Gfinity chief executive Garry Cook is correct to point out in a recent interview that the UK is effectively positioned as a testing ground of sorts of a new FIFA esports football league.
The Premier League and EA Sports have teamed up in the UK to launch the new ePremier League tournament. All 20 Premier League clubs will be represented in the tournament, giving players of FIFA the opportunity to wear the kits of their favorite clubs on the big stage.
Anyone could enter and the top 16 players per club on each platform battle it out at venues selected by their chosen Premier League club. Platform winners from each Club Playoff represent their club in the ePremier League Final for the chance to be crowned ePremier League Champion.
As the UK has an incredibly popular football scene, it's a great testing grounds for such a tournament to take place. Garry Cook said in an interview with Sky, "we are in the middle of a digital mega-trend. In the UK we love football and this market is culturally built for a successful run in football gaming."
Fortnite and unpredictable esports
Epic Games isn't off to the best of starts with Fornite. Don't get me wrong, the game is incredibly successful, raking in billions for the developer, but I'm talking esports. Numerous professional players and streamers have voiced concerns over the company's focus (or lack thereof). "Drop the bass with the newest item available in Battle Royale, the Boom Box! Crank the volume and toss it at enemy structures to tear down their defenses," says Epic Games.
https://twitter.com/WhosDixon/status/1079372908617584640
One has to wonder if Epic Games truly sees Fortnite as a competitor platform. The game is essentially a money printing title, and the company is raking in enough from casual players. It could also be the case Epic Games is testing the waters to see what could work within a more competitive scene. But there are certainly better ways to go about it.
