ESL and Acer announced that the Predator League, named after Acer’s line of gaming peripherals, will expand into the EMEA region later this year.
The Predator League, which was first launched in the Asia Pacific region, will feature Counter-Strike: Global Offensive competitions aimed at grassroots EMEA players.
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Ralf Reichert, CEO of ESL, commented in a release: “The grassroots community is core to the growth of esports and providing young talent the platform to maximise their potential has never been more important. The Predator League will act as a gateway for anybody to climb the esports success ladder. Acer continues to invest in the long-term growth of esports and we are delighted to help and expand our existing partnership with Acer and the launch of their first EMEA online league.”
The Acer Predator League will span across Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and the Middle East. ESL will operate the competition via its ESL Play platform, while Acer’s Planet9 social gaming platform will also be involved. The companies will also bring in professional CS:GO coaches to help guide the young players.
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Each country will have its own competition, but ESL and Acer have yet to announce any dates. The online tournaments will have their semifinals and Grand Final rounds broadcast by a local influencer in each country, with Predator product giveaways included in each.
Hajo Blingen, Vice President of Acer Europe, Middle East and Africa, added: “We are excited to launch the Predator League, as a natural evolution from our long-term partnership with the Intel Extreme Masters and ESL to attract young esports talent by creating new online formats. As the world’s leading gaming brand, Predator has already a strong commitment to the CS:GO community and gaming fan base. Driving continuous innovations, such as our nextgen esports platform, Planet9, the Predator League will also provide retail partners a platform to promote Predator products to the community through exclusive promotions.”
Esports Insider says: This sounds like a good opportunity to help the Acer Predator brand reach specific regional audiences while allowing up-and-coming talent a chance to prove themselves in a proper competition. Seems like a win-win.