Dota 2’s The International is set for another rousing year of crowdfunding and cosmetic releases all culminating in what promises to be one of the most competitive years of the tournament yet. This year’s Battle Pass has been released and retails for $9.99, with 25% of the proceeds crowdfunding The International’s prize pool, which is set at $1.6 million to start by Valve.

You are able to purchase levels for your battle pass at the following rates:

Original article can be found on news.unikrn.com

Blizzcon, the most prestigious and biggest Blizzard event of the year is coming back around! As every year, Blizzcon is taking place in November – specifically, on November 1^st and 2^nd. Again, as always, the whole deal is going down at the Anaheim Convention Center, or rather the Blizzard Arena in Los Angeles, California.

Now, if you want to grab tickets for the event you can do so pretty soon – they go on sale on May 4^th, and they do tend to sell out somewhat quickly, so if you want to go, you should plan your trip soon! As was the case last year, you’ll be able to buy virtual tickets as well – although you’ll miss out on the goodie bags, you can watch panels and the like online, and you also get some DLC – last year, an exclusive Overwatch-skin for Sombra was available with the pass.

Original article can be found on www.esports.net

Once a niche market, esports is becoming a global phenomenon. Estimates are that it will become a billion-dollar industry this year with the potential to grow massively beyond that in the coming years. Indeed, China is already reporting that it expects to have an esports industry worth billions within the next few years alone.

Given those numbers and the capacity remaining for growth, it is abundantly clear that these big businesses want to claim a slice of the financial bonanza pie. That may sound somewhat callous, but there is no doubt that if esports were not likely to be significantly profitable, then these companies seeking to invest would be far less enthusiastic.

However, the benefits of this will be felt within the esports community in a number of ways. Prize money at tournaments can increase markedly as a result of a sponsorship deal with a big company, furthermore, having that name linked with the tournament can also significantly raise its profile, thus attracting potential other investors.

Original article can be found on esportsbets.com

Esportswear is evolving. The rise of livestreaming and franchised endeavors like the Overwatch League have pushed esports into the mainstream, and it only follows that merchandise would move away from simple jerseys and t-shirts into more trendy looks. In a nutshell, esports merchandise has transitioned from a niche into lifestyle wear. And part of that shift into the mainstream is due, in part, to the ease of access. Companies everyone knows are starting to stock up on their offerings, while less widely associated brands are making inroads into the space.

Original article can be found on frntofficesport.com

Lars Løkke Rasmussen, the Prime Minister of Denmark has been very local about his love for esports and his support for Astralis. From congratulating Astralis for their victories to giving a speech at Blast Pro Series Copenhagen 2018, Mr Rasmussen has a constant source of motivation for the Danish legends.

In a Linkedin post by Steen L. Laursen, VP Communication & Brand, RFRSH Entertainment BLAST Pro Series, Astralis and Origen, Mr Rasmussen visited the RFRSH headquarters and interacted with the the Astralis players and addressed topics such as “esports strategy, role models, sharing of knowledge with all stakeholders from grassroots to institutions etc.” After his conversation, Mr Rasmussen played Counter Strike with the Astralis players.

Original article can be found on talkesport.com

China is the world’s largest games market. They are tops in both total gamers and revenue. China represents 31.1% of the global games market in terms of revenue. They are expected to further outpace the rest of the global gaming leaders over the next few years. China also has the most gamers worldwide. That number is expected to grow from 683 million to 878 million by 2023 which is more than 28% of the total worldwide gamer population.

Original article can be found on estnn.com