eSports
GEF Reveals Innovation Showcase Partners for Commonwealth Esports Championship
The Global Esports Federation (GEF) has revealed that the forthcoming Commonwealth Esports Championships will feature a dedicated Innovation Showcase area, shining light on powerful Active Esports technologies that are leading in the convergence of esports and sport.
Three key presenting partners – Refract Technologies, Init Esports and the World Freestyle Football Association (WFFA) – have been confirmed for the Innovation Showcase, which will run during the #CEC2022 in Birmingham from 5-7 August 2022.
“The Innovation Showcase at the first-ever Commonwealth Esports Championships will provide a live, interactive opportunity for these leading partners to share their technology and innovations with the athletes and ticket holders. The Global Esports Federation is proud to provide this opportunity and forum to connect, discuss and share these innovations. Esports and its related sectors are built around communities, and we are proud to collaborate with leading innovators like Refract, Init Esports and the WFFA,” Paul J. Foster, CEO of the GEF, said.
Refract Technologies, GEF’s Global Partner for Interactive Technology, is a Singapore-based group of engineers, game producers, artists, and entrepreneurs with a deep passion for, and experience in the gaming and technology industries.
Refract will demonstrate AXIS, a proprietary real-time, full-body, motion-tracking solution offering untethered freedom of movement, turning the body into a real-time game controller. Players can use this to play FreeStriker, a first-person fighting game in a futuristic virtual arena. Refract will also be showcasing Tic Tac Bow, a new mobile archery game.
“Refract is thrilled to have this opportunity to showcase AXIS, our proprietary active gaming technology, as well as our game titles, at the first-ever Commonwealth Esports Championships. We are proud to partner with the GEF. Besides directly engaging with games fans and esports spectators through our Live exhibit, we also hope to inspire more developers and content creators around the world to join us in redefining game experiences and extending human experience beyond reality,” Michael Chng, CEO of Refract Technologies, said.
Init Esports is a woman-led startup that focuses on sim racing special events and motorcycle esports tournaments, bringing esports content to fans and sponsorship opportunities to brands. At the Innovation Showcase they will demonstrate Sim Racing experience by Init Esports, using the market-leading game Assetto Corsa Competizione.
“Sim racing creates a direct line into the real world. Current F1 and NASCAR race car drivers practice their skills on simulators, and gamers perfect their talent to have a chance to fill a seat in an F1 car or become a digital esports sim racing champion. It’s so interconnected. Motorsports and gaming tend to be heavy on the male side and sim racing can provide a relatable and less threatening way for everyone interested in both industries. The possibility to make mistakes while playing is also very important because it can shape one individual life to keep trying and learning. Proud for this collaboration with the GEF. During the #CEC2022 everyone new to esports – should come and try a sim – and for the experts to show the public how engaging it is,” said Stefy Bau, CEO of Init Esports, three-time motocross World Champion.
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.
Daily Fantasy Sports
PandaScore launches game-changing Daily Fantasy eSports product

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.
Artyom Odintsov
Esports Charts Wins “Esports Innovation Award” at the EsportsNext Industry Awards

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.
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