.
In 2024, the group accelerated its mission to strengthen leadership, with training, assessments linked to values and programs offering regular management training. More than 60 leaders participated in development paths and initiatives such as “Impulso EGB” — an educational incentive program that subsidizes technical courses and specializations for employees.
Trust is the foundation of Esportes Gaming Brasil’s culture. It manifests itself in small gestures, spontaneous feedback, the freedom to propose new ideas and the construction of real bonds between people. The company invests in inclusive communication, active listening and collective actions that strengthen the sense of belonging — such as themed parties, recognition rituals and direct chats with leadership.
Compliance Updates
Esportes Gaming Brasil unveils Ana Carolina Luna Maçães as Compliance Manager to reinforce regulatory commitment

Esportes Gaming Brasil, the owner of Onabet and Esportes da Sorte, has unveiled Ana Carolina Luna Maçães as its new Compliance Manager. The hire reinforces the company’s commitment to transparency, integrity, and good governance in Brazil’s evolving betting market.
Esportes Gaming Brasil’s new Head of Compliance, Ana Carolina Luna Maçães, commented: “Esportes Gaming Brasil has set a high standard in Brazil’s betting market with its total commitment to integrity, governance, and responsible gaming. It’s a privilege to join this exceptional team as Compliance Manager. My role is to reinforce our culture of compliance, navigating us through complex regulatory frameworks across multiple jurisdictions with as little friction as possible. Our mission is to deliver secure, transparent, and competitive services for our partners and clients.”
A seasoned legal and compliance professional who has spent time at NSX Brasil, Maçães joins with expertise in financial crime prevention, responsible gambling, and corporate ethics. She has earned a CPC-A certification from LEC (Legal, Ethics & Compliance), and she significantly strengthens the group’s in-house compliance work.
Esportes Gaming Brasil CEO Darwin Filho, added: “It’s more than just complying with and supporting regulations. Esportes Gaming Brasil has been actively leading the process of maturing the betting sector in the country. Our commitment to governance has been an essential part of our business model since the beginning. The arrival of Ana Carolina represents a strategic reinforcement, further strengthening the culture of compliance that has always guided the company.”
Esportes Gaming Brasil is proud to be one of the Brazilian-licensed operators under the SPA/MF framework and is renowned for impactful responsible gambling measures, including self-exclusion tools, behaviour monitoring, and an addiction support network.
With deep relationships to national sport and culture through major football sponsorships and experiential collaborations, and a growing digital presence via Onabet, the group is committed to shaping a safe, sustainable, and responsible future for Brazil’s gaming sector.
eSports
Emmy-Winning Director R.J. Cutler’s Docuseries Esports World Cup: Level Up Premieres June 6 on Prime Video

Prime Video, one of the leading entertainment destinations, will premiere the five-part documentary Esports World Cup: Level Up on June 6, with new episodes released weekly. Directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler (Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry, Elton John: Never Too Late and Martha), the series goes behind-the-scenes of the inaugural Esports World Cup (EWC) in 2024 — a defining moment in global esports, where over $60 million in prize money ignited a high-stakes, multinational battle to crown the world’s top esports Club.
The series is produced by This Machine (a part of Sony Pictures Television), with R.J. Cutler directing, John Dorsey serving as showrunner, and Jane Cha Cutler, Trevor Smith, Elise Pearlstein and Mark Blatty executive producing. Level Up will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
Esports World Cup: Level Up offers a rare look inside a global competition that’s redefining what it means to be a champion for a new generation of athletes and fans. R.J. Cutler and his team of expert storytellers embedded themselves within the eight-week tournament – watched by over 500 million fans globally – to uncover the personal sacrifices, rivalries and stakes driving the action.
Shot in verité style, the series combines intimate home visits from around the world and on-the-ground coverage from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It follows a wide cast of characters – from Club CEOs orchestrating million-dollar strategies to rising stars chasing life-changing wins – while capturing the pulse of elite esports competition.
“What drew me to the Esports World Cup was the compelling human stories unfolding within this high-stakes arena. Level Up isn’t just about the incredible competition and prize money; it’s about the dedication, the passion, and the sheer will of these athletes and teams pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Under high pressure, we discover the true character of the competitors who vie for $60 million, but who also expose their humanity in the process,” said Cutler.
At the heart of Level Up is the “EWC Club Championship,” an unprecedented, multi-title tournament format where Clubs compete across more than 20 games, earning points toward a single leaderboard. Every match, every point, reshapes the race for global dominance. With the highest prize pool in esports history on the line, the EWC is not just a tournament – it’s a proving ground for the next generation of sports icons.
“A win might make the headlines — but the real story is the people behind it. Level Up dives into the human side of esports: the pressure, the ambition, the sacrifices. It’s about what it really takes to compete at the highest level — and why it matters. R.J. is the best at bringing those stories to life, and this one captures the heart of what we’re building,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation.
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