The Esports Advocate
Esports business news: deals, legal, and governance.
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OG Esports Appoints Daniel Sanders as CEO
OG Esports has appointed Daniel Sanders as its new Chief Executive Officer, marking a strategic shift for the European organization.
- OG Esports has appointed Daniel Sanders as its new CEO, promoting him from his previous role as Chief Commercial Officer, which he held since 2023.
- Sanders brings extensive industry experience, having previously served as the head of esports and gaming marketing for Red Bull UK and as a senior global marketing lead at Tencent Games.
- The organization plans to prioritize the professionalization of its competitive teams to address a recent lack of success in major esports titles.
Esports Insider Sold to New Owner
Esports Insider, a London-based B2B media company specializing in the business of competitive gaming, has been acquired by an undisclosed buyer.
- Esports business publication Esports Insider has been sold by its majority owner, Sport Global/SBC, to an undisclosed buyer.
- Sam Cooke, a founding member and managing director of Esports Insider, has exited the company after nine years of service.
- Under new ownership, the publication will shift its strategic focus exclusively toward media operations.
TALON and PSG Esports Wrap Up Iconic League of Legends Partnership
Talon Esports and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have concluded their four-year partnership in League of Legends, effective January 5, 2025.
- Talon Esports and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have officially ended their four-year League of Legends partnership, effective January 5, 2025.
- The League of Legends roster, formerly known as PSG Talon, will revert to the Talon brand following the dissolution of the co-branding agreement.
- During their four-year collaboration, the partnership secured seven Pacific Championship Series (PCS) titles and qualified for the League of Legends World Championship four times.
Sources: DreamHack Coming to Shanghai in May
DreamHack is scheduled to host its first-ever event in China this May at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai.
- DreamHack will host its first-ever event in China this May at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (NECC) in Shanghai.
- The event will be operated by the Chinese esports company Hero Esports (formerly VSPO) on behalf of the ESL FACEIT Group.
- Hero Esports’ multi-title tournament, the Asian Champions League (ACL), will be integrated into the DreamHack event and feature Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, and Honor of Kings.
Overwatch 2 Returns to China
Overwatch 2 is set to officially return to mainland China on February 19, 2025, following a collaborative agreement between Blizzard Entertainment and the NetEase-owned Thunder Fire Group.
- Overwatch 2 will officially return to mainland China on February 19, 2025, following a technical test period for the new server beginning January 8.
- Mainland China has been designated as the fourth independent region within the Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS) ecosystem, joining North America, Asia Pacific, and EMEA.
- The first on-site OWCS championship event will take place in April at the Hangzhou Esports Centre, featuring eight teams competing from all four global regions.
Riot: No Game Changers at Esports World Cup in 2025
Riot Games has officially confirmed that the Valorant Game Changers program will not participate in the 2025 Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- Riot Games has officially confirmed that the Valorant Game Changers program will not participate in the 2025 Esports World Cup in Riyadh.
- Negotiations regarding the inclusion of other Riot titles, such as League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics, and Valorant, remain ongoing and are not yet finalized.
- Riot clarified that any potential inclusion of its titles in the eight-week event would be licensed to a third party and would not constitute an officially sanctioned league event.
More Games Added to 2025 Esports World Cup
The Esports World Cup Foundation has expanded the roster for its 2025 competition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, by adding Chess.com, the racing title RENNSPORT, and the battle royale games Crossfire and PUBG: Battlegrounds.
- The Esports World Cup Foundation has added Chess.com, RENNSPORT, Crossfire, and PUBG: Battlegrounds to the 2025 competition lineup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- Chess.com will feature a $1.5M total prize pool and include participation from Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, with the Champions Chess Tour serving as the primary qualification path.
- The 2025 Esports World Cup is scheduled to run for eight weeks, beginning in early July and concluding in late August.
Tencent Dumps Epic Games Board Seats Following Department of Justice Concerns
Two directors from Epic Games resigned from the company’s board of directors in December 2024 following intervention by the United States Department of Justice.
- Two directors have resigned from the Epic Games board of directors following concerns from the U.S. Department of Justice regarding potential violations of Section 8 of the Clayton Act.
- The DOJ identified an illegal 'interlock' because Tencent, which holds a minority stake in Epic Games, is also the parent company of competitor Riot Games.
- To resolve the antitrust concerns, Tencent has amended its shareholder agreement with Epic Games to relinquish its unilateral right to appoint directors or observers to the board in the future.
NODWIN Gaming Acquires AFK Gaming
NODWIN Gaming, an India-based esports and gaming company, has finalized the acquisition of AFK Gaming, a prominent Indian esports media platform.
- NODWIN Gaming has acquired a 93% stake in Indian esports media platform AFK Gaming for a total consideration of INR ₹76 million (approximately $893,000 USD).
- The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval, will make AFK Gaming a wholly owned subsidiary of NODWIN Gaming, building upon a 7% stake NODWIN previously held.
- AFK Gaming founders Nishant Patel, Rakesh Ramchandran, and Siddharth Nayyar will become shareholders of NODWIN Gaming and transition into new leadership roles within the group.
Rocket League Returns to the Esports World Cup in 2025
Rocket League has been confirmed as an official competitive title for the 2025 Esports World Cup, scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- Rocket League will return as an official competitive title at the 2025 Esports World Cup, scheduled for summer 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- The 2025 tournament will not be an officially sanctioned Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) event, nor is it supported or endorsed by Epic Games.
- The 2024 iteration of the Rocket League Esports World Cup featured a total prize pool of $550,000, with winner Team BDS earning $200,000.
Riot Games Opens Up to Gambling as a Sponsorship Category for Valorant, LoL Esports
Riot Games is expanding its commercial strategy by opening gambling as an approved sponsorship category for professional teams competing in its League of Legends and Valorant esports ecosystems.
- Riot Games is officially opening its League of Legends and Valorant esports ecosystems to gambling sponsorships, marking a significant shift in its long-standing policy.
- All potential betting partners will be subject to strict vetting and must comply with both Riot’s internal regulations and all relevant local legal and licensing requirements.
- Riot will maintain a 'gambling-free' status for its official broadcast channels for the time being, opting for a cautious and measured rollout of the new category.
PGL Acquires Server Provider Fragnet
PGL Esports, a tournament organizer based in Bucharest, Romania, has acquired the game server hosting provider Fragnet for an undisclosed sum.
- PGL Esports has acquired the game server hosting provider Fragnet for an undisclosed amount.
- The acquisition is intended to strengthen PGL's infrastructure and support its goal of delivering seamless gaming experiences for the community.
- Fragnet provides server hosting services for a wide range of titles, including Counter-Strike 2, Minecraft, Palworld, Team Fortress 2, ARMA, Call of Duty, and Battlefield.