Rogueside Games’Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery has been a pleasure to play over the last week despite a few issues. As my first real experience with the series, I went ahead and bought the two prior games to play after finishing this one, and I likely will chip away at the levels over time. But this review is about Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery($2.99), and I’ve played it on iPhone 15 Pro, iPad Pro (2020), and Steam Deck. I’m going to focus on the iOS version, but it has been interesting to see how it controls and feels with a controller as well.
If you’ve never played a game in the Hidden Through Time series, these are colorful hand-drawn hidden object games with lovely animations, puzzles, and even a story. While it starts out relatively simple, finding each item in a specific level is hard, and later levels get more complex. You interact with the levels by zooming, panning, looking indoors, and even opening certain things while looking for the specific things, people, animals, and more for each level. The good news is that you don’t need to find every single thing a level asks for to move to the next one.
Some levels have different times of the day where items or people show up adding another layer of strategy, but I love just tapping on everything to see the interactions and animation work by the team. It is worth clicking on everything because there are some surprises and references to other games or characters sprinkled in. While you can just view the level requirements on the bottom, tapping on any of them will give you a vague hint to find said item. Some of these end up clicking immediately, but Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery doesn’t give everything away from the get go.
Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery is split up into three sections with their own stories and levels: Noir, Victorian, and Science Fiction. The stories aren’t anything to write home about. After playing through these and looking at earlier games in the series, I feel like Hidden Through Time 2 was originally planned to be like the first game with multiple DLC packs rather than having two Hidden Through Time games with a “2″ in the title now. Either way, Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery is an excellent hidden object game.
In addition to the core campaign levels, Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery features online levels on all platforms, but the level editor (Architect) is not on mobile, at least not in the build I have. I didn’t spend too much time creating levels on Steam Deck because this review is for the iOS version, but keep that in mind. If the final build on the App Store has this included, I’ll update this review.
When it comes to features, I’m disappointed in the lack of cloud saves on iOS. I couldn’t get my progress on either device to sync at all. The Steam version has support for creating accounts or linking your Steam account, but I didn’t see this on iOS. That’s my biggest issue with the iOS version right now. Aside from that, some UI elements look a bit blurry on iPad Pro and two of the menus have tiny text for some reason with a lot of white space. These smaller issues don’t affect the gameplay, but are disappointing to see in an otherwise polished and gorgeous game.
Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery controls best with touchscreen as far as I’m concerned, but the iPhone version feels a bit cramped. I ended up enjoying the game a lot more on iPad like I do with most point and click adventure games as well as hidden object games. The iOS version doesn’t seem to have controller support, and I only tested it to mention here. I wouldn’t play it with a controller after seeing how it controls on Steam Deck. it doesn’t feel as intuitive, but was fine after I got used to it.
The levels, performance, and load times are all good on iOS and Steam Deck with them running smoothly and not dropping frames at all in my testing. I hope future updates can fix the UI issues and bring in cloud saves. If it does have iCloud saves, I couldn’t get them to work at all in the build I have.
Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery is an excellent hidden object game across its campaign and the many user-created levels I’ve played so far on iPad and iPhone. It has a few UI issues holding it back, but Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery is an easy recommendation if you enjoy the genre or want a new game to relax with.
Rogueside Games’Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery has been a pleasure to play over the last week despite a few issues. As my first real experience with the series, I went ahead and bought the two prior games to play after finishing this one, and I likely will chip away at the levels over time. But this review is about Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery($2.99), and I’ve played it on iPhone 15 Pro, iPad Pro (2020), and Steam Deck. I’m going to focus on the iOS version, but it has been interesting to see how it controls and feels with a controller as well.
If you’ve never played a game in the Hidden Through Time series, these are colorful hand-drawn hidden object games with lovely animations, puzzles, and even a story. While it starts out relatively simple, finding each item in a specific level is hard, and later levels get more complex. You interact with the levels by zooming, panning, looking indoors, and even opening certain things while looking for the specific things, people, animals, and more for each level. The good news is that you don’t need to find every single thing a level asks for to move to the next one.
Some levels have different times of the day where items or people show up adding another layer of strategy, but I love just tapping on everything to see the interactions and animation work by the team. It is worth clicking on everything because there are some surprises and references to other games or characters sprinkled in. While you can just view the level requirements on the bottom, tapping on any of them will give you a vague hint to find said item. Some of these end up clicking immediately, but Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery doesn’t give everything away from the get go.
Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery is split up into three sections with their own stories and levels: Noir, Victorian, and Science Fiction. The stories aren’t anything to write home about. After playing through these and looking at earlier games in the series, I feel like Hidden Through Time 2 was originally planned to be like the first game with multiple DLC packs rather than having two Hidden Through Time games with a “2″ in the title now. Either way, Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery is an excellent hidden object game.
In addition to the core campaign levels, Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery features online levels on all platforms, but the level editor (Architect) is not on mobile, at least not in the build I have. I didn’t spend too much time creating levels on Steam Deck because this review is for the iOS version, but keep that in mind. If the final build on the App Store has this included, I’ll update this review.
When it comes to features, I’m disappointed in the lack of cloud saves on iOS. I couldn’t get my progress on either device to sync at all. The Steam version has support for creating accounts or linking your Steam account, but I didn’t see this on iOS. That’s my biggest issue with the iOS version right now. Aside from that, some UI elements look a bit blurry on iPad Pro and two of the menus have tiny text for some reason with a lot of white space. These smaller issues don’t affect the gameplay, but are disappointing to see in an otherwise polished and gorgeous game.
Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery controls best with touchscreen as far as I’m concerned, but the iPhone version feels a bit cramped. I ended up enjoying the game a lot more on iPad like I do with most point and click adventure games as well as hidden object games. The iOS version doesn’t seem to have controller support, and I only tested it to mention here. I wouldn’t play it with a controller after seeing how it controls on Steam Deck. it doesn’t feel as intuitive, but was fine after I got used to it.
The levels, performance, and load times are all good on iOS and Steam Deck with them running smoothly and not dropping frames at all in my testing. I hope future updates can fix the UI issues and bring in cloud saves. If it does have iCloud saves, I couldn’t get them to work at all in the build I have.
Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery is an excellent hidden object game across its campaign and the many user-created levels I’ve played so far on iPad and iPhone. It has a few UI issues holding it back, but Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery is an easy recommendation if you enjoy the genre or want a new game to relax with.
Gaming and esports consumers vary greatly from region to region. One esport could be a huge cultural hit in the East, whilst being unknown in the West.
However, the modern esports ecosystem has further incentivised the development of global organisations, filled with teams that compete in titles all across the world. The reason is simple, to diversify revenue streams and enter new markets to attract more fans. This is why some of the biggest organisations in the Western world have begun expanding East — particularly esports powerhouse markets Southeast Asia, Korea, and China.
The selection of these three regions doesn’t come as a big surprise. South Korea has a rich esports history and continues to foster loyal fanbases in the FGC and StarCraft. China, on the other hand, is one of the most mature esports markets in the world, with numerous franchised esports leagues in titles unknown to Western audiences.
Lastly, Southeast Asia continues to dominate the mobile esports space, with games like Arena of Valor, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Free Fire and PUBG Mobile showing immense popularity. This makes it a fertile ground for Western esports organisations looking for a slice of the ever-growing mobile market.
The launch of the Esports World Cup Club Support Programme also pushed many Western esports organisations to invest in new titles – many of which have chosen rosters in the East. The 30 teams in the Club Support Programme have received a stimulus to enter new titles for the Esports World Cup, which is currently underway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Without further ado, let’s detail which Western esports organisations have teams in the East.
Cloud9
Starcraft II
North American esports organisation Cloud 9 marked its entry into Starcraft II when it signed Korean player Koh ‘GuMiho’ Byung-jae in November 2023. It isn’t a surprising signing as the region dominates the game’s competitive circuit compared to North America, where Cloud9 is headquartered.
An example of this is the viewership stats for the IEM Katowice 2024, where all the top five matches featured at least one South Korean player, per Esports Charts.
FaZe Clan
PUBG Mobile
FaZe Clan realised back in 2020 that PUBG Mobile was a game to invest in — and that the best region to do that was SEA. Thereafter, the organisation signed a team in Thailand.
Its long-term commitment to the game resulted in FaZe Clan becoming a partnered team in PUBG Mobile’s Esports ecosystem in 2023. As a part of this, a slot for the PUBG Mobile Super League (PMSL) SEA, which has three seasons per year, is guaranteed for FaZe Clan.
Fnatic
Overwatch
Fnatic’s Overwatch 2 team at the Esports World Cup 2024. Image credit: Esports World Cup
UK-based esports organisation Fnatic initially signed an Overwatch roster back in 2015, but subsequently left the game before the launch of the Overwatch League.
However, ahead of the Esports World Cup, the organisation re-entered the game by picking up the Esports World Cup-qualified team, YETI. The unsigned Korean Overwatch team placed fourth in the Overwatch Champions Series 2024 Asia Stage 1, booking a slot in the Riyadh event. Fnatic ultimately lost in Round 1 of the EWC Playoffs.
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
Overwatch wasn’t Fnatic’s only signing ahead of the Esports World Cup. The esports organisation entered into a partnership with ONIC Esports in 2024, for its MLBB rosters across Indonesia and the Philippines. Notably, Onic has a franchised slot in the MLBB Professional League (MPL) Indonesia as well as the Philippines.
Fnatic ONIC recently won MPL Indonesia Season 13 and was one of the favourites going into the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Mid-Season Cup 2024. However, the team failed to make it out of the Group Stage. Fnatic ONIC PH, on the other hand, placed fifth in the MPL Philippines Season 13.
Representing the Chinese region, the newly-formed G2.iG has competed in a range of tier-one esports events in 2024, including the Riyadh Masters 2024, PGL Wallachia Season 1, ESL One Birmingham and the Elite League Season 1.
The G2.iG League of Legends team. Image credit: G2.iG
In a release at the time, G2 noted: “China, and Asia in general, has always been a huge priority for G2 as the organisation aspires to expand west to east across the globe.”
Besides this, G2 also experimented with Wild Rift esports by partnering up with one of the Philippines’ most popular esports organisations — Blacklist International. However, the team is no longer active after Riot Games announced in early 2024 that it wouldn’t be focusing on SEA for Wild Rift esports.
Gaimin Gladiators
Rocket League
With European rosters in Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2, Gaimin Gladiators also has ties to Asia-Pacific with a Rocket League roster since 2022.
Since then, the organisation has been pretty successful in the local APAC region — making it to the RLCS World Championship in 2022 and 2023.
Guild Esports
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
UK-based esports organisation Guild Esports announced on June 10th, 2024, that it was entering the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang scene with Saudi Arabia-based R8 Esports. This included its men’s and female teams.
However, just four days later after the announcement, Guild.R8 Esports failed to qualify for the Esports World Cup after finishing the MLBB Professional League (MPL) MENA Playoffs in fourth place. The women’s team also failed to make it to the MLBB Women’s Invitational (MWI) 2024.
In its announcement, though, Guild highlighted that the partnership will extend to the Esports World Cup and beyond.
NAVI
Teamfight Tactics
NAVI is another esports organisation that has picked up an esports roster in the East as a reaction to the Esports World Cup.
The organisation announced on June 13th that it was acquiring the South Korean team Dark Horse after it placed second in the Esports World Cup 2024 TFT APAC Closed Qualifier.
NAVI will be competing in the TFT tournament at the EWC 2024 from August 8th – 11th. A prize pool of $500,000 (~£393,600) is on the line for the event.
Team Vitality
Team Vitality India
Team Vitality is one of the top Western esports organisations with significant investments in the East — starting with India.
The France-based esport organisation has a separate division for India – which doesn’t just extend to esports teams but also content creators. The organisation also announced in May 2024 that it was entering into a partnership with the Esports Federation of India (ESFI) to “help take Indian esports to the world.” The ESFI is a full member of the International Esports Federation (IESF).
In terms of esports, Team Vitality India currently has a Call of Duty: Mobile lineup, which is amongst the most successful in the region. The esports organisation previously had a Free Fire team as well, but the game was banned in early 2022. With Garena announcing Free Fire India, Team Vitality could make a return to the game when the title is released.
While TSM and Fnatic had made similar investments in the country, both esports organisations subsequently departed from the market.
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
Team Vitality’s new Mobile Legends: Bang Bang women’s roster. Image credit: Esports World Cup
The team was one of the favourites to win the MLBB Women’s Invitational (MWI) at the Esports World Cup 2024. However, the team ultimately placed second, losing out to the Philippines’ Omega Empress.
Starcraft II
Team Vitality entered Starcraft II in February 2024, in partnership with ONSYDE, a South Korean esports organisation. In a release, Vitality stated that this signing was a ‘part of the global expansion of the Parisian club.’
As a part of this, some of the biggest stars in the game, namely Cho ‘Maru’ Seong-ju, Kim ‘Ryung’ Dong-won, and Kang ‘Solar’ Min-soo, now compete under the organisation’s banner.
Tekken 8
Image credit: Team Vitality
Lastly, Team Vitality has one South Korean player in its fighting games roster. Jeon ‘Jeondding’ Sang-hyun was picked up in April 2024 and is amongst the biggest names in the FGC.
The player has qualified for the Esports World Cup 2024 and will be playing in the $1m (~£787,000) Tekken 8 tournament in August.
Team Liquid
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
Team Liquid entered Mobile Legends: Bang Bang by acquiring SEA-based esports org, STUN.GG. As a result, STUN.GG’s properties AURA Esports and ECHO Esports, were rebranded into Team Liquid ID and Team Liquid PH, respectively. Both the teams have slots in MPL Indonesia and MPL Philippines.
Ninjas in Pyjamas
League of Legends and Honor of Kings
Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP) is a part of Riot Games’ franchised league for League of Legends in China, the LoL Professional League (LPL).
Ninjas in Pyjamas at the LPL. Image credit: Ninjas in Pyjamas
The Sweden-based esports organisation entered the LPL by merging with ESV5 to create the NIP Group. As a part of this, the organisation also entered Honor of Kings esports in China (via eStar Gaming)
With the merger, Victory Five was rebranded into Ninjas in Pyjamas in the LPL. Additionally, the NIP Group is leveraging ESV5’s local partnerships and expertise to enhance its brand recognition in China.
Alliance
PUBG Mobile
Alliance initially entered PUBG Mobile in 2021 through a collaboration with Yoodo, a major Malaysian-based telecom provider, forming Yoodo Alliance. However, with the latter announcement that it was discounting the Yoodo brand, Alliance announced on August 5th, 2024, that it was parting ways with its title sponsor.
The team is also a partnered team in the PUBG Mobile esports ecosystem, competing in the PMSL SEA as a Malaysian representative.
Wolves Esports
VALORANT, Call of Duty: Mobile and Honor of Kings
Wolves Esports after winning the 2023 Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship Finals. Image credit: ESL
Wolves Esports is the esports division of English football club Wolverhampton Wanderers. Despite its English roots the club’s esports division largely focuses on the Chinese market. The organisation currently has teams in Chinese esports across VALORANT, Call of Duty: Mobile and Honor of Kings.
Wolves Esports’ CODM team are the reigning world champions. Its VALORANT roster, on the other hand, is a partnered team in the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) China.
However, Wolves Esports is most established in Honor of Kings and has competed in the King Pro League (KPL) since 2017. As representatives of Chongqing, the team has a fixed seat in the league and has been very successful in the game. Most recently, Wolves Esports won the KPL 2024 Spring, pocketing over $700,000 (~£551,000) of its $2m (~£1.57m) prize pool.
Outlaws Entertainment, the parent company of esports brands Houston Outlaws and Team AXLE, officially closed its doors late last month.
Outlaws released a statement on July 26th thanking fans for their support whilst also noting that the closure is due to being unable to ‘deliver a sustainable business model.’
Founded in 2017, Houston Outlaws was one of the inaugural franchises in the Overwatch League. Following the league’s demise, Houston Outlaws pivoted to content creation under the Outlaws Entertainment moniker. The team’s biggest achievement occurred during the final Overwatch League season, claiming second in the Overwatch League 2023 Playoffs.
Whilst being in the franchise league since its inception, Houston Outlaws has undergone three different ownership stints during its lifespan. Firstly, the franchise was owned by Infinite Esports & Entertainment (OpTic Gaming’s parent company at the time). Ownership then changed hands to Immortals Gaming Club in 2019 after acquiring Infinite Esports.
Due to the fact Immortals Gaming Group was already the owner of another OWL franchise, the company sold Houston Outlaws to Beasley Media Group in November 2019. Beasley is primarily known as an American radio broadcasting company which owns 59 stations.
The news of the company’s closure may come as somewhat of a surprise given that Outlaws was recently announced as a participant in ‘e2Real’ racing series Prodigy Racing League.
North American esports brand Team AXLE competed in Rocket League from 2021 until 2023. During that time the team competed in the North American RLCS scene, however, it never qualified for a major.
Following Outlaw Entertainment’s closure, Houston Outlaws’ X (Twitter) account has since been deactivated.
An excerpt of the statement reads: “We wish to convey our sincere appreciation to all the players, coaches, sponsors and fans for being a part of this extraordinary experience. From all of the matches in the early days at Blizzard Arena, to our one-and-only Homestand in Houston.”
Tom Daniels
Tom has been part of Esports Insider's team since October 2020 and is currently the platform's Editor. When not playing Football Manager, he enjoys reporting on the mobile esports scene as well as the betting sector.
Outlaws Entertainment, the parent company of esports brands Houston Outlaws and Team AXLE, officially closed its doors late last month.
Outlaws released a statement on July 26th thanking fans for their support whilst also noting that the closure is due to being unable to ‘deliver a sustainable business model.’
Founded in 2017, Houston Outlaws was one of the inaugural franchises in the Overwatch League. Following the league’s demise, Houston Outlaws pivoted to content creation under the Outlaws Entertainment moniker. The team’s biggest achievement occurred during the final Overwatch League season, claiming second in the Overwatch League 2023 Playoffs.
Whilst being in the franchise league since its inception, Houston Outlaws has undergone three different ownership stints during its lifespan. Firstly, the franchise was owned by Infinite Esports & Entertainment (OpTic Gaming’s parent company at the time). Ownership then changed hands to Immortals Gaming Club in 2019 after acquiring Infinite Esports.
Due to the fact Immortals Gaming Group was already the owner of another OWL franchise, the company sold Houston Outlaws to Beasley Media Group in November 2019. Beasley is primarily known as an American radio broadcasting company which owns 59 stations.
The news of the company’s closure may come as somewhat of a surprise given that Outlaws was recently announced as a participant in ‘e2Real’ racing series Prodigy Racing League.
North American esports brand Team AXLE competed in Rocket League from 2021 until 2023. During that time the team competed in the North American RLCS scene, however, it never qualified for a major.
Following Outlaw Entertainment’s closure, Houston Outlaws’ X (Twitter) account has since been deactivated.
An excerpt of the statement reads: “We wish to convey our sincere appreciation to all the players, coaches, sponsors and fans for being a part of this extraordinary experience. From all of the matches in the early days at Blizzard Arena, to our one-and-only Homestand in Houston.”
Tom Daniels
Tom has been part of Esports Insider's team since October 2020 and is currently the platform's Editor. When not playing Football Manager, he enjoys reporting on the mobile esports scene as well as the betting sector.
The Esports World Cup’sOverwatch 2 tournament has recorded a peak viewership of 100,188, a decrease in comparison to last month’s Overwatch Champions Series 2024 Major.
The Overwatch event, which took place at the Qiddiya Arena, also had an average viewership of 33,310 over its 51-hour runtime, according to esports data platform Esports Charts.
This average viewership is just a third of what the Overwatch Champions Series 2024 Major averaged (97,364). However, this was over a much lower runtime of around 27 hours. Meanwhile, peak viewership only decreased by 25,000.
The Esports World Cup Overwatch event was won by Japanese organisation Crazy Raccoon who took down the OverActive Media-owned organisation Toronto Ultra in the Grand Final. Despite finishing as runners-up at the event, Toronto Ultra was the most popular team at the event by hours watched with 674,800 compared to Crazy Raccoon’s 487,800.
Toronto Ultra may have come second, but the English-speaking broadcasts were by far the most watched according to peak viewership with 68,900. The other popular language broadcasts were Arabic (19,997), Spanish (14,378), Japanese (11,492) and Portuguese (9,017).
In terms of streaming platforms Twitch (89,475) continued to dominate over TikTok Live (13,867) whilst YouTube (5,401), Afreeca TV (5,018) and Kick (979) all had a smaller portion of the viewership.
The Esports World Cup is currently underway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and features more than 20 tournaments and a $60m (~£48.1m) prize pool, many of which are still underway. The Esports World Cup Foundation, the organisers of the Esports World Cup, is backed by the Saudi Arabian government. As such, the multi-title event has faced criticism from teams and the community over Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
The Esports World Cup’sOverwatch 2 tournament has recorded a peak viewership of 100,188, a decrease in comparison to last month’s Overwatch Champions Series 2024 Major.
The Overwatch event, which took place at the Qiddiya Arena, also had an average viewership of 33,310 over its 51-hour runtime, according to esports data platform Esports Charts.
This average viewership is just a third of what the Overwatch Champions Series 2024 Major averaged (97,364). However, this was over a much lower runtime of around 27 hours. Meanwhile, peak viewership only decreased by 25,000.
The Esports World Cup Overwatch event was won by Japanese organisation Crazy Raccoon who took down the OverActive Media-owned organisation Toronto Ultra in the Grand Final. Despite finishing as runners-up at the event, Toronto Ultra was the most popular team at the event by hours watched with 674,800 compared to Crazy Raccoon’s 487,800.
Toronto Ultra may have come second, but the English-speaking broadcasts were by far the most watched according to peak viewership with 68,900. The other popular language broadcasts were Arabic (19,997), Spanish (14,378), Japanese (11,492) and Portuguese (9,017).
In terms of streaming platforms Twitch (89,475) continued to dominate over TikTok Live (13,867) whilst YouTube (5,401), Afreeca TV (5,018) and Kick (979) all had a smaller portion of the viewership.
The Esports World Cup is currently underway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and features more than 20 tournaments and a $60m (~£48.1m) prize pool, many of which are still underway. The Esports World Cup Foundation, the organisers of the Esports World Cup, is backed by the Saudi Arabian government. As such, the multi-title event has faced criticism from teams and the community over Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
Part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative, the Esports World Cup will launch its inaugural edition across eight weeks from July 3rd to August 25th, 2024.
Taking place in the country’s capital, Riyadh, the tournament will feature a total prize pool of over $60m (~£48.1m), 21 prominent esports titles and a Club Championship, making it one of the industry’s biggest events in 2024.
Hosted by the Saudi-government-backed Esports World Cup Foundation, it is worth noting that the tournament has been met with criticism from sections of the esports community since its inception. This is due to the government’s investment in the scene, which has raised concerns over the Middle Eastern country’s human rights record, particularly surrounding women’s and LGBTQ+ rights.
This article details every game that will be featured in the tournament, alongside prize pools, formats, schedules and additional information.
Editor’s note: This piece will be updated if more information becomes available. First published: 03/05/24
The Esports World Cup Club Championship is a unique competition that rewards the top 16 organisations with its own separate prize pool of $20m (~£15.9m). The team that consistently performs the best across the eight weeks will be crowned the Club Champion.
Leading up to the event, the rules for the Club Championship have been released. Firstly, to win the Club Championship a team must win at least one tournament. Moreover, to be eligible to take part in the Club Championship teams must finish in the top eight in at least two EWC tournaments.
Each of the 21 events taking place at the event will also have point distributions based on a team’s placing. The point distribution does differ depending on the event. However, most of the tournaments provide 1,000 points for first, 600 points for second, 275 points for third/fourth and 60 points for teams between fifth and eighth.
This initiative is part of the Esports World Cup Foundation’s push to encourage esports organisations to form teams across multiple disciplines. The EWC Club Programme has also provided funding opportunities for a total of 30 esports organisations. The names of these organisations were revealed on May 6th, with the likes of G2 Esports, FaZe Clan and T1 featured.
The Esports World Cup Foundation did note that being part of the programme does not guarantee entry into the Esports World Cup.
Apex Legends
Apex Legends was confirmed to be a part of the Esports World Cup on April 12th. Taking place July 31st – August 4th, the event will feature a total of 40 teams and a $2m (~£1.55m) prize pool. In total 32 teams were invited to compete in the event based on ALGS S1 league placements. The remaining eight were decided by qualifiers.
The game’s announcement led to concerns about whether the game’s LGBTQ+ characters would be featured in the tournament. Respawn, the game’s developer, clarified in a statement to Kotaku that it won’t be restricting any characters or cosmetics for the Esports World Cup.
Counter-Strike 2
Esports World Cup’s Counter-Strike 2 competition will take place from July 17th-21th. In total, 15 teams from around the world will compete for a share of its $1m (~£796,000) prize pool.
Organised by the ESL and the Esports World Cup Foundation, teams have made it to the event through a combination of invites and regional qualifiers. The winners of two prominent Counter-Strike tournaments — Team Spirit (IEM Katowice 2024 champions) and Natus Vincere (PGL Major Copenhagen champions) — were invited to Riyadh.
Joining the organisations are the top seven teams from the ESL World ranking, which features the likes of G2 Esports, FaZe Clan and MOUZ. The remaining four teams were decided through regional qualifiers in South America (MIBR), Oceania (FlyQuest), Asia (The MongolZ) and the Middle East (JijieHao).
Call of Duty
Alongside Call of Duty: Warzone, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III was one of the last titles to be selected as part of the Esports World Cup.
The event, set to take place from August 15th – 18th, will have 16 total teams and a $1.8m (~£1.39m) prize pool. Not every team has been announced for the event, however, the likes of Toronto Ultra, Cloud 9, Atlanta FaZe and Team Heretics have been confirmed as participants.
Call of Duty: Warzone
Commencing July 3rd until July 6th, Esports World Cup’s Call of Duty: Warzone event is one of the first games in the multi-week tournament. Overall, a total of 21 teams will compete for the title’s $1m (~£796,000) prize pool. The invite-only event features the likes of Guild Esports, Team Vitality, NAVI and Team Falcons.
The Riyadh Masters is returning in 2024 after originally being a part of Saudi Arabia’s multi-title esports event Gamers8 last year.
The tournament, taking place July 4th – 21st, sees 20 teams battle it out for its $5m (~£4.67m) prize pool, the highest figure of any individual event. Qualification is linked to the ESL Pro Tour Leaderboard, alongside regional qualifiers. Some teams competing in the event include Team Liquid, Team Falcons and Tundra Esports.
EA FC 2024
EA FC 2024’s Esports World Cup 2024 event sees players qualify for the event through DreamHack Dallas (two) and DreamHack Summer (six) in Sweden. On top of this, top players will receive a direct invite to the tournament. In total, 16 players will compete in the event, which is set to occur August 15th – 18th. A £1m (~£796,000) prize pool was also later announced for the tournament.
EA Sports has clarified that the tournament will not be a part of its EA FC Pro ecosystem.
Fortnite
The next game on the list is Fortnite, however, it will be slightly different from what is normally seen from the Battle Royale title. The Esports World Cup Foundation has said that it will be creating a brand-new ‘competitive UEFN (Unreal Editor for Fortnite) island experience’. The 4v4 custom game mode will see players compete using Capture The Flag and Hardpoint.
In terms of qualification for the event, this has been decided through a range of qualifiers with the top six participants from DreamHack Dallas also invited to the tournament. Overall, 16 teams will compete for the event’s $1m (~£796,000) prize pool.
Epic Games has stated that it will have no involvement in the event, making it a third-party tournament by the Esports World Cup Foundation.
Free Fire
Free Fire is the first game on this list that has its Esports World 2024 event directly integrated into its official global esports ecosystem. Teams will qualify for the event through official Free Fire World Series (FFWS) competitions across different regions. Furthermore, the winner of the competition will also earn a slot in the FFWS Global Finals 2024.
The event is set to take place from July 10th-14th, with 18 teams locking horns for its $1m (~£796,000) prize pool.
Honor of Kings
Image credit: Honor of Kings
Honor of Kings has yet to complete its global expansion, however, it occupies a prominent spot at the Esports World Cup 2024.
Riyadh is set to play host to the Honor of Kings Invitational Midseason as 12 teams compete for a share of its $3m (~£2.4m) prize pool.
Riot Games’ League of Legends, one of the most popular esports titles worldwide, is set to be a major part of the Esports World Cup 2024.
Taking place July 4th – 7th, the invite-only event will see eight top teams from Korea, China, EMEA and North America compete for $1m (~£796,000).
The tournament will be a third-party affair from the Esports World Cup Foundation with Riot Games stating that it will have no involvement. Despite not being involved, Riot Games did make space in its official esports roadmap to allow teams to practise and compete in the tournament.
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
Image credit: MOONTON
MLBB is another title where the Esports World Cup ties directly into its official esports ecosystem. The game will be hosting two tournaments, the rebranded Mid-Season Cup (MSC) and the MLBB Women’s Invitational (MWI), in Saudi Arabia. This is the first time these two tournaments will take place outside Southeast Asia (SEA).
MSC 2024 will take place from June 28th to July 14th as 23 teams fight for a share of its $3m (~£2.4m) prize pool. MWI — an all-female esports tournament — will descend into Riyadh from July 24th – 27th with $500,000 (~£398,000) on the line.
Overwatch 2
With the shutdown of the Overwatch League in 2023, Overwatch is undergoing a crucial period of transition into a more open ecosystem. The Overwatch Champions Series, operated by Saudi-owned ESL FACEIT Group in partnership with Blizzard, will serve as a qualifier for the Esports World Cup 2024.
It has been revealed that 16 Overwatch 2 teams are set to participate in the $1m (~£796,000) event, which will commence July 24th until July 28th. Qualified teams include the likes of Team Falcons, Crazy Raccoon, From The Gamer and YETI.
28 teams from regional leagues around the world will qualify for the $3m (~£2.4m) tournament from July 19th – 28th. The teams qualified for the event through ongoing regional events. As such some of the teams competing include Talon Esports, BOOM Esports and DRX.
PUBG: Battlegrounds
Over to PUBG’s PC counterpart, in an announcement of the game’s 2024 esports roadmap, KRAFTON mentioned a mid-season global event in Riyadh this August – indicating that the publisher will be involved in the Esports World Cup.
The $2m (~£1.54m) 24-team event doesn’t directly tie into the PGC competitive calendar, however, Global Power Rankings have been utilised to invite the top eight teams. The remaining participants will be decided through regional qualifiers.
Rainbow Six Siege
Rainbow Six Siege is another separate tournament at the Esports World Cup 2024, as the event makes no mention in the game’s esports roadmap.
The format sees 16 teams compete for its $2m (~£1.54m) prize pool. The event is set to take place from July 31st until August 4th. Teams for the event were decided through open and closed qualifiers with the likes of FaZe Clan, Wolves Esports and FURIA taking part.
Rennsport
Rennsport is the only racing simulator game at the multi-title event. In 2023, the game partnered with ESL to launch ESL R1, a racing sim esports league which ran across two seasons: Spring and Fall.
Now, EFG has confirmed the return of the ESL R1 2024 Spring Season, where drivers will compete across six online rounds for 12 spots in the final at the Esports World Cup. The event will have a $500,000 (~£386,000) prize pool and is set to commence August 22nd – 25th.
The ESL R1 2024 Spring Season sees the return of the teams in the previous edition along with some new names. These include FaZe Clan, G2 Esports, Mercedes-AMG E-Sports Team ART, and Team Falcons.
Rocket League
Also taking place August 22nd – 25th, Rocket League is another third-party tournament outside of the game’s ecosystem at the Esports World Cup.
The invite-only event has yet to reveal any of its participants, however, the tournament will have a $500,000 (~£386,000) prize pool.
Starcraft II
The Esports World Cup has perhaps had the most effect on the Starcraft II esports roadmap. Earlier this year, ESL announced that the tournament in Riyadh would become the 2024 SC2 Pro Tour Championship. This means that it will act as the culminating event for the entire year. Players will fight across many competitions to earn a spot at the Esports World Cup, where the world champion will be crowned.
It will have a prize pool of $1m (~£796,000) and will feature 18 players competing across five days (August 14th – 18th). These will also include the top players from other major events like the IEM Katowice and the ESL SC2 Masters Spring Finals.
Image credit: Esports World Cup
Street Fighter 6
The first of two fighting games in the Esports World Cup is Street Fighter 6. The game’s inclusion in the tournament is separate from the official Capcom Pro Tour 2024.
The top six players from the EVO Japan SF6, including Menard, Lexx and Moke, have qualified for the event. The event will take place from August 8th until August 11th with 24 players competing for $1m (~£796,000).
Teamfight Tactics
Teamfight Tactics is also set to be a part of the Esports World Cup 2024. The event will see 16 teams compete for the event’s $500,000 (~£386,000) prize pool from August 8th until August 11th.
Just like League of Legends, Riot Games has clarified that it won’t be involved in the event’s production, but that it will allow players to participate in the event – making it a third-party tournament.
Tekken 8
The last game on this list is fighting game Tekken 8. While the Esports World Cup isn’t officially listed in the Tekken World Tour, players will qualify for the event through different tournaments in the World Tour. So far, it has been announced that the top six players from EVO Japan will qualify for the event.
Furthermore, Dreamhack Dallas is set to host an official Esports World Cup Qualifier for Tekken 8, where the winner will also qualify for the event.
In total, 32 players will compete in the event. Scheduled to commence from August 22nd, the tournament will have a $1m (~£796,000) prize pool.
Part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative, the Esports World Cup will launch its inaugural edition across eight weeks from July 3rd to August 25th, 2024.
Taking place in the country’s capital, Riyadh, the tournament will feature a total prize pool of over $60m (~£48.1m), 21 prominent esports titles and a Club Championship, making it one of the industry’s biggest events in 2024.
Hosted by the Saudi-government-backed Esports World Cup Foundation, it is worth noting that the tournament has been met with criticism from sections of the esports community since its inception. This is due to the government’s investment in the scene, which has raised concerns over the Middle Eastern country’s human rights record, particularly surrounding women’s and LGBTQ+ rights.
This article details every game that will be featured in the tournament, alongside prize pools, formats, schedules and additional information.
Editor’s note: This piece will be updated if more information becomes available. First published: 03/05/24
The Esports World Cup Club Championship is a unique competition that rewards the top 16 organisations with its own separate prize pool of $20m (~£15.9m). The team that consistently performs the best across the eight weeks will be crowned the Club Champion.
Leading up to the event, the rules for the Club Championship have been released. Firstly, to win the Club Championship a team must win at least one tournament. Moreover, to be eligible to take part in the Club Championship teams must finish in the top eight in at least two EWC tournaments.
Each of the 21 events taking place at the event will also have point distributions based on a team’s placing. The point distribution does differ depending on the event. However, most of the tournaments provide 1,000 points for first, 600 points for second, 275 points for third/fourth and 60 points for teams between fifth and eighth.
This initiative is part of the Esports World Cup Foundation’s push to encourage esports organisations to form teams across multiple disciplines. The EWC Club Programme has also provided funding opportunities for a total of 30 esports organisations. The names of these organisations were revealed on May 6th, with the likes of G2 Esports, FaZe Clan and T1 featured.
The Esports World Cup Foundation did note that being part of the programme does not guarantee entry into the Esports World Cup.
Apex Legends
Apex Legends was confirmed to be a part of the Esports World Cup on April 12th. Taking place July 31st – August 4th, the event will feature a total of 40 teams and a $2m (~£1.55m) prize pool. In total 32 teams were invited to compete in the event based on ALGS S1 league placements. The remaining eight were decided by qualifiers.
The game’s announcement led to concerns about whether the game’s LGBTQ+ characters would be featured in the tournament. Respawn, the game’s developer, clarified in a statement to Kotaku that it won’t be restricting any characters or cosmetics for the Esports World Cup.
Counter-Strike 2
Esports World Cup’s Counter-Strike 2 competition will take place from July 17th-21th. In total, 15 teams from around the world will compete for a share of its $1m (~£796,000) prize pool.
Organised by the ESL and the Esports World Cup Foundation, teams have made it to the event through a combination of invites and regional qualifiers. The winners of two prominent Counter-Strike tournaments — Team Spirit (IEM Katowice 2024 champions) and Natus Vincere (PGL Major Copenhagen champions) — were invited to Riyadh.
Joining the organisations are the top seven teams from the ESL World ranking, which features the likes of G2 Esports, FaZe Clan and MOUZ. The remaining four teams were decided through regional qualifiers in South America (MIBR), Oceania (FlyQuest), Asia (The MongolZ) and the Middle East (JijieHao).
Call of Duty
Alongside Call of Duty: Warzone, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III was one of the last titles to be selected as part of the Esports World Cup.
The event, set to take place from August 15th – 18th, will have 16 total teams and a $1.8m (~£1.39m) prize pool. Not every team has been announced for the event, however, the likes of Toronto Ultra, Cloud 9, Atlanta FaZe and Team Heretics have been confirmed as participants.
Call of Duty: Warzone
Commencing July 3rd until July 6th, Esports World Cup’s Call of Duty: Warzone event is one of the first games in the multi-week tournament. Overall, a total of 21 teams will compete for the title’s $1m (~£796,000) prize pool. The invite-only event features the likes of Guild Esports, Team Vitality, NAVI and Team Falcons.
The Riyadh Masters is returning in 2024 after originally being a part of Saudi Arabia’s multi-title esports event Gamers8 last year.
The tournament, taking place July 4th – 21st, sees 20 teams battle it out for its $5m (~£4.67m) prize pool, the highest figure of any individual event. Qualification is linked to the ESL Pro Tour Leaderboard, alongside regional qualifiers. Some teams competing in the event include Team Liquid, Team Falcons and Tundra Esports.
EA FC 2024
EA FC 2024’s Esports World Cup 2024 event sees players qualify for the event through DreamHack Dallas (two) and DreamHack Summer (six) in Sweden. On top of this, top players will receive a direct invite to the tournament. In total, 16 players will compete in the event, which is set to occur August 15th – 18th. A £1m (~£796,000) prize pool was also later announced for the tournament.
EA Sports has clarified that the tournament will not be a part of its EA FC Pro ecosystem.
Fortnite
The next game on the list is Fortnite, however, it will be slightly different from what is normally seen from the Battle Royale title. The Esports World Cup Foundation has said that it will be creating a brand-new ‘competitive UEFN (Unreal Editor for Fortnite) island experience’. The 4v4 custom game mode will see players compete using Capture The Flag and Hardpoint.
In terms of qualification for the event, this has been decided through a range of qualifiers with the top six participants from DreamHack Dallas also invited to the tournament. Overall, 16 teams will compete for the event’s $1m (~£796,000) prize pool.
Epic Games has stated that it will have no involvement in the event, making it a third-party tournament by the Esports World Cup Foundation.
Free Fire
Free Fire is the first game on this list that has its Esports World 2024 event directly integrated into its official global esports ecosystem. Teams will qualify for the event through official Free Fire World Series (FFWS) competitions across different regions. Furthermore, the winner of the competition will also earn a slot in the FFWS Global Finals 2024.
The event is set to take place from July 10th-14th, with 18 teams locking horns for its $1m (~£796,000) prize pool.
Honor of Kings
Image credit: Honor of Kings
Honor of Kings has yet to complete its global expansion, however, it occupies a prominent spot at the Esports World Cup 2024.
Riyadh is set to play host to the Honor of Kings Invitational Midseason as 12 teams compete for a share of its $3m (~£2.4m) prize pool.
Riot Games’ League of Legends, one of the most popular esports titles worldwide, is set to be a major part of the Esports World Cup 2024.
Taking place July 4th – 7th, the invite-only event will see eight top teams from Korea, China, EMEA and North America compete for $1m (~£796,000).
The tournament will be a third-party affair from the Esports World Cup Foundation with Riot Games stating that it will have no involvement. Despite not being involved, Riot Games did make space in its official esports roadmap to allow teams to practise and compete in the tournament.
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
Image credit: MOONTON
MLBB is another title where the Esports World Cup ties directly into its official esports ecosystem. The game will be hosting two tournaments, the rebranded Mid-Season Cup (MSC) and the MLBB Women’s Invitational (MWI), in Saudi Arabia. This is the first time these two tournaments will take place outside Southeast Asia (SEA).
MSC 2024 will take place from June 28th to July 14th as 23 teams fight for a share of its $3m (~£2.4m) prize pool. MWI — an all-female esports tournament — will descend into Riyadh from July 24th – 27th with $500,000 (~£398,000) on the line.
Overwatch 2
With the shutdown of the Overwatch League in 2023, Overwatch is undergoing a crucial period of transition into a more open ecosystem. The Overwatch Champions Series, operated by Saudi-owned ESL FACEIT Group in partnership with Blizzard, will serve as a qualifier for the Esports World Cup 2024.
It has been revealed that 16 Overwatch 2 teams are set to participate in the $1m (~£796,000) event, which will commence July 24th until July 28th. Qualified teams include the likes of Team Falcons, Crazy Raccoon, From The Gamer and YETI.
28 teams from regional leagues around the world will qualify for the $3m (~£2.4m) tournament from July 19th – 28th. The teams qualified for the event through ongoing regional events. As such some of the teams competing include Talon Esports, BOOM Esports and DRX.
PUBG: Battlegrounds
Over to PUBG’s PC counterpart, in an announcement of the game’s 2024 esports roadmap, KRAFTON mentioned a mid-season global event in Riyadh this August – indicating that the publisher will be involved in the Esports World Cup.
The $2m (~£1.54m) 24-team event doesn’t directly tie into the PGC competitive calendar, however, Global Power Rankings have been utilised to invite the top eight teams. The remaining participants will be decided through regional qualifiers.
Rainbow Six Siege
Rainbow Six Siege is another separate tournament at the Esports World Cup 2024, as the event makes no mention in the game’s esports roadmap.
The format sees 16 teams compete for its $2m (~£1.54m) prize pool. The event is set to take place from July 31st until August 4th. Teams for the event were decided through open and closed qualifiers with the likes of FaZe Clan, Wolves Esports and FURIA taking part.
Rennsport
Rennsport is the only racing simulator game at the multi-title event. In 2023, the game partnered with ESL to launch ESL R1, a racing sim esports league which ran across two seasons: Spring and Fall.
Now, EFG has confirmed the return of the ESL R1 2024 Spring Season, where drivers will compete across six online rounds for 12 spots in the final at the Esports World Cup. The event will have a $500,000 (~£386,000) prize pool and is set to commence August 22nd – 25th.
The ESL R1 2024 Spring Season sees the return of the teams in the previous edition along with some new names. These include FaZe Clan, G2 Esports, Mercedes-AMG E-Sports Team ART, and Team Falcons.
Rocket League
Also taking place August 22nd – 25th, Rocket League is another third-party tournament outside of the game’s ecosystem at the Esports World Cup.
The invite-only event has yet to reveal any of its participants, however, the tournament will have a $500,000 (~£386,000) prize pool.
Starcraft II
The Esports World Cup has perhaps had the most effect on the Starcraft II esports roadmap. Earlier this year, ESL announced that the tournament in Riyadh would become the 2024 SC2 Pro Tour Championship. This means that it will act as the culminating event for the entire year. Players will fight across many competitions to earn a spot at the Esports World Cup, where the world champion will be crowned.
It will have a prize pool of $1m (~£796,000) and will feature 18 players competing across five days (August 14th – 18th). These will also include the top players from other major events like the IEM Katowice and the ESL SC2 Masters Spring Finals.
Image credit: Esports World Cup
Street Fighter 6
The first of two fighting games in the Esports World Cup is Street Fighter 6. The game’s inclusion in the tournament is separate from the official Capcom Pro Tour 2024.
The top six players from the EVO Japan SF6, including Menard, Lexx and Moke, have qualified for the event. The event will take place from August 8th until August 11th with 24 players competing for $1m (~£796,000).
Teamfight Tactics
Teamfight Tactics is also set to be a part of the Esports World Cup 2024. The event will see 16 teams compete for the event’s $500,000 (~£386,000) prize pool from August 8th until August 11th.
Just like League of Legends, Riot Games has clarified that it won’t be involved in the event’s production, but that it will allow players to participate in the event – making it a third-party tournament.
Tekken 8
The last game on this list is fighting game Tekken 8. While the Esports World Cup isn’t officially listed in the Tekken World Tour, players will qualify for the event through different tournaments in the World Tour. So far, it has been announced that the top six players from EVO Japan will qualify for the event.
Furthermore, Dreamhack Dallas is set to host an official Esports World Cup Qualifier for Tekken 8, where the winner will also qualify for the event.
In total, 32 players will compete in the event. Scheduled to commence from August 22nd, the tournament will have a $1m (~£796,000) prize pool.
The tournament qualifiers will see 96 teams from around the world compete for four spots in the group stage. FaZe Clan, the four qualifiers and other HCS partner teams will compete for a chance to become champion and claim a lion’s share of its $250,000 (~£196,847) prize pool.
In addition to the main competition, the HCS Atlanta Major will feature a $5,000 (~£3,936) free-for-all tournament which is free for spectators and players to compete in. FaZe Clan is one of four organisations hosting an HCS Major in 2024. It joins OpTic Gaming, Spacestation and Quadrant as event hosts running until October when the 2024 Halo World Championship heads to Seattle.
The HCS continues to show promising signs of growth in the FPS sector. The 2024 Arlington Major hit peak viewing figures of 109,760, according to esports data platform Esports Charts, with FaZe Clan featuring in three of the five most-watched matches of the event.
For FaZe Clan, hosting the Atlanta Major marks its first event collaboration following its merger with North American holding company GameSquare in March 2024. Elsewhere, the organisation has continued expanding its partnership portfolio. In February, it launched an energy drink flavour with energy drink brand GHOST.
Justin Kenna, CEO of GameSquare, spoke on hosting the event: “As our first major collaboration with FaZe Clan officially in the GameSquare ecosystem, we are thrilled to be partnering with 343 Industries to bring the Halo Championship Series to Atlanta.
“This moment combines for the first time GameSquare’s event production expertise alongside FaZe Clan’s unmatched esports pedigree. Add the iconic Halo universe to the mix, and we believe we have the opportunity to create an unforgettable event for gamers and fans alike.”
Jonno Nicholson
Jonno is a Freelance News Writer for Esports Insider and has been part of the ESI team since 2019! His interests include the rapid rise of sim racing and its impact on the wider industry.
Rogueside Games’Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery has been a pleasure to play over the last week despite a few issues. As my first real experience with the series, I went ahead and bought the two prior games to play after finishing this one, and I likely will chip away at the levels over time. But this review is about Hidden Through Time 2: Discovery ($2.99), and I’ve played it on iPhone 15 Pro, iPad Pro (2020), and Steam Deck. I’m going to focus on the iOS version, but it has been interesting to see how it controls and feels with a controller as well.
