Fortnite player and variety streamer Loeya is the latest talent to sign an exclusive streaming deal with Twitch. 

The 2-year deal with the 22-year-old Swede was negotiated by esports and gaming agency Ader, and follows hot on the heels of her deal, also facilitated by Ader, with US-based audio brand Shure, which she signed earlier this month. Financial details of the deals have not been disclosed. 

Loeya has been active on Twitch since 2017, and despite initially streaming Counter-Strike content, now focuses almost exclusively on Fortnite. She now has around 1.3M followers on Twitch, 259K on YouTube, 127K on Instagram, 64.9K on Twitter, and 3.5K on TikTok. 

According to Stream Charts dara, in October this year, Loeya was ranked No. 7 in the female Twitch channels category. 

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A top-tier League of Legends league is set to return to Oceania in 2021, thanks to a partnership between ESL Gaming and Guinevere Capital. 

Things weren’t looking so good for LoL down under, after Riot Games pulled the pulled on the Oceanic Pro League (OPL) earlier this year, but now ESL and Guinevere have confirmed they will be acquiring a three-year license to run a League of Legends competition in the region, with an option to extend for a further three years. As with the OPL, the new league will feature eight teams. 

Discussing plans, ESL Senior Vice President, Asia-Pacific Japan, Nick Vanzetti, said:

“From running the first official tournaments on the Oceanic servers to helping produce the OPL Finals at the Melbourne Esports Open, the ESL team have always had competitive League of Legends in our DNA.

“So when the opportunity to build a new league, and create new opportunities for League of Legends players in Oceania presented itself, we jumped on it.”

While Managing Director of Guinevere Capital, Dave Harris, added:

“OPL was our first step into esports back in 2016 through a team investment and despite having moved on to be involved in other regions, titles and projects since, we have always been parochial supporters of the OCE scene and LoL in particular. Our philosophy has been based around developing young talent.

“We genuinely believe this new league can be a case study for elsewhere in the world with the freedom to innovate and build a sustainable esports model in what is still an emerging region.”

AYO.NEWS says:

This is obviously great news for the Oceanic League of Legends community, and it shows that ESL and Guinevere Capital have more faith in the commercial viability of the title in the region than Riot Games had. Whatever happens, things are looking up for the next few years at least. 

‘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. 

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UK-based esports organisation Fnatic has entered an exclusive partnership with Kuwait’s largest electronics retailer, X-cite by Alghanim Electronics.

The deal will see Fnatic Gear products, like the REACT headset, miniSTREAK keyboard, and STREAK65 compact keyboard, made available in the Middle East for the first time, with products being sold in more than 50 stores across Kuwait and the KSA from 2021. 

Commenting on the news Founder and CEO at Fnatic, Sam Mathews, said:

“We are always looking for ways to seek out, level up and amplify every gamer on the planet, and having Xcite as our exclusive retail partner allows us to reach and interact with the growing esports market across the Middle East. We are thrilled to get our products in the hands of gamers who haven’t been able to experience them before.”

X-cite by Alghanim Electronics is the biggest multi-brand electronics retailer in Kuwait, offering more than 300 international brands. Its parent company, Alghanim Industries, is one of the largest privately-owned companies in the Persian Gulf region. 

Earlier this year, Fnatic also sealed distribution agreements with companies in India, Japan, and Singapore. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Merchandise and branded hardware are increasingly important revenue streams for major esports organisations, and the Middle East, with its young, enthusiastic, and often wealthy population, is one of the underserved regions positively bursting with potential for switched on brands like Fnatic. 

‘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. 

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Cyberpunk 2077 has been pulled from the PlayStation Store after a deluge of complaints about bugs and glitches. 

The much delayed release, from Polish publisher CD Projekt Red, had been one of the most anticipated of the year. However, just days after its release on 10 December, Sony has removed the title from its store and is offering refunds to customers.

Stocks in CD Projekt Red have plunged 30% since the game was released, and the company has said it is working hard to fix the issues with the dystopian title, and will be continuing to provide support and updates. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Will this be an apocalypse for CD Projekt Red, or will they be able to fix the issues before players lose patience? If they do manage to act quickly, the episode could actually end up benefiting the company through the massive awareness it generated for the title, but if this drags on much past Christmas, it could well be disastrous for what promised to be an incredible game. 

‘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. 

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Electronic Arts and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) have announced the return of the eChampions League. 

An EA SPORTS™ FIFA 21 Global Series* tournament connecting millions of football fans and FIFA players worldwide, the eChampions League will return for an expanded third edition, merging best-in-class FIFA players with world-renowned football leagues and clubs.

Commenting on the news EA SPORTS FIFA Commissioner, Brent Koning, said:

“Our continued relationship with UEFA allows us to merge the best of virtual and traditional football through the eChampions League, creating more can’t-miss moments for esports fans and football fans alike.

“The UEFA Champions League holds a prestigious legacy linking many of the greatest moments in football history. With the eChampions League, we’re able to tap into that excitement and glory recreating the football spectacle on the virtual pitch.”

While UEFA marketing director, Guy-Laurent Epstein, added:

“The first two editions of the eChampions league have seen the competition become an established top-level event within the football simulation game calendar.

“We have taken immense satisfaction from the positive feedback we have received from gamers who have thoroughly enjoyed the unique experience of competing in the UEFA Champions League game mode. 

“The viewing figures and engagement that the eChampions League has received are testimony to the role it plays in connecting with existing and new fans of the UEFA Champions League.”

On February 1, 13, and 14, eligible contenders, which includes European PlayStation®4 FUT Verified competitors as well as current and former FIFA Global Series leaders, will play through a collection of eChampions League Online Qualifiers to be one of 32 players who will advance to the Knockout Stage held between May 1-2. 

The top eight contenders will then proceed to the eChampions League Finals to compete through a double-elimination bracket on May 28, one day before the real-world UEFA Champions League Final on May 29, providing another layer of competition for football fans to watch and celebrate. 

The event’s winner will earn the lion’s share of the $280,000 prize pool. The top 3 competitors will earn spots into the FIFA 21 Global Series European Regional PlayStation 4 Playoffs.

Both the eChampions League Group Stage and eChampions League Final will be livestreamed on Twitch and YouTube. Viewers will additionally be eligible to earn FIFA Global Series Viewership Awards by watching eChampions League.

Staying with sim football, just yesterday Major League Soccer (MLS) and Electronic Arts announced the competitive schedule and new online format for the 2021 season of eMLS. 

*ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS APPLY. FOR OFFICIAL RULES, CLICK HERE. 

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Video games and esports analytics provider Newzoo has revealed four new Latin American partnerships, with LOUD, GGTech Entertainment, Todosgamers, and Infamous Gaming. 

Amsterdam-based Newzoo will use data collected from its new partners to strengthen its esports markets forecasts, while the organisations themselves will benefit from detailed insights and analytics.

Discussing the partnerships Head of Esports at Newzoo, Remer Rietkerk, said:

“Latin America is one of the most exciting and promising esports markets in the world. By expanding our partnership base in the region, we not only further enhance our understanding of the market as a whole, but we’re also able to track the nuances that make its individual esports scenes (from Mexico and Colombia to Brazil and Chile) so unique.”

While CEO of Peru-based Infamous Gaming, Christian Andres Roque Castillo, added:

“We are happy to work with Newzoo. The global data and consumer insights are very useful, and the company is the world’s leading provider of games and esports analytics. This collaboration will help us make more accurate decisions on the esports market and understand quickly the trends in our public.”

And, Chief Strategy Officer of Brazil-based LOUD, Matt How, noted:

“LOUD has always relied on data to support our company strategy. Being in a new thriving industry such as esports allows us to constantly break the mold as we look for the best strategy to expand our business. In doing so, we must concentrate our efforts and resources efficiently; having Newzoo’s market insights is so pivotal as it allows us to be lean and data-driven whether for local or international goals.”

Newzoo uses the data it collects from its many partnerships to provide unique insights for its platform subscribers, and to compile reports, including its annual Global Esports Market Report.

GGTech Entertainment is aiming to build a worldwide community of technological innovation and business through esports and educational programs, while Todosgamers runs gaming communities for publishers and brands through its agency, esports platform and studio. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Newzoo’s constant efforts to expand its partnership program mean it has access to an incredible amount of data – which is becoming ever more valuable as organisations and businesses attempt to drive monetisation. 

The range of partnerships Newzoo has is particularly notable. In addition to dedicated partnerships with esports organisations and suppliers, it also harvests data from the wider gaming and esports community. For example, earlier this month the company expanded its collaboration with Reddit, adding sentiment and topic analysis insights to its platform. 

‘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. 

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