Category: eSports

Riot Games announces on-air talent for 2021 League of Legends World Championships

There will be 22 on-air personalities hosting and commentating on the English broadcast alone.

With the 2021 League of Legends World Championships looming on the horizon, developer Riot Games went ahead and announced who’ll be commentating and hosting the event. It’s an extensive list featuring a staggering 22 on-air personalities, and that’s just for the English-speaking broadcast! 

“We will utilize the LEC studio as our English broadcasting home base with some regional faces back in the studio for the first time since 2019,” Riot Games said on Lolesports. “The LCS and LCK studios will contribute to and support the broadcast virtually.” 

There’ll be casters on the mic from each of League of Legends’ four prominent professional regions, Dot Esports  reported Thursday. That’s eight from LCS, seven from LEC, and seven more from the LPL and LCK, respectively. 

Check out the on-air talent list for yourself below. 

The 2021 League of Legends World Championships play-in stage will begin on Oct. 5 live from Reykjavík, Iceland. As is always the case, this will be the biggest esports event of the year. Ten of the best League of Legends pro teams will battle it out to figure out who’s numero uno, so it’s a can’t miss event for esports fans the world over.

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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Fortnite beginner’s guide: All you need to know to get started

Get to know the basics before you hop on that Battle Bus.

When we say Battle Royale, the game that would come up in most folks’ minds would be none other than Fortnite. It is no wonder that it has a concurrent player base of millions every day considering the staggering amount of content it continues to throw at players on a regular basis.

Newcomers to Fortnite have a lot to learn, now that there are tons of fresh mechanics that make the game even more multi-layered and fun to play once you get the hang of it. So, if you want to see what Fortnite has in store for you, buckle up and read on!

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Version1 announced a new all-women ‘Valorant’ pro team set to compete at VCT Game Changers

This is Version1’s second pro Valorant team signing.

A few high-profile all-women Valorant pro teams have signed to big esports organizations this year, and VersionX from Version1 is the latest. The team will hit the ground running by competing in VCT Game Changers Series 3 on Sept. 24, along with 32 others, including Complexity’s GX3.

“Supporting diversity and inclusion in gaming has been an important part of our organization from our founding,” Brett Diamond, chief operating officer at Version1, said in a press release. “The investments being made in women’s esports by organizations and game publishers are laying the foundation for a bright future. VersionX will immediately access the support structure we offer all of our teams: housing in Minnesota, state-of-the-art equipment and a world-class practice facility, media and content resources, and compensation that enables the players to be full-time esports competitors.”

The team members include:

Check out the team’s flashy announcement trailer for yourself below.

Most of VersionX have a competitive history with each other, too. Natty, Milkway, and Karra were part of the “Just Breathe” team in VCT Game Changers Series 2, where they placed 7/8th in the tournament. 

“Our goal is to be the top female team in Valorant, and we know that with hard work, that will come,” Milkway, VersionX’s team captain, and in-game leader, said in the same press release. “When we started playing together, we wanted to be good enough to make it to the main VCT Game Changers event, and we’ve accomplished that. As VersionX, we’ll continue to build on our success.”

Good luck to VersionX and all the other teams competing this weekend!

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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Khloé Kardashian will commentate first-ever ‘Candy Crush Saga’ esports tournament

No, you are not dreaming right now. The headline is legit!

Bet you never thought Candy Crush Saga would be esports-worthy, eh? Well, buckle up because Candy Crush All Stars is an upcoming tournament that will pit the best, uh, “crushers” against each other. Oh, and Khloé Kardashian will host and commentate the whole thing. 

Unsurprisingly, how this all works is a bit bizarre. Candy Crush Saga players over level 25 from across the United States will compete in qualifier rounds starting Sept. 23 and running through Oct. 7 with finals sometime in November. Sadly, it’s all online. I was hoping for giant stadiums full of neon hues and colorful computer chairs as if this were a League of Legends or Overwatch event. 

“Anyone who knows me knows that I think I’m the most competitive in my family, and it’s no different when it comes to Candy Crush,” Kardashian said in a press release. “The All-Stars tournament offers the perfect opportunity to take my crushing skills to the next level. I wish the best of luck to everyone playing and look forward to crowning the first-ever Candy Crush All Star! For now, get those fingers warmed up and get practicing!”

It’s hard to imagine Candy Crush Saga as esports because, well, it’s a very simplistic time-wasting game without any in-depth mechanics. However, this tournament fits the criteria no matter how silly it seems on paper. 

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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TimTheTatman signs with Complexity Gaming and GameSquare Esports

The YouTube Gaming star continues to make big moves.

Complexity Gaming has brought on several high-profile influencers and esports stars as of late, but Tim “TheTatman” John Betar is its biggest signing yet. The organization announced Betar would be joining Complexity along with GameSquare Esports on Monday.

“Joining the Complexity team has been an amazing journey,” Betar said in a press release. “I’ve followed Complexity’s success and I am impressed with their commitment to winning in top-tier esports and the loyalty of their fans.”

Betar continued: “The connection with the Dallas Cowboys and the support of Jerry Jones is outstanding. I’m a lifelong Cowboys fan so this is a special opportunity within esports. My tour of the Complexity headquarters at the Star in Frisco was world-class; no esports facility comes close. When Complexity and GameSquare invited me to join the team, it was an easy yes.”

Unlike Complexity’s recent signing of GX3, though, Betar’s involvement seems to be more related to branding and merchandising. Apparently, Complexity and GameSquare Esports will work closely with Betar on new exclusive merchandise.

“TimTheTatman is an iconic streamer and will be an invaluable addition to the Complexity family as we look to expand our footprint in content creation,” Jason Lake, founder and CEO of Complexity Gaming and global head of esports at GameSquare, said. “As traditional sports, gaming, and entertainment continue to converge, our partnership with Tim will encompass the best of these worlds for fans to enjoy.”

Betar also recently made headlines after signing an exclusive streaming deal with YouTube Gaming, so he’s making quite a few big business moves this year. 

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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Studio behind ‘Splitgate’ wants to be the next Riot Games

Having ambitious goals is always a good thing!

Splitgate has taken the esports world by storm, and developer 1047 Games is just getting started. Co-founder and CEO Ian Proulx claims the goal is to become the next Riot Games, Techcrunch  reported Tuesday. 

It’s a lofty aspiration, to be sure. After all, Riot Games is behind esports juggernauts like League of Legends and Valorant. However, after some recent news that 1047 Games received $100 million from investors to help grow Splitgate, that goal might just be within reach. 

“The scope of what we can do is now through the roof,” Proulx said via Techcrunch. “There’s so much we couldn’t think about because we were a tiny team with a tiny budget, but now everything is on the table. We’re focusing on the long term — I look at the game as being 25% done. We don’t need to be Fortnite tomorrow, but now it really is about building the next Riot Games, the next big games business.”

Splitgate is a free-to-play arena shooter that harkens back to Halo’s  glory days while injecting some topsy turvy Portal-like physics elements. In that sense, it’s not exactly rife with new ideas, but being a throwback is part of its appeal. 

“People grew up playing these games, and the reason [the market] is dead is not because they stopped loving them,” Proulx said via Techcrunch. “No one has moved the needle because there hasn’t been a lot of innovation, and there hasn’t been something that’s accessible to the masses.”

Here’s to hoping Splitgate’s success keeps trucking along. 

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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‘Destiny 2’ players are unhappy about its new Trials of Osiris skill-based matchmaking

After seven wins, you’re flawless.

Competition is always best when the teams are evenly stacked, right? Well, many Destiny 2 wouldn’t agree, especially now that skill-based matchmaking is part of the Trials of Osiris PvP mode, Kotaku  reported Friday. 

If you’re not in the know, Trials of Osiris is a 3v3 competitive mode in Destiny 2 that yields loads of great loot for whichever team wins. Developer Bungie wants to make this mode a bit more accessible so that more people can get rewards, as for a while now, getting annihilated by the best players is all too common.

“We are also not happy with the experience of players who have a bad streak of getting repeatedly thrashed 5-0,” Cozmo, community manager at Bungie, said on Bungie’s blog.

“So we are enabling some matchmaking help if someone runs into several blowout matches. This temporary help mechanic clears up once they start winning again, so don’t think someone will cheese a flawless by tanking for a few games and then have a weekend of smooth sailing.”

Basically, if someone is losing, they’ll get matched up against people who are also struggling, while people with seven wins in a row will move up into a ‘flawless’ rank to face others that win more often.

It might not sound like a big deal, but Destiny 2’s PvP community thinks this matchmaking assistance will lead to many issues. Some of the suggested outcomes are folks throwing matches to give their buddies an easy reward to people dropping the mode entirely after attaining the flawless rank. 

The tweets below represent both valid concerns and plenty of over-the-top meme goodness.

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

Top 5 NFL stars that have invested in esports

Some might be in for the returns, while others are sinking dollars into their hobby.

NFL stars are not just players, but are also business people and some of them instantly recognize the fierce competition in esports and all the opportunities that come with it.

The days of small neighborhood gaming tournaments are long gone. Esports is a global billion-dollar industry now and investors from all walks of life see the potential that comes with grand tournaments broadcasted to millions of viewers.

Many want a share of the revenue generated by the top esports orgs, but only a few truly understand what they are investing their money in. It takes someone that is deeply engrossed in sports competition to grasp the true potential of competitive video gaming. NFL players definitely do and they are getting more and more involved in esports.

Let’s take a look at the top 5 NFL stars that invested in esports.

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PGL Esports president believes big LAN events can only return if all attendees are vaccinated

PGL Esports will require proof of vaccination for guests to attend live events.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, esports events have been hurting, and PGL’s president believes massive tournaments can only return if all attendees provide proof of vaccination. Insisting that future events put on by PGL Esports will indeed require everyone attending will need to be vaccinated. 

PGL Esports is responsible for organizing and producing some of the biggest competitive gaming events in the world. From Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Apex Legends majors to DOTA 2’s The International, the organization has loads of experience and know-how on what is required to make these things a success. Silviu Stroie, CEO at PGL, wants those grandiose events to return, and the organization is being proactive about it. 

“I firmly believe the only way to bring back massive LAN events is to require complete vaccination of attending players, talent, spectators,” Stroie said on Twitter. “This will be a requirement for all upcoming PGL 2022 events.”

PGL Esports is helping organize DOTA 2’s 2021 The International tournament, of course, and a ticket sales post on DOTA 2’s blog confirms vaccination is required to get into the event.

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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Upcoming season of ‘Halo: The Master Chief Collection’ will be the last

At least the custom game browser is finally coming!

Fans of Halo: The Master Chief Collection should know that Season 8 will be its last free content update. Developer 343 Industries announced that the studio needs to shuffle resources due to Halo Infinite  launching in December. 

“It’s important to us that we position MCC’s eighth season for success but also help alleviate any conflicts that could take away from the studio’s focus on Halo Infinite’s launch,” Michael ‘Farns’ Fahrny, community and engagement coordinator at 343, said in a blog post on Halo Waypoint. “To that end, Season 8’s release later this Fall will be our last official MCC update of this calendar year.”

Check out the full blog entry for yourself below.

It’s a sad bit of news for anyone still playing Halo: The Master Chief Collection regularly, particularly as an esport, but it’s hardly unexpected. With Halo Infinite  already positioning itself as a global esport, 343 likely needs to ensure its launch goes off without a hitch. Especially in light of some fears people have about the game.

Though it’s not all bittersweet news for Halo: The Master Chief Collection and its fans. As 343 announced, some cool additions are coming with season 8. From the much-sought-after custom game browser to additional mod support for each title in the collection, there’s plenty of improvements and additions to be excited about when the new season launches later this fall. 

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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