Popular mobile game Honor of Kings has topped 100M average daily active users for the year-to-date, according to its developer.

Honor of Kings is developed by Tencent Games subsidiary TiMi Studios, and is especially popular in China, where it has quickly established itself as a major mobile esport title – featuring in the franchised King Pro League. 

TiMi has now confirmed plans to grow the Honor of Kings property to include two new, as yet untitled games, that will expand the Honor of Kings world from a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) into two new genres. 

The studio also revealed an officially licensed Bruce Lee skin, and a partnership with iconic British luxury fashion brand Burberry. 

Reflecting on developments Game Director of Honor of Kings and General Manager of TiMi Studios, Li Min, said:

“We’ve spent more than a decade investing time and passion into learning what matters to Chinese gamers. Honor of Kings is not only a great competitive title but we’ve also seen it become a hub of social activity for people in China. To engage with such a large, daily audience is truly an honor and motivator to continue delivering the best entertainment experience for our audience every day.”

Despite Honor of Kings current dominance as China’s leading mobile MOBA, it will soon face a challenge from Riot Games’ mobile erosion of League of Legends, Wild Rift. 

AYO.NEWS says:

While Honor of Kings still hasn’t found traction outside of its home market, any game attracting 100M average daily active users is a force to be reckoned with. One thing’s for sure, Riot Games is going to have its work cut out to dent Honor of Kings market share in China. 

‘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.

WePlay Esports has joined the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC), as it steps up efforts to combat manipulation of competitive events.

Announcing its membership, WePlay Esports pointed to the massive rise in popularity of esports betting during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the need to improve measures to tackle match fixing and keep corruption out. 

Commenting on the news General Manager of WePlay Esports media holding company, Oleh Humeniuk, said:

“We are happy to have such a formidable ally in the enforcement of fair play in WePlay Esports events. Participation in ESIC shows to both players and partners that we are taking competitive integrity very seriously and apply a zero-tolerance policy to match manipulations of any kind.”

While Commissioner at Esports Integrity Commission, Ian Smith, added:

“As a tournament operator that has been engaging with ESIC for some time, we are happy to have WePlay transition into full membership with ESIC. WePlay joins a prestigious list of tournament operators who have pledged a commitment to standardising an approach to competitive integrity in esports. WePlay’s commitment to ESIC is a reflection of the fact that WePlay values a safe, and healthy esports industry.”

Highlighting the work of ESIC was the recent investigation into the CS:GO spectator bug exploitation issue. 

AYO.NEWS says:

While it’s totally true that some of the technical aspects of esports, like remote play, have made cheating an issue, the pandemic has also seen organisations work together to come up with better ways of doing things.  And, as we’ve often said, it’s going to be much easier if esports stamps corruption out now, while the industry is still relatively young, than letting the problem fester to the level it has in traditional sports.

‘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.

UK-based esports organisation Fnatic has signed British rapper, Lukman Odunaike, aka “Not3s” to its talent roster. 

Not3s, who is best known for his 2017 breakthrough song “Addison Lee”, is the first British musician to sign with an esports organisation. Fnatic says he will now be an integral member of its roster of UK-based professional esports gamers and content creators. 

Fnatic’s UK Crew bands together players from community-driven titles, including FIFA, Fortnite, and Call of Duty, and the organisation says the signing of Not3s is part of its larger mission to continue pushing the boundaries of the gaming and esports sector, as it enters mainstream culture. 

According to Not3s, though he grew up playing PS1, Nintendo 64 and FIFA 98, it wasn’t until the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic that he found himself re-immersed in the world of gaming, playing FIFA, Fortnite, and Call of Duty Warzone, and wanting to find a way to integrate his own music into the games. 

Commenting on joining Fnatic, Not3s said:

“As an artist and creator, I’m always looking for things that nobody has done before. I’m thrilled to join Fnatic, because of the sense of community I feel from the organization, the players and from their fans. I look forward to bringing the worlds of music and gaming even closer together.”

While Founder and CEO of Fnatic, Sam Matthews, added:

“We are thrilled to have such a talented musician and creator join Fnatic. We’re always looking to level up and encourage all of our players and creators, to expand their skills and brand and with Not3s, there’s no exception.

“We’re excited to work with him to continue merging the worlds of gaming and music, for the benefit of culture and for the next generation of gamers.”

AYO.NEWS says:

Across the pond in the US we’re seeing a number of music artists and executives get involved in esports, so it was only a matter of time before the same happened in the UK. Given how intertwined video games now are with all aspects of popular culture, the involvement of artists with esports is sure to get deeper. 

Just last week, US rapper Swae Lee became the first artist to invest in new Boston-based esports organisation XSET. 

‘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.

Global esports organisation ReKTGlobal, owner of Rogue and London Royal Ravens, has appointed Hannah Reid as Chief People Officer (CPO). 

In her new role, Reid will be responsible for designing and implementing human resource infrastructure and programs that are scalable across ReKTGlobal’s diversified workforce, guiding stakeholders to continue growing a unified culture across the global organisation’s owned and operated subsidiaries.

Reid is one of the few female C-suit executives currently in the esports space, but will be joining several other female leaders at ReKTGlobal and its subsidiaries. These include Executive Vice President of Esports, Anna Baumann, Executive Vice President of Media Services, Cara Scharf, and Head of Talent at TalentX Gaming (TXG), Amber Howard. 

Indeed, though it is thought that women account for almost 41% of gamers in the United States, they currently represent just 5% of the professional esports workforce. Additionally, though the $1.1 billion esports industry has seen incredible growth, it still largely lacks in-house human resources leadership at the C-suite level. 

Commenting on her appointment, Reid said:

“I’m truly passionate about people and their overall well being. It’s a privilege to advocate for and represent each employee at the leadership level.

“As one of the few esports organisations elevating women in leadership, I appreciate ReKTGlobal’s commitment to diversity and creating an equitable working environment.”

Before joining ReKTGlobal, Reid was human resources manager at digital media agency VaynerX. There she was instrumental in improving and scaling people processes as the company experienced dramatic global growth. 

Reid’s areas of expertise include performance management and coaching, benefits and pay equity/compensation strategy, acquisitions, and HR infrastructure. Prior to her time with VaynerX, she worked at financial services startup, JDX Consulting, where she was involved in implementing people and operations functions for the company’s New York office. 

Regarding Reid’s appointment ReKTGlobal’s Chief Operating Officer, Parrish McIntyre, said:

“With Hannah’s passion for people, entrepreneurial spirit, and track record of developing a global brand culture, we instantly knew she was the right fit. 

“We’ve made it our mission to identify, develop and create equitable pathways for our ReKTGlobal team members. It’s critical that our team fully reflect the diverse audiences of esports and gaming as we mature as a leading esports organisation, and know Hannah is the right leader to spearhead this global effort.”

While co-founder of ReKTGlobal, Amish Shah, welcomes Reid to the organisation, saying:

“We are thrilled to welcome Hannah Reid as our first Chief People Officer. As one of the only esports organisations to reach profitability, we’ve now set our sights on building a global culture that challenges the male-dominated status quo.

“With Hannah’s arrival, we hope this sheds light on the opportunity for women in executive positions in esports and makes the case for other esports organisations to follow.”

AYO.NEWS says:

Here at AYO.NEWS we share ReKTGlobal’s ethos when it comes to equality and diversity, so it’s awesome to see the organisation create the post of CPO, and appoint someone as capable as Hannah to lead its efforts. 

Staying with ReKTGlobal, in October the organisation secured $35M in funding from Summit Partners, to help support the expansion of its product portfolio, monetise assets, and assist with the acceleration of international growth through key executive hiring.

‘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.

Top flight Italian football club AC Milan is entering esports through a partnership with QLASH. 

AC MILAN QLASH will be represented by Diego “QLASH Crazy” Campagnani and Fabio “QLASH Denuzzo” Denuzzo. Campagnani finished the FIFA20 season as #1 ranked in the world for Playstation, and Denuzzo is a well-known gamer who competes on Xbox.  

Both will be participating in the eSerie A TIM 2020/2021 championship, along with other official FIFA21 competitions, including FIFA Global Series and FIFA Club World Cup. 

In addition to FIFA, AC MILAN QLASH will also compete in mobile title Brawl Stars, taking part in the World Finals on 21 and 22 November. 

Discussing the venture AC Milan’s Chief Revenue Officer, Casper Stylsvig, said:

“We’re happy to announce this brand-new partnership with QLASH. This agreement is another important step in our Club’s modernization and innovation path. 

“We are sure it will be an exciting and incredible experience, both for us and for our fans around the world, and we’re delighted to be embarking on this new adventure in the world of Esports in partnership with a leading company like QLASH.”

While QLASH co-founder and CEO, Luca Pagano, added:

“For traditional companies that have the courage to adjust and embrace innovation, Esports can represent a huge growth opportunity. 

“We are thrilled and proud that AC Milan decided to pick QLASH as their Esports arm, not just for operation, but also at brand and commercial levels. AC MILAN QLASH is a true, deep, and effective partnership. For sponsors that want to invest in the future, without neglecting the present or their traditions, together we will be able to offer the best of both worlds.”

QLASH was recently named Best Italian Team at the Italian Esports Awards 2020. The company is also partnered with rival top flight Milanese club, Inter Milan. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Even the most hesitant football clubs are now realising they need to be visible in the esports space to drive engagement with younger fans, especially during the age of COVID.

While some clubs have taken the route of setting up their own teams from the ground-up, partnering with an existing organisation, like AC Milan has done with QLASH, will likely save a lot of money and stress in the short-term – but at the cost of not gaining valuable in-house experience for the long-term. 

‘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.

Esports Entertainment Group (EEG) is now the official esports tournament provider for Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise, Philadelphia Union.

Via its recently acquired Esports Gaming League (EGL) platform, EEG will host tournaments for Philadelphia Union, giving fans the chance to win team merch and “one-of-a-kind” experiences. 

Discussing the deal Esports Entertainment Group CEO, Grant Johnson, said:

“We’re excited to further extend our reach into Major League Soccer through our partnership with the Philadelphia Union. Traditional sports teams continue to incorporate esports into their programs, and we are quickly becoming the go-to provider for tournament solutions for this highly attractive market segment.”

While SVP of Corporate Partnerships at Philadelphia Union, Jean-Paul Dardenne, added:

“Our team and Major League Soccer have been at the forefront of incorporating esports as a way to connect and further engage our fanbase. With this partnership, we are excited to continue to build on our success in esports and to provide another way for fans to connect to the team they love.”

EEG operates the VIE.gg esports betting platform and is listed in the United States, but also maintains offices in the European igaming hub of Malta. 

AYO.NEWS says:

It’s safe to say EEG is on a mission to grow its presence in the United States and beyond – just a few weeks ago the company also announced similar partnerships with MLS’ LA Galaxy, and the NHL’s LA Kings. And, just last week, EEG revealed plans to acquire venue company Helix eSports and B2B software provider ggCircuit, for a total of $43M USD. 

‘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.