From sponsorships to industry-wide announcements, Insider Sport has you covered when it comes to the world of esports.
This week’s edition highlights the latest developments in the esports sector, including BLAST breaking the record for the most viewed Six Invitational event in history, as its debut year hosting the tournament comes to a close.
BLAST’s debut Six Invitational 2024 sets record numbers
BLAST has reported that Rainbow Six Siege (R6 Siege)’s Six Invitational 2024 is the most viewed R6 event ever, peaking at 521,349 viewers.
Held at the Ginásio do Ibirapuera Arena in São Paulo, Brazil, the tournament’s Grand Final was record-breaking. The event recorded 521,349 peak viewers, surpassing the previous record, held by the Six Invitational 2018, by more than 205,000, according to data platform Esports Charts.
Brazilian organisation W7M Esports emerged victorious in the event, clinching the Grand Final win against FaZe Clan and seizing a substantial portion of the $3m prize pool, netting $1m in front of their home crowd.
Looking forward, the company has announced that both Manchester and Montreal will host Majors in 2024, with the 2024 season’s culminating Six Invitational championship event heading to the United States.
Shikenso & Challengermode unveil keys for brands in esports
Shikenso Analytics and esports platform Challengermode have released a joint whitepaper to help brands stand out in a saturated market.
The whitepaper, titled “The 2024 Playbook for Authentic Engagement in Competitive Gaming” outlined essential factors for integrating brands into the esports realm effectively, from understanding the diverse demographics of gamers to harnessing the potential of competitive gaming platforms for creating meaningful and long standing connections.
Philip Hübner, Chief Business Development Officer at Challengermode, said: “In today’s esports world, authenticity isn’t a bonus – it’s essential. Through our ‘2024 Playbook,’ created with Shikenso Analytics, we’re guiding brands on how to genuinely connect with gamers.”
One of the main points explored in the whitepaper is understanding the different stakeholders in esports. The esports ecosystem has recently reached new heights in terms of fan engagement both at events and online during live streams, catching the attention of big name brands.
Benedikt Becker, Marketing Director at Shikenso Analytics, said: “To truly connect with gamers, brands must do their homework. They must delve into the data, understand the language, and grasp the geographical and demographical nuances within the community to build authentic connections.”
GameSquare shareholders approve FaZe Clan merger
Shareholders of esports holding company GameSquare Holdings have voted to approve the company’s pending merger with esports organisation FaZe Clan.
Prior to the meeting, members of GameSquare’s Board of Directors unanimously recommended that shareholders vote in favour of the acquisition.
Meanwhile, FaZe Clan shareholders already voted to approve the merger in a meeting on 16 February. In that meeting, shareholders representing 91% of FaZe stock voted to approve the merger.
The acquisition, which was originally expected to close in Q4 of 2023, is expected to close soon, however, it is still subject to standard closing conditions.
Despite the recent progress, there are still some worries surrounding the merger, as the acquisition raises conflict of interest concerns, since both organisations field Counter-Strike teams and compete against each other in partnered leagues such as BLAST Premiere and ESL Pro League.
ESL FACEIT Group cuts 15% of its workforce
Global multi-faceted esports tournament company ESL FACEIT Group has announced layoffs that will affect approximately 15% of its global workforce.
Craig Levine and Nic Maisto, Co-CEOs of the company, announced the layoffs via the company’s official website.
The 15% reduction means a significant portion of the company’s employees will exit the company, with some reports expecting up to 300 people to be laid off across all departments and seniority levels, however, exact numbers have not yet been shared.
Although, it is clear that the cuts will seemingly affect the entirety of the company, and not just specific departments, with the company saying they are being made to support its ‘sustainable growth ambitions and profitability’.
Levine and Maisto shared: “With the industry in constant change, we must adapt, become more efficient, and be more flexible as a team.
“These moves, along with efforts to reorient the team on EFG’s core mission and vision, will sharpen our focus and better equip us to navigate the dynamic esports and gaming landscape by removing complexity and better integration across all teams.”
