Esports body Esports Wales has got 2024 off to a flying start with a string of news announcements including coverage on the BBC.
Esports Wales ‘would love an annual event like Gamescom or DreamHack’
While it’s too early for anything concrete about a potential event, Esports Wales CEO John Jackson gave us some hints.
“We are working hard at Esports Wales to ensure that there is the talent in Wales to host some major esports events in the future,” he told Esports News UK.
“We would love to have annual event like Gamescoms or Dreamhack that show off the talent here in Wales.”
He added in this article on Welsh esports published by the BBC earlier today: “We’d love to bring something like eChampions League final or the European Championships to Wales.
“You could potentially look at the Principality stadium but also Swansea Arena, potentially Wrexham’s stadium.”
John and Esports Wales were also featured on TV in the regional news:
Esports Wales are in informal talks with venues.
The news is the latest push from the body, which has selected Welsh teams for events like the Commonwealth Esports Championships in Birmingham in the past.
Last month, Esports Wales attained full membership in the European Esports Federation. It’s also a part of the International Esports Federation, which recently announced it would be delivering joint projects with the separate Global Esports Federation.
Gower College Swansea were also featured in the BBC’s coverage:
Esports Wales announce new full-time staff
Esports Wales has also brought on two new full-time employees to run the Esports Wales Academy in Newport and Caerphilly.
Kira Bennett and Leon Hollis have started today.
They’re not Esports Wales’ first full-time staff. There’s CEO John Jackson, and the body has had some full-time staff in the past working for project-based funding.
Esports Wales receives funding from Media Cymru
Media Cymru, a collaboration to accelerate growth in Cardiff Capital Region’s (CCR) media sector, has invested £1m in ethical AI, esports and virtual experiences.
This investment has been made across 24 businesses and freelancers, whose projects are designed to boost the Welsh media sector.
The Development Fund provides each successful applicant with up to £50,000 to develop ideas into products or services.
Media Cymru’s funding for Esports Wales will go towards ‘A New Game Plan for Wales’.
This is a research and development (R&D) fund. Esports Wales told Esports News UK it was successful for the seed last year, and may take this down different routes, as the specifics have not yet been detailed.
Successful Development Fund projects will have up to 12 months to complete their project. Following completion applicants may then apply for scale-up funding of up to £250,000 ‘for projects of significant scale and ambition that have the potential to be transformational and deliver international impact’. Media Cymru’s Scale Up Fund will open again in September 2024.
Esports Wales partners with FA Wales to select EA FC national team
The Welsh esports body has also teamed up with FA Wales to select EA FC players.
These players will form the Welsh national team and represent the country in the eEuros.
Player selection matches will run from January 13th to 14th 2024.
Cerith Dennis (pictured above), who competed at Romania’s 2023 World Esports Championship in eFootball, has been appointed Esports Wales’ Game Manager for EA FC.
“Cerith brings a wealth of gaming expertise and passion for leading us to victory,” the esports body said.
Related article: EA Sports FC Pro esports circuit announced
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
