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.    

It’ll soon be the time of year your kids love most, but sees you wringing your hands in angst as you try to figure out what to do with them: it’s the winter school holidays! For parents with children over the age of 12, it’s often especially difficult to find ways to keep them entertained as they’re too grown-up for play areas and there are only so many movies a teenager can go see.

Have you heard about esports – the world’s fastest-growing spectator sport? FIFA, CSGO and Fortnite - just mention these words to your kids and watch their faces. Now tell them you’ll be taking them to an awesome arena to watch cyberathletes playing these games this school break.  You’re welcome!   

Let your kids introduce you to the world of esports at Rush. A host of esports action is set to take place at the Sun Arena at Time Square in Pretoria from 29 June to 01 July 2018.  The Rush esports event will offer a range of competitive tournaments for casual gamers and esports fans to watch or participate in, as well as give visitors the opportunity to experience the thrilling world of competitive gaming live.

Vodacom 4U has come on board to sponsor and host three major tournaments at Rush on PC, console and mobile platforms across three impressive esports stages.

The three tournaments are:

Fortnite 1 vs. 1 on mobile
FIFA 18 1 vs. 1 on PS4
CS:GO 5 vs. 5 on PC 

MSI has also come on board with two tournaments of their own, namely:

MSI Quake Cup 1 vs. 1 on PC
MSI Shenron Cup: Dragon Ball FighterZ 1 vs. 1 on PC 

NiBBLE Esports have tournaments running for:

Hearthstone 1 vs. 1 on mobile
VainGlory 5 vs. 5 on mobile 

ARK Gaming have tournaments running for:

Gran Turismo 1 vs. 1 on PS4
Tekken 7 1 vs. 1 on PS4
StreetFighter V 1 vs. 1 on PS4

So, if you’re a parent looking to find out more about your child’s obsession, Rush will have something for you.

Come and experience the energy and excitement of live esports first-hand!

#rushesports2018  

EVENT DETAILS:

When is Rush 2018?

29 June – 1 July 2018

Friday: 10am-7pm | Saturday: 9am-7pm | Sunday: 9am-4pm

Where is Rush 2018?

Sun Arena, Time Square, Menlyn Maine, Pretoria

How do I buy tickets to Rush 2018?

Tickets to Rush are on sale now at all Computicket outlets countrywide and online.

Tickets will also be on sale at the door.

Day Pass (valid for entry for one day only): R60

Weekend Pass (valid for entry for all three days): R100

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