An all-new chapter of “Super Lucky’s Tale” begins today with Lucky returning for his most daunting challenge yet in “Super Lucky’s Tale: Guardian Trials”; an ‘80s retro-themed boot camp adventure where Lucky trains to become a full-fledged Guardian.
With players’ help, Lucky must puzzle, leap, burrow, and roll his way through a retro boot camp that’s tougher than any epic ‘80s training montage. “Guardian Trials” also sees the debut of new costumes and accessories for Lucky to wear; from unitards and leg warmers to wristbands and headbands, unlock them all and wear the outfit that best defines you for the most fashionable adventure of Lucky’s career.
“Guardian Trials” is available today for £4.19 across the Xbox One family of devices and Windows 10 PC.
PlayStation are absolutely spoiling players with their exclusives and the iconic exclusives just keep coming. By now everyone would have seen the many 10/10s and perfect review scores that God of War has effortlessly collected since its release and though I do not feel this is a flawless and perfect game, I completely agree that once again PlayStation have delivered a true game and genre changing game experience that can only be found on their console. The decision to take such an iconic system and not just reboot it for a new console family and gaming generation was brave, but the result of which is an evolution of a character and gaming style that quite simply blew my mind with its magnificence.
Within seconds of firing this game up and sitting on the main menu you can feel that there is a very different tone to this series. The menu music alone sets the mood to kick things off to make sure the days of battling the Greek Gods is now a distant memory. The sublime way that Kratos is both introduced to a new audience and reintroduced to long time fans of the series in the opening thirty seconds is delightfully done with Kratos simply cutting down a tree with the help of some player interaction. The first two minutes of this opening manages to do so many things for such a simple sequence as we get a full up close look at a now much older man is now and just the hint that all his previous labours have taken a heavy toll on him, it is quite the first look at Kratos.
Which takes me to the very obvious first reaction to this game which is just how visually beautiful it is. The detail on the character models is exquisite just as all the different locations and environments the game conjures up are right up there as the most stunning looking game on a console right now. Sitting next to Horizon Zero Dawn as a title that shows the true power of the PS4 Pro and especially the PlayStation 4 itself, God of War is always breath taking which makes the soon to be added photo mode another reason to play through this game just to take pause to make a good hundred or more screenshots. Having the camera move behind Kratos for the first time rather than the almost overhead viewpoint of the previous games was a genius move and Kratos is a true mountain of a man that earlier games in the series never really had the chance to showcase.
The main reason of course is because Kratos is often fighting monsters and gods that are bigger than him, making him look more human size but now with the repositioning of the camera you can really appreciate just how imposing he is. The best way to really describe this is seeing a WWE superstar on TV and to then go to a live event to see them in person and suddenly realising their true size. To highlight that he is a now much older man, his beard has truly become a godlike thing all by itself. Even the holder clip that Kratos wears on his back to hold the might Leviathan Axe is shaped in the very same Omega symbol that can be seen in all the God of War game cover art, a rather lovely little touch there. The further you progress into the story and game world, the more the visuals just impress and amaze not that this series was ever ugly per say, but now rejuvenated for a new generation and this more action game style just benefits from the incredible engine used for God of War.
The re-positioning of the camera also gives the combat a refreshingly new feel yet keeping the high impact visceral nature to the fighting, but now it has a very personal feel to it as the action is now very much up close and personal. This brings me to the new main weapon for Kratos who has put aside his Chaos Blades and is now wielding the powerful Leviathan Axe. Utilising light and heavy attacks using the right bumper and trigger buttons, the Leviathan Axe is a brutal weapon as Kratos cuts through enemies large and small but it also has a wonderful party trick that has been completely lifted from Thor’s hammer in that you can throw the axe at enemies and with a quick tap of the triangle button will call the axe back to your hand which is not only a very cool visual thing but adds a fun aspect to the combat as it can also do damage on the return trip to enemies should they be in the way. By levelling up the axe it becomes more powerful and new moves, much like the previous games, can be unlocked with XP earned from fighting and completing labours and quest objectives as well as new runes. I really love the combat in this game and calling the axe back to my hand after I have thrown it to pin a far off enemy to a wall is never gets old.
The story of course is a huge factor this time around as the motives of Kratos have now shifted dramatically from his desire for revenge against pretty much everyone in front of him and just as the new camera position adds to the combat; it also brings a new level to the story telling in cut-scenes. The reason the game opens with Kratos cutting down a tree is revealed in a very somber opening ten minutes that leads into the prologue tutorial toe the game. We are quickly introduced to the young boy Atreus who turns out to be the son of Kratos and both are collecting wood to build a pire as the player learns that the boys mother and original bearer of the Leviathan axe, has passed away. The story is focused on completing the final wishes of the mother who wants her ashes scattered on the highest mountain, a task that will prove to be the greatest of all challenges for Kratos.
Atreus is an interesting character to be added to the mix as he both can help in combat thanks to his bow but more so in terms of getting to know Kratos far better as the father son dynamic plays out throughout the story. Kratos who is now voiced by the actor Christopher Judge who most will recognise as the character T’ealc from Stargate SG1 show, really brings this new older and more thoughtful version of Kratos to life. Still very angry but often distant, Kratos is clearly seen battling his grief over the loss of Laufey his wife and dealing or trying to deal with Atreus, a boy who he has had a very distant relationship with for his childhood but now having to confront his son and build a new relationship with against the dangers of the world and their journey ahead.
I came to really appreciate the freedom the game offers along side having to complete the main story campaign, the game will also provide side activity with passive tasks that will run all the way through the game to give players things to do. Whilst it is not a true open world as a lot of areas are locked off until certain progress has been made in the main storyline, the game will encourage you to explore the large areas you come to such as the Lake of the Nine. This also helps as the new crafting system as exploring will often help in collecting the money and materials needed to both craft and then upgrade new armour for Kratos with more designs opening up from visiting new locations and story progress. Bringing God of War into the more modern action adventure game style but retaining so much of what made the series so iconic has made this a true evolution of not just the series itself but of the action adventure genre as well.
Moving the whole series from the Greek Gods to the Norse Mythology is an instant payoff for players as it allows Kratos the chance to reflect on his past life whilst trying to have a new one away from that level of violence and fighting but the Norse Mythology is used astoundingly well bringing in new monsters like ogres, trolls and mighty beasts but also in using the lore so brilliantly for the story itself. If the only Norse mythology players knows come from the MARVEL cinematic universe with Loki as Thor’s half brother then this will come as a big surprise for many as it sticks to the authentic origins to create this amazing world. I really loved how Atreus acts as the journal writer as he can understand languages far better than Kratos and so all the lore and information gathered is held within the boy’s journal along with his own comments making it a worthwhile thing to pause and read through it. Seeing the two worlds collide of Kratos from Sparta and the Norse mythology has an immediate impact for the series which opens up the possibility of DLC and sequels which going from this game alone, could provide some truly amazing gaming experiences.
I do have some complaints however and though these are fairly minor niggles, they still did annoy me somewhat. The dialogue at times can feel a little too…modern, especially with Atreus who comes across as a whiney teenage at time to the point where he will even respond with “what ever” when he is annoyed with Kratos. It was also very clear that the character of Brok the dwarf blacksmith, is modelled after Yondu from Guardians of the Galaxy, sounding like a Texas redneck constantly using modern language and swearing which feels out of place at times slightly breaking the experience. Overall the game is very solid with very little bugs but there are times when Atreus who spends the time following Kratos might be no where near you when about to start climbing and will suddenly appear from no where to piggy back with Kratos. It should be said that since release this game has had several minor title updates to address various bugs and at one point there was a new update every day for three days.
God of War is just another shining jewel in the PlayStation collection of exclusives. It successfully brings the series to the modern generation of gamers but does so whilst evolving the series into something very special and refreshing for old and new fans of Kratos. Other than those personal niggles above, this is another example of the people behind PlayStation taking their time to deliver an incredible gaming experience that can only be found on PlayStation. The wait was worth it for this game and it both rewarded me with its story and challenged my skill with the gameplay and fighting and it just leaves me wanting more of both. The story is genuinely majestic and deep with fantastically written and designed characters that are complimented by the fun gameplay and amazing visuals and musical score.
God of War is a must have title for any PlayStation fan and for fans of this series. Whilst some may feel it has changed too much from the original game, it had to change to be relevant for 2018 and the way it has evolved into something special is a testament to the brilliant team over at Sony Santa Monica Studio for delivering this series to a new audience in a thrilling and satisfying new way.
Kratos is back and I for one look forward to seeing how this series will continue.
We take a closer look at Peppa’s Laugh and Learn Laptop.
Learn, shapes, numbers, letters and colours on the go with Peppa!
The Laugh & Learn Laptop is great for learning on the go. With a portable carry handle and lift-up screen, it features four fantastic games to help little ones learn colours, numbers and letters.
Featuring familiar characters from the hit show, the chunky screen and buttons are easy to use for little hands, and kids minds will be stimulated by the bold shapes and bright pictures on display.
The laptop helps teach various skills, including hand to eye coordination, memory and concentration, early letter recognition and listening and communication.
Fans of Peppa Pig will love the laptop and all the sounds and games, parents not so much! Peppa’s Laugh and Learn Laptop is available now priced around £14.99 and is a great learning toy.
Nintendo Labo, a new line of interactive make, play and discover experience designed to inspire creative minds and playful hearts alike, available across Europe now.
Together with the Nintendo Switch, the Nintendo Labo kits provide the tools and technology to make fun DIY creations, play games with your creations, and discover how Nintendo Switch technology shapes ideas into reality.
With each Nintendo Labo kit, building and discovery are designed to be just as much fun as playing, which is why the experience is categorised into three key pillars: Make, Play and Discover:
Make: Transform modular sheets of cardboard into interactive creations called Toy-Con – from a 13-key piano to a motorbike, a robot suit and more.
Play: After they are built, combine the Toy-Con creations with the Nintendo Switch console and Joy-Con controllers in creative ways to enjoy a variety of gameplay experiences.
Discover: Learn how Nintendo Switch technology works together with each Toy-Con project. With Toy-Con Garage mode – a feature included with the software in each Nintendo Labo kit – you can design new ways to play with your Toy-Con projects, such as steering the RC Car with the Fishing Rod or using the Motorbike as an instrument. It’s even possible to invent your own Toy-Con creations using common materials from around the house. When you’re finished building, you can personalise your Toy-Con projects with your own stickers, markers and more.
“Our goal is to put smiles on the faces of everyone Nintendo touches,” said Satoru Shibata, Nintendo of Europe’s President. “Nintendo Labo invites anyone with a creative mind and a playful heart to make, play and discover in new ways with Nintendo Switch. I personally hope to see many people enjoying making kits with their family members, with big smiles on their faces.”
With Nintendo Labo, making and discovering is just as much fun as playing. Every Toy-Con creation presents exciting challenges and varying degrees of complexity, so each one is a unique experience. Making Toy-Con is especially fun with family and friends, as you collaborate and share each other’s Nintendo Labo experiences. Once built, those with a creative touch can customise their Toy-Con creations with their own colouring pens, stickers and paint to give them a personal feel – the only limit is their imagination. A special Customisation Set that includes fun stencils, stickers and coloured tape is also available to purchase.
Nintendo Labo is available as two kits: the Variety Kit and the Robot Kit. Both kits include everything you need to bring your Toy-Con to life, including the building materials and relevant Nintendo Switch software.
With the Variety Kit, you can create many different Toy-Con, including Toy-Con RC Car, Toy-Con Fishing Rod, Toy-Con House, Toy-Con Motorbike and Toy-Con Piano.
Toy-Con RC Car: The RC Car is powered by vibrations in the Joy-Con controllers and can follow a path of reflective tape by using the IR motion camera in the right Joy-Con – it even works in the dark. Materials to build two RC Cars are included, so two players can race or battle each other.
Toy-Con Fishing Rod: Build a working rod and reel, and then go fishing on the screen of your Nintendo Switch console to catch a variety of exotic fish. You can also enter Aquarium mode – accessed via Toy-Con Piano – to view all the fish you’ve caught or even design your own colourful fish.
Toy-Con House: By inserting various assembled blocks into openings in the sides and bottom of the House, you can interact, feed and play games with a cute creature on the front-facing Nintendo Switch screen. Each differently shaped block is detected by the IR Motion Camera on the Right Joy-Con inserted on top of the House.
Toy-Con Motorbike: Rev the throttle of your Motorbike by twisting the right handle, just like the real thing. You can even create and race on tracks you design.
Toy-Con Piano: After assembling a beautifully crafted 13-key piano and inserting the Nintendo Switch console and Joy-Con, you can create your own music by pressing different keys. You can even insert different assembled knobs to create new sound effects and tones.
Toy-Con Robot: Create a wearable robot suit, including a backpack and visor, which allows you to assume control of a huge on-screen robot. Smash buildings and UFOs in Robot Mode, make sound effects using your Toy-Con Robot in Robo Studio or customise your in-game robot in the Hangar. With an additional Nintendo Labo Robot Kit and set of Joy-Con, you can even battle against a friend in multiplayer mode using just one Nintendo Switch
The Vodafone Foundation and researchers at Imperial College London (Imperial) have teamed up to recruit smartphone users to help in the fight against cancer via an app that crowdsources the processing power of mobile phones overnight.
The DreamLab app, developed by the Vodafone Foundation, uses the collective processing power of smartphones to help analyse huge volumes of data. As part of the project, called DRUGS (Drug Repositioning Using Grids of Smartphones), a team led by Dr Kirill Veselkov from Imperial’s Department of Surgery & Cancer, has designed an algorithm that breaks down enormous datasets into small chunks. Through DreamLab, these small data chunks will be analysed by a network of smartphones to find links between datasets which could help identify more effective combinations of existing drugs to treat cancer. While traditional cancer treatment methods are dictated by the type of cancer tissue a patient has, this research aims to use genetic profiles to find the best cancer treatment for individuals.
Using this mobile cloud-based processing approach aims to reduce drastically the time taken to analyse the vast amount of data that exists. A desktop computer with an eight-core processor running 24-hours a day would take 300 years to process the data. But a network of 100,000 smartphones running six hours a night could do the job in just three months.
As an indication, a new device can run up to 60 calculations, solving up to 24,000 problems in six hours if fully charged and plugged in.
Researchers believe that in the long run this work could speed up access to effective drugs and enable tailored treatments for patients.
Andrew Dunnett, Director of the Vodafone Foundation, said: “DreamLab is a great example of the transformative power of connectivity and technology. This innovative app gives everyone the chance to play a part in the fight against cancer while they sleep. We hope DreamLab will significantly increase the speed at which Imperial College and other researchers are able to make breakthroughs in cancer research, ultimately saving lives”.
Dr Kirill Veselkov, said: “We are currently generating huge volumes of health data around the world every day, but just a fraction of this is being put to use. By harnessing the processing power of thousands of smartphones, we can tap into this invaluable resource and look for clues in the datasets. Ultimately, this could help us to make better use of existing drugs and find more effective combinations of drugs tailored to patients, thereby improving treatments.”
Professor David Gann CBE, Vice President (Innovation) at Imperial College London, said: “Through harnessing distributed computing power, DreamLab is helping to make personalised medicine a reality. This project demonstrates how Imperial’s innovative research partnerships with corporate partners and members of the public are working together to tackle some of the biggest problems we face today, generating real societal impact.”
The app is free to download and free to use for Vodafone customers, meaning it does not eat into monthly data allowances. The app can also be used across other networks, with users choosing how much data they wish to donate, or connecting via Wi-Fi.
To download the app please search for DreamLab in the App store for iOS or Play Store for Android.
Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War opened in UK and Irish cinemas on Thursday and has grossed an out of this world £21.75m in its first three days. Saturday’s result (£9.2m) sees the latest release from Marvel Studios break the box office record for the biggest Saturday ever at the UK box office, as 78% of cinema going audiences chose to see their favourite Marvel characters unite in the biggest ensemble cast film ever. The film, which is being called out as the cinematic event of the century, is on course to take an estimated £29M during its four day opening weekend which will mark the 3rd biggest weekend of all time, and Disney’s second behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Globally the film has already achieved over $630M, with box office records also broken in the USA as the film became the highest global opening weekend of all time with $250m. It is one of only six films to have ever achieved more than $200M during their opening weekend.
These results, which mark the biggest Marvel Studios opening day ever (£6.2m), have smashed the record for 2018’s biggest opening to-date, posted by Marvel Studios’ own Black Panther, and have already taken Infinity War past the total grosses of previous MCU titles Iron Man 1 & 2, Thor 1 & 2, Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain America: Winter Soldier.
Additionally, Marvel Studios’ cultural phenomenon, Black Panther, itself passed £50m at the UK & Ireland box office earlier this week having remained in the top ten for 11 weeks since opening in February.
An unprecedented cinematic journey ten years in the making and spanning the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Infinity War” brings to the screen the ultimate, deadliest showdown of all time. The Avengers and their Super Hero allies must be willing to sacrifice all in an attempt to defeat the powerful Thanos before his blitz of devastation and ruin puts an end to the universe.
To coincide with the cinema release of Avengers: Infinity War, Hasbro have a number of new toys out, we take a closer look at the Marvel Avengers: Infinity War Nerf Iron Man Assembler Gear.
Get ready to build and blast like the Armored Avenger with Iron Man Assembler Gear!
Collect, combine, and customize! With Avengers Assembler Gear featuring Nerf technology, kids can assemble their ultimate blaster and imagine taking down the bad guys!
Each Assembler Gear set features different blaster combinations and can be combined with other Assembler Gear sets (each set sold separately) to build customizable blasters and get ready to blast into action!
With over 100 combinations of blasters with multiple sets (each set sold separately), the only question is: what will YOU assemble?
Includes gauntlet, 2 connectors, 3 darts, and instructions.
Different blaster combinations
Iron Man-inspired design
Connect pieces to build & blast
Launch included Nerf darts into action
For ages 5 and up, Marvel Avengers: Infinity War Nerf Iron Man Assembler Gear from Hasbro is available now priced around £19.95 and there are five different gear sets to collect!
To coincide with the cinema release of Avengers: Infinity War, Hasbro have a number of new toys out, we take a closer look at the Marvel Mighty Muggs Spider-Man.
Call it a moodswing, or call it a moodSPIN, with Marvel Mighty Muggs, heads are going to turn…literally. This Spider-Man Mighty Muggs figure features a push-and-turn mechanism so that when kids and fans continue pressing the button, they’ll send Spidey’s head spinning! With 3 different expressions and a classic character design that’ll have collectors doing a triple take, Marvel Mighty Muggs send moodswings on the upswing.
There are three different Spider-Man facial expressions and you press down on his head to change his face.
Each Mighty Mugg is a 3.75-inch collectible figure with it’s own display case package.
For ages 6 and up, the Mighty Muggs range from Hasbro is available now priced around £9.95 and there are 13 to collect!
Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Lara must master a deadly jungle, overcome terrifying tombs, and persevere through her darkest hour. As she races to save the world from a Maya apocalypse, Lara will be forged into the Tomb Raider she is destined to be.
In Rise of the Tomb Raider, Camilla Luddington, makes her return as Lara Croft with yet another stunning performance in Shadow of the Tomb Raider.
“Thanks to their incredible expertise, knowledge of the franchise and outstanding creativity, Eidos-Montréal, in collaboration with Crystal Dynamics, is delivering a powerful experience with Shadow of the Tomb Raider,” said Yosuke Matsuda, president and representative director of Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. “Shadow of the Tomb Raider will take the series to new heights and Lara Croft to new depths.”
“Shadow of the Tomb Raider will challenge Lara Croft in new and unexpected ways,” said David Anfossi, Head of Studio at Eidos-Montréal. “Our team has created a diverse set of skills, combat techniques and equipment for players to master, and they’ll certainly need them if they hope to survive the deadly jungle environments and tombs.”
Last night, Square Enix welcomed fans, community leaders, press, and industry influencers to events in Montreal, London, and Los Angeles so they could experience Lara Croft’s defining moment as she becomes the Tomb Raider.
Tomb Raider developers at Eidos-Montréal, in collaboration with Crystal Dynamics, the game will be available on September 14, 2018 for the Xbox One family of devices, including Xbox One X, PlayStation 4 and Windows PC/Steam.
The new JOBY GorillaPod Mobile Rig is the perfect smartphone accessory for the creation of pro-grade videos, vlogs and YouTube content.
Taking design feedback from the active JOBY community of content creators, the GorillaPod Mobile Rig builds on the original patented GorillaPod design, with flexible arms for more versatility. Its secure mount works with any smartphone and up to three additional devices like mics, lights and GoPro cameras.
This product supports the rapidly growing trend for video content on social media platforms including YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Periscope. The GorillaPod Mobile Rig is flexible, portable and easy to use, making it the essential tool for any content creator, vlogger or journalist creating a pro-grade video.
Advanced features include adjustable tilt for selfies, and landscape or portrait shooting modes for standard horizontal formats like YouTube as well as vertical video for platforms like Instagram and Periscope. This versatility, combined with the ability to add up to three additional devices like mics, lights and action cameras via the standard ¼”-20 tripod connections, gives you the perfect mobile video rig.
The GorillaPod Mobile Rig for any smartphone is lightweight (362g/12.8oz) and leverages the patented GorillaPod ball and socket design with rubberised grips to provide endless flexibility and quick adjustability. The GorillaPod Mobile Rig securely mounts to any smartphone with a pro-grade, locking GripTight mount.
The flexible legs on the GorillaPod Mobile Rig can be used as a handle, wrapped around objects such as trees or polls for unique videos and images, or used as a tripod. The two 6-socket GorillaPod arms with the standard ¼”-20 tripod connections, two Cold Shoe mounts and one GoPro mount provides content creators with the ability to add up to three devices at one time.
Huawei, has today announced that the Huawei P20 Pro has broken all previous records for flagship device sales in Western Europe.
The new handset, featuring the world’s first Leica triple camera and unprecedented advancements in AI, was launched in Paris, France on Tuesday 27th March and was offered for pre-sale to European consumers before the commercial launch. After only four weeks of being on public sale, the P20 Pro has overtaken last year’s P10 Plus, outselling its predecessor by 316% to become the most successful device ever sold by Huawei in Western Europe.
Huawei P20 Pro
“The incredible reaction to the new P20 Pro is testament to consumers’ demand for a beautifully-designed smartphone with purposeful, advanced technology that provides real benefits,” said Walter Ji, President of Huawei Western Europe, Consumer Business Group. “As soon as the Huawei P20 Pro became available to buy we have seen an unprecedented demand for the new device. The revolutionary new camera technology and AI capabilities bring to life a ground-breaking smartphone experience, and people all over Europe are choosing to embrace this exciting and empowering technology.”
The Huawei P20 Pro has been available in major markets in Western Europe since its announcement to media on March 27th, 2018.
The P20 Pro is available to purchase from all UK carriers and retail partners including Carphone Warehouse, EE, Vodafone, Three and O2 and is priced at £799.
The device is available in two striking colours, Midnight Blue and Black.
Zoopa, a snakebyte group has announced today the shipping of the Phoenix HD, a new high-performance drone engineered in Germany and now shipping worldwide.
Featuring a truly impressive specification, the Phoenix HD has been designed to offer enthusiasts a rich feature set and the latest camera stabilisation technology, previously unheard of for a drone at this price point and setting a new standard for value.
The Phoenix HD features integrated 2-axis camera stabilization (gimbal) technology, capable of capturing silky-smooth images and HD video, delivering rich, vibrant truly professional videography even under difficult flying conditions. The Phoenix HD proves ideal for seasoned enthusiasts and those new to drone ownership, including features such as ‘auto-land’ and ‘auto take off’ which take the difficulty and stress out of complex manoeuvres while retaining all the fun of flight for the user. At a touch of a button, the Phoenix HD will hover in a fixed position (great for capturing that perfect shot) and even return to its original takeoff position when ordered!
In addition, the Phoenix HD allows users to link their drone directly to their iOS or Android smartphone, and view their photography in real time, sending images direct to their smartphone thanks to onboard Wi-Fi video technology.
“As drone ownership continues to grow, more and more people are embracing this hobby and discovering the fun of flight. The cost of drone ownership continues to remain expensive where quality and features are important to the consumer, and Zoopa is determined to disrupt the sector through German engineered product at a price point which sets it apart from the competition,” said Nick Repenning, CEO for snakebyte USA. “Ideal for all levels of skill and ability, the Phoenix HD pushes the envelope of performance and value, and we believe consumers will love the features and value we offer.”
The Phoenix HD retails for an MSRP of $179.99 and is available now.
Vodafone has become a Premium Partner of ESL, the world’s largest esports company, and will sponsor ESL’s flagship event series: Intel Extreme Masters, ESL One and ESL Pro League.
Esports is one of the fastest-growing international sports, with ESL tournaments taking place in arenas around the globe as the world’s best players and teams battle it out in front of a live audience and millions of fans watching online.
The collaboration with ESL highlights how Vodafone’s international network brings together gamers and fans from 25 countries where Vodafone has more than 500 million mobile connections – including 104 million on high-speed 4G – and 19 million fixed broadband connections. It will also provide a showcase for the development of new 5G technologies set to transform gaming.
Vodafone will also work with ESL to support a series of initiatives that promote diversity and female participation in historically male-dominated esports activities. Vodafone will become a Premium Partner of the female esports challenge held during the IEM Sydney event in May 2018, and will collaborate with the world’s top female esports personalities to highlight the opportunities for women to participate professionally in esports or pursue a career in the esports industry.
Serpil Timuray, Chief Operations & Strategy Officer, Vodafone Group said: “We are delighted to launch this partnership with ESL and create one of the biggest international networks for esports at a time when audiences are growing rapidly and new technologies are poised to deliver better experiences. I look forward to joining our customers across 25 countries in viewing ESL’s exciting esports tournaments, both at home and on their mobile devices.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Vodafone as our new telecommunication partner for various events,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO at ESL. “Together with Vodafone we are looking forward to connect even more people and create diversity in esports by ensuring better technological conditions for professional players, fans and ESL employees, fostering corporate responsibility projects and creating awareness around the esports industry to a broader audience. Vodafone is committed to support ESL with all their knowledge and strength and we could not be happier about that.”
Vodafone will be Premium Partner for the following live global events, with further dates to be announced in due course:
