Team Vitality is proud to announce its support for the second edition of the Elite FE tournament, organised by streamer and Elite FE founder, Minaleyy.

The women’s Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) event, is organised in collaboration with Skin.Club, and brings together the world’s top players to participate in tournaments for a €1000 cash prize.

With only 6% of women in professional esports, the Elite FE tournament aims to promote female talent within the CS2 scene and strengthen their visibility. This initiative is part of an overall effort to encourage more diversity and inclusion in the esports industry.

A SPRINGBOARD FOR WOMEN’S CS2 TEAMS

The Elite FE tournament will bring together 16 international women’s teams, including 4 selected by Minaleyy in collaboration with Team Vitality and Skin.Club, to compete on the FACEIT platform. In each tournament, the winning team will be awarded €1000 as well as various prizes, including Team Vitality merchandising and gaming equipment.

From 23rd February, the entire tournament will be broadcast live on Twitch and hosted by Minaleyy, who will be accompanied by various casters. Debriefs, game analysis, and engaging video content will be produced to contribute to the visibility of the participating teams and encourage conversations on social media.

Designed as a warm-up for professional teams ahead of the upcoming ESL Impact season, the Elite FE tournaments will be held every two months starting in February 2025, with matches scheduled on Sundays to maximise participation and viewership. By aligning with major esports events, Elite FE aims to be a key tournament for player development and a training ground for teams aspiring to reach the professional level.

This tournament represents a competitive, positive and inclusive vision for diversity in esports. By regularly hosting events, Elite FE aims to become an essential platform for CS2 players, while actively showcasing emerging talent.

TEAM VITALITY CONTINUES ITS COMMITMENT TO WOMEN’S ESPORTS

By supporting the Elite FE tournament, organised by Minaleyy, Team Vitality reaffirms its strong commitment to developing women’s esports. The competition provides semi-pro and amateur players with a unique platform to enhance their skills, increase their visibility and integrate into a scene moving towards greater diversity.

This initiative builds on Team Vitality’s ongoing efforts to promote inclusivity in esports, which to date has included the creation of its women’s League of Legends team, the Rising Bees, and its women’s Mobile Legends: Bang Bang team. These initiatives reflect the club’s commitment to actively supporting the emergence of leaders both in the competitive field and at a community level. Team Vitality and Minaleyy are also thrilled to welcome Skin.Club to the project, ensuring the best conditions for the project’s success and maximising visibility for players within the CS2 ecosystem.

Partnership Brings Cutting-Edge Technology to Esports Athletes Throughout 2025 ESL Pro Tour Circuit

ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), the leading esports and video game entertainment company, today announced Acer as its Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Partner throughout EFG’s premier Counter-Strike ecosystem, ESL Pro Tour – including flagship tournaments, pro circuits, and amateur scenes.

“Our partnership with Acer arms top Counter-Strike competitors with the industry-leading technology they need to play at their best,” said Bastian Veiser, Director Partner Management, EFG. “This comprehensive collaboration provides year-round access to top-of-the-line gear that will empower not only the pinnacle of competition, but also rising talent, for years to come.”

EFG and Acer’s collaboration extends to several tiers of competitive play, including ESL Challenger League, ESL Pro League, and Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) tournaments. EFG and Acer will celebrate the deal during IEM Katowice on February 7-9, with a hands-on, immersive activation alongside a product announcement at one of the biggest Counter-Strike 2 events of the year. Beyond IEM Katowice, Predator gaming products will also be featured at both online and offline EFG competitions and on-broadcast in multiple languages.

“The esports audience is at the heart of our Predator product line, and EFG offers unprecedented access to these dedicated fans through its premier events, both in-person and online,” said Vincent Lin, Associate Vice President, Global Product Marketing and Planning, Acer Inc. “Counter-Strike esports presents a unique opportunity to connect with one of the longest-standing competitive titles and a vast fan base seeking the precision, intensity, and performance that our Predator gaming technology delivers.”

For more information on ESL FACEIT Group, visit eslfaceitgroup.com and follow EFG on LinkedIn.

Principle Networks wins five-year Buzz Bingo partnership

Network services provider Principle Networks announces a new partnership with Buzz Bingo, Britain’s biggest omnichannel bingo operator, to upgrade the Wi-Fi networks across its 80 bingo clubs in England and Scotland.

The project, which will be co-managed by Principle Networks and Buzz Bingo’s IT team over a five-year term, will see the implementation of Cisco Meraki wireless access points. These enterprise-grade cloud-managed access points are designed to connect IoT devices and security solutions and will enable Buzz Bingo to offer a range of new services and improve customer experiences across its clubs.

Buzz Bingo is part of Buzz Group Ltd, which comprises Buzz Bingo, Buzz Casino, BADA Bingo, The Slots Room at Buzz Bingo and Buzz Presents. It has over one million members, and last year welcomed 200,000 new visitors. Its award-winning website, buzzbingo.com, enables people to play together anywhere via their mobile, tablet, desktop and connect to omnichannel games via touchpads in its bingo clubs.

David Cutts, Chief Technology Officer at Buzz Bingo, said: “A key part of our growth will be driven by enhancing customer experiences through investments in our clubs and the latest technologies. The concept of bingo has evolved. Today, customers have a wide range of choices of how they want to play – and our omnichannel approach is unique – with technology sitting at the heart. Principle Networks demonstrated a deep understanding of our objectives and have the expertise required to deliver them. We’re excited about this partnership’s possibilities and look forward to working with the team.”

Principle Networks specialises in implementing and designing scalable, agile and future-proofed cloud-based networks for mid to large enterprises across all sectors, including retail, legal, logistics, social housing, automotive, financial services, local government and IT.

Over the course of the agreement, Principle Networks will work with Buzz Bingo’s IT team to constantly evolve how Buzz Bingo serves its customers and support the organisation’s long-term digital strategy.

Russell Crowley, co-founder at Principle Networks, said: “A secure and reliable network infrastructure is central to delivering the best possible customer experience, whether online or in a club. As the UK’s biggest bingo operator, Buzz Bingo is continually looking for innovative ways to enhance its offering, and we’re very proud to have been chosen as its IT partner for the next five years.”