The Esports Advocate
Esports business news: deals, legal, and governance.
Documents
Hero Esports to Stage Second Asian Champions League: Shanghai
Hero Esports has announced the return of the Asian Champions League (ACL) to Shanghai, scheduled to take place from May 1–24, 2026.
- Hero Esports will host the second Asian Champions League (ACL) in Shanghai from May 1–24, 2026, featuring a total prize pool of $365,000.
- The tournament serves as a direct qualification pathway to the 2026 Esports World Cup (EWC) for all three featured titles: Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
- The prize pool is distributed across the three titles, with $150,000 for CS2, $125,000 for MLBB, and $90,000 for Dota 2.
Embark Expands The Finals Esports With $200K Global Circuit
Embark Studios is formalizing the competitive ecosystem for its title, THE FINALS, by launching a $200,000 global circuit for the 2026 season.
- Embark Studios is launching a $200,000 global competitive circuit for 'THE FINALS' in 2026, featuring an open-entry online series that feeds into a live championship.
- The Grand Major 2026 championship will take place at DreamHack Stockholm from November 27–29, featuring 16 teams competing for a $150,000 portion of the total prize pool.
- The remaining $50,000 of the prize pool is allocated to the seasonal online series, which spans the Americas, EMEA, and APAC regions.
UK Gamers’ Spend on Streaming and Game Culture: 2026
The UK video games market reached a record valuation of £8.76 billion in 2025, reflecting a 7.4% year-on-year growth across software, hardware, and broader game culture.
- The UK video games market reached a record valuation of £8.76 billion in 2025, representing a 7.4% year-on-year growth across software, hardware, and game culture.
- Consumer spending on game culture in the UK surged 42% year-on-year to £566 million in 2025, up from £397 million in 2024.
- Spending on toys and merchandise within the game culture sector grew by 43% to reach £333 million in 2025.
G2 Esports Selects Skin.Club as CS2 Skin Partner
G2 Esports has officially entered into a partnership with the Counter-Strike 2 skin platform Skin.Club.
- G2 Esports has entered a partnership with the Counter-Strike 2 skin platform Skin.Club, designating the company as its official skin partner.
- The agreement includes prominent logo placement on G2’s Counter-Strike 2 team jerseys.
- The collaboration will extend beyond branding to include joint content production and the development of live fan experiences.
Huge Changes Coming to VCT in 2027
Riot Games is set to overhaul the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) in 2027, transitioning from a closed franchise-style league to a more open, tournament-based ecosystem.
- Starting in 2027, the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) will transition from a franchise-based league to an open tournament system featuring regional qualifiers.
- Top performers from regional tournaments will advance to international Masters and Champions events, maintaining the existing global competition structure.
- Non-partnered teams will gain access to new financial opportunities, including performance-based cash incentives, travel support, and a share of over $6 million in annual prize pools.
USA Esports President Sees Olympic Recognition as “North Star”
USA Esports, a non-profit organization established in late 2025, aims to unify the fragmented North American competitive gaming landscape by prioritizing player safety, standardized competitive integrity, and eventual recognition by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).
- USA Esports, led by president and CEO Jesse Bodony, has established a 20-to-30-year mission to gain official recognition from the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).
- The organization’s board of directors includes high-profile industry figures such as Søren “Bjergsen” Bjerg, former pro player Heather “Sapphire” Mumm, and UCLA Chancellor Emeritus Dr. Gene Block.
- To comply with the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act, the board maintains a mandatory 33% athlete representation requirement.
Former NLC Operator Leagues ApS Shuts Down
Leagues ApS, the Danish tournament operator responsible for the Northern League of Legends Championship (NLC), has officially ceased operations.
- Leagues ApS, the operator of the Northern League of Legends Championship (NLC), has officially shut down and laid off all staff.
- The company informed Riot Games that it was no longer in a position to operate the NLC following a period of financial instability, including reports of late payments and unpaid invoices to broadcast talent.
- Riot Games has postponed the NLC spring split to late April to finalize a new league structure and identify a replacement tournament organizer.
GRID Teams With NAVER to Bring LoL Esports Data to CHZZK Platform
The South Korean technology company NAVER has entered a strategic partnership with the esports data platform GRID to integrate real-time League of Legends match data into the CHZZK livestreaming platform.
- NAVER has partnered with esports data platform GRID to integrate real-time League of Legends match data into its livestreaming platform, CHZZK.
- The integration launches on April 1, 2026, coinciding with the start of the LCK season.
- CHZZK will feature real-time win probability graphs, early-game control information, and match timelines for viewers and co-streamers.
TJ Sports Issues Lifetime Ban to TES Player Yang “Naiyou” Zijian
TJ Sports has imposed a lifetime ban on League of Legends player Yang “Naiyou” Zijian following confirmed instances of match-fixing.
- TJ Sports has issued a lifetime ban to Top Esports (TES) player Yang “Naiyou” Zijian from all Tencent, Riot Games, and TJ Sports competitions due to multiple instances of match-fixing.
- Top Esports has terminated Zijian’s contract, withheld all outstanding salary and prize money, and reserved the right to pursue damages for breach of contract.
- Investigations revealed that Zijian’s prior involvement in match-fixing within the League of Legends Development League (LDL) was used by bookmakers as leverage to coerce his continued cooperation.
USA Esports Named ENC National Team Partner
USA Esports has been appointed as the official partner to manage and represent United States national teams for the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh.
- USA Esports has been appointed as the official partner to manage and select U.S. national teams for the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC) taking place in Riyadh in November 2026.
- Daniel Clerke, esports director at USA Esports, will serve as the U.S. national team manager and oversee the roster selection process for the 16 game titles featured in the tournament.
- The ENC is organized by the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) and will feature national teams from over 100 countries, with subsequent editions scheduled to occur biennially.
DreamHack Birmingham Announces Samsung as Official Partner
DreamHack Birmingham 2026 has secured Samsung as an official partner for its upcoming festival, scheduled for March 27–29 at the Birmingham NEC.
- DreamHack Birmingham 2026 will take place from March 27–29 at the Birmingham NEC, marking the event's return to the UK after a decade-long hiatus.
- Samsung has been named an official partner for the event, featuring a 'Galaxy Café' activation hub that showcases the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and hosts mobile gaming competitions.
- The event features a substantial esports line-up with over $1.7 million in total prize money distributed across various tournaments.
Esports Awards Parent Elevates Producer to Senior Leadership
The Mobile, Esports and Gaming Alliance (MEGA), the parent company of the Esports Awards, has promoted Morgan Tremaine to the position of Executive Producer.
- The Mobile, Esports and Gaming Alliance (MEGA), parent company of the Esports Awards, has promoted long-time producer Morgan Tremaine to the role of Executive Producer.
- In his new senior leadership position, Tremaine will manage publisher, commercial, and strategic partner relations for MEGA’s events while supporting the company's agency operations.
- Tremaine has served as a producer for the Esports Awards since 2023 and previously held roles at Esports Engine, Sinclair Broadcast Group, and TMZ.