New Industry Panel Forms to Help UK Government ‘Get Esports Right’
Ukie has announced a 20‑member UK Esports Advisory Panel to serve as a single, trusted voice between the esports sector and government. The panel includes senior figures from EA, Team Liquid, Fnatic, Riot Games and the British Esports Federation. It coincides with the UK Government’s £30 million Games Growth Package, which expands the UK Games Fund by £28.5 million and allocates £1.5 million to the London Games Festival. The initiative also follows the introduction of esports‑specific SIC codes aimed at better industry measurement and investment.
Alibaba Algorithm Engineer Makes History as Sole Female Player at Honor of Kings Challenger Cup
The $1.46 million Honor of Kings Challenger Cup, which began on April 25, featured Alibaba PKQ—a team of Alibaba employees ranging from algorithm engineers to product managers. The squad qualified through the company’s internal tournament, showcasing a novel “Corporate‑to‑Pro” pathway into esports....
Team Liquid, Shikenso Extend Partnership for Five Years
Team Liquid has renewed its five‑year partnership with AI‑driven sponsorship analytics firm Shikensow, keeping the platform in place to track and measure sponsor exposure across streams, broadcasts, and social media. The agreement, whose financial terms were not disclosed, underscores Team...
Hero Esports to Stage Second Asian Champions League in Shanghai, with $365K Prize Pool and EWC Berths at Stake
Hero Esports announced the second Asian Champions League (ACL) in Shanghai, running May 1-24, featuring Dota 2, Counter‑Strike 2, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang with a total prize pool of $365,000. The event offers direct qualification slots to the 2026 Esports World...
Embark Expands THE FINALS Esports With $200K Global Circuit, Stockholm Championship Return
Embark Studios announced a $200,000 Global Circuit for its FPS title THE FINALS, featuring an open‑entry regional online series that feeds into a 16‑team live Grand Major in Stockholm from November 27‑29, 2026. The circuit spans the Americas, EMEA, and...
UK Gamers’ Spend on Streaming and Game Culture up 42%
UK consumers boosted spending on game culture to $724 million in 2025, a 42% year‑on‑year increase, according to Ukie’s latest market valuation. Streaming subscriptions, donations and video content rose 8.3% to $84.5 million, while toys and merchandising grew 43% to $426 million. Film,...
G2 Esports Selects Skin.Club as CS2 Skin Partner
G2 Esports announced a partnership with Skin.Club, making the platform its official Counter‑Strike 2 skin partner. The deal places the Skin.Club logo on G2’s CS2 jerseys and adds joint content and live‑experience initiatives. Skin.Club already works with other CS2 entities such...
Huge Changes Coming to VCT in 2027
Riot Games will overhaul the Valorant Champions Tour in 2027, replacing its franchise league with an open tournament structure. Teams will start in open qualifiers, progress to regional events, then to international Masters and Champions stages. The new model introduces...
USA Esports President Sees Olympic Recognition as “North Star”
USA Esports, a newly formed nonprofit, is positioning itself as the United States’ official esports federation with the goal of gaining recognition from the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Led by Jesse Bodony, the organization assembled a board that is...
GRID Teams With NAVER to Bring LoL Esports Data to CHZZK Platform
South Korean internet giant NAVER has partnered with esports data specialist GRID to embed real‑time League of Legends statistics into its CHZZK livestreaming service, launching with the LCK season on April 1, 2026. The integration will surface a live win‑probability graph, early‑game...
Fnatic, The FA and Others to Represent GB as ENC Announces 100+ Partner Nations
London‑based Fnatic has teamed up with the English FA, the British Esports Federation, Esports Wales, Scottish Esports and the UK Esports Team Committee to form a National Team Partner representing Great Britain at the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC). Jeff...
TJ Sports Issues Lifetime Ban to TES Player Yang “Naiyou” Zijian
The episode examines TJ Sports' decision to impose a lifetime ban on TES player Yang "Naiyou" Zijian for multiple instances of match fixing, including prior misconduct in China's League of Legends Development League. It details Top Esports' termination of Zijian's...
USA Esports Named ENC National Team Partner
USA Esports has been appointed the official partner for the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) National Team program, tasked with building and fielding U.S. teams across 16 game titles for the inaugural tournament in Riyadh this November. CEO Jesse Bodney explained...
DreamHack Birmingham Announces Samsung as Official Partner, Outlines Full Esports Line-Up
DreamHack Birmingham 2026 announced Samsung as its official partner, unveiling a Galaxy Cafe activation where attendees can test the new Galaxy S26 Ultra and compete in mobile gaming challenges for prizes. The event, running March 27‑29 at the NEC, marks...
Esports Awards Parent Elevates Producer to Senior Leadership
The Esports Awards parent company, Mega, announced the promotion of longtime producer Morgan Tremaine to Executive Producer, placing him on the senior leadership team. Tremaine will now oversee publisher, commercial, and strategic partner relations for Mega's events and support its...