eSports
Welcome WePlay Studios: WePlay Esports announces plan to establish new brand identity
WePlay Esports, one of the world’s most prominent esports business representatives, is happy to announce the start of a branding renovation that will reflect the company’s values and its strategy to grow in the entertainment industry. The first stage of rebranding involves changing the business name to one matching the company’s current course of operation — WePlay Studios.
Throughout its history, WePlay’s mission and values have been based on a dream — the dream of creating not just events and shows but emotions and memories for both viewers and participants. Over more than ten years of work, WePlay Esports has organized and hosted over 25 esports tournaments and gathered a community of over two million subscribers and viewers on its platforms. WePlay Esports was honored to be shortlisted for the 43rd Annual Sports Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Esports Championship Coverage category and a finalist of the 2021 Esports Awards for Creative Team of the Year, among many other awards.
Today, the team is happy to announce the start of a new round of business development as a production company specializing in content creation in the field of entertainment and gaming. Based on the knowledge gained in esports, technology, and the event business, WePlay Studios aims to create groundbreaking entertainment innovation to excel viewers’ experience and accelerate industry development with end-to-end solutions in broadcasting, augmented reality, computer graphics, and venue design.
Yura Lazebnikov, managing partner and co-founder of WePlay Studios. Photo: WePlay Studios
“The history of WePlay began in Kyiv with a staff of 12 and a common passion for gaming. Over more than 10 years of work in Ukraine, we have scaled up to 150+ employees and opened offices and high-tech arenas in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Los Angeles, U.S. During this time, our team has acquired an incredible set of skills and world-class expertise that is second to none. With this in mind, our team is ready to take a step forward to new challenges and projects. We are not leaving esports — we are pushing boundaries,” says Yura Lazebnikov, managing partner and co-founder of WePlay Studios.
Based on the company’s new strategy, WePlay Esports is changing its branding and name to WePlay Studios, reflecting the expansion of its activity beyond the realm of esports.
Starting in 2022, WePlay Studios has bolstered its expertise by trying its hand at streaming gaming shows and entertainment events. The company became the strategic partner for the One True King influencer network and the official production partner of Enthusiast Gaming for NFL Tuesday Night Gaming, a first-of-its-kind gaming collaboration bringing together NFL players and legends and top gaming content creators from prominent organizations.
Maksym Bilonogov, chief visionary officer and general producer at WePlay Studios. Photo: WePlay Studios
“Throughout the company’s history, we’ve tried different directions, experimented a lot, and created different products that led us to the one that has become the essence of our current business model — producing content. We’ve built our recognition and awareness around creating iconic events. That is why becoming WePlay Studios is a logical step forward for us,” says Maksym Bilonogov, chief visionary officer and general producer at WePlay Studios.
Iryna Chuhai, chief marketing officer at WePlay Studios. Photo: WePlay Studios
“When you play a video game, you represent a character striving for recognition in their community and lead them towards something bigger and more important. Our team works as we play — aiming towards bigger goals. That’s why continuous improvement and evolution are the only way to create awareness among the audience and be remembered by them. The WePlay Studios team is ready to amaze the public even beyond esports. We are ready to prioritize and encourage all the audience’s interests and show how important they are to us,” says Iryna Chuhai, chief marketing officer at WePlay Studios.
The rebranding will take place over the coming months as a series of steps: from naming change and an update of the brand’s visual elements and color palette to overhauling the corporate website and content around the company. The WePlay Studios team will inform about all changes on its official website and social media pages: LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. Follow the links to stay on top of the upcoming news.
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.
The post Emmy-Winning Director R.J. Cutler’s Docuseries Esports World Cup: Level Up Premieres June 6 on Prime Video appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Esports betting pioneer adds daily fantasy esports offering to its growing range of products, with its sights set on the US market
PandaScore, the award-winning provider of esports odds, data and betting products, has continued to push boundaries with the launch of Daily Fantasy eSports, a truly groundbreaking product for operators and players.
Daily Fantasy eSports has been developed for the US market but will have global appeal with players drawn in by the chance to create virtual teams of real-life players and earn points based on their actual game performances.
Contests range from daily matchups to season-long leagues, with plenty of prizes up for grabs.
PandaScore’s Daily Fantasy eSports is backed by an expert-led esports trading team to deliver fast, accurate settlement data across unique, player-focused markets driven by the provider’s established and proven betting models.
An Interactive Player Widget serves up rich player stats and profiles, with PandaScore’s powerful BetBuilder enabling same-game parlays.
But that’s not all. PandaScore has more than 17,000 players in its esports player age and info database, the largest in the market.
It also offers dedicated helper codes and documentation to ensure smooth and seamless operator integration. It really is as easy as 1-2-3.
1 – There is a kick-off call to align on goals, timelines and fantasy formats.
2 – The operator accesses PandaScore’s dedicated fantasy-focused API to accelerate the build
3 – The dedicated integration manager ensures effortless onboarding and a successful launch
By leveraging PandaScore’s odds and data, alongside its team of experts and specialists, online sportsbook and daily fantasy sports operators can launch faster, ensure accuracy and scale their Daily Fantasy eSports offering with confidence.
Oliver Niner, Head of B2B at PandaScore, said: “Daily Fantasy eSports is a pioneering product from PandaScore that will really hit the mark with operators across North America, as well as other global markets.
“It allows operators to engage esports fans and bettors with a compelling product and proposition, but without the degree of risk that comes with standard betting as the payouts are controlled.
“Daily Fantasy eSports is already live with Dabble and is performing incredibly well, so we look forward to going live with more operators in the coming months.
“This really is a game-changing product, and we can’t wait to see it become available at some of the biggest betting brands in North America and beyond.”
The launch of Daily Fantasy eSports complements PandaScore’s growing esports betting offering, which includes odds and data for a huge number of disciplines, plus betting products like its BetBuilder, MicroMarkets and StoryBuilder.
The post PandaScore launches game-changing Daily Fantasy eSports product appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Esports Charts, a Ukraine-born analytics company that aggregates real-time viewership insights about esports, has won the Esports Innovation Award at the EsportsNext Industry Awards, hosted by the Esports Trade Association (ESTA) in Dallas, US.
The Esports Innovation Award recognizes an organization or individual that has introduced groundbreaking technology, services, or strategies significantly advancing the esports industry.
Esports Charts was honored for its scalable analytics platform, which provides comprehensive tournament and viewership statistics across more than 25 livestreaming services — helping stakeholders from publishers and teams to fans make smarter, data-driven decisions.
“Winning the Innovation Award from ESTA is an important milestone for us as a leading esports analytics service in the world. Also, we’re especially proud to represent Ukraine-born innovation on an international stage.
“From day one, our mission has been to bring clarity and transparency to the world of esports data. And this recognition from the industry is both an honor and a motivation to keep raising the bar.
“Thank you to our incredible team and partners, who believed in us from the start. This award is a shared success — and we’re just getting started,” Artyom Odintsov, co-founder and CEO of Esports Charts.
The post Esports Charts Wins “Esports Innovation Award” at the EsportsNext Industry Awards appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
-
Esportes da Sorte4 weeks agoEsportes Gaming Brasil, the group behind Esportes da Sorte and Onabet, announces Hugo Baungartner as Executive Director for Institutional Relations and Partnerships
-
Africa4 weeks agoCross Switch Bolsters African Footprint with Strategic Partnership with Pesawise
-
Australia4 weeks ago
ACMA Imposes Fine of $500,800 on PointsBet
-
Baltics4 weeks ago
Modern Oracles & Smart Payments: Finrax’s Vision for Blockchain, AI & Beyond
-
Africa4 weeks ago
QTech Games wins Leader in Online Casino at the 2025 SBEA+ Eventus Awards
-
Australia4 weeks ago
ACMA Imposes $1 Million Fine on Unibet
-
Balkans3 weeks ago
EGT Digital at Belgrade Future Gaming 2025: Get ready to be fascinated
-
Asia2 weeks ago
PAGCOR CHAIRMAN, ENTIRE BOARD TENDER COURTESY RESIGNATION
