Kansas-based Midwest Esports has become Unified Esports Association (UEA), after the esports holding company rebranded. 

UEA’s portfolio includes the Unified Collegiate Esports Association, Upsurge Esports, Community Esports League, Local Legends Gaming, and the Midwest Esport Conference. The company also organises esports festivals and offers event services.

According to the company, its strategic consolidation will ultimately include a brand refresh across all of UEA’s digital, social and traditional channels. 

Explaining the reasoning behind the rebrand, CEO and Founder of the Unified Esports Association, Ramsey Jamoul, said:

“Midwest Esports has made tremendous business strides, especially with recent acquisitions and leadership, and needed to establish an overarching company that reflected our elevated services, competitive offerings and thought leadership under a unified strategic vision. 

“In addition to our products, we’ll be announcing several key executive initiatives in the near future. We are fully committed to being a coveted partner among gamers, spectators, communities and sponsors, alike.”   

While COO at Unified Esports Association, Ben Redington,  added:

“We have been successful in our goal at Midwest Esports by creating a pipeline for amateur players, giving them the opportunities and experiences to showcase their skills in front of a live audience.

“Now we are completing the ecosystem with strategic acquisitions that will help the Unified Esports Association continue to grow our products and services. From our youth leagues, hobbyists and casual players to our amateur, collegiate, and semi-professional players, we have a product to align to their skill level.”

AYO.NEWS says:

This seems like a smart move given the once Kansas-focused company now has a more nationwide-focused offering. As the company scales-up through acquisitions and organic growth, the trick will be maintaining the close camaraderie and community that has made it such a success so far. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020

Dignitas has announced its women’s CS:GO team will compete in VALORANT, making it the first major pro female team to compete in multiple titles. 

DIG Fe’s roster of female gamers includes Team Captain Emmalee “EMUHLEET” Garrido, Amanda “rain” Smith, Kiara “milk” Makua and Melisa “theia” Mundorff. 

Its entry into VALORANT marks the sixth gaming title in which Dignitas, the competitive gaming arm of New Meta Entertainment (NME), competes. Teams are fielded in League of Legends (LCS and Academy Teams), CS:GO (Men’s and Women’s), Rocket League, Super Smash Brothers, and Clash Royale. 

DIG Fe made their VALORANT debut over the weekend, competing in the ANEW VALORANT Women’s 1K Open on Saturday, and the Elite Esports Rivalry Bowl International on Sunday. 

Discussing the news NME and Dignitas CEO, Michael Prindiville, said:

“Dignitas is a longstanding champion of women in esports. Since their recruitment in 2017, DIG Fe has raised four international trophies under the Dignitas banner; their expansion into VALORANT is the first step in a larger women’s empowerment initiative the organization has planned for the coming months. Our goal is to become esports most empowering and educational organization for professional and aspiring female gamers, content creators and fans.”

While DIG Fe Team Captain and two-time World Champion Player, Emmalee ‘EMUHLEET’ Garrido, added:

“As both a competitive team and female pioneers in the esports space, we’re constantly on the lookout for new opportunities to better connect with our fanbase while also feeding our competitive edge.

“When presented with the opportunity to expand to VALORANT, we quickly recognized the game as a sweet spot between a high skill esports title and a game that appealed to a broader gaming audience. DIG Fe and I look forward to the challenge of taking on an additional competitive title and hope to raise a trophy or two in VALORANT.”

DIG Fe’s women’s pro CS:GO team is the only to achieve back-to-back World Championship titles, and has strong commercial appeal, having attracted sponsorships from HyperX, Champion, Raynor Gaming, Vie and more.

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Esports venue operator Helix eSports has announced a partnership with gaming peripherals brand Razer. 

As exclusive peripherals partner, Razer will supply Helix eSports’ gaming facilities across North America from 23 May – coinciding with the opening of Helix eSports’ Patriot Place venue. The new location was originally set to open in January, but was delayed by the COVID-19 outbreak. 

Patriot Place is also set to serve as the training facility for the Overwatch League franchise Boston Uprising. Helix eSports also operates two venues in New Jersey, in North Bergen and Freehold. 

Additionally, Razer will be supporting Helix eSports-hosted tournaments, starting tomorrow, 16 May, with the ‘Wounded Warrior Project Stream to Serve: COD Tournament II.’ The tournament will be streamed on Helix’s Twitch. 

Commenting on the news Senior Global Esports Marketing Manager at Razer, Seeson Mahathavorn, said:

“At Razer, we look for every opportunity to bring communities together to play and compete with one another on our best-in-class hardware. We are excited to work with Helix eSports to help create the most robust gaming centers in the world and bring players together in new ways under the banner of competition.”

While CEO of Helix eSports, Murphy Vandervelde, added:

“Our mission at Helix eSports is to create an exceptional esports experience for all players by providing best in class gaming centers that create social hubs and level the playing field for competition. 

“We believe we can create the best possible guest experience by offering all Helix customers our uniform, high-end gaming equipment, and Razer is a critical differentiator in elevating our offerings over the competition.”

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The South Korea Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (SKMCST) has announced plans for the first three-state national esports tournament, involving South Korea, China, and Japan. 

Set to take place in Seoul in November, the tournament will feature four esports titles, encompassing PC, mobile, and other esports categories. Titles have not been confirmed yet, but will be selected by the participating countries, with the host selected two. 

Despite hopes for a live event, plans are also being drawn up to enable the event to take place entirely online should the COVID-19 situation require it. 

Though the inaugural event will feature only three nations, SKMCST has said it hopes to expand to include other Asian countries in the future, and will be pushing to get esports included in the Olympic Games. 

AYO.NEWS says:

It’s great to see the South Korean government supporting its national esports industry at this uncertain time, and we’ve got our fingers crossed the event will be able to be held in front of a live audience in Seoul. But, November is a long way off, and a lot can happen between now and then! 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020

Leetify, the Swedish AI coaching platform developer, has raised €900,000 in seed funding, in a round led by Finnish tech fund Inventure. 

Other investors in the round, which exceeded the company’s €864,000 target, included Swedish venture capital firm J12 Ventures, and Danish early-stage venture firm Futuristic.vc. 

Founded by Anders Ekman (CEO) and Vitalii Zurian (CTO), Leetify uses artificial intelligence to automatically analyse Counter-Strike: Global Offensive matches for players, covering things like aim, positioning, utility usage, recoil control, counter strafing, and crosshair placement, and provides tailored in-game practice. 

Despite only launching in September 2019, the company says it now has 10,000 active monthly users on the platform. The company says it intends to use the newly raised capital to accelerate its growth by improving products and expanding its team. 

AYO.NEWS says:

With esports turning into big business, and no shortage amatuer players around the world setting their sights on turning pro and building their careers as athletes, we can imagine there’s plenty of scope for growth and expansion for Leetify. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020

North American esports organisation Cloud9 has announced a mental health campaign, in partnership with healthcare provider Kaiser Permanente. 

The ‘Presence of Mind’ initiative will use gaming to reach young people for conversations addressing mental health and wellness, reduce stigma and encourage teens and young adults to prioritise their well-being. 

Experts from Kaiser Permanente will provide training to Cloud9 players, coaches and staff, and work with them to engage with the community on mental health issues. The partnership will also include a new content series on Twitch. The partnership will kick off with Cloud9’s League of Legends team this month. 

Discussing the partnership National Leader for Mental and Behavioral Health at Kaiser Permanente, Don Mordecai, said:

“Our goal is that Presence of Mind will contribute to a public health movement within esports by engaging teens, young adults, and other gamers in mental health conversations. The need is even more critical in this period of stress and physical isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Members of the esports community, with Cloud9 leading the way, can support each other’s mental health while also supporting their own well-being and resilience now and long into the future.”

While Founder and CEO of Cloud9, Jack Etienne, added:

“Partnering with Kaiser Permanente allows us to shine a spotlight on the importance of mental health and wellness in our community, and to set an example for everyone in our industry. Gaming and esports is a refuge for so many during this pandemic, and we want our fans and our players at their healthiest, both mentally and physically.”

According to Kaiser Permanente, online conversations regarding mental health have increased dramatically during the COVID-19 crisis, and it believes gaming and esports can play an important part in keeping people socially connected during these difficult times. 

AYO.NEWS says:

The unprecedented lockdowns initiated in response to the COVID-19 outbreak are clearly having extremely serious social and health consequences, with rates of mental illness rocketing in many countries. Esports, and video gaming in general, is providing a critical social link to the world for millions of people, so it’s great to see Cloud9 team up with experts to help provide support. 

‘AYO.NEWS says’ features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pentagon Digital Limited or its affiliates or associates. 

All original content featured on this site is © Pentagon Digital Limited, 2020