Esports World Cup and Aramco Announce Strategic Partnership

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Esports Charts is proud to announce that we have made it to the list of finalists for the Esports Awards 2024 in the ‘Esports Content & Coverage Platform of the Year’ category, as revealed by the organizers. We are immensely pleased with the recognition in the industry, which resulted in our second consecutive nomination for the award.

“We are thrilled to be nominated for the Esports Awards for the second year in a row. Being recognized in the Esports Content & Coverage Platform of the Year category, which celebrates resources that consistently produce valuable, high-quality, and impactful content, validates our continuous efforts to provide accurate and insightful viewership data. This nomination motivates us to keep pushing the boundaries in our field and continue making a significant impact on the wider esports and live streaming community.”

Artyom Odintsov, co-founder and CEO of Esports Charts

The award organizers have already announced the finalists in other categories as well. Among the contenders for “Streamer of the Year” are Nicholas “Jynxzi” Stewart, Darren “IShowSpeed” Watkins Jr., and Marc “Caedrel” Lamont. The “Esports Content Group of the Year” nominees include G2 Esports and Karmine Corp, while “Mobile Esports Game of the Year” will see competition from Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, PUBG Mobile, and others. Interestingly, the announced categories did not include a Journalist of the Year nomination. It is presumed that the winner in this category may be announced during the second part of the awards, which will take place in London.

This year, voting for the finalists will continue until August 20. There also will be a ‘turbo voting period’ from August 13 to 20, when each vote will count as double.

The Esports Awards is a reputable industry event that honors the most prominent figures of the year in various categories, from content creators to standout new players. In 2024, the awards will be held in two stages. The first stage will take place during the Esports World Cup on August 24 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The second stage will be held in London later in the year, with details about this event yet to be announced.

In 2023, Esports Charts was also among the nominees and won the award for Esports Coverage Platform of the Year. Read more about the results and audience metrics of the previous ceremony here.

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NODWIN Gaming Private Limited (A material subsidiary of Nazara Technologies Limited, BSE:NAZARA) announced today that its Singapore based subsidiary, NODWIN Gaming International Pte. Ltd, (NODWIN Pte) has signed definitive agreements to increase its existing 13.51% stake in Freaks 4U Gaming GmbH, a Berlin-based Global full-service gaming and esports agency to 100% in tranches through a share swap valued at upto INR 271 crore (Euro 30.3 million)

NODWIN Pte will initially increase its existing stake in Freaks 4U Gaming to 57% and the remaining 43% held by the founders Michael Haenisch, Matthias Remmert and Jens Enders will be swapped at a later time at its option. Existing investors of Freaks 4U Gaming (Co-Investor FRE and Game.Fin S.R.L) will become shareholders of NODWIN Pte

Freaks 4U Gaming offers a multitude of agency services and best-in-case solutions to brands and publishers and generated INR 223 crores (Eur 26.9 mn unaudited) in 2023.This acquisition will significantly enhance NODWIN Gaming’s capabilities, bringing in the expertise, experience and network of the Freaks 4U Gaming team and is expected to contribute materially to NODWINs revenues going forward.

Since the acquisition of a minority stake in Freaks 4U Gaming in January 2024, NODWIN has been working with the Freaks 4U Gaming management on integration of the two businesses and evaluating the synergies they present. The two teams have already worked on jointly delivering high-profile projects such as the PUBG Mobile Global Open and Esports World Cup (EWC) and have jointly explored new business vertical opportunities. Based on the outcomes of this exercise and early traction on potential synergies, NODWIN Gaming and Freaks 4U Gaming have decided to proceed with this transaction.

This move is set to bolster NODWIN Gaming’s access to developed markets, in addition to execution and planning capabilities in PC gaming and publishing support services. The integration of Freaks 4U Gaming’s capabilities, along with its presence in key developed markets, will serve as substantial revenue drivers. This strategic alignment will complement NODWIN Gaming’s strong execution capabilities in emerging markets, enabling the establishment of a global delivery model – a pioneering achievement in the esports sector. Co-Founder of NODWIN Gaming, Akshat Rathee, stated, “This acquisition is a pivotal step in our global growth strategy. By integrating Freaks 4U Gaming’s expertise and resources, we are poised to deliver unparalleled services and expand our global footprint in the gaming and esports industries. In Michael, we have a person who is highly regarded across the world for his wealth of experience and expertise in the sectors. We also welcome all existing shareholders of Freaks 4U Gaming as NODWIN Gaming’s shareholders.”

CEO of Freaks 4U Gaming, Michael Haenisch, expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, stating, “We are thrilled to be joining forces with NODWIN Gaming to create a robust network and synergies unprecedented in our industry. Akshat is an incredible visionary and leader, our partnership has been quite the ride so far and we know the best has yet to come. With our shared vision and ambition, we look forward to driving our global expansion while spearheading innovation and growth for gaming and esports.”

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Abios, a global leader in esports data and odds provision, has appointed Rasmus Schmidt Christensen, formerly of Danish operator Danske Spil, as the company’s new Head of Odds Operations.

With a background in betting analytics, Schmidt Christensen is a seasoned industry veteran with a wealth of experience in esports and sports betting, spending nearly eight years improving the esports vertical at Danske Spil. Beginning his industry journey as a sports trader at the Danish betting operator, Schmidt Christensen gradually assumed more responsibility over the esports segment, ultimately taking charge of the vertical as an Esports Product Specialist.

The role allowed him to work closely with product, marketing and customer-focused teams, creating a comprehensive esports strategy for the operator. He used customer feedback to ensure the product met customer demands and ensured Danske Spil offered innovative product features early on, including player propositions.

As Head of Odds Operations, a newly created role at Abios, Schmidt Christensen will strengthen the Abios team by providing expertise in esports from Denmark, which has long been the home of Counter-Strike. Combining his knowledge of what esports fans want and product development, he will act as a bridge between trading and Abios’ automated odds setting, creating the ultimate end product for end users.

Anton Janér, Managing Director of Abios, said: “Esports is a fast-growing segment within online sports betting. For sportsbooks to stay competitive in the area, working with people who truly understand esports is paramount.

“At Abios, we’ve historically been in the fortunate position to attract people with strong esports expertise. Rasmus is no different, having spent significant time at Danske Spil improving their esports vertical. We’re thrilled to have him on board and look forward to seeing him taking our offering to the next level.”

Rasmus Schmidt Christensen, Head of Odds Operations, said: “Having worked in esports for years, I’m thrilled to join the Abios team. As they’re building new and exciting products on top of best-in-class data and modelling, Abios is at a very exciting growth stage. I’m happy to be part of the next step in that journey.”