eSports roundup 06/11/18

Smokies Stadium to host eSports tournament

On Saturday 10 November, Smokies Stadium in Tennessee will host a tournament called the Smokies eSports Challenge, featuring some of the world's most popular video games such as League of Legends, Fortnite and FIFA 19.

Around half of the games included are team-based, with attendees required to get a group of friends together to register. Multiple brackets will exist for each game, so teams can join another if they get knocked out. In addition to the bracket prices, there is a general admission fee. People paying at the door will have the chance to buy brackets inside or simply sit and watch.

The event also features a cosplay contest, which will be streamed live for people who can’t attend.

Fortnite providing new path for women in eSports

Games like Fortnite are helping to pave the way for a new generation of female gamers. Epic Games' repeated insistence on featuring popular, skilled female players at the highest levels of its eSports events is unparalleled; no other game of Fortnite's size has ever before integrated top male and female talent to this extent.

The recent signing of two expert females is helping with popular female streamer Kittyplays' long-term goal of creating more paths into the eSports world for women and girls. Kittyplays is passionate about this cause, even establishing a female-only Discord server to help create the female gaming role models she never had whilst she was growing up.

In Kittyplays' opinion, Fortnite has the ingredients necessary to nurture female gamers and make their lives appealing to young girls, by being a developer invested in diverse talent with a fanbase open to supporting both genders.

Riot Games and WWE partner for League of Legends web series

Riot Games has partnered with WWE and NXT Superstars to create a new series that will see internet personalities Michael Santana and Tyler Steinkamp coach teams made up of wrestlers. The series will be hosted on Xavier Woods‘ YouTube Channel and is titled WWE vs NXT: League of Legends.

The new web series will follow the streamers and personalities as they train teams in preparation for a 5v5 show match. The wrestlers representing WWE include Cesaro, Ruby Riott, Seth Rollins and Tyler Breeze; NXT Superstars will be represented by Johnny Gargano, Dakota Kai, Shayna Baszler and Adam Cole.

The final showdown episode between the teams will be recorded at the NA LCS Arena in Los Angeles on Friday 16 November.

Premier League football clubs getting in on eSports

Premier League teams are set to follow the lead of Manchester City and engage future generations of fans through the rapidly growing medium of eSports.

Each Premier League club will hold online qualification rounds from January 2019 to find the best FIFA 19 players to help support their team. A tournament will then be held at their home ground to crown the winners on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One platforms.

The 40 winners will compete in the London finals in March 2019, with the event broadcast live on Sky Sports and other social channels.