Tencent Games recently partnered with Sliver.tv – a blockchain eSports entertainment platform – to create an eSports channel dedicated to the former’s new battle royale title: “Ring of Elysium.” The partnership also sees the use of Theta cryptocurrency tokens to purchase in-game items.
Tencent Games Partners with Sliver.tv
In an announcement published on VentureBeat, Tencent Games, a subsidiary of a Chinese conglomerate, Tencent Holdings, recently partnered with Slick.tv to create a dedicated channel for its Ring of Elysium online battle royale game. Commenting on the partnership, Tencent Games said:
We’re excited to be partnering with Sliver.tv and bringing unique Theta rewards to Ring of Elysium players. We want viewers to be able to become part of the esports experience, and will be able to do so with the interactive esports channel with Sliver.tv.
According to the announcement, Theta rewards will power the eSports channel, and it will include featured premium streamers like NRG and Method, as well as an assortment of prizes for viewers. Both companies also plan to create a plethora of in-game items that can be purchased using Theta tokens in the Sliver.tv store.
Expressing delight at the collaboration between both companies, Mitch Liu, the CEO of Sliver.tv, said:
Our partnership with Tencent Games will help us continue to drive interactive esports by featuring exciting content from Ring of Elysium. Combined with our unique Theta rewards and blockchain technology, users become part of the esports experience, driving greater engagement and retention for our partners and games.
Blockchain Technology and eSports
For its part, Theta Network is striving to establish cutting-edge advancements in the video streaming arena. The project is currently working on modalities to enable users to share unused bandwidth which will serve as caching nodes for online video streaming.
This partnership is yet another example of the increased adoption of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology in the eSports industry. Being one of the fastest growing areas in sports entertainment, it is perhaps no surprise to see concerted efforts to utilize the emerging technology in the eSports industry.
Recently, Plair, a VeChain-based eSports platform, managed to raise more than $20 million in its ICO despite the current bear trend in the broader market. According to reports, the platform plans to go live before the end of Q1 2019.
What do you think about the adoption of blockchain technology and cryptocurrency in the eSports arena? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Images courtesy of YouTube/@Ring of Elysium ROE and Tencent Games.