Ukraine-based WePlay Esports might be questioning the wisdom of partnering with controversial betting operator 1xBet, after major game publishers cut ties with the organiser. 

On Friday, both Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment-owned NetherRealm Studios, and Bandai Namco Esports issued statements saying they would no longer be working with WePlay Esports, or allowing their games to be utilised in WePlay-operated events.

NetherRealm cited “differences in vision”, while Bandai referred to “differences in vision and professional standards,” as the reason for the move. 

In response, WePlay Esports issued a statement saying: “WePlay has always strived to raise the standards in every tournament we put together by delivering the highest quality events, using innovative production techniques, and providing the best conditions for players and talents alike.

“With WUFL Season 1 we put together one of the most memorable FGC tournaments to date, approved by both BANDAI and NRS. Our goal was always and still is to provide the community with a world-class event that everyone can enjoy.

“The news received today caught us by surprise. Since WUFL began and the event finished, we tried to discuss the future seasons, go over feedback, and address the first season with both NRS and BANDAI but have had no response. Our vision and dedication to the FGC have not changed, and we will continue to move forward by making amazing events and content that the community deserves.”

AYO.NEWS says:

Though we very much respect WePlay Esports in many ways, the reason for Warner Bros. and Bandai’s move seems obvious. The fact that anyone at WePlay considered a partnership with 1xBet to be a good idea is beyond belief. 

Not only are the suspected creators of 1xBet (Sergey Karshkov, Roman Semiokhin and Dmitry Kazorin) wanted by both Russian and UK authorities for suspected embezzlement and unlawful practices, but the operator also lost its UK license after an explosive 2019 investigation by the Sunday Times raised serious questions about compliance and legality. Indeed, the operator’s UK football partners, Premier League clubs, Tottenham, Liverpool, and Chelsea, dramatically cut ties with the operator under threat of possible prosecution.

Of course, it’s not just WePlay Esports that recently did a deal with 1xBet. In March, ESL also announced a partnership with the disgraced betting operator – taking many by surprise. 

The whole thing reminds us of the short-lived BLAST and Riot Games Saudi Arabian partnerships of 2020.

Microsoft has thrown down the gauntlet to Steam, slashing its revenue share on PC games at the Windows Store from 30% to 12%. 

The hefty cut, which is effective from 1 August, takes a cue from Epic Game’s lead, and is going to pile the pressure on the space’s top dog, Steam, which still takes 30% on the first $10M in sales on its platform. 

Steam does drop its rates to 25% after $10M, and then again to 20% at the $50M mark, but it’s still a very significant burden for studios. Despite this, Steam still dominates the PC game sale space, with a recent GDC survey showing 21% of the 3,000 developers polled earn 100% of their revenue from the platform. 

Obviously, Microsoft and Epic are hoping their substantially lower cost offering will tempt more developers away from Steam. Despite Steam’s undeniable clout in the sector, it’s clear that many developers are losing patience with the platform – underlined by the fact that in the previously mentioned survey, only 3% of respondents thought Steam earned its 30% cut. 

Court documents relating to the ongoing Epic Games vs Apple case, also revealed that Microsoft had been planning a similar revenue share reduction on downloads at its Xbox console store sometime in 2021, though its not clear if those plans have since been delayed or shelved.

Will Microsoft’s aggressive move be enough to convince Steam to respond in kind?

PUBG MOBILE has announced the first PUBG MOBILE National Championship (PMNC) in the United Kingdom.

The PMNC 2021 is just around the corner, and national rosters will battle it out at the event with £22,000.00 up for grabs. Teams from the United Kingdom are invited to sign up now for the PMNC Open Qualifier, which will take place from June-04 to June-11.

The PMNC United Kingdom 2021 will kick off with eight days of online Qualifiers, which will determine the strongest 32 teams that will advance to the Group Stage. The top 16 teams from the Group Stage will advance to three days of finals to crown the best teams in the United Kingdom. The best team from PMNC United Kingdom 2021 will advance to the prestigious PMPL Western Europe Season 2 which takes place this Autumn, to compete against the best pro teams in the region.

The new tournament series grants access to PUBG MOBILE players to enter the PUBG MOBILE competitive gaming environment with players fighting it out against the best teams in their country. PUBG MOBILE Esports is hosting various tournaments throughout 2021 in Western Europe with a total prize pool of over US $400,000 for the region. 

The latest ongoing tournament being the PUBG MOBILE Campus Championship Western Europe, taking place from April 24th to May 16th, inviting student players from the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, to compete.

The PMNC United Kingdom is going to be sponsored by the official tournament title sponsor Xiaomi.

To participate in the PMNC United Kingdom Open Qualifier, which will take place from June-04 to June-11, a team must consist of a minimum of 4 players, and a maximum of 6 players from the same country.

You can register here. Registrations will start on April 30 and will last until May-24.

For more information about upcoming PUBG MOBILE esports news, stay tuned on Instagram and Youtube.

Guinevere Capital, Logitech G, Spark, and Eden Park, have unveiled the Spark Esports Hub at New Zealand’s largest stadium and home of the All Blacks national rugby team. 

Equipped with training rooms, a 5G mobile gaming area, and esports event facilities, the hub’s 5G connectivity is powered by Spark, while Logitech G has supplied audio, streaming, and peripheral equipment. 

The facility’s suite of pro gaming peripherals and G923 racing simulators make the hub a true multi-disciplinary esports space, which is set to be used by some of the most prominent esports teams in New Zealand and Australia, including Dire Wolves.

The Spark Esports Hub is the latest facility launched by Guinevere Capital, a major sports and esports investment and advisory firm, which also has hubs at Twickenham Stadium in the UK, and the Sydney Cricket Ground in Australia. 

David Harris, Managing Director of Guinevere Capital, said: “Following a challenging year globally, we’re delighted to finally be able to open the doors to the Spark Esports Hub. Our performance centres are grounded in furthering our esports science and training philosophies, whilst strengthening local communities. Seeing two industry leaders in Spark and Logitech G committing to the project in such a big way speaks to the value of esports in the region, and it’s incredibly bright future.”

Jason Spiller, Owner of Dire Wolves and architect of the Spark Esports Hub, commented: “The Spark Esports Hub is going to play a pivotal role in the development of ANZ esports, acting as a training facility for teams like Dire Wolves, whilst offering a central hub for esports and gaming fans to exchange ideas and compete. The iconic Eden Park venue also attracts the attention of new audiences, and puts New Zealand on the map as a global esports destination.”

And, Spark’s Marketing Director, Matt Bain, added: “We already provide Kiwis with some of the best experiences New Zealand has to offer through our exclusive partnerships with Spark Arena, Netflix and Spotify to name a few. The launch of Spark’s esport Hub is a natural extension to our strategy, with two thirds of New Zealanders engaging in some form of interactive digital entertainment such as mobile and PC gaming.”

French esports channel ES1 has been confirmed as the official TV broadcaster for Ligue 1 Uber Eats’ 2021 eLigue 1 campaign. 

ES1 will be carrying all the action, with commentary provided by its on-screen talent including Alix ‘Nanix95’ Dulac and Bob Obéron, alongside editorials and match analysis. 

Organised by the French Football League and EA Sports, eLigue 1 is the country’s official domestic FIFA 21 competition, and is part of the FIFA Global Series, along with other national competitions including the ePremier League, eSerie A, and eDivisie.

After the success of the four previous editions of eLigue 1, which attracted more than 100K participants, this year saw the competition undergo an overhaul aimed at better meeting the needs of clubs and players, and reaching an even wider audience. 

For the first time, the tournament has been split into two phases; the eLigue 1 Open, for amateur players who are fans of Ligue 1 Uber Eats, and the eLigue 1 for professional and semi-professional esports players from Ligue 1 Uber Eats clubs. 

The fifth season of the competition will kick off in early May, offering the chance to win €40K and qualification for the EA Sports FIFA 21 Global Series European Playoffs, scheduled for November.

All 20 Ligue 1 Uber Eats teams will be competing, each represented by one PS4 player and one Xbox player.

Owned by Webedia, ES1 was France’s first dedicated esports television channel, and now averages 1.3M viewers per month. The channel was the official French broadcast partner of the EA Sports FIFA 20 Stay and Play Cup. 

ES1, diffuseur officiel de la @e_LIGUE_1, présente aujourd’hui à 18h son nouveau Mag traitant l’actu de cette compétition.

Présenté par @Marshall_Gunner et @Nanix95, notre premier invité sera le champion en titre @Mino7x ⚽️@LFPfr pic.twitter.com/3OTh11vh9B

— ES1 : La chaîne esport (@ES1tv) April 30, 2021

South Korea-based video game developer and publisher, Krafton, Inc, has donated over $200K USD to help COVID-19 relief efforts in India. 

The donation was made to the PM CARES Fund via Krafton’s Indian subsidiary, and will help efforts to combat the virus which is rapidly spiraling out of control in the country. 

In many cities in India, health systems are in the process of collapse, with shortages of beds, oxygen, and basic medical supplies. Despite the government drafting in the military and international aid starting to arrive, the rate of infection is now climbing exponentially in the country. 

In a blog post, Krafton’s CEO, Changham Kim, said: “India is navigating a challenging time with the current wave of COVID-19. We remain committed to supporting the efforts of the Government in battling this unprecedented crisis. We hope our contribution to the PM CARES Fund will help the aid efforts currently operational on the ground.”

Krafton’s best known titles include PUBG and PUBG Mobile – both of which have been very popular in India, though the Indian government did ban PUBG Mobile in the country last year, due to its links with China. 

AYO.NEWS says:

Though the World Health Organisation says India has so far suffered 18.4M confirmed cases and over 204K deaths during the COVID-19 crisis, many sources now claim the real number is likely many times higher, as the official reporting mechanisms have already been overwhelmed in many regions. 

It is thought that at least three major new variants of COVID have emerged in India, and fears are growing that one, with three significant mutations, which is reported to be far more infectious and deadlier, is fueling the currently unfolding disaster.

Though many countries have already banned travel to and from India, it does appear that the Indian strains have already spread globally, and there is increasing concern that they might render current vaccines less effective, and thus spark further waves of infection in more countries over the coming months.  

Hopefully, Krafton’s move will inspire other big games companies to step in with resources to help fight the pandemic, which despite a lull in some countries, is still very much raging.