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. 

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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. 

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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. 

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Players from around the world will be joining each other online for an epic Fortnite Isolation Royale on Sunday 17 May, to support Chai Lifeline Canada. 

Supported by Amuka Esports, Toronto Fortnite, and Waves Gaming, the online tournament will be helping raise money for families affected by life-threatening and life-long illnesses.

The Donald Berman Chai Lifeline Canada provides counseling for family members, volunteers to help bring stability to children’s lives, tutoring for children who are forced to miss school, family retreats, special sibling programs, information, peer and professional support, and summer camp programs for seriously ill children.  

Right now the charity is stepping up to maintain support during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, and the Fortnite Isolation Royale will help the organisation to continue providing its much needed support even during these most challenging times.

There is an entrance fee/minimum donation of $25, and prizes for the top players and fundraisers. 

You can find out more and register at https://chailifelinecanada.org/fortnite-isolation-royale/ 

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The American Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) has announced the LPGA eTour Live. 

The four-week online tournament, featuring professional LPGA Tour and Symetra Tour golfers, in the online golf game World Golf Tour (WGT) by Topgolf, got underway today with a match featuring sisters Jessica and Nelly Korda. 

Upcoming matches will feature other pro LPGA golfers including Angel Yin, Lizette Salas, Jenny Shin, Tiffany Joh, Lucy Li, and Jane Park, with commentary by Golf Channel and GOLFTV commentators. 

Semifinals are set for late May, with a championship match on 3 June. Matches will be streamed live across the WGT and LPGA’s Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook channels, and at LPGA.com and GOLFTV’s Twitter and Facebook accounts. 

Introducing the new tournament LPGA Senior Vice President of Global Media Distribution, Brian Carroll, said:

“We are excited for this partnership with WGT and Topgolf to present an entertaining and alternative golf experience for all fans alike during a time when many are starved for competition. 

“This new endeavor is a creative way to showcase our LPGA and Symetra Tour players in an innovative online format, thanks to WGT and its incredibly realistic video game technology.”

While Vice President of Business Development at Topgolf Media, Lincoln Silver, added:

“With a heightened focus on offering innovative, virtual entertainment and bringing people together during this time, WGT is honored to partner with the LPGA to present these live eTour events. 

“WGT’s ability to provide the best esports golfing platform combined with the LPGA’s unique series of competitions will create a powerful experience for players all over the world who can truly immerse themselves in the competition.”

AYO.NEWS says:

During the COVID-19 crisis we’ve seen an explosion in the popularity of esports like FIFA, NBA 2K League and sim racing, so it’s great to see professional golfers getting in on the action too. Judging from the first match, the LPGA might need to improve their production values a bit if they’re going to pull in the viewers, but still, it’s a good start! 

‘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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