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2022 Commonwealth Esports Championships: ESFI gives grand send-off to Indian contingent
Esports Federation of India (ESFI) hosted a grand send-off ceremony for the Indian contingent participating at the first-ever Commonwealth Esports Championship on Sunday. The inaugural multi-nation esports tournament is organized by Commonwealth Games & Global Esports Federation; scheduled in Birmingham from August 6-7.
The members of the DOTA 2 and Rocket League, who will be representing the country at the prestigious event, were present on the occasion alongside Lokesh Suji, Director ESFI & VP- Asian Esports Federation, Satinder Sikri (VP-Haryana Esports Association) and Yash Bhalawala (Gen Sec-Esports Association of Gujrat) at INOX Insignia in Ardee Mall, Gurgaon.
ESFI also unveiled the Indian team’s official kits for the Commonwealth Esports Championships during the event.
“Esports is like every other sport and we wanted to make sure that we bid farewell to our Indian contingent in the best way possible ahead of the big event. We are grateful to INOX for helping us organize this wonderful send-off ceremony. The rise of Esports in India in the last few years has truly been remarkable and the participation of two teams on behalf of the nation on the global stage is a result of that. We, at ESFI, wish the best of luck to the Indian contingent and we are confident that they will make the nation proud,” said Lokesh Suji, Director ESFI & VP- Asian Esports Federation.
“We are honoured and super excited to be part of this inaugural Commonwealth Esports Championship and there is a high probability that esports will be a medal sport in the next Commonwealth Games scheduled in 2026” Suji added.
The Indian team in the Rocket League will be led by Hargun Singh (Hargun <2) with Sandeep Sahani and Rushil Reddy being the other two members. Team Dota 2, on the other hand, comprises captain Moin Ejaz, Ketan Goyal, Abhishek Yadav, Shubham Goli and Vishal Vernekar.
Both the teams have already proved their mettle by clinching impressive wins in the tournament’s South Asian Regional Qualifiers last month.
“I am really excited about esports being included in a Commonwealth event as this will really change how esports is perceived among people around the world. As a player, it’s a huge opportunity being given to us and we are really going to do our best to represent India as best as we can. All of us are putting in extra effort to maximise everyone’s potential and work together as a team,” Hargun said on the sidelines of the event.
“The entire team is looking forward to playing against the best teams in the world and proves our mettle. We have been paying a lot of attention to our strategies and practicing a lot in the hopes of a podium finish. Getting the chance to represent the nation in the very first Commonwealth Esports Championship is a very sweet reward to show for all of the efforts we have taken in playing this game at the highest level. A big thank you to ESFI for today’s send-off ceremony and especially for the sports psychology session that taught us a lot of valuable things,” DOTA 2 skipper Moin Ejaz added.
The players also took part in an enlightening sports psychology session “Building High-Performance Mindset” by Mitesh Jain (Founder & Chief Sports Psychologist – Mandeha). It included mental exercises and activities to improve focus, mental skills, self-confidence, motivation and communication skills for the players.
It was followed by a special movie screening for the players as they enjoyed and relaxed ahead of their long journey. The Indian contingent left for Birmingham early in the morning on Monday (1st Aug, 2022).
One of the country’s top sports and Esports specialised communication firms, Artsmith – Concepts & Visions, will continue its support for the championships as ESFI’s official communication partner.
The 2022 Commonwealth Esports Championships will be conducted at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham with the presence of the world’s top Esports teams. Alongside DOTA2 and Rocket League, PES2022 will also be part of the tournament.

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Pragmatic Play Launches 40,000x Jackpot Spellmaster Slot
iGaming software studio, Pragmatic Play, has unveiled its latest online slot, Spellmaster.
With its wizard-themed gameplay and 40,000x maximum jackpot, it will likely appeal to a broad audience, including big prize hunters and lovers of arcane fantasy.
Launched on August 18, the game is played on a 5×3 grid with 50 paylines. Reels are filled with card ranks as well as magical sceptres, spell books, potion bottles and wise owls.
Wild symbols feature the eponymous spellmaster wizard. Wilds can land at any time during the base game and feature in all but the far left reel.
The base game offers relatively standard fare. Basic symbols like the card symbols pay low prizes, which are enough to keep you in the game. Matching five premium symbols returns up to four times the original bet.
Respins And Jackpots
Players have the opportunity to win big prizes during respins. The game has different types of respin bonuses, depending on which of the three bonus orbs triggered the event. These bonuses are applied to money symbols that land during the spins.
Golden orb respins are played on a 5×6 grid. Golden orbs that land on the grid reveal one of five random jackpot names, and if the player matches three of the same jackpots, they win that prize.
Prizes range from the 12.5x Mini to the 1,875x Grand Jackpot. With red orbs, players receive multipliers between 2x and 10x any money symbols that hit, and the money symbols can be multiplied up to four times each.
Blue orbs multiply the value of randomly selected money symbols on the grid.
During the respins feature, if the entire grid is filled with money symbols, the player wins the impressive 40,000x jackpot.
Spellmaster offers bets ranging from 10p to £5 in the UK, although higher maximum bets up to €250 are available in other jurisdictions.
The game has a high volatility level, and RTP options include 94.5%, 95.5% and 96.5%. Interested bettors can play a demo of the Spellmaster game on the Pragmatic Play website.
The post Pragmatic Play Launches 40,000x Jackpot Spellmaster Slot appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Endorphina Releases Electrifying New Title – Thunder Crown
Endorphina, a leading B2B iGaming provider, has announced the release of its newest electrifying title, Thunder Crown, which will be available to players in online casinos starting on 21 August.
Featuring a dynamic 5×5 grid, 50 fixed paylines, and a suite of powerful features, the new slot is designed to deliver a captivating and full-sensory gaming experience.
The game invites players into a realm where the legendary Thunder Crown awaits. As lightning strikes charge its crystals, the very reels and symbols are infused with the storm’s raw power, creating an electrifying atmosphere that builds with every spin.
Thunder Crown combines classic slot mechanics with lightning-charged features, including Free Games with a guaranteed Wild symbol, a Thunder Hold Bonus Game with multipliers up to x30, Column Jackpots from 50x to 1000x total bets, and Endorphina’s Classic Risk Game to double winnings up to 10x.
The release of Thunder Crown reinforces Endorphina’s commitment to crafting memorable and visually stunning games that appeal to a wide range of players.
Will you be the one to unlock the Crown’s full power? Try the Thunder Crown demo: demo.endorphina.network.
The post Endorphina Releases Electrifying New Title – Thunder Crown appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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NODWIN Gaming Acquires Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Stake in Evo; Becomes Majority Holder
EVO ANNOUNCES NEXT PHASE OF INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION
Multi-year partnerships with Qiddiya and Sony Interactive Entertainment, and new ownership of Evo by NODWIN Gaming alongside existing shareholder RTS, will fuel the global growth of events, content, and experiences
The future for Evolution Championship Series (Evo) takes a major step forward today as the world’s largest and longest-running fighting game festival enters new ownership and multi-year partnerships. Strategic agreements with NODWIN Gaming, Qiddiya, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), and RTS will drive Evo’s international expansion, engaging content, and immersive experiences through 2028 and beyond.
SIE has sold its stake in Evo to NODWIN Gaming, a company backed by SIE’s parent, Sony Group Corporation. SIE will become a new global sponsor of Evo through 2028, and will continue its commitment to the fighting game community through the PlayStation Tournaments platform and key products currently in development that appeal to fighting game players.
“When SIE acquired Evo alongside RTS in 2021, our goal was to help the Evo community grow and spotlight the skills and passion of fighting game fans on a global stage,” said Phil Rosenberg, SVP and Head of Global Partner Development & Relations at Sony Interactive Entertainment. “As SIE transitions to become an Evo sponsor, the momentum for Evo has never been stronger, following a successful Las Vegas event and upcoming expansion to new regions. We look forward to supporting the continued growth of Evo globally.”
New co-owner NODWIN Gaming is a leading name in the South Asian gaming, esports, and youth entertainment industries, with Evo complementing its wide range of properties.
“Evo was built by a team whose authenticity and passion for the fighting game community are unmatched,” said NODWIN Gaming Co-Founder and Managing Director Akshat Rathee. “We will continue SIE’s great work and honor the legacy of everyone who has made it what it is today, while opening the door for a new generation to experience the spirit of Evo.”
Qiddiya, which became a global partner of Evo in 2024, announced today that the company is investing in RTS, co-owner and operator of Evo, and will extend its global partnership with Evo through 2027.
“Teaming up with Qiddiya strengthens the future of RTS and what we’re building with Evo, an event that lives up to its name by driving real transformation in the fighting game community through new opportunities, deeper connections, and meaningful growth,” said Stuart Saw, CEO of RTS.
The realignment and new partnerships will also support Evo’s vision for more original content to engage the community and continue to push the boundaries of creating more profound immersive experiences during the live events.
The popularity and global presence of Evo has continued to grow. Most recently, Evo’s flagship event in Las Vegas attracted fans and competitors from more than 60 countries and crowned champions across 16 fighting game titles. The festival show floor covered 14 acres, featuring major brand activations from Chipotle as the presenting sponsor, alongside AT&T, PlayStation®, Qiddiya, Nacon, Zenni, Red Bull, White Claw Zero Proof, Under Armour, Voodoo Ranger IPA, and Grand Archive TCG.
Beyond the US, Evo returned to Japan at Tokyo Big Sight and became the largest in-person tournament in the country’s history, with approximately 30,000 attendees. Evo will make its European debut at the Palais des Expos in Nice, France, on October 10-12, which has already broken a record for registrations. The event series is expanding to Singapore in 2027.
“In recent years, Evo hosted record-setting events in the USA and Japan, and our upcoming premiere in France is already breaking European records,” said Rick Thiher, General Manager of Evo. “These latest partnerships join the ongoing support from our global and regional partners in accelerating Evo’s expansion from hosting renowned live events to serving as a nexus point for fighting game culture worldwide.”
The post NODWIN Gaming Acquires Sony Interactive Entertainment’s Stake in Evo; Becomes Majority Holder appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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