Esports and gaming authority Mettlestate, in partnership with Asus, RepVYBN Esportsublic of Gamers, Intel Gaming, Vodacom World and Ubisoft, hosted the Asus Republic of Gamers (ROG) Invitational III Grand Finals on 26 and 27 June 2021. All the esports action was broadcast live on Mettlestate’s Twitch TV, with highlights broadcast on DStv’s GINX esports TV channel (Channel 127) at 22:00 SAST on both nights. The tournament boasted an impressive prize pool of R 100 000, of which R 50 000 went to the grand prize winning team, VYBN Esports (@vybnesports) for a hard-fought victory over all the other eager, highly-skilled contenders. VYBN Esports remained undefeated throughout the ROG Invitational lll. 

The VYBN Esports team was made up of Captain @XhosaR6, @Figure_R6, @SxndeLs, @DrDropShot007, @elyk_gg, @WxstefulR6 and @Chill_R6. Bravado Gaming (@bravadogaming) took second place (25 000), Phoenix eSports ZA (@Phoenix_MGO) took third place (R15 000) and DNMK Esports (@dnmkgg) took fourth place (R10,000). 

Some of the biggest names in the South African gaming community were on-hand to provide their expertise and blow-by-blow commentary. These included: 

Sam Wright – @TechGirlZA (panel)

Brad Griffiths – @HangryCamel (panel)

Jayson van Kerckhoven – @JustTrinoc (caster)

Jacques Theron – @KanyeDefuse (caster)

Chloë Geraghty – @ChloGeraghty (interviewer)

Rachel Kay – @iamrachelkay (interviewer) 

South Africa’s best gamers spent their weekend going head-to-head in Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, the tactical team shooter from Ubisoft that has snowballed in popularity since it launched in 2015. The ROG III Invitational was a tight competition from start to finish, with teams including Bravado Gaming, Phoenix Esports ZA, DNMK Esports and winners VYBN Esports taking the South African competitive esports stage up several notches and undoubtedly laying the groundwork for similar big events in the near future. 

The tournament was a fully digital, professional-level esports spectacle that delivered world-class spectator value and expert commentary, and proof that esports is fast gaining momentum across the African continent. Juan Mouton, Country Marketing Manager, Republic of Gamers, Asus, South Africa, says, “This was the third – and largest – event in the history of our partnership with Mettlestate and living proof that South African gamers have what it takes to elevate the profile of esports all over Africa. All the contenders played their hearts out over the weekend and VYBN’s win could not have been better deserved. Well done to everybody who took part. We look forward to next year”. 

Barry Louzada, Managing Director and Founder of Mettlestate adds, “Congratulations to VYBN Esports for playing so well. The turnout from fans was fantastic and the support the tournament received was overwhelming. We are so excited to bring South Africa’s close-knit gaming community more events to come and it’s incredible to see how, every year, the bar keeps being raised in South African esports”. 

VYBN Esports Captain, Rowan “Xhosa” Steyn says, “Our team only formed two weeks before the tournament started. Time was not on our side, so it was a very busy and hectic experience that needed more effort from us to catch up with the others. 

“When the tournament first started, ATK was very dominant, but now all the teams compete convincingly – it’s a matter of a coinflip. Competition is very tight. But there were specific players per team that really stood out for us, like DNMK’s Dan Da Man, Mystic and DVN from Bravado, with a special shoutout to Shadir from Phoenix. 

“In terms of advancing our gaming careers, this is massive. At the end of the day, if you want to become someone, you need networking. Now the team can add to their resumé that they won the biggest tournament in SA. This is something needed for the scene. Nothing can grow unless there’s financial incentive and support”. 

The ROG III Invitational’s success is a striking example of how, unlike many other sectors, esports continues to grow and flourish during the pandemic. This entertaining blend of competitiveness and escapism is rapidly gaining more followers as a professional sport with entertainment value akin to many other major sports the South African public enjoys. Keep your consoles, PCs and mobile devices tuned in to stay up to date with the ongoing rise of esports in Africa. 

Visit www.mettlestate.com or Mettlestate’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Twitch pages to stay up-to-date news on upcoming tournaments and to engage with South Africa’s gaming and esports community.

South Africa’s CSGO elite and the nation’s top qualifying teams will compete for R150, 000 and the honour of lifting the ROG Invitational Trophy in the presence of 35,000 rAge attendees at the Ticketpro Dome on the 27th to the 29th of September.

Johannesburg, South Africa, 16 August 2019. Today ASUS South Africa, the company behind the Republic of Gamers, the world’s leading gaming hardware brand announced the inaugural ROG Invitation which will place as South Africa’s richest short-form Counter Strike tournament. With a prize pool of R150, 000, the one-month tournament will host its finals live at rAge Expo on the 27th to 29th of September at the Ticketpro Dome in Johannesburg.  

Four of South Africa’s elite CS:GO teams, BIG 5 ESPORTS, ENERGY ESPORTS, GOLIATH GAMING and SINISTER5 CS:GO will compete for the glory, the honour and the cash against the top four ranked challengers from the qualification rounds.  

Registration for the online qualifiers opens today through www.mettlestate.com, a leading esports league and tournament operator on the African continent. The round-robin group stage will advance the leaders of each group to the LAN finals in late September where the final eight will compete in a double-elimination bracket at rAge Expo.  

The need for Esports Investment

“ROG has invested in esports since 2006, and was the first hardware manufacturer to see the importance of being a part of the community through the creation of an inclusive ecosystem and investment in gamers and their community,” says Azin Alikhani, MEA Regional Marketing Head. 

The last decade has seen a spark of change in this inclusive ecosystem from casual gaming as a community to the development of a serious sub-culture of professionalism in esports that is driving a new a generation of sporting professionals. 

“The similarities in the skills required to be a competitive gamer aren’t dissimilar to conventional professional sports. Aside from great aim and strategy, a championship esports team requires a stone-cold winning mentality, serious consistency, a lot of commitment and flawless co-ordination and communication, says Juan Mouton, Asus and Republic of Gamers South Africa Marketing Manager.  

Juan goes on to state, “As the world’s leading gaming hardware brand, we see it as our responsibility within South Africa to assist where we can to strengthen the credibility of esports through showcasing not only the exceptional talent and skill that exists in our country but to deliver an experience that really underlines the entertainment value of the sport. That’s the purpose of the inaugural ROG invitational and we expect the showcase to grow exponentially as we continue with this mission.”  

The rAge Experience
The ROG invitational will host the finals in a live three-day showdown at the Tickepro Dome during the rAge Expo - South Africa’s largest gathering of gaming enthusiasts. With more than 35,000 attendees and 17 years in existence, rAge has become synonymous with the most awesome weekend of gaming on the local events calendar.  This annual gaming event promises a mind-blowing weekend filled with immersive fun for family and friends.

KEY POINTS
Largest Short-Form CS:GO Prize Pool: Republic of Gamers launches the largest prize pool to  date for a short-form Counter Strike tournament.

Elite SA ESPORTS Talent On Show: BIG 5 ESPORTS, ENERGY ESPORTS, GOLIATH GAMING and SINISTER5 CS:GO fill out the elite bracket and will be the teams to beat in the 2019 showpiece.

Largest Gaming Event in Africa: rAge Expo and the ROG Invitational will play out in front of more than 35,000 people at the Ticketpro Dome on 27th – 29th September 2019, making it Africa’s largest gaming event.    

The annual Rush Esports event is quite literally upon us, and esports enthusiasts are gearing up, locking down and putting on their game faces for one of South Africa’s most thrilling events on the esports calendar.

The multi-tournament, multi-platform celebration of all things competitive gaming will be exploding into life on 28, 29 and 30 June 2019, at the Sun Arena, Time Square, Pretoria. It goes without saying that the variety of tournaments being hosted is enough to get you firing on all cylinders - FIFA 19, CS:GO, DOTA 2, StarCraft, Hearthstone, Fortnite and Tekken 7.

But it’s the list of prizes up for grabs that is truly going to blow your mind. The prize pool for Rush, sponsored by Vodacom 4U and Samsung, includes cash prizes, product prizes and overseas trips, totaling over R450,000. The stakes have never been this high, the tournaments never this grand and the prizes never before this sensational! “At Vodacom 4U, gaming and esports is one of the key strategic pillars that support our brand strategy,” Says Ulanova Visser, Marketing Director at Vodacom 4U. “Last year we were very excited for the opportunity to partner with Rush Esports South Africa and offer massive prizes for three gaming titles.

The success of this partnership has led to us upping the ante for 2019 by doubling the number of gaming titles to six - as well as substantially increasing the overall prize purse that will be up for grabs to the competitors. “Because Vodacom’s Youth Franchise Channel is fluent in “gaming speak”, it’s only logical that Vodacom Fibre will be providing all the connectivity for the event to ensure that our gamers can enjoy serious uninterrupted gaming while competing during the weekend.

Through Vodacom Fibre, we are able to offer our customers finance options to purchase gaming consoles and other products by simply adding on to their monthly contract commitment. We are also thrilled to be supporting a Fortnite Cosplay category competition at the event.” Aside from competing, Rush offers the perfect opportunity for all ages and skill levels to get a taste of esports – even if they’re just watching. Big screens and live commentary will be giving visitors throw by throw run downs of the tournaments, guaranteeing maximum audience thrills.

This year entrance tickets to Rush also include entrance into GeekFest - a complete weekend invasion of all things geek including Sumo Wrestling, a Dance Dance Revolution setup, Robowar competitions, a Gladiator Ring, cosplay and a LARP tournament. To say this a jam-packed entertainment lineup is an understatement. Rush has pulled out every single stop, and then some, to ensure maximum gamer and geek immersion across the whole weekend. Tickets to Rush are on sale now at Ticketpro and include full access to GeekFest. GeekFest tickets also include full access to Rush. #rushesports2019 #connected

EVENT DETAILS: When is Rush? 28, 29, 30 June 2019 Times: Friday 10am – 8pm | Saturday 10am – 8pm | Sunday 10am – 5pm Where is Rush? Sun Arena, Time Square, Pretoria How do I buy tickets to Rush? Tickets to Rush are on sale via www.ticketpros.co.za

Day Pass: R120 (valid for one day only on any of the three days)
Weekend Pass: R300 (valid for all three days)
Player Pass: R250 (valid for all three days for players competing in tournaments)

How do I stay connected? To stay up to date with all the Rush announcements and additional info, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or go to www.rushesports.co.za

A school holiday without the Summer sun can be challenging, but don’t despair, there is fun-filled holiday action to be had at Rush for esports fans, junior geeks and aspiring gamers.

This June will see the annual Rush esports event, along with GeekFest, running at the Sun Arena in Time Square Pretoria. Visitors can expect a thrilling variety of competitive games to participate in and watch. SA’s top gamers and teams will be competing for prizes on esports stages, complete with big screens and live commentary. More good news is that gaming enthusiasts will also be able to compete for prizes by signing up to the FIFA 19, Tekken 7 and Fortnite tournaments now.

Last year’s big Fortnite winner was an ecstatic Prep School pupil - proving that age is definitely just a number at Rush! This year’s Fortnite and FIFA 19 tournaments are sponsored by Vodacom 4U and Samsung. FIFA 19 players will be competing on PS4 consoles, and Fortnite players will be using Samsung Galaxy S10+ phones to play on. Entry into both these tournaments can be done via Mettlestate now, and there are some awesome prizes to be won.

For teens and older, UGCZA is hosting a Fighting Game Workshop from 11h00 to 18h00 on Friday the 28th, where you can come and learn some new skills from the pros, or just brush up on your moves.

Great news from PlayStation is that they will be showcasing a host of cools games including: GT Sport; Team Sonic Racing; MotoGP19 – as well Virtual Reality games such as Everybody’s Golf VR, Far Point and Beat Saber. In addition to all the esports action, there will be geek-related retail stalls, food vendors, a Cosplay competition, LARPing (Live Action Role Playing), Robowars, a Geek Quiz and Hawkeye Arrow Tag will have a fun archery activity arena suitable for ages 10 and up.

Players are split into teams and will battle it out against each other using air-filled bunkers for cover as they try and take out their opponents with recurve bows and foam-tipped arrows. Vodacom 4U are also sponsoring a Fortnite-inspired cosplay category. This is the chance to dress to impress as you channel one of your favourite Fortnite characters.

The winner of the Vodacom 4U Fortnite cosplay will walk away with R10,000, so ramp up your creative juices and enter now! The stage is set to give geeks and gamers a three-day weekend of unprecedented entertainment, geek culture and competitive gaming. There is something for everyone at Rush 2019, so bring along family and friends and get lost in the fascinating, fast paced and fun-filled world of esports and all things geek, first-hand!

Tickets to Rush are on sale now at Ticketpro and include full access to GeekFest. GeekFest tickets also include full access to Rush. #rushesports2019 EVENT DETAILS: When is Rush 2019? 28, 29, 30 June 2019 Times: Friday 10am – 8pm | Saturday 10am – 8pm | Sunday 10am – 5pm Where is Rush 2019? Sun Arena, Time Square, Pretoria How do I buy tickets to Rush 2019? Tickets to Rush are on sale via Ticketpro. Day Pass: R120 (valid for one day only on any of the three days) Weekend Pass: R300 (valid for all three days) Player Pass: R250 (valid for all three days for players competing in tournaments) How do I stay connected? To stay up to date with all the Rush announcements and additional info, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or go to www.rushesports.co.za.

Geeks are taking over! And they’re doing it Big in Japan style! That’s right, all things Geek are about to be unleashed on JHB and Pretoria with the 7th Annual GeekFest, brought to you by The Dark Carnival. Taking place for the first time at the awe-inspiring Sun Arena, Time Square in Pretoria, the event is set to be a complete invasion of all things Geek and all things gaming over one stellar weekend. Gaming Geeks and Fantasy Freaks can draw inspiration for this year’s GeekFest from the birthplace of Anime – Japan. But because we’re Geeks, we definitely don’t do understated and we definitely do over the top, so it’s a Godzilla-sized Big in Japan theme, and we are challenging all Geeks out there to bring on all thing’s anime, manga and Otaku (Japanese for geek).

The entire focus of the 3-day weekend will be on Japanese culture and gaming so Gēmusutāto! (Game on) The Cosplay arena is going to be one that is super-sized this year, with events across all levels, so you can either take a beginner’s bite-sized chunk or make a masterful meal of this imagination-busting sub-culture. There will be four competition categories, namely: • Junior – Open to all entrants who will be under the age of 15 at the time of GeekFest. In order to qualify, at least 50% of their costume must be hand crafted. • Beginner to Genin – Open to newbies who are interested in breaking into the cosplay universe. This includes first time entrants or those who have very little experience.

In order to qualify, at least 50% of their costume must be hand crafted. • Intermediate-Chuunin – Open to those slightly more experienced cosplayers who have taken part in these kinds of competitions before. In order to qualify, at least 75% of their costume must be hand crafted. • Masters-Kage – Open to the semi-professional and professional cosplayers – those who live and breathe the sub-culture and have placed at major competitions before. In order to qualify, at least 90% of their costume must be hand crafted. Each of the above categories will have a first, second and third place winner with fantastic sponsored prizes up for grabs. In addition to the category tournaments, there will also be a masquerade for those who don’t want to compete, but who want to simply strut their colourful stuff and be a part of the fun. To register visit http://www.geekfest.co.za/cosplay-registration/. In partnership with the Rush esports event there will also be a Vodacom 4U sponsored Fortnite- inspired category. This is the chance to dress to impress as you channel one of your favourite Fortnite characters.

The winner of the Vodacom 4U Fortnite cosplay will walk away with R10,000, so ramp up your creative juices and enter now! A whole range of other fantastic activities will send you into a spin, including Sumo Wrestling, a Dance Dance Revolution setup, Robowar competitions, a Gladiator Ring and a LARP tournament. Watch epic Japanese animated films Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, an animated science fantasy adventure film and Pop in Q, an animated dance film - BUT these won’t be any ordinary screening experience, you’ll get to watch these at the uber-cool Noodlebox Cinema! Kick back and relax with a box of noodles whilst watching your movie in silence with your very own headphones.

Die-hard fans of old school cool are in for a serious treat, because not one, but two iconic cars from two iconic teams from the 80’s will be on display at the event. The unforgettable king of talking technology - KITT - the real star of the KnightRider series, and the truly awesome Ghostbusters Wagon.

Who you gonna call? Your friends to join you of course… To say this a jam-packed entertainment lineup is an understatement. GeekFest 2019 has pulled out every single stop, and then some, to ensure maximum Geek immersion across the whole weekend. And when the hunger pangs strike, fear not intrepid soldiers, there is a host of food and drinks available to reboot yourself back to full power.

From merchandise exhibitors to a full-on Geek-inspired market; to gaming highlights and tabletop games; to Pokémon GO tournaments, Japanese martial arts and Anime movies and a Geek Quiz… There is something for every single member of your Geek family to do. You can even go and get your gaming on as GeekFest tickets include all access entry into Rush Esports too. For more information on GeekFest 2019 and the cosplay competitions visit https://www.geekfest.co.za/

EVENT DETAILS: When is GeekFest 2019? 28, 29, 30 June 2019

Times: Friday 10am – 8pm | Saturday 10am – 8pm | Sunday 10am – 5pm

Where is Geekfest 2019? Sun Arena, Time Square, Pretoria

How do I buy tickets to GeekFest 2019? Tickets to GeekFest on sale via Ticketpro and at the door

• Day Pass: R120 (valid for one day only on any of the three days)
• Weekend Pass: R300 (valid for all three days) GeekFest tickets include all access into Rush 2019

The Ballistix Masters League 2018 is coming to an end with the final being the LAN championships that runs from the 12th to the 15th of July.

The Esports scene is booming in South Africa – and by 2019 it is estimated that 427 million people will be watching eSports worldwide.This year saw the Ballistix Masters run a league over a period of seven months and allowed 188 registered teams (1316 players) to enter and attempt to qualify for the LAN championships.

The qualifying teams competed for a seeding position, with the top 10 teams per title being pushed through to the championships, where they will compete head to head, over a four-day period, to decide who the ultimate champions are. The Ballistix Masters teamed up with the local LAN event “LANX” to host the finals at their annual expo.

This means this years LAN final will have an awesome space for spectators, security, and food stalls. The LANX event typically hosts up to 500 gamers over the weekend – and this will be combined with the 100 qualifying players for the Ballistix Masters LAN final – all set to give us a one of the greatest events on the eSports calendar in South Africa.The championships start with each title having two groups of five teams (round robin).

After the group stages are completed, the top four teams per group will be seeded into a double elimination playoffs bracket until only two teams remain for the grand finale. The majority of the matches will be broadcasted live from the event by two official casters (Jubba and Spitzkop) – who will be giving live commentary. The LAN event starts on Thursday the 12th July and ends on Sunday 15th July.

There will be an official photographer to capture all the moments - and action photos of the teams doing what they do best.