Regional tournament a chance for gamers and fans to play to progress and unleash their gamefulness
- Teams from 12 countries to compete on Counter-Strike: Global Offensive for US$50,000 prize pool and the winning team will get an additional an all-expense paid trip to watch a top CSGO tournament in Europe 2020.
- Jakarta will host the Grand Finals, selected for its vibrant esports scene
- New for 2019, HP launches Campus Legends, a US$3,000 prize pool DOTA 2 university tournament, open to five Southeast Asia countries
- MTV partnership to give the campaign an extended reach and solidify OMENs’ position as a lifestyle gaming brand
As gaming continues to evolve as a lifestyle, HP is committed to playing a leading role in broadening the awareness and participation of gaming across Asia Pacific. Gamers in the region will account for 47 percent of estimated global gaming revenues of $72.2 billion and are part of a fast-growing esports audience of almost 259 million people . This audience transcends traditional stereotypes and includes people from all walks of life who could be casual gamers, enthusiasts or esports professionals all striving to play to progress and constantly improve. This attitude allows players to build mental agility and achieve gamefulness - a state of mind that makes them more creative, more responsive, and able to face whatever comes their way, at play, life or work.
“At HP we share our users’ passion and love for the game whether they are casual, enthusiast or professional gamers. This year’s OMEN Challenger Series is a celebration of the community and a chance for players from all over Asia Pacific to express their gamefulness,” said Vinay Awasthi, VP & GM, Computing Products Asia Pacific & Japan, HP “Our fans have inspired us to create transformative experiences and an immersive gaming ecosystem through their insights and feedback. Together we are creating an inclusive community that fosters creativity and innovation for every type of gamer. Last year we were blown away by the skills on show as gamers wowed audiences across the APJ region and cannot wait to see what they have in store this time around.”
Jakarta was chosen to host the Grand Finals of the OMEN Challenger Series due to the popularity of the local esports scene and the successful showcase the city demonstrated during the 2018 Asian Games esports tournaments, with over 469,000 hours watched on the official YouTube channel .
“Intel works with its partners to provide the best gaming experience for competitors and fans,” said Santhosh Viswanathan, Managing Director, Intel APJ Territory, Intel Corporation. “We have been a leader in championing the potential of the esports industry and community for over 15 years. The OMEN Challenger Series will push gamers to the limits and our technology will be there for each and every round until the final bomb is defused and the champion team crowned.”
The OMEN Challenger Series is open to players from Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and New Zealand. The OMEN Challenger Series begins with in-country Open Qualifiers starting end of August. Top 6 teams will progress to in-country Close Qualifiers starting from beginning of September with 2 invited pro teams per country. Winners from each of the 12 countries will advance the Grand Finals to be held 1-3 November 2019 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
HP is also launching a new university tournament titled Campus Legends to run alongside the main competition. Up to ten university teams per country from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand will challenge each other in an online-only format on DOTA 2 to win part of a $3,000 prize pool.
The Campus Legends series is open to universities from 5 South East Asia countries. In-country online qualifier will be played weekly starting from October. There will be a Top 10 Play-Off with the Top 2 from each country competing in the Country Finals to crown the champion. The Grand Finals will be held online with live stream in December.
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