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Mercedes takes the double in F1 New Balance Esports Pro Series
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In a dramatic climax to the F1 New Balance Esports Pro Series, Brendon Leigh has secured yesterday night at the Gfinity Arena in London his second Drivers’ Championship title in a row after the 2017 success in Abu Dhabi. His clear dominance of the Series, combined with teammate Daniel Bereznay’s second place, also propelled Mercedes AMG Petronas Esports to victory in the Teams’ Championship.
Having dominated Formula 1 in both the real and virtual worlds, Mercedes had yet few more trophies to take home this season. Emulating Lewis Hamilton’s recent victory, Brendon Leigh also demonstrated he is a force to be reckoned with in the virtual world, having controlled much of the racing across the Series to secure his second title with one race to go.
On the Hockenheim circuit Salih Saltunc gave Sauber F1 Esports Team their first success in the Pro Series, with Leigh and Joni Tormala (Red Bull Racing Esports Team) respectively on the 2nd and 3rd steps of the podium. Singapore’s Marina Bay track saw another success for Leigh, who dominated the race, finishing with a 3.8s margin over Williams Esports’ Alvaro Carreton. Marcel Kiefer (Hype Energy eForce India) completed the podium. By the end of rounds seven and eight, Leigh was leading the driver standings with 171 points, followed by teammate Bereznay and Toro Rosso’s Frederik Rasmussen in third.
The Circuit of the Americas in Austin, USA was the stage for a penalty filled penultimate race. However, Leigh remained dominant from pole to finish, crossing the line comfortably in the lead to secure his second title. He was followed by teammate Bereznay to seal a one two for Mercedes, inching the team closer to the Teams’ title. Scuderia Toro Rosso Esports Team’s Patrick Holzmann rounded out the podium in third.
The final, adrenaline fuelled race of the Series took place at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. With double points on offer and a cut of the $200,000 prize fund at stake, there was all to fight for in the Teams’ Championship. A dramatic penultimate lap saw a three-car battle between Leigh, Bereznay and Rasmussen emerge, which eventually resulted in Leigh being given a penalty for exceeding the track limits. McLaren Shadow’s Bono Huis used the battle to his advantage, catching up with the leading pack on the final lap. In a nail-biting finish to a hard-fought race Bereznay secured first place in the final race of the Series, followed by Huis and Rasmussen in third.
Asked about how he felt after securing the drivers’ title with a 50 point margin over the runner-up, Leigh said, “I can’t say where my head is at, I’m feeling very emotional. I just want to say thank you to Mercedes AMG Petronas Esports, we’ve put in hours of practice. I spent the last few laps enjoying it, you can never relax, but I was enjoying the moment.”
Christian Dixon of Mercedes AMG Petronas Esports added, “To win the first F1 Esports Teams’ Championship in our inaugural season is a great result for Mercedes – and it really shows how much work everyone put into this. Winning the team title by finishing one-two in the Drivers’ Championship is testimony to the outstanding skills of both Brendon, Dani and the whole team behind them. They’ve been super committed in the preparation, pushing each other to continuously raise the bar. It’s been really rewarding to watch the hard work from the entire team be converted into great results on track.”
The final Pro Series event was streamed live via Facebook and broadcast globally on selected TV networks. Viewing figures for the whole Series are expected to be strong, with the first live event accumulating 23m impressions and 3.2m views on social media, bringing the excitement and exhilaration of Formula 1 to a new generation of fans across the globe.
The F1 New Balance Esports Pro Series has brought together the most talented motorsport gamers in the world for the second year in a row. This year, the drivers had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to race with the backing of some of the most prestigious names in motor racing following an intensive selection process.
The Pro Series comprised of three live events held at London’s Gfinity Esports Arena, with drivers competing for the coveted prize fund of $200,000 – allocated to the teams based on their positions in the team standings.
The Pro Series is the exciting finale of the award-winning F1 New Balance Esports Series, which saw 66,000 players compete over four online qualifying rounds earlier in the year to secure a coveted place in the inaugural F1 Esports Pro Draft in July. At which they completed 1.1 million laps in F1 2017, the official game of the FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and PC. The Pro Series is the first time that the competing drivers have raced on F1 2018, which was released on 24th August 2018.
DRIVER STANDINGS
- BRENDON LEIGH Mercedes AMG Petronas Esports 216
- DANIEL BEREZNAY Mercedes AMG Petronas Esports 166
- FREDERIK RASMUSSEN Scuderia Toro Rosso Esports Team 127
- SALIH SALTUNC Sauber F1 Esports Team 83
- MARCEL KIEFER Hype Energy eForce India 65
TEAM STANDINGS
- Mercedes AMG-Petronas Esports 382
- Scuderia Toro Rosso Esports Team 210
- Sauber F1 Esports Team 119
- McLaren Shadow 101
- Hype Energy eForce India 99
Julian Tan, Head of Growth & F1 Esports at Formula 1 said: “Over 66,000 players competed in this year’s F1 New Balance Esports Series, and tonight’s final saw the best of the very best race as part of their real F1 teams. We’d like to congratulate Brendon Leigh and Mercedes on their championship titles, and all the teams and drivers for making this such an exciting Series. By its very nature esports delivers thrilling racing, thanks to the equalised cars and the willingness of drivers to take risks – but, the skill and talent demonstrated has also been incredible. Hours of dedicated practice by the drivers and the investment in training made by the Formula 1 teams has fuelled some extremely exciting on-track drama. Millions of fans around the world have watched the white-knuckle ride that was this year’s Series unfold, bringing the exhilaration of Formula 1 to a new generation of fans across the globe.”
Paul Jeal, F1 Franchise Director at Codemasters said: “The F1 Esports Series 2018 has been a huge success. A breath-taking spectacle of racing and a fantastic showcase for our F1 2018 game. It was great to see several different winners over the course of the season, from several different teams – helped by the drivers racing with equal car performance. Ultimately though, as in the real world of F1, it’s a huge congratulations to Mercedes for winning the first ever F1 Esports Teams Championship in comprehensive fashion, and to both of their drivers Brendon Leigh and Daniel Bereznay. Special congratulations go out to Brendon, who is now an F1 Esports Double Champion, with some fantastic drives and hugely consistent performances throughout. We cannot wait for the next Series to begin.”
Mark Brittain, Chief Commercial Officer at Gfinity said: “The 2018 F1 New Balance Esports Series saved the best to last and delivered an adrenaline-fueled experience that had everyone at the Gfinity Arena and the millions watching around the world out of their seats. As the real and digital sporting landscapes continue to converge, the final weekend demonstrated perfectly the opportunities that exist to sports rights holders and brands wishing to enter the exciting esports sector. The younger generation has truly embraced the F1 Esports Series and the competition is creating the F1 fan of the future.”
The F1 New Balance Esports Series is operated in partnership with Codemasters, the developer and publisher of the official Formula 1 video game franchise and Gfinity, one of the world’s leading esports companies. New Balance was recently named the title sponsor of the competition, joining the established sponsors DHL and Fanatec.
For more information on the F1 New Balance Esports Series visit www.f1esports.com
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network

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Fast Track AI to change the face of iGaming CRM
Fast Track will unveil its new AI-driven natural language platform on 2 September during its annual Fast Track House event in Malta. The launch will also be streamed live online from 4 PM CEST, giving the iGaming industry an exclusive first look at the future of player engagement.
For the past decade, Fast Track has pioneered real-time data integration, the Singularity Model, the only Gameplay Risk Engine, and Rewards, the first AI-ready gamification system. Each innovation has moved the company closer to its vision: to digitalise the iGaming industry and deliver the first self-learning engagement platform.
Fast Track AI is trained on over 10 years of iGaming expertise and designed to transform how CRM teams work. It can perform technical analysis on terabytes of real-time data, deliver advanced insights into CRM performance and player behaviour, and uniquely take direct action on those insights across the platform.
“This isn’t just AI added to CRM. This is CRM re-engineered for the natural language era,” said Simon Lidzén, CEO and Co-Founder of Fast Track.
“Even your wildest imagination can only take you so far; minds have been bound by constraints for so long that it is hard to picture the full power of Fast Track AI. You simply need to see it to believe it. This is why I am organising a live session to unveil it; to showcase what a native iGaming CRM, built on the most comprehensive real-time data infrastructure together with the Singularity Model, is capable of. I urge the whole industry to sign up.” Lidzén added.
The big reveal will take place during the Fast Track House event in Malta and will be streamed live online. The broadcast begins at 4:00 PM CEST on 2 September.
Registration is now open: https://app.livestorm.co/fast-track/fast-track-ai-in-action
The post Fast Track AI to change the face of iGaming CRM appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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TSG Group’s financial results for Q2 2025: solid foundations, transformation of core titles and global debut of Trophy Hunter.
In Q2 2025, Ten Square Games consistently executed its plan to transform its core titles and further expanded the flight simulator segment, with a particular focus on Wings of Heroes. The share of TSG Store in Group bookings reached new record levels.
The Company successfully prepared for the launch of its newest game, Trophy Hunter, on the global market and made significant progress in developing Real Combat Simulator. Although in the short term the effects of these efforts are not yet fully visible in q/q results, on a y/y basis – in H1 2025 – the Group recorded clear improvement in adjusted EBITDA and net profit, and generated a strong cash position.
“Our strategy is clear – the transformation of our core titles, accelerating the growth of Wings of Heroes, and bringing new projects to market. The past quarter showed that we are making real progress in each of these areas, even if the effects are not always immediately visible. That is why we are especially pleased with the successful launch of Trophy Hunter – our first new title since 2022. Players received it very positively, and early KPIs demonstrate clear growth potential. The progress achieved so far strengthens our conviction that the path we have chosen for the Group’s development is the right one.” – said Andrzej Ilczuk, CEO of Ten Square Games S.A.
Transformation of core titles
In H1 2025, Group bookings amounted to PLN 171.9 million, down 12.3% y/y, driven by declines in both core titles. In Fishing Clash, bookings reached PLN 101.4 million in H1, including PLN 48.7 million in Q2 2025 alone. Hunting Clash generated bookings of PLN 33.9 million in H1, of which PLN 15.2 million came in Q2 2025.
The Group continued the transformation process in both titles, aimed at halting the decline in bookings and rebuilding monetization potential. Key actions included extensive testing of player segmentation and offers, as well as improving the early-game user experience. During the period, user acquisition spending was significantly reduced. This was a deliberate decision which, while lowering bookings in the short term, is designed to increase the effectiveness of marketing investments in the longer perspective.
A return to higher marketing spend is planned once key game metrics, in particular early retention, improve. Enhancing the early-stage player experience remains a critical element of the transformation process. According to the Management Board, the tests already show initial positive signals, although full effects will take more time as the solutions are extended to larger groups of players who account for a significant share of Group bookings.
Growth of projects with increasing importance: Wings of Heroes, Real Flight Simulator and TSG Store
Titles in the flight simulator segment maintained positive y/y growth in bookings. In H1 2025, Wings of Heroes achieved bookings of PLN 13.6 million, up 111.7% y/y, while Real Flight Simulator generated PLN 10.5 million (+7.9% y/y). In Q2 2025, bookings for these projects reached PLN 6.3 million and PLN 5.2 million respectively. Both projects will soon deliver new updates to players.
TSG Store approached the strategic threshold of 25% share in Group bookings – in June 2025 the ratio stood at 23.4%. The share reached 32.9% in Fishing Clash and 21.7% in Hunting Clash. Record results of TSG Store were driven primarily by systematic in-house development, including the introduction of a unique currency in Hunting Clash, a redesigned store in Fishing Clash, and the implementation of a loyalty system for customers. An important external factor was also a U.S. federal court ruling allowing direct in-app communication with players using Apple devices in the USA about the store’s offer.
New projects: successful global debut of Trophy Hunter and development of Real Combat Simulator
On July 3, 2025, the global premiere of Trophy Hunter took place – Ten Square Games’ first new release since October 2022. Early retention and monetization metrics outperform the Group’s previous titles and highlight the game’s growth potential. The Company is supporting its development with marketing campaigns whose budgets are gradually increasing. The product roadmap for H2 2025 assumes rapid enrichment of the game with new content and features designed to strengthen its community aspects and differentiate Trophy Hunter from competitors. The team’s top priority at this stage is to support player retention and engagement. As of August, the development team has been expanded to 11 people. Trophy Hunter operates on a hybrid model, generating revenues from both in-app purchases and ads.
At the same time, Real Combat Simulator, developed by the Group’s subsidiary Rortos, is progressing. Work is currently underway on an update introducing multiplayer mode and new content – a key stage bringing the project closer to global launch.
Solid foundations and financial flexibility
“In the first half of 2025, Ten Square Games’ financial results improved year-on-year despite a decline in bookings. This improvement was largely driven by reduced marketing spend and strong cost discipline across other areas. During this period, we once again allocated a record-high dividend to our shareholders, while the strength of our business model was confirmed by a solid cash position that ensures financial flexibility for the future,” said Magdalena Jurewicz, CFO of Ten Square Games S.A.
In H1 2025, adjusted EBITDA of the Ten Square Games Group reached PLN 57.6 million, up 5.0% y/y. In Q2 2025, adjusted EBITDA stood at PLN 27.0 million – broadly in line with last year, but down 11.4% compared to Q1 2025. Net profit in H1 2025 increased 18.7% y/y to PLN 47.4 million, while in Q2 it amounted to PLN 20.0 million, lower both y/y and q/q.
Operating cash flow in January–June 2025 amounted to PLN 56.3 million, of which PLN 26.3 million was generated in Q2. In the same period, the Company paid a dividend of PLN 100 million and settled an earn-out payment of PLN 14.7 million to the former owners of Rortos. Regular generation of cash from operations provides the Group with solid financial foundations, enabling simultaneous investment in growth and sharing profits with shareholders.
The post TSG Group’s financial results for Q2 2025: solid foundations, transformation of core titles and global debut of Trophy Hunter. appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Kantar Finds Security Driving iGaming, SOFTSWISS Leading Loyalty
SOFTSWISS, a global tech provider with over 15 years of iGaming expertise, shares first takeaways from a Kantar-led qualitative study conducted at iGB L!VE London, showing that security, reliability and revenue-growth potential are the most influential criteria when selecting iGaming software partners. The findings also place SOFTSWISS first by Net Promoter Score (NPS) – the industry benchmark for client loyalty and advocacy.
Designed as an event-based, face-to-face qualitative survey, the Kantar study explored how operators, game providers, and iGaming tech companies make procurement and partnership decisions. Across the total sample, respondents most frequently ranked safety and security of operations as the number-one driver, followed by a reliable partner with a strong market reputation and the ability to open up new revenue opportunities. Close behind were stable, low-downtime infrastructure and a high level of client service – signalling that risk mitigation and dependable delivery are the baseline for partnership decisions, with growth enablement expected rather than optional.
The study revealed a clear divide in priorities between final decision-makers and decision influencers. Influencers place comparatively more weight on the “everyday assurances” of an iGaming platform, like:
- Security
- Client service
- Optimised service infrastructure
Final decision-makers look further out, prioritising:
- Stable infrastructure with minimal downtime
- Clear business-growth levers
- A reliable partner with a strong market reputation
For vendors, the takeaway is to address both sides: demonstrate service excellence to operational stakeholders and prove resilience, scalability and go-live readiness to executive sponsors.
Olga Resiga, Chief Business Development Officer at SOFTSWISS, said: “Security and reliability are now the non-negotiables of iGaming procurement. What Kantar’s work highlights is the two-lens buying logic: operational teams evaluate partners on day-to-day assurance – robust security, responsive support and efficient infrastructure – while final decision-makers judge long-term resilience, Tier-1 launch readiness and the capacity to unlock new revenues. Our roadmap is built for both: verifiable security and service benchmarks today, coupled with proven high-load performance and compliance for tomorrow’s growth.”
Net Promoter Score, calculated as the share of promoters minus detractors, is a widely used indicator of client loyalty. SOFTSWISS achieved the highest NPS in the evaluated set. In open responses, clients most often described SOFTSWISS as a “reputable company” and “most reliable”, repeatedly citing “reliability” as the key reason for high ratings. Beyond NPS, SOFTSWISS was most frequently associated with a broad range of strengths: safety and security, a reliable partner with strong market standing, stable and low-downtime tech infrastructure, and a high level of client service.
SOFTSWISS continues to share market-ready expertise with industry stakeholders. Recent resources include the Sportsbook Online Calculator and the iGaming in LatAm Report, both available on the SOFTSWISS website.
About SOFTSWISS
SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS provides certified software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 30,000 casino games, the Affilka affiliate platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. The expert team counts over 2,000 employees.
The post Kantar Finds Security Driving iGaming, SOFTSWISS Leading Loyalty appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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