Top Teams CLG, Cloud 9, Echo Fox, Luminosity, Rogue and TSM Will Compete in the Inaugural H1PL Season Livestreaming Exclusively on Facebook From the New Twin Galaxies Esports Arena Beginning April 21st
Daybreak Game Company Adds to the H1PL Momentum by Announcing H1Z1 Goes Free To Play
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., March 8, 2018 – The H1Z1 Pro League™ (H1PL), the first professional battle royale esports league today unveiled the 15 charter teams that will compete in its inaugural season beginning April 21st in Las Vegas, Nevada. The H1PL also announced that it has teamed up with Facebook to exclusively broadcast all digital content and that Caesars Entertainment will be its official venue and entertainment partner. Redefining the current esports model, the H1PL is the first professional esports league established as a joint venture between a game publisher and an independent league operator – Daybreak Game Company and Twin Galaxies LLC.
“Our goal with H1PL is to take the leap from Esports 1.0 to 2.0, establishing a league where for the first time in esports history, everyone participates in success – the fans, the players, the teams and all of our supporting partners,” said Jace Hall, Co-Chairman of Twin Galaxies. “The battle royale format has quickly become the most popular and entertaining multi-player video game genre, and we’re confident that the H1PL will drive fan engagement and excitement to even higher levels through the use of groundbreaking production techniques along with access to Facebook’s global gaming community.”
Fifteen of the best and most well-known esports organizations have signed on to join the H1PL, including North America’s Counter Logic Gaming (CLG), Team Solo Mid (TSM) and Cloud 9 and Europe’s Alliance, Team Vitality and Epsilon Esports. The teams will compete over the course of two, 10-week “splits” at Caesars Entertainment Studios, a 50,000 square foot, state-of-the-art production facility designed for full-scale feature film, television show and live esports event productions. H1PL is the first esports league to name Las Vegas as its home city.
The teams joining the H1PL inaugural season are:
- Alliance
- Cloud9
- Counter Logic Gaming
- Echo Fox
- Epsilon Esports
- GankStars
- Impact Gaming
- Luminosity
- Noble Esports
- Obey Alliance
- Rogue Gaming
- SetToDestroyX
- Team SoloMid
- Tempo Storm
- Vitality
The H1PL will livestream all competition via Facebook Live throughout the season. H1PL and Facebook will also introduce a variety of community-focused features to augment the viewing experience, such as the curation and granting of free, redeemable in-game rewards for fans that tune-in during H1PL streams throughout the week.
“The battle royale genre is fast becoming one of the most popular and accessible gaming categories to both watch and play, and we’re excited to help this brand-new league for H1Z1 grow its community on Facebook,” said Patrick Chapman, manager of esports partnerships at Facebook. “The league’s primary focus to engage and support players and fans aligns closely to our commitment to help build the world’s community for people to play, watch and share the games they love.”
The H1Z1 Pro League will host its weekly matches from the Twin Galaxies Esports Arena located inside Caesars Entertainment Studios, just steps away from the Las Vegas Strip. Fans can attend in-person or watch the exciting, fast-paced gameplay online. The studio has already been home to esports competitions such as the Gears Pro Circuit™ Las Vegas Open this past June. During each split, players will be provided hosted accommodations at the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino (a Caesars Entertainment property). Caesars Entertainment will also provide regional and national marketing support for the H1PL.
“Caesars Entertainment strives to partner with some of the most important esports events in the world, and we couldn’t be more proud to host H1PL,” said Christian Stuart, Caesars Entertainment Executive Vice President of Gaming and Interactive Entertainment. “The combination of an intimate venue, like Caesars Entertainment Studios, and a jaw-dropping production set will deliver a unique experience for anyone who wants to see what competitive gaming is all about. This partnership further solidifies our commitment to esports and builds on our strategy to be at the cutting edge in all forms of interactive entertainment.”
Teams will compete for total cumulative match points over the course of the entire season. The H1PL has created an innovative scoring system that rewards strategy, aggressive gameplay, and out-of-the box thinking as teams battle each week for placement in the standings prior to the H1PL Battle Royale Championship in the fall.
Daybreak Games and Twin Galaxies announced their joint venture to create the H1Z1 Pro League in October of last year. Twin Galaxies Pro League Division is establishing a first-of-its-kind League Governance Committee for the H1PL, comprised of an independent league commissioner, a Twin Galaxies representative, a Daybreak Game Company representative, and both a team ownership and H1PL player’s representative chosen by their respective peers. The H1PL League Governance Committee will be responsible for defining, modifying, and enforcing all rules and regulations for the league.
“The H1Z1 Pro League will bring together the best players in the world to compete in the adrenaline-filled spectacle that is H1Z1, and we can think of no other city that matches the energy and excitement of battle royale than Las Vegas,” said Mark Tuttle, Director of Esports at Daybreak Games. “With our announcement today that H1Z1 is now free to play, the stage is set for a robust and active community ready to tune into the H1PL every week.”
The H1PL has been crafted to redefine the esport league template by creating a league with a player-first and team-first attitude that will work closely with the players to ensure the league is operating at its best capacity. The H1Z1 Pro League will include a guaranteed player minimum salary, team owner and player representation on the governance committee, along with a comprehensive “Player Bill of Rights” and a well-defined revenue sharing model. Nearly one year ago, H1Z1’s prime-time premiere “Fight for the Crown” tournament topped the esports TV ratings with total viewership of 378,000.
H1PL will soon be releasing ticketing and hotel information for fans to attend matches, which will be played on Wednesdays, with the exception of the first broadcast for Split 1 on Saturday, April 21. In addition, all matches can be viewed live at facebook.com/h1z1proleague.
For more information about H1Z1 Pro League visit: https://www.h1pl.com/
Players wanting to become H1Z1 Pro League qualified visit: https://twingalaxies.com/h1pl-qualified
About Twin Galaxies
Twin Galaxies has been the recognized authority for video game world record validation since 1981. The TG Sports Bureau and World Records Division houses the world’s most comprehensive library of video game statistics and player analytics. In October 2017, Twin Galaxies announced a Pro League Division to establish, operate and govern new professional esports leagues in partnership with leading video game publishers. Twin Galaxies’ H1Z1 Pro League™ will commence its inaugural season in April 2018.
For more information, please visit http://www.twingalaxies.com/
About Caesars Entertainment
Caesars Entertainment Corporation (“CEC”) is the world’s most diversified casino-entertainment provider and the most geographically diverse U.S. casino-entertainment company. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, 79 years ago, CEC has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions and its portfolio of subsidiaries now operate 47 casinos in 13 U.S. states and five countries. The Company’s resorts operate primarily under the Caesars®, Harrah’s® and Horseshoe® brand names. CEC’s portfolio also includes the London Clubs International family of casinos. CEC is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. The Company is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.
About H1Z1
H1Z1 is a fast-paced, highly competitive, battle royale shooter. Parachute in and search for weapons, ammo, vehicles and supplies to stay alive. As a toxic gas cloud compresses the map, develop your strategy and prepare for the spectacle of mayhem. H1Z1 is now available free to play on Windows PC with an all-new vehicle-centric game mode, Auto Royale. To learn more, visit: https://www.h1z1.com.
ESRB Rating: Rated T for Teen for Violence and Blood.
About Daybreak Games
Daybreak Game Company LLC is a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online gaming. Best known for blockbuster hits and franchises such as H1Z1®, DC Universe™ Online, PlanetSide®, and EverQuest®, Daybreak creates, develops, and provides compelling online entertainment for millions of gamers worldwide. To learn more, visit www.DaybreakGames.com.
Media Contact: B/HI for H1Z1 Pro League – Evan Bader Evan_Bader@Bhimpact.com