The Esports Advocate
Esports business news: deals, legal, and governance.
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Industry Veteran Sam Braithwaite Joins ESL FACEIT Group
ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has appointed industry veteran Sam Braithwaite as its new vice president of game ecosystems for mobile.
- ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has appointed industry veteran Sam Braithwaite as the new vice president of game ecosystems for mobile.
- Braithwaite will lead the strategic direction of the Snapdragon Pro Series, a mobile esports circuit operated in partnership with Qualcomm Technologies and Samsung.
- Prior to joining EFG, Braithwaite served as the global director of esports at Activision Blizzard for nearly four years, managing titles including Hearthstone and World of Warcraft.
Update: NetEase and Activision Blizzard Legal Status
The reported legal conflict between NetEase and Activision Blizzard regarding a $43.4 million USD debt has been clarified as a case of mistaken identity.
- Initial reports that NetEase filed a $43.4 million lawsuit against Activision Blizzard were incorrect, as the legal action was actually initiated by an individual gamer named Yang Jun.
- The confusion stemmed from multiple court filings, with the litigation involving a dispute over a World of Warcraft account rather than a corporate claim from NetEase.
- Activision Blizzard confirmed it has not received an indictment regarding the alleged $43.4 million debt and maintains that it has not violated any license agreements.
Guild Esports Signs Deal with hummel, Will End Bitstamp Partnership One Year Early
Guild Esports, a publicly traded organization based in the United Kingdom, has restructured its sponsorship portfolio by securing a new multi-year agreement with sportswear brand hummel while simultaneously terminating its partnership with cryptocurrency exchange Bitstamp one year ahead of schedule.
- Guild Esports has signed a three-year sponsorship and merchandising deal with sportswear brand hummel, valued at approximately $872,000 to $1.24 million USD depending on performance targets.
- Guild Esports and cryptocurrency exchange Bitstamp have mutually agreed to terminate their three-year partnership one year ahead of schedule.
- The early termination of the Bitstamp contract is expected to have no impact on Guild Esports' projected revenues for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023.
Logitech G Named Official Peripherals and Headset Supplier for Valorant Champions Tour EMEA
Riot Games has officially designated Logitech G as the exclusive peripherals and headset supplier for the 2023 Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) EMEA.
- Logitech G has been named the official peripherals and headset supplier for the 2023 Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) EMEA.
- Under the partnership, Logitech G will provide equipment for coaching, training, and co-streaming rooms at the Messe Berlin Charlottenburg venue.
- The agreement includes support for the VCT Game Changers EMEA circuit throughout the 2023 season.
Revenant Esports Launches New Competition Series, Highlights PUMA Game Crossover
The Indian esports organization Revenant Esports has launched a new YouTube competition series titled Revenant Collide, designed to integrate brand promotion into competitive gaming content.
- Indian esports organization Revenant Esports has launched a new YouTube competition series titled "Revenant Collide" to promote its partnership with PUMA.
- The series debut features esports athletes competing in EA’s "Need For Speed Unbound" while wearing the PUMA x NFS apparel collection, which originally launched in February 2023.
- PUMA serves as the official kit partner for Revenant Esports, a sponsorship deal that was established in October 2022.
UK’s Competition and Markets Authority Changes Preliminary Findings on Microsoft – Activision Blizzard Deal
The United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) shifted its stance on Microsoft’s proposed $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard in April 2023, narrowing its scope of concerns regarding the deal.
- The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has updated its preliminary findings to conclude that Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard will not result in a substantial lessening of competition in the UK console gaming market.
- The CMA’s revised position is based on new evidence suggesting that the cost to Microsoft of withholding the 'Call of Duty' franchise from PlayStation would outweigh any potential financial gains from such a strategy.
- The CMA is scheduled to issue its final, binding ruling on the acquisition on Wednesday, April 26, 2023.
FaZe Clan Prepares for Reverse Stock Split to Regain Nasdaq Compliance
FaZe Clan is seeking stockholder approval for a reverse stock split to regain compliance with Nasdaq listing requirements.
- FaZe Clan is seeking stockholder approval for a reverse stock split at a 20:1 or 30:1 ratio to regain compliance with Nasdaq’s $1.00 minimum bid price requirement.
- The company was issued a non-compliance notice by the Nasdaq Listing Qualifications Department on March 23, 2023, and must maintain a closing price of at least $1.00 for 10 consecutive trading days by September 19, 2023.
- Stockholders will vote on the reverse stock split, the re-election of board members, and the appointment of Marcum LLP as the independent accounting firm during the annual meeting scheduled for June 13, 2023.
Call of Duty: Mobile Joins the Snapdragon Pro Series
The ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has entered into a two-year partnership with Activision Blizzard to integrate Call of Duty: Mobile into the Snapdragon Pro Series, a multi-title mobile esports league powered by Samsung Galaxy.
- ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) and Activision Blizzard have signed a two-year partnership to include Call of Duty: Mobile in the Snapdragon Pro Series.
- The 2023 iteration of the Snapdragon Pro Series featuring Call of Duty: Mobile offers a total prize pool of $1.5 million USD.
- In-game qualifiers for the new title are scheduled to begin on April 27, 2023, across all supported regions.
DreamHack San Diego Economic Impact Report: USA
The DreamHack San Diego gaming and esports festival, held from April 7–9, 2023, at the San Diego Convention Center, generated an estimated $4.7 million in economic impact for the local San Diego economy.
- DreamHack San Diego generated an estimated $4.7 million in economic impact for the local economy during its three-day run from April 7–9, 2023.
- The event attracted over 41,000 total attendees, marking it as the largest DreamHack festival held in the United States to date.
- The festival, hosted at the San Diego Convention Center and owned by ESL FACEIT Group, featured various gaming lifestyle activities including exhibitor booths, musical performances, and retro arcades.
Moonton’s Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Receives Game Approval in China
The National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) of China officially granted game approval to Moonton’s Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) in April 2023.
- China’s National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) granted official game approval to Moonton’s Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) in April 2023, seven years after the game's initial 2016 release.
- The approval was part of a batch of 86 mobile game titles authorized by the NPPA, all of which appear to be domestic releases.
- MLBB is owned by ByteDance and will be published in China by East China Normal University Electronic Audiovisual Press Co., Ltd., the same entity that published Riot Games’ Valorant in December 2022.
Skyesports League Returns With Pokémon UNITE
The Indian esports tournament operator Skyesports has announced the return of the Skyesports League, featuring the mobile title Pokémon UNITE.
- Indian tournament operator Skyesports is launching a city-based Pokémon UNITE league with a total prize pool of $12,000 USD (Rs. 10,00,000).
- The tournament features eight professional esports organizations, including S8UL, GodLike Esports, Revenant Esports, and 7Sea Esports, each representing a specific Indian city.
- The league stage is scheduled to run from April 24 to May 7, 2023, followed by the playoffs from May 8 to May 10, 2023.
SK Gaming Partners With CHERRY XTRFY
The German esports organization SK Gaming has entered into a strategic partnership with gaming peripherals manufacturer CHERRY XTRFY.
- German esports organization SK Gaming has entered into a partnership agreement with gaming peripherals manufacturer CHERRY XTRFY.
- CHERRY XTRFY will supply gaming peripherals to all SK Gaming players, content creators, and staff, while also equipping the organization's facilities in Berlin and Cologne.
- The partnership includes collaborative marketing initiatives, community engagement activities, and joint launch events.