Welcome to the return of the Esports Awards Newsletter!
It is March which means spring is officially upon us and we are back, bringing you a look at all the biggest news, results and happenings from the esports world, as well as all the information you could possibly need about the Esports Awards.
You can expect to hear from us each month, with the occasional special issue thrown in for good measure.
Our aim with this is to provide light bites and digests helping you to keep up to date with the industry in one place.
This month we take a look at some major changes to the League of Legends pro landscape, the Esports World Cup’s new partnerships and the impact those have had on the industry, and speculate on what could be next for Rainbow Six Siege.
Industry News
Image Credit: Rainbow Six Siege X – Official Teaser Trailer
After some challenging years of optimisation and adjustment, 2025 is showing strong signs of growth as the industry continues to grow its identity and offering. From brands entering the market for the first time, publishers developing new offers and brand-new collaborations, things are looking good already in 2025.
North And South American LoL Leagues Combine For The First Time
The launch of the combined CBLOL and LCS League of Legends competitions, which are now known as the LoL Championship of The Americas (LTA), has proven controversial in its first outing despite many considering the move to be a positive step forward for both regions. With the Brazilian and North American teams split into regional conferences, the first cross conference play saw all four Brazilian teams knocked out in the first round, which resulted in a drop in viewership numbers for the final days of the event where just the NA teams were left, leaving the Brazilian fans with no one to cheer for. Seems there is still some tweaking to the format needed, but the early signs are positive, especially with the viewership for the opening round NA vs BR matches being higher than many expected.
EWC Partners With Riot Games, Bringing VALORANT To The Event
Thanks to a lot of passionate calls from the community after not being included last year, VALORANT will now appear at the Esports World Cup 2025 thanks to a new multi-year partnership between the EWC Foundation and Riot Games. The partnership will see LoL, VALORANT and TFT all feature at the world cup, with the EWC foundation also supporting other events in the Riot ecosystem with in broadcast activations across all major Riot events this year, including the ongoing VCT Masters Bangkok.
Rainbow Six Siege X Announced At Six Invitational
A massive update for Rainbow Six Siege has been announced, but details are a little thin on the ground. Revealed at the Six Invitational tournament, Rainbow Six Siege X is set to be the biggest update the game has ever seen and could completely overhaul the game, with some thinking this could be as big as CSGO’s transition to CS2. More info will be revealed at an event on March 13, but fans are already speculating what could be changing and are expecting this to bring Siege into the modern era.
Team Liquid Signs Chess GOAT Magnus Carlsen
With the Esports World Cup adding chess to its roster of games, many esports teams have started to sign top chess players. However, it is Team Liquid who have arguably netted the biggest fish, signing grandmaster Magnus Carlsen, who is considered by many to be the greatest of all time and the most well known active chess player in the world. Other orgs have also joined the chess boat, with the likes of NAVI, Aurora, Falcons, and Weibo Gaming all signing chess players over the last month with eyes on the EWC. You can likely expect this trend to continue, as organisations looking to place well in the EWC Club Championship try to sign players and teams in as many games as possible, to give them the best shot.
Visa And DUX Launch DUX Academy To Empower Female Gamers
Visa, in collaboration with DUX Gaming, has launched the DUX Academy powered by Visa, which aims to foster young female talent in esports. Despite women representing 49% of gamers in Spain, their presence in professional competitive scenes remains limited. This initiative will provide comprehensive training to four selected female players, enhancing their technical, strategic, mental, and emotional skills. If you or someone you know fits the bill and wants to get top level coaching, applications are open until March 19, with selected candidates announced on April 1.
Porsche Collaborates with ESL FACEIT Group for Overwatch Champions Series
Luxury car brand Porsche teamed up with ESL FACEIT Group for the Overwatch Champions Series 2024 Major. The partnership included showcasing a new electric vehicle model and presenting the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, highlighting the growing intersection between luxury automotive brands and the esports industry.
Competitive Results
Image credit: Adela Sznajder, ESL FACEIT Group
T1 Triumphs At Valorant Masters Bangkok
South Korean team T1 emerged victorious at the Valorant Masters Bangkok tournament, held at UOB Live, over the weekend. In a thrilling five-map series, T1 defeated G2 Esports, the top seed from the Americas league, 3-2, with the final map going into multiple overtimes. This victory marks T1’s first major international trophy of the season, showcasing their resilience and strategic prowess.
Team Vitality Wins IEM Katowice And VCT Kickoff In Same Weekend
In a weekend that has to be one of the most impressive for any esports organisation ever, Team Vitality won both the IEM Katowice Counter-Strike 2 event and the Valorant VCT EMEA Kick Off event in the same weekend. The former was the first time the Vitality roster has ever won the iconic Katowice event, while the latter saw the hotly touted Valorant roster prove that they will be a force to be reckoned with in EMEA, and potentially further, this year. If the organisation can continue this form in both games, they will surely be picking up many more trophies over the year.
FaZe Clan Wins The Six Invitational
FaZe Clan is the Rainbow Six Siege world champion after winning the Six Invitational in Boston, USA, earlier this month. The Brazilian roster took down Team BDS in the final in what was a tense matchup between the two top ranked teams from the entire year. It was a fitting end to an incredible R6 season, with FaZe Clan going on an unbelievable lower bracket run to eventual win the tournament.
LoL FST, RLCS Birmingham and Capcom Cup Headline March Events
Typically a quieter month in esports, March 2025 is actually shaping up to be very busy. The first League of Legends First Stand Tournament will take place at LoL Park in Seoul, South Korea, with the top team from each major region fighting it out in this new international event. The 16 best Rocket League teams in the world will head to Birmingham, England for the RLCS Major while the best Street Fighter players in the world will head to Tokyo, Japan, for the Capcom Cup and Street Fighter League World Championship double header.
And finally…
Inaugural Olympic Esports Games Scheduled For 2027
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that the first Olympic Esports Games will be held in 2027 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This decision marks a significant milestone in the recognition of esports on a global athletic stage, reflecting the growing legitimacy and acceptance of competitive gaming.
Fortnite Championship Series 2025 Commences
The Fortnite Championship Series (FNCS) 2025 has begun, featuring numerous gamers competing for the Blade of Champions and a share of the massive $8 million prize pool. The FNCS is a global competition that challenges the best Fortnite players to advance through divisions, secure prizes, and ultimately reach the Major Finals, which should result in some incredible action you will not want to miss.
