eSports
TEAM VITALITY RENEWS STAR-STUDDED AMERICAN TEAMFIGHT TACTICS ROSTER
- Team Vitality has announced the renewal of its Teamfight Tactics (TFT) dream team, after a successful 2024, securing a top 4 finish at the 2024 Esports World Cup.
- The all-American team features renowned pro-players and streamers; Kevin ‘setsuko’ Jiang, Michael ‘k3soju’ Zhang, Jeffrey ‘Milk’ Pan, and Kevin ‘Prestivent’ Zou, who have renewed their contracts with Team Vitality for the full year of 2025.
- The renewal highlights Team Vitality’s ongoing commitment to strengthening its international growth in the competitive landscape and engaging with its global fan base through events, streaming, content, and more.
Team Vitality, the leading esports organisation, is proud to announce the renewal of its Teamfight Tactics (TFT) team. The all-American roster of Kevin ‘setsuko’ Jiang, Michael ‘k3soju’ Zhang, Jeffrey ‘Milk’ Pan, and Kevin ‘Prestivent’ Zou will continue to represent Team Vitality on the global stage throughout 2025. The roster signifies Team Vitality’s commitment to building long-term relationships with top-tier talent while reinforcing its continued expansion into the American esports industry.
TEAM VITALITY SET TO CONQUER THE TFT ARENA
The roster is gearing up for an exciting competitive season ahead, with the team set to participate in several high-profile events throughout the year, such as the Riot Games TFT Esports Circuit. Another standout event in the competitive calendar is the TFT Open LAN in December, which will be taking place in Paris, the home turf of Team Vitality. Here the roster plans to showcase their skills and further build their legacy as one of the most elite teams in the TFT competitive scene.
The roster, boasting exceptional talent, is composed of:
- Michael ‘k3soju’ Zhang – Michael “k3soju” Zhang, is one of the most prominent streamers in TFT and worldwide. With a long-standing presence in competitive esports, having competed in other esports titles such as League of Legends, k3soju is one of the most popular players in the scene. k3soju has secured multiple notable achievements such as becoming runner-up in the 2022 Dragonlands: North America Regional Finals upon which he made his World Championship debut. A top 4 finish in the 2024 Esports World Cup gained k3soju additional popularity all across the world. Aside from his TFT success, k3soju is often one of the top 10 most watched streamers on Twitch globally. With 224 hours streamed in 2024, he boasts a dedicated following of 624K fans, with over 3.3 million hours watched and 23,000 peak viewers. His impressive track record and huge streaming presence make him a formidable force in the TFT community.
- Kevin ‘setsuko’ Jiang – Setsuko is a rising star, known for his fast-paced, aggressive playstyle. His unique talent and strategic thinking have led to several impressive accomplishments, including multiple first places in the 2023 Monsters Attack and Runeterra Reforged Sets of Teamfight Tactics. Most recently, he accomplished a 9th place finish at the TFT Open LAN in Macao, and placed top 4 in the 2024 Esports World Cup alongside his team. Setsuko also boasts a substantial following on Twitch, with 188K followers, where he streams his expert gameplay.
- Jeffrey ‘Milk’ Pan – DeliciousMilkGG, Milk Guy, or simply Milk, has earned a reputation for his mastery of high-cost units and powerful synergies. A consistent top 4 finisher, Milk excels at crafting potent endgame compositions, often securing victories with his calculated strategic decisions. His impressive achievements include first places in several meaningful tournaments such as but not limited to the 2022 Gizmos & Gadgets: NA Regional Finals. Milk also finished 2nd in the most recent Americas Final and Top 4 at the 2024 Esports World Cup. Beyond his success as a pro player, Milk connects with his fans on Twitch, with a dedicated following of over 160K.
- Kevin ‘Prestivent’ Zou – As the final member of the roster line-up, Prestivent, is a respected professional in the Teamfight Tactics community, ranked among the best for his strategic prowess and consistent performance. Prestivent also streams on Twitch, with a growing audience of 84K followers. Prestivent’s skills, drive, and passion make him a key player on the roster, bringing both top-tier gameplay and support to his team.
With a combined Twitch following of over a million fans, the team members are key influential figures in the TFT community. Through their engaging content, the team connects with fans worldwide, sharing valuable insights into their gameplay, educating aspiring competitive players, and building strong relationships with their audiences. United by a shared ambition to continue captivating fans worldwide, all whilst reaffirming their dominance in Teamfight Tactics, through their exceptional performance and dedication.
“I’m proud to represent Team Vitality for another year, “ said k3soju, pro-athlete for Team Vitality. “We’ve grown so much together, as a team and as individuals, and we’re more determined than ever. I’m excited to see what this season will bring and am incredibly grateful for the ongoing support from our fans.”
“Our roster renewal signifies Team Vitality’s ongoing strive for excellence and global expansion,” says Fabien “Neo” Devide co-founder and chairman of Team Vitality. “We’re incredibly proud to have such talented players represent us, both on and off stage, as they continue to inspire and elevate the standards of competitive gaming. This year, we’re focused on further expanding our presence on an international level, particularly in North America, while continuing to grow with our existing fanbase.”
ACCELERATING TEAM VITALITY’S INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION
By focusing on its star players, investing in their development and providing them with the resources they need to excel, Team Vitality is affirming its commitment to growing world-class talent. This vision is as much about their individual progression as it is about the club’s overall success on the international stage.
With ambitions to expand even further, Team Vitality is looking to reach new heights in esports. This year, the organisation is building on the strength of its Teamfight Tactics (TFT) roster to strengthen its ties with its North American community, while continuing to expand into new global markets.
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For all press inquiries: [email protected]
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eSports
Esports World Cup Foundation Launches Global “Road to EWC” Program, Unveiling Qualification Pathways for the Esports World Cup 2025
The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) has unveiled the full scope of the qualification system for the Esports World Cup 2025 with the launch of the global “Road to EWC” program. Featuring over 200 tournaments spanning grassroots leagues to elite international circuits, the Road to EWC offers opportunities for players at every level to compete on the world’s biggest stage, the Esports World Cup, set to return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 through August 24.
“Road to EWC is a platform for every player, Club, and community whose journey defines the spirit of competition,” said Faisal Bin Homran, Chief Product Officer, of the Esports World Cup Foundation. “By connecting hundreds of tournaments across the world, we are creating life-changing opportunities for players at every level, bringing the world’s best talent to Riyadh. This is how we grow the sport – by growing our partnerships, investing in competitions and laying the foundation for sustainable growth across the industry.”
The Road to EWC qualification program marks a major milestone for the Esports World Cup and is a core component of EWCF’s commitment to the sustainable growth of esports, supporting the professional ecosystem and advancing the sport on a global scale. With 25 tournaments in 24 games, including four new games – Chess, Crossfire, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves and VALORANT – the EWC 2025 will bring together more than 2,000 elite esports players and 200 top Clubs to compete for a prize pool of more than $70 million, the largest in esports history.
For League of Legends, Valorant, Overwatch 2, and Apex Legends, official publisher circuits such as the LEC, VCT, OWCS, and ALGS serve as the primary route to qualification. Other games, including Dota 2, Call of Duty: Warzone, PUBG, Teamfight Tactics, and StarCraft II, are holding open online qualifiers, while fighting games, including Street Fighter 6, TEKKEN 8, and Fatal Fury are qualifying players through community-driven tournaments such as EVO Japan, Combo Breaker, and CEO.
In mobile titles like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Free Fire, PUBG MOBILE, and Honor of Kings, region-specific leagues across Southeast Asia, MENA, and LATAM are producing national champions who will represent their respective nations in Riyadh. Finally, for titles such as Chess, EA SPORTS FC 25, and Overwatch 2, a final wave of Last Chance Qualifiers will be staged in July, giving one last opportunity for breakout players and rising stars to earn their spot in Riyadh.
Additional information about the Road to EWC, including events and dates for specific titles, can be found at esportsworldcup.com.
As anticipation builds for the Esports World Cup, the Road to EWC also features a multi-channel marketing campaign with a calendar of original content from selected qualifier events and partner leagues around the world. Player interviews and behind-the-scenes access will bring to life the stakes, talent, dedication and human interest stories behind the competition, alongside tournament and game explainers to introduce EWC games to broader audiences and bring fans closer to the action.
The Esports World Cup 2025 will once again unite gaming and esports communities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a global competition that will crown the next Esports World Cup Champion. The tournament’s unique cross-game format will reward Clubs and players competing for a life-changing prize pool across a mix of platforms and genres, bringing together esports’ best teams, players and games under one banner in the largest-ever celebration of esports.
The post Esports World Cup Foundation Launches Global “Road to EWC” Program, Unveiling Qualification Pathways for the Esports World Cup 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
S8UL strengthens its EWC roster following the announcement of their participation in multiple titles, including Chess, EAFC 25, Tekken 8, Call of Duty (COD): Warzone, and Apex Legends Mumbai, May 8, 2025: S8UL, a global force in esports and gaming content, is proud to announce its entry into the legendary world of StarCraft II with the signing of veteran South Korean player Pyung Jae Koh, better known by his iconic gamer tag GuMiho, a.k.a. “The Towel Terran.”
This marks S8UL’s first foray into the real-time strategy (RTS) genre and signals its continued commitment to global expansion across esports titles that have defined competitive gaming history.
A fan-favorite and master tactician, GuMiho is recognised across the global StarCraft community for his creative playstyle, unorthodox strategies, and trailblazing use of mech-based unit compositions. A staple of the Global StarCraft II League (GSL) since the Wings of Liberty era, GuMiho rose to global prominence after winning the GSL Code S
Championship in 2017, defeating soO in a 4–2 final that etched his name in StarCraft history. His unique style of playing with a towel draped over his hands to absorb sweat and maintain precision earned him the moniker “The Towel Terran,” while his dominance with mechanical Terran builds gave rise to another title: “The Mech God.”
GuMiho’s recent achievements reaffirm his elite status in the competitive StarCraft II scene. In December 2024, he edged out Protoss standout Clem in a tense 3–2 series at HomeStory Cup XXVI, building on the momentum of his nail-biting 4–3 grand final victory over ShoWTimE (also Protoss) at HomeStory Cup XXV just months earlier. Earlier in the year, he delivered a commanding run to the finals of WardiTV 2023, ultimately finishing second after a hard-fought series against Zerg titan Dark. These standout results reinforce GuMiho’s reputation as one of the scene’s most resilient and inventive players, proving that even after years at the top, he continues to evolve and compete at the highest level.
Speaking about his new journey with S8UL, GuMiho said: “Joining S8UL feels like stepping onto a new playing field with the same hunger to win. Their drive to break barriers in esports matches my own competitive spirit. I’m ready to give it my all and compete at the highest level again, this time with S8UL by my side.”
Animesh Agarwal a.k.a. 8Bit Thug, Co-founder and CEO of S8UL, commented on the signing: “GuMiho is a living legend, and we’re beyond thrilled to welcome him to the S8UL family. Our journey into StarCraft II is about paying homage to the roots of esports and competing with the best. GuMiho’s legacy of innovation, consistency, and competitive spirit embodies everything S8UL stands for. This is a proud moment for Indian esports as we strengthen our EWC aspirations with one of the game’s all-time greats.”
As S8UL prepares to compete across multiple titles at EWC 2025, including Apex Legends, EAFC 25, Call of Duty: Warzone, Tekken 8, Chess, and now StarCraft II, the organization continues to demonstrate that excellence in esports knows no borders, no genres, and no limits.
With three consecutive ‘Esports Content Group of the Year’ wins at the Esports Awards and global recognition through initiatives like the MOBIES Global Impact Award, S8UL is now writing a new chapter in the global esports story.
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Asia
Skyesports Championship BGMI Set for Sixth Edition Featuring INR 40 Lakhs Prize Pool, Grand Finals on May 17–18 in Bangalore
The Skyesports Championship, India’s longest-running homegrown esports IP, is returning for its sixth edition with BGMI and a prize pool of ₹40 Lakhs, culminating in an on-ground Grand Finals on May 17 and 18 in Bangalore.
Leading brands including AMD, Red Bull, GIGABYTE, and Western Digital have partnered with Skyesports for the 2025 edition, reaffirming their commitment to India’s rapidly expanding gaming ecosystem.
Commenting on the return of the IP, Shiva Nandy, Founder and CEO, Skyesports, said, “The Skyesports Championship is an IP we’ve been nurturing since 2018, growing year after year into one of India’s most recognized esports tournaments with a highly engaged youth audience. We are excited to have partners like AMD, Red Bull, GIGABYTE, and Western Digital joining us for this event, allowing us to deliver a top-notch entertainment product for fans with engaging competitive esports action featuring top-tier teams and esports athletes the country has to offer. With initiatives like the new Sky Champ Rule, this tournament is set to be a standout event on the BGMI esports calendar.”
The return of the Skyesports Championship as an on-ground BGMI event builds on the success of its 2023 edition, which recorded over 32 million digital views and attracted more than 12,000 fans to the stadium.
This momentum reflects India’s position as the fastest-growing gaming market across Asia and MENA, as reported by Niko Partners. The Indian games market is expected to surpass $1 billion in 2025, reaching $1.4 billion in revenue by 2028. Mobile gaming continues to lead, accounting for nearly 78% of all revenue. With an expected 277 million new gamers by 2028, India is also on track to overtake China in the highest total number of gamers worldwide.
As the country’s leading esports tournament organizer, Skyesports continues to drive this momentum by delivering high-impact, community-driven esports experiences at scale.
The Skyesports Championship 2025 BGMI Grand Finals will feature an exciting new format:
- Day 1 (May 17) – Sky Surge: Teams will compete across six maps, aiming to accumulate points and reach the Sky Champ point goal of 66 points.
- Day 2 (May 18) – Sky Champ Rule: Once a team reaches 66 points, they must secure a Chicken Dinner to be crowned champions. If no team achieves this within eight maps, the team with the highest points will be declared the winner.
This unique format makes every match extremely crucial, as teams are not only focused on aggressively reaching the point threshold but also on strategically targeting opponents who are close to achieving it or have crossed it already.
The Skyesports Championship BGMI event schedule is as follows:
- Upper Bracket: May 6–9 (16 teams – Top 8 advance to the Grand Finals, bottom 8 fall to the Last Chance Qualifier)
- Last Chance Qualifier: May 10–12 (16 teams – 8 each from the Upper and Lower Brackets)
- Grand Finals: May 17–18 (Top 8 teams from the LCQ join the 8 qualified from the Upper Bracket to compete for the title)
The entire tournament will be livestreamed on the official Skyesports YouTube channel. Stay tuned to the Skyesports Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook handles for more information regarding the on-ground finale.
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