Halo soars again and H1Z1 takes esports to the desert

Microsoft's Halo World Championship has now come to an end and from the perspective of fans, players and organizers alike, it was nothing but a total success.

As the dust settles on Seattle we take a look back at the grand finals, and look ahead towards some big events taking place this coming weekend in Las Vegas.

Splyce dominates at the Halo World Championships

By all accounts, last weekend's Halo World Championship finals in Seattle were a roaring success. Not only did we get treated to some of the very best Halo action you'll ever see, but the event itself enjoyed significant growth over recent years.

The final was in the end pretty one-sided, with Splyce taking home the lion's share of the $1 million prize pool. But for Microsoft and MLG, there were some encouraging numbers when the popularity of Halo esports has been in question.

Since 2016 there has been a 300 percent increase in the number of teams competing, and unique viewership numbers for the 2018 event were double the previous year. Not just those at home, either, with viewers in attendance at the finals more than the previous two years combined.

Something of a resurgence then for Halo esports, proving the community is still strong. Check out a full recap of the event here.

H1Z1 Pro League set for glamorous debut

The official H1Z1 Pro League is all primed and ready for action, with the first weekend of play going down this weekend in Las Vegas. The Pro League has selected a number of teams to take part, with players getting benefits such as a minimum base salary.

The Pro League has partnered with Facebook to broadcast every minute of the action, and it all comes in a busy period for Daybreak and H1Z1. The game recently left early access and went free-to-play at the same time, while also adding the popular new Auto Royale mode.

We're on the ground at the premiere weekend of the H1Z1 Pro League, so stay tuned to Windows Central for more.

Are you better than Ninja at Fortnite?

H1Z1 isn't the only big gaming event taking place in Las Vegas Twitch sensation and Fortnite beast, Ninja, is taking part in a huge event at the Esports Arena at the Luxor.

And folks who fancied themselves as a Fortnite pro have been able to sign up to take him on and win their share of $50,000. It's fair to say the event was a great success, with in excess of half a million people watching.

If you missed the stream live, it's posted on Ninja's Twitch channel to watch back at your leisure. Fortnite continues to grow and while there's no official esports scene for it yet, it's great to see events like this that involve the community.

Upcoming events

• Call of Duty Seattle Open - April 20 to April 22, watch on Twitch
• EGL Gears of War UK Open - April 20 to April 22, watch on Twitch and Mixer
• H1Z1 Pro League - Weekly beginning April 21, watch on Facebook
• Overwatch League - April 26 to April 29, watch on Twitch