After the launch of NBA 2K20 on PC, console, and mobile platforms earlier this month, a brand new competitive global championship was just launched to let players test their skills worldwide through online head-to-head matches.
2K — the sports publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO) — is launching the NBA 2K20 Global Championship in conjunction with eSports company ESL, as well as the National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).
The Championships are now slated to run from October through February, beginning with open registration from any players.
Following online qualifiers in November, regional offline finals will be held in Los Angeles, Paris, and Sydney. The event’s Grand Finals will then take place early next year at ESL studio, with $100,000 in total prizes available across the Championship.
Josh Goodstadt, Executive VP of Licensing for National Basketball Players Inc. (the commercial arm of the NBPA), issued this statement about the brand-new Championships:
While 2K is the official NBA partner for this Global Championship and most U.S. events, Tencent Holdings (OTCMKTS: TCEHY) recently extended a deal for all other international coverage through 2025.
That deal sees Tencent developing mobile apps, as well as broadcasting video on demand services for NBA events.
In other 2K news, the company is also preparing for the latest WWE branded video game to launch in October. WWE 2K20 officially lands on consoles and PC on Oct. 22, and is preceded by a fundraising partnership with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
2K is now donating to leukemia research for re-tweeted messages in honour of WWE 2K20 cover star Roman Reigns, who previously battled the disease.
With summer ending, every major sport video game iteration has now landed or is due to arrive soon. On the hockey end of the spectrum, NHL 20 just released through EA last week, while Madden NFL 20 dropped back in August.
