There's no shortage of funds in esports and yet organizations and group owners are finding new ways to draw not only interest but further capital. Artist Drake and NBA professional Michael Jordan are the latest celebrities to invest in esports. League of Legends 2018 is also well underway with the quarterfinals proving to be action-packed.
Europe pushes NA out of Worlds 2018
G2 went into the semifinal playoff against Invictus Gaming as the underdogs and the comfortable 3 - 0 victory for the Chinese squad only cemented that fact. While G2 attempted to switch things up and make plays happen, the European second seed just couldn't break through the IG onslaught.
While one European team was booted out in the semifinals, another succeeded. FNATIC had Cloud9 to contend with, the last remaining hope for North America, but even the veterans in the C9 squad couldn't hold back FNATIC with a decisive 3 - 0 victory.
FNATIC take on Invictus Gaming on November 3.
NBA athlete Michael Jordan invests in Team Liquid
Michael Jordan has made the switch from being an NBA athlete to an investor in esports, pouring in money to Team Liquid group owner aXiomatic. Jordan was joined by Declaration Capital to raise funds, allowing the group to further bolster its support in the esports industry.
The industry is set to continue expanding, drawing in more traditional sports faces as franchises are valued way above the original cost, like in League of Legends.
Caught in the act
What's worse than cheating in a video game? Cheating on stage in a $100,000 prize tournament, which results in getting your team both banned and dissolved in the aftermath. That's exactly what occurred during eXTREAMESLAND Zowie Asia CS:GO 2018 where Nikhil "forsaken" Kumawat of OpTic India was caught using a hack by administrators.
Organizers supplied the recorded clip on social media, showing the admin checking the player's PC and even attempting to restrain him. It's amazing how a sole individual can ruin the potential of an entire squad. Talking to AFK Gaming, Kumawat stated he wishes he could go back to the first day he played CS:GO and uninstall the game.
Drake becomes part of 100 Thieves
Initially founded by former Call of Duty professional gamer Matthew "Nadeshot" Haag, 100 Thieves managed to attract Drake and Justin Bieber's manager Scooter Braun as investors. The pair will join the company on its board and act as advisors for expanding the apparel line and forming a larger content team.
According to the Forbes report, 100 Thieves raised more than $25 million. 100 Thieves is in a strong position, largely due to Haag's vision for the company from creation, focusing on content and merchandise and a strong relationship with fans.
Upcoming live events
- League of Legends Worlds Grand Final - November 3, watch on Twitch.
ID@Azure is a new program for indie cloud development, based on ID@Xbox
Microsoft is spinning up a new program aimed at introducing independent devs and teams to Azure cloud-based services and infrastructure, according to this new job listing.
Microsoft is testing 1080p xCloud streams for Xbox Game Pass gaming
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is currently limited to 720p for streaming to mobile devices, but we've seen evidence that it's about to get bumped up to 1080p. Here's what you need to know.
Here are 10 Xbox games that need 'FPS Boost'
FPS Boost is another impressive feature currently available in the Xbox backwards compatibility utility belt. Here are 10 games we want to see take advantage of enhanced framerates.
Go sim racing in style with any one of these great cockpits
Sim racing has experienced a boom in 2021 and that's led to some serious interest in getting a good cockpit. Whether you're new to the scene or more experienced and looking to up your game, one of these cockpits will give you comfort and support while you race all day and night.