Amazon’s Prime Video are releasing a five-part documentary series which takes a look behind the scenes of the inaugural Esports World Cup in 2024.
The major event held tournaments for 22 different game titles, including League of Legends, Counter-Strike, and Call of Duty, with a combined prize pool of $62.5 million (£46m).
The Esports World Cup: Level Up documentary will premiere on Friday, June 6th, with subsequent episodes releasing weekly.
The series has been produced by Sony Pictures Television’s documentary filmmakers ‘This Machine’ and has been directed by Emmy Award-winning director R.J. Cutler, who also directed the Elton John: Never Too Late documentary film.
Level Up has been filmed ‘verité’ style, taking a fly-on-the-wall approach behind the scenes of the tournament. That on-the-ground footage from Riyadh will then be mixed with home visits to multiple pros from all around the world.
Some of the main storylines of the series have already been revealed, with several esports pros highlighted.
One of them is, unsurprisingly, Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyeok, the most accomplished LoL player of all time and one of the greatest esports competitors ever.
LoL fans might also be interested to see the focus on Natus Vincere CEO, Yevhen Zolotarov, as NAVI are rumoured to join the LEC this year. The documentary will focus on the Ukrainians’ personal experience of Russia’s invasion of his home country.
Level Up will also feature Sanford ‘Sanford’ Vinuya, a 19-year-old Mobile Legends: Bang Bang player who was competing to earn money as the primary bread-winner for his family after his father suffered a stroke.
They will also highlight the backstory of Atlana FaZe Call of Duty pro Zack ‘Drazah’ Jordan and how he became a pro player after growing up near the North Pole in Alaska.
It’s these stories that director Cutler says he is most excited about: “Level Up isn’t just about the incredible competition and prize money.
“It’s about the dedication, the passion, and the sheer will of these athletes and teams pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
“Under high pressure, we discover the true character of the competitors who vie for $60 million, but who also expose their humanity in the process.”
In my seven years of esports writing, I’ve introuduced esports coverage to newspapers, interviewed some of the biggest names in the industry, and driven viewers mad with the puns in my YouTube scripts. I’m most proud of the latter.
