In The News
Congratulations to Team expert’s Scarlett on winning IEM Season XII – PyeongChang! She defeated Jin Air Green Wing’s sOs to take home $50,000. Team QLASH’s Elazer came in 3rd, and Exeed Esports’ SpeCial in 4th.
Electronic Entertainment Expo gamer passes go on sale Feb. 12 at noon ET. Industry-only hours are returning, according to the email sent yesterday.
“E3 2018 will feature extended show hours to accommodate all attendees, providing industry and media exclusive time on the show floor without cutting short gamers’ opportunities to play.”
Job shuffles:
Michael K. Mauler is GameStop’s new CEO.
Heather “Naysayerz” Dower joined ESL UK as its new marketing and communications manager.
Vice president of communications for ESL, Anna Rozwandowicz, is moving on. She did not specify what her plans are.
Quantic Dreams is pushing back against harassment allegations, Polygon’s Allegra Frank reports. “French courts dismissed allegations from two employees just days after the initial reports, according to the studio.”
Twitch released its 2017 numbers in comic format. Read it here.
PvP Live is dead. “The former esports news network, turned tournament organizer, gave no prior notice before ceasing operations, but users with money remaining in their accounts have 180 days to withdraw it,” The Esports Observer’s Angelos Anastasopoulos reports.
Germany continues to push toward esports acceptance. Unikrn’s Ryan Jurado has a breakdown of what’s happening in Germany and potential setbacks that have occurred for esports in other countries.
OpTic Gaming general manager Romain Bigeard did an interview with Blitz Esports. Watch it here.
The battle between Retro Computers Ltd, its former employees and a cranky Indiegogo rages on. GamesIndustry.biz’s Haydn Taylor reports that RCL, “the company behind the repeatedly delayed Sinclair ZX Vega+ handheld, has confirmed it will launch in April 2018 after Indiegogo threatened to recoup backers’ funds.” Additionally, former managing director Paul Andrews spoke with GamesIndustry about the ongoing legal dispute.
This year’s Evo tournament will include Street Fighter 5 Arcade Edition; Tekken 7; Super Smash Bros. for Wii U; Super Smash Bros. Melee; BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle; Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2; Injustice 2 and Dragon Ball FighterZ.
Hearthstone’s most recent patch is live. You can find details here.
GG Esports Academy signed another Call of Duty team, Dot Esports’ Preston Byers reports.