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 the announcement Noctem Esports is shutting down.
Noctem’s official X account revealed the news on 3 March. The post read: “A sad day today, as we’ve made the incredibly difficult decision to cease Noctem’s operations with immediate effect.
“For two years, we gave everything to build something special, and to take the brand to where we needed and wanted it to be. Unfortunately, we couldn’t make that happen. But what a ride it’s been. Four world finals appearances, four esports, millions of views. An incredible and dedicated content team.”
The post continued by thanking players, creators, staff and fans who have supported the organisation, adding: “None of this would have been possible without you. It’s been one hell of a journey – and maybe one day, we’ll be back.”
Noctem, while achieving a significant amount of success, has recently struggled financially. This was amplified moving into 2025 when the team failed to secure a sponsor for Apex Champ, a major Apex Legends esports competition.
Founded in 2023 by Jack Stovell, former FIFA competitor, Noctem’s closure surprised many members in the esports space – mainly due to its aforementioned success over the past two years.
Reacting to the news, Marco ‘Stallion‘ Galluzo, a streamer for Fnatic, stated: “Can’t believe this, thought you’d made some huge moves over the last two years as well. Wish all the best for everyone who was involved.”
Xsolla launches new solution to unlock revenue for developers
Video game commerce company Xsolla has launched Xsolla Offerwall to improve game monetisation and player engagement.
Player engagement and monetisation are the two of the main challenges developers face when creating a game. Through Xsolla Offerwall, the commerce company aims to enable developers to create a balanced monetisation strategy.
This will include allowing players to earn virtual rewards by completing quests or actions from advertisers, a strategy that seeks to simultaneously drive engagement and revenue growth.
Xsolla amplifies this solution by offering developers and publishers a revenue share of up to 90%, which the company points out is significantly larger than the industry average of 30-60%.
Player retention is another pain point Xsolla plans to ease by rewarding players with redeemable Xsolla Points. These points allow game developers to offer more than in-game currency, aiming to keep players engaged and provide lasting value through in-game rewards.
Currently, the solution is only available for monetisation and advertising in the US, with plans for global expansion in the near future.
Chris Hewish, Chief Strategy Officer at Xsolla, commented: “With Xsolla Offerwall, we’re enabling game developers to unlock new revenue streams while delivering value to players through rewarding and engaging experiences. This solution is a game-changer for developers looking to expand their monetisation efforts and engage players in multiple ways.”
Guild complements its data performance tools with Encore acquisition
Media platform Guild Esports and Gaming has expanded its toolkit through the acquisition of Encore, a fan engagement analytics protocol.
Following the deal, Guild will utilise Encore’s data-gathering capabilities such as its Fan ID protocol, which enables fans to share zero-party data with the teams, leagues and brands they follow in exchange for discounts, rewards and experiences.
Gary LaDrido, Chairman of Guild Esports and Gaming, commented: “Encore’s proprietary technology suite enhances our data analytics and complements our other data performance tools allowing us to enhance our client service offering. We cannot wait to get to work with Mike and his team.”
Guild Studios, the company’s creative and media agency, will use Encore to provide increased efficiencies with media spend. It will also be used to achieve Guild’s overarching 2025 focus of reaching more gamers.
Mike Sorgenfrei, Founder of Encore, said: “We are thrilled to join the Guild team! Many of our customers today are looking for ways to deepen their connection to fans; by combining our unique technology with Guild’s experience and expertise we will be able to offer an end-to-end solution for teams, leagues, creators and brands.”
To read the last esports report, click HERE.
