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 Esports World Cup 2025 setting a new record for the largest prize pool in esports history.
The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) announced the prize pool for the upcoming tournament earlier today, with the event set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 7 July to 24 August.
This $70m prize pool surpasses last year’s competition by $10m, which was also the largest prize pool in esports history at the time. The Esports World Cup 2024 gained significant attention due to a combination of the prize money and the size of the tournament.
Currently, there have been 25 tournaments in 24 games announced to date for the 2025 edition, with the EWCF revealing four new titles today: Chess, Crossfire, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves and VALORANT.
Ralf Reichert, CEO of EWCF, said: “The record-breaking $70m+ prize pool, along with our commitment to the Club Partner Program and our multi-year publisher agreements, is a privilege to announce and validation of our purpose to elevate the industry, by giving players, clubs, publishers and all other stakeholders the stability needed to invest for future success.
“While more than $70m is an incredible, life-changing sum, it’s always aligned with a long-term vision rather than short-term impact. It’s not just to have more money at stake, but to create opportunities for everyone at every level of the ecosystem, and strengthen the industry for generations to come.”
Rivalry launches review into long-term strategy
Canadian esports betting operator Rivalry has initiated a strategic review of its options to maximise long-term value.
The company has hired advisory services from XST Capital Group LLC, an online gaming-focused investment bank based in the Greater New York City area. Rivalry added that it has secured a loan of US$650,000 to support its plans.
XST’s webpage lists the company’s specialties as M&A advisory, capital raising solutions, and general corporate strategy, hinting at possible future directions for Rivalry to follow, as reported by SBCNews.
Steven Salz, Co-Founder and CEO of Rivalry, said: “We have built a strong foundation in the online gaming sector, delivering an exceptional experience for our players while driving operational excellence.
“This review is a natural step in assessing how we can best create long-term value for our stakeholders while continuing to enhance our world-class gaming platform.”
Since the announcement of the review, several individuals have left the company, including its Head of Communications, Cody Luongo.
Posting on LinkedIn, Luongo wrote: “This was by all accounts a dream job where I got to carry out some of the best work of my career – helping shape a resonant narrative, fostering Rivalry’s reputation of innovation and excellence, and positioning them as the market leader in Gen Z / digital culture.
“Thanks Steven Salz for the opportunity and trust in me to literally just hold forward and kill it.”
Last year, Salz spoke to Insider Sport about Rivalry’s strategy, explaining how the operator uses esports as a funnel into its other offerings.
NRG launches AI chatbot to engage with fans
Esports organisation NRG has revealed Volt, an AI chatbot, powered by cloud infrastructure provider Theta Labs.
The North American esports organisation has stated that the bot will be integrated into its website and Discord channel, aiming to provide insights and interact with fans by using official game data.
Supporters can expect insights such as play breakdowns and strategy discussions happening in the moment, live match statistics and player performance tracking and team schedules.
Additionally, the bot will create NRG-based quizzes and provide exclusive access to giveaways, community events and merchandise promotions.
Hauk Nelson, Director of Business Development at NRG, said: “NRG is committed to innovative fan experiences, and Volt powered by Theta EdgeCloud represents the next evolution in how we engage with our community.”
