eSports

Welcome WePlay Studios: WePlay Esports announces plan to establish new brand identity

Published

12 months ago

May 4, 2023

Reading Time: 3 minutes

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

Everything you need to know ahead of ESL Pro League Season 19

Published

9 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Peter Tolan

everything-you-need-to-know-ahead-of-esl-pro-league-season-19

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The ESL Pro League (EPL) returns to St. Julian’s, Malta, for Season 19 on April 23 – May 12, 2024. The world’s biggest Counter-Strike league will see teams from around the world arrive on-site for three weeks of non-stop action, and only one team will emerge victorious as Champions.

Here is all you need to know about ESL Pro League Season 19

The 19th Season of the ESL Pro League will see the 32 best Counter-Strike teams compete for a total prize pool of $750,000, a win in the race to secure Intel® Grand Slam V, and a spot at IEM Cologne 2024. Commencing on April 23, contenders from around the globe will face off in Malta for a spot in the Playoffs. There, the six best teams will compete live in front of an intimate live audience at the InterContinental Malta on May 10 – 12, 2024.

Starting with the upcoming season, EPL will see some improvements to its schedule. While the number of teams and the tournament structure remain the same compared to recent seasons, the duration of the tournament has been adjusted to three weeks instead of five. To accommodate this change, two groups will be played simultaneously during the Group Stage, resulting in a more intense story for fans to follow.

Schedule and Format

Group Stage (April 23 – May 5):

Four groups of eight teams will compete in separate triple-elimination brackets
- All matches are best-of-three
The top four teams from each group will advance to the Playoffs
- Group Stage winners advance to the Quarterfinals
- The Group Stage runner-ups advance to the Round of 12
- The Group Stage third and fourth-place teams advance to the Round of 16

Playoffs (May 7 – 12):

The top sixteen teams will compete in a single-elimination bracket
- All matches will be best-of-three, excluding the Grand Final which will be best-of-five
- The third and fourth Quarterfinals, as well as both Semifinals and the Grand Final will be played out live on stage in front of an audience

Teams Attending

Astralis (Partner Team)
BIG (Partner Team)
Complexity (Partner Team)
ENCE (Partner Team)
FaZe Clan (Partner Team)
Fnatic (Partner Team)
FURIA (Partner Team)
G2 Esports (Partner Team)
HEROIC (Partner Team)
MOUZ (Partner Team)
Natus Vincere (Partner Team)
Ninjas in Pyjamas (Partner Team)
Team Liquid (Partner Team)
Team Vitality (Partner Team)
Monte (ESL Challenger Jönköping winner)
Virtus.pro (ESL Challenger Atlanta winner)
SAW (ESL World Ranking)
Team Falcons (ESL World Ranking)
GamerLegion (ESL World Ranking)
BetBoom Team (ESL World Ranking)
Eternal Fire (ESL World Ranking)
3DMAX (ECL S46 Europe winner)
FORZE (ECL S46 Europe runner-up)
M80 (ECL S46 North America winner)
BOSS (ECL S46 North America runner-up)
The MongolZ (ECL S46 Asia-Pacific winner)
TYLOO (ECL S46 Asia-Pacific runner-up)
Imperial Esports (South American Qualifier winners)
Sharks Esports (South American Qualifier winners)
Pera Esports (European Conference winner)
Bad News Kangaroos (Oceanic Qualifier winner)
FlyQuest (ANZ Champs winner)

Prize Money (USD)

TOTAL	$750,000
1st	$170,000
2nd	$80,000
3rd-4th	$45,000
5th-8th	$32,000
9th-12th	$23,500
13th-16th	$17,500
17th-20th	$12,000
21st-28th	$7,000
29th-32nd	$3,500

Broadcast Talent

Hosts
- “Tres “stunna” Saranthus
- Freya “Freya” Spiers
A Stream
- Jason “moses” O’Toole
- Janko “YNk” Paunović
- Mathieu “Maniac” Quiquerez
- Harry “Harry” Russell
- Hugo “Hugo” Byron
- Henry “Henry” Greer
- Chad “SPUNJ” Burchill
- Alex “Machine” Richardson
B Stream
- Neo “Ne0kai” Caine
- Harvey “Skriv” Rodgers
- Lucy “LucyLuce” Eastwood
- Brandon “BDog” Rawlings
- Travis “Trav” Landaw Mott

Where to Watch

The live broadcast will be available on FACEIT Watch, ESL FACEIT Group’s premier esports viewing platform created by esports fans for esports fans and open for all.

Featuring a unique multi-perspective view selector where users can watch their favorite player’s perspective directly next to the main event stream, a live chat, a kill cam, live-generated replays of key moments, a sound mixer, a rewards program, and more, FACEIT Watch revolutionises esports streaming by putting fans in control of their viewing experience.

Fans can also watch the action on the ESL Counter-Strike Twitch and YouTube channels. For those unable to tune in live, all matches will also be available to watch on-demand for free via YouTube.

For more information about ESL Pro League Season 19, and the latest updates on the event, please visit the official website, and follow ESL Counter-Strike on X, Facebook, and Instagram.

The post Everything you need to know ahead of ESL Pro League Season 19 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

eSports

HAWKS TALON GC SET FOR THE STEAL ON APRIL 19TH FOR CHANCE TO ENTER NBA 2K LEAGUE 3V3 PLAYOFF

Published

17 hours ago

April 19, 2024

GamingAmericas.com

hawks-talon-gc-set-for-the-steal-on-april-19th-for-chance-to-enter-nba-2k-league-3v3-playoff

Hawks Talon GC, the official NBA 2K League affiliate of the Atlanta Hawks, will begin play in the STEAL on Friday night against No. 14 Blazer5 Gaming at 7:30 p.m.

Talon collected 90 points over the SLAM and SWITCH, earning 60 points in the SLAM and 30 points in the SWITCH to earn the No. 3 seed heading into the STEAL.

Should Talon advance, they would play the winner of No. 6 Cavs Legion GC and No. 11 Hornets Venom GT on Saturday at 3:45 p.m., followed by the semifinals at 5:15 p.m., and the finals at 5:45 p.m. All games can be followed on the NBA 2K League’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

“The STEAL is probably the toughest tournament in the 2K League, but the guys are locked in and ready to fight for their season,” said Hawks Talon head coach Ismael ‘MAELO’ Diaz Tolentino. “We are looking forward to going out there and proving that we belong amongst the best teams in the league. We were only a game away from clinching a playoff berth and we honestly think we are one of the teams to beat in this tournament.”

Talon owns a 4-4 record in bracket play thus far during the 2024 season over the SLAM and SWITCH opens, going 3-2 over the SLAM and 1-2 over the SWITCH.

The single elimination 3v3 tournament includes all 15 NBA 2K League teams that have not clinched a spot in the 3v3 playoffs, plus one community team from an open qualifier. The final two teams in the STEAL will earn a spot in the 3v3 playoffs beginning next week, with the winner receiving a winner-take-all cash prize.

Asia

Team ATK Oshun excels at 2024 Online Championships held on 13 April 2024

Published

2 days ago

April 18, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

team-atk-oshun-excels-at-2024-online-championships-held-on-13-april-2024

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Mind Sports South Africa’s (MSSA) 2024 Online Championships held on 13 April 2024 showed sterling results.
The championship was yet another chance for many esports athletes to qualify for MSSA’s National Team Trials to be held on 25 May 2024 at which the team will be selected to officially represent South Africa at the African Qualifiers which lead up to IESF’s 16th World Esports Championships to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in October and November 2024..

All Registered Players who have finished in the top three places, or the top 20% – whichever is greater, are entitled to enter trials.

However, it must be remembered that all players must have a valid passport to participate in the National Team Trials.

It was indeed exciting to watch just how much all the female teams have improved.

Team ATK Oshun (ATK Club Sport) being a female team astounded all with their skill and sportsmanship. The team demolished all ATK Club Sport opposition to ultimately won the premier event overall and qualify for the National Team trials to be held on 25 May 2025.

IESF’s 15th World Championships will be played to the following titles:

Counter-Strike 2
Counter-Strike 2 – Female division
DotA 2
eFootball
Mobile Legends, Bang Bang
Mobile Legends, Bang Bang – Female division
PUBGM

The high standard of play saw 37 Registered Players from six provinces being awarded Provincial Colours. Only Limpopo, Free State, and Northern Cape did not have Registered Players who did not earn provincial colours.

Title	Name of player/team	Club	Provincial Colours awarded
Clash Royale – Premier	Johan Coetzee	Middies	Mpumalanga
Clash Royale – High School	Aryan Maharaj	PR0NHS
Counter Strike: 2	ATK Oshun
	Kaylee Ludick	ATK Club Sport	Gauteng
	Jessica Eleez Greeff	ATK Club Sport	Gauteng
	Christin Brazier	ATK Club Sport	Gauteng
	Megan van der Westhuizen	ATK Club Sport	Gauteng
	Kayhla Rose Calder	ATK Club Sport	Gauteng
DotA – Premier	ZAG DOTA 1
	Suhail Khan	ZAG Academy	Gauteng
	Travis John Waters	ZAG Academy	Western Cape
	Mark Kilian Lehle	ZAG Academy	Gauteng
	Mohammad Dhooma	ZAG Academy	Eastern Cape
	Nicholas Dammert	ZAG Academy	Gauteng
eFootball – Premier	Aslam Parker	PES Society	Gauteng
FIFA 24 – High School	Daiyaan Hendricks	PES Society	Western Cape
Mobile Legends – Premier	Mavericks
	Matthew Tatalias	Mavericks	Gauteng
	Damian Bransby	Mavericks	Western Cape
	Preshan Pillay	Mavericks	Gauteng
	Mohammad Azhar Ansari	Mavericks	KwaZulu Natal
	Taygan Gabriel	Mavericks	KwaZulu Natal
	Luke Green	Mavericks	Western Cape
Mobile Legends – Premier – Female	AHG
	Je’nielle Cavanagh	PES Society	Western Cape
	Inez Pringle	PES Society	Western Cape
	Salma Parker	PES Society	Western Cape
	Ra’isha Prout	PES Society	Western Cape
	Fatimah Prout	PES Society	Western Cape
	Mia Anthony	PES Society	Western Cape
PUBGM	Team uEnvy
	Richard Henry	ZAG Academy	Eastern Cape
	La-eeq Arendse	ZAG Academy	Western Cape
	Kyle Dudley	ZAG Academy	Western Cape
	Clayton Leak	ZAG Academy	Western Cape
Rocket League – Premier – 1 v 1 – Premier	Nathan Strange	Hoërskool Klerksdorp
Rocket League – Premier – 1 v 1 – High School	Luther Peens	Hoërskool Klerksdorp
Street Fightter V – Premier	Marnus van der Merwe	Hoërskool Klerksdorp	North West
Tekken 8	Stasch Cloeta	Team PlayBell	Western Cape
Valorant – Premier	TuksValorant
	Tapiwanashe Keith Matema	TuksEsports	Gauteng
	Kyle Halvorsen	TuksEsports	Gauteng
	Jaden Connor Swarts	TuksEsports	Gauteng
	Ronald James Tyler Wheeldon	TuksEsports	Gauteng
	Alejandro Luca Sartini-Kruger	TuksEsports	Gauteng
	Armand Pierre van der Colf	TuksEsports	Gauteng
Sportsmanship Award	Je’nielle Cavanagh	PES Society