eSports

British Esports Association collaborates with IBM and industry specialists to create a safer esports space for young people

Published

3 years ago

February 19, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The British Esports Association, the not-for-profit organisation set up to promote and support grassroots esports, has revealed first details of its new membership platform.

The platform, scheduled to launch in spring 2021 initially for 12-19 year olds (with plans to expand to other age groups later on), will ensure users are verified at point of entry and that communication within the platform is reviewed to reduce toxicity and cyber threats.

The collaboration with IBM will explore how IBM Watson products can be used to enhance user experience, safety and wellbeing of young gamers.

The Association has also teamed up with safety technology provider GoBubble for real-time content moderation and will deliver accurate age verification using privacy preserving AI technology from Yoti to ensure age appropriate interactions.

Alongside the work of these partners, British Esports consulted with the NSPCC to ensure there are strong and consistent safeguarding procedures in the association.

Finally, British Esports, GoBubble and Yoti have been invited to test the platform within the Information Commissioner’s Office’s (ICO) Sandbox. This is a service developed by the ICO to support organisations who are creating products and services which utilise personal data in innovative and safe ways.

IBM is a global leader in hybrid cloud and AI. The intention is to use IBM Watson Assistant to engage gamers via a virtual assistant in the form of a gaming avatar. The assistant will also utilise IBM Watson Discovery to provide personalised content to enable the gamer to improve their skills, compete in tournaments and find the latest video from their favourite influencer.

The project partners will also explore how Red Hat OpenShift can enable the platform to scale to a global market and even potentially beyond the world of esports. The intention is to containerise the platform, enabling it to be deployed directly onto the cloud infrastructures of other esports bodies and potentially to any organisation that runs a digital community.

Yoti is the world’s leading identity platform with accurate age estimation technology providing a secure way of proving ages, without revealing any personal information. There’s no need for ID documents and images are deleted after the age check. The free Yoti app also enables people to prove their age with one tap, which is verified with a government ID and their unique facial biometrics. Yoti’s combination of AI technology, liveness anti-spoofing and ID document checks ensures businesses can be confident in the age of their customers.

GoBubble’s child-centred ecosystem helps developers safely scale and reduce the risk of children being exposed to anything inappropriate. GoBubbleWrap, GoBubble’s content moderation SaaS API, will be utilised to provide real-time text moderation across the platform to reduce toxicity and steer gamers towards more positive behaviour.

This creates an attractive proposition for parents and teachers looking for a safer space for their children and student gamers to play together.

Chester King, British Esports Association CEO and founder, commented: “Over the past few years we’ve worked hard to build a community of esports fans from schools and colleges across the UK.

“What’s been clear through feedback from parents and teachers is the need to ensure that young people know who they are playing and communicating with, and that where communication takes place, we must work hard to reduce toxicity in all its forms.

“When addressing these concerns, we also must keep in mind the experience for young people, so whilst we have a focus in a safer space, we want to ensure that the experience is relevant and exciting. This will be done through curated relevant content, exclusive offers, discounts and competitions and exciting esports tournaments taking place throughout the year.”

Kay Thompson, Media & Entertainment Industry lead at IBM, said “IBM is hugely excited to be working with the British Esports Association and its partners on this tech for good initiative to protect our children whilst gaming”.

Christian McMullen, Head of Professional Engagement at the NSPCC, said: “We have a mission to ensure every child is safe online and were delighted to be approached by the BEA with an exciting proposal to make the world of esports safer for children.
“The NSPCC worked with the BEA to strengthen their safeguarding procedures as well as develop a code of conduct and content for their safe gaming guidance for children and parents.

“By integrating safety by design into their new platform, the British Esports Association is demonstrating their intention to create a safer space for the gaming community that has the potential to improve young people’s safety in the world of esports.”

Julie Dawson, Director of Regulatory and Policy at Yoti, said: “Through the ICO Sandbox, Yoti, GoBubble and British Esports will develop privacy-preserving and ‘ethics by design’ systems that support under 13s age verification and associated parental consent. This same approach can support many other companies to comply in a friction-free way with the Age Appropriate Design Code and protect children.”

Henry Platten, GoBubble CEO and founder, added: “The dedication British Esports has to unite everyone in a single, safer, healthier and kinder community is inspiring. We’re honoured to help bring our experience and technology in creating safer, scalable and positive communities in 70 countries to benefit British Esports’ vision.”

Further launch information, pricing and other details are to be confirmed nearer the platform’s launch.

eSports

ESIC Announces Establishment of Global Esports Industry Advisory Board

Published

2 days ago

April 30, 2024

George Miller

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) is pleased to announce the establishment of its Global Esports Industry Advisory Board, designed to enhance integrity and ethical practices across the esports landscape. The Advisory Board will serve a pivotal role by providing expert advice to ESIC’s Chief Executive Officer on a range of critical industry issues.

The primary function of the Advisory Board is to create a robust framework for integrity and fairness, setting a global benchmark for ethical conduct and fair competition in esports. The board will offer strategic insights, help shape policies governing fair play, liaise with key industry stakeholders, and act as ambassadors advocating for ethical practices.

ESIC has appointed two highly esteemed members to inaugurate this board:

David Neichel, Senior Vice President of Public & International Affairs at ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), joins the Advisory Board with over fifteen years of experience in the video games industry, including significant roles at Activision-Blizzard and Electronic Arts. David’s profound impact on international and public affairs initiatives makes him an invaluable addition to the board.

Robbie Douek, CEO of BLAST, also joins the Advisory Board, bringing a wealth of experience from his roles at Google and Disney, along with his leadership through major acquisitions. Robbie is celebrated for his strategic leadership and his instrumental role in elevating esports to a significant global entertainment platform.

The formation of the Advisory Board is an engagement that underscores the commitment of its members to upholding and promoting the highest standards of integrity within the esports industry. The board will meet as required to address strategic challenges and ensure that ESIC’s initiatives effectively meet current and future industry needs.

“Both David and Robbie bring a remarkable depth of knowledge and a passion for advancing the integrity of esports,” said Stephen Hanna, CEO of ESIC. “Their expertise will be crucial as we navigate the evolving landscape of esports and strive to maintain the integrity that our community expects and deserves.”

Robbie Douek, CEO at BLAST, said: “I’m honoured to be given the opportunity to support the Global Esports Industry Advisory Board and ESIC in their ambition to create the best and fairest environment possible for players, teams and fans.”

David Neichel, Senior Vice President of Public & International Affairs at ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) also commented: “It is a true honour to join the Global Esports Industry Advisory Board and support ESIC’s successful journey. Fairplay and integrity are at the core of esports. We owe it to the players and to the fans and for a better endemic industry governance”

The post ESIC Announces Establishment of Global Esports Industry Advisory Board appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

eSports

How Team Vitality Utilises Abios Data to Create a Better Fan Experience

Published

2 days ago

April 30, 2024

Alan Campbell

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Reading Time: 2 minutes

Abios has partnered with leading eSports club Team Vitality to help fuel its fan engagement application V.Hive with eSports data. With access to coverage on more than five of the largest eSports titles from Abios, Team Vitality can ensure that fans can stay engaged and updated with results, schedules and statistics from its latest matches.

Abios, an enterprise eSports data and technology provider, has agreed to a long-term deal to supply its eSports data to Paris-based eSports organisation Team Vitality.

The major-winning eSports team will deploy Abios’ data to fuel its prediction tool, which allows fans to score points by successfully predicting how Team Vitality will perform in upcoming matches. The scores will be posted to a leaderboard where the best contenders can win prizes including merchandise and money-can’t-buy experiences with professional players.

Driven by Abios’ rich performance and scheduling data, the prediction tool is part of a wider effort by Team Vitality to create an immersive fan experience, following V.Hive app launch in November of 2022 jammed with features geared to building a digital community around the team with news, mini-games and custom avatars.

With rosters in several eSports titles, Team Vitality will use Abios’ extensive coverage to include data for matchups in the most popular eSports titles including League of Legends, Starcraft ll, Counter-Strike, Rocket League, EA Sports FC and Valorant.

The founder and Chief Executive Officer for Abios, Oskar Bonnevier Froberg, commented on the partnership: “Team Vitality is one of the oldest and most prestigious eSports teams in Europe and we’re proud to be able to supply it with top-tier eSports data.

“With high-performing rosters across many eSports disciplines, Team Vitality has millions of fans all over the world. It is fantastic to see its dedication to its fans and how it brings added value to its followers and we are excited to power Team Vitality with our extensive data and help it to deliver the next generation of eSports fan experiences.”

“Through Abios’ interfaces, we are able to provide our fans an immersive experience that goes beyond just watching matches,” the Brand and Revenue Diversification Director for Team Vitality, Amelie Canet, said. “Together, we’re creating an environment where fans can interact, predict outcomes and feel even closer to the eSports action. Its tech overlay allows us to engage our fans and offer them a more entertaining experience.”

The post How Team Vitality Utilises Abios Data to Create a Better Fan Experience appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

eSports

ESL One Birmingham powered by Intel®: Unstoppable Team Falcons Reign Supreme at Resorts World Arena

Published

3 days ago

April 29, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

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Reading Time: 4 minutes

ESL One Birmingham Powered by Intel® reached its peak tonight, with the unstoppable Team Falcons seizing the crown in a thrilling Grand Final clash at Resorts World Arena, Birmingham. Defeating fierce competitors, BetBoom Team, Team Falcons emerged victorious, etching their name in esports history.

Team Falcons had a near-flawless run to the trophy, finishing top of Group A without dropping a series. Despite a slight stumble against Tundra Esports in the Upper Bracket, they flew through the lower bracket, dispatching Team Liquid and OG, before getting their revenge on Tundra Esports in the Lower Bracket Final. With their incredible performance, Team Falcons took home $300,000, 6,400 of the all-valuable EPT Points and the coveted trophy.

With this win, Team Falcons have now secured their spot at Riyadh Masters at the Esports World Cup in summer 2024.

Europe’s biggest Dota 2 esports event in six years, ESL One captivated audiences worldwide and saw a peak viewership of over 327,000*, with over 18,000 fans from across the world attending Resorts World Arena in Birmingham on the final three days of the tournament.

Group Stage

Making a triumphant return to Birmingham for the first time since 2018, the tournament commenced on April 22 with the Group Stage, where 12 world’s best teams were split into two groups of six.

DreamLeague Season 22 champions Team Falcons went unbeaten and topped Group A, with BetBoom Team finishing a close second. Team Liquid and G2.iG eked through in third and fourth place, respectively, with Team Liquid also unbeaten.

In Group B, local UK hero Matthew ‘Ari’ Walker and his OG side finished at the top of the group, with fellow UK team Tundra Esports finishing a narrow second. Xtreme Gaming and HEROIC qualified for the Lower Bracket.

Playoffs

In the first matches of the Upper Bracket, UK representatives Tundra Esports took the win against Team Falcons to secure their spot in the Upper Bracket Final against BetBoom Team, who knocked OG to the Lower Bracket.

The first day at Resorts World Arena saw Team Liquid take on HEROIC in a tense matchup which saw HEROIC become the first team to be eliminated from the Playoffs. Later in the afternoon, G2xiG battled their way through a tough Xtreme Gaming opposition, with one of the longest series in the competition, clocking in at nearly three hours of thrilling gameplay. In the final matchup of the day, Team Liquid’s momentum from their earlier win was quashed by Team Falcons, who took the match 2-1.

Hometown hero Ari returned to the stage in the first match on Saturday, as OG took on G2.iG, with OG advancing to the Lower Bracket Semi-Final in the first 2-0 sweep of the Playoff stage. BetBoom Team were back in action to take on Tundra Esports, facing off for a spot in the Grand Final and crushed their opposition to emphatically secure their place. Tundra’s Lower Bracket final opponents were decided in the next match, where OG, despite battling bravely, fell to a 2-1 against a rampant Team Falcons.

In the Lower Bracket Final, it was Team Falcons who brushed Tundra Esports aside with a 2-0 sweep, setting the stage for a blockbuster finale against BetBoom Team.

Grand Final

With both teams making short work of their previous-round opposition, both BetBoom Team and Team Falcons won a spot in the Grand Final, eliminating some world-class organisations on the way. The last time these teams faced off was in the Group Stage where the match finished in a 1-1 draw, but at DreamLeague Season 22 earlier this year, Team Falcons took a clean 3-0 sweep over BetBoom Team, leaving them hungry for revenge.

After a rocky start in the first game, Team Falcons managed to rally quickly to dispel BetBoom Team’s chances of opening the scoring in the Grand Final. Team Falcons continued this form into the second game, where, despite some early setbacks, they managed to overpower BetBoom Team to increase their lead to 2-0.

Almost directly replicating the DreamLeague Season 22 Final, Team Falcons resumed their dominance into the third game, sweeping BetBoom Team away to continue their almost flawless start to 2024.

“We’re super happy with this win, we’ve been working so hard this year and it’s really showing with our performances” said Wu ‘Sneyking’ Jingjun from Team Falcons. “The fans were brilliant, and we’re looking forward to seeing what else we can achieve this year with this great team”.

“It was absolutely brilliant to be back in Birmingham, where our journey in British Dota began six years ago,” said Shane Clarke, Director Game Ecosystems for Dota 2. “The community here is one of the most loyal, passionate, and committed to the scene. It’s always great to witness the historic moments and feel the electric energy of the crowd cheering on their favourite teams and players – it’s an experience like no other. Birmingham holds a special place in our hearts, and we are grateful to be a part of the Dota 2 esports legacy once again.”

Qiddiya Cosplay Showcase

Amidst the intense battles, ESL One Birmingham embraced the creative spirit of the community with the Qiddiya Cosplay Showcase. Enthusiastic cosplayers from around the globe brought beloved Dota 2 characters to life, adding an extra layer of excitement and spectacle to the event.

Dota 2 fans from around the globe can look forward to more high-level action as the ESL Pro Tour for Dota 2 will soon continue with DreamLeague Season 23 taking place online on May 20 – 26.

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