2K Announces NBA 2K20 Global Championships

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:

We are thrilled to be working with these partners in creating this milestone event in gaming. Our players come from all over the world and this is a unique experience which will allow fans from every corner of the globe to engage and compete with them through NBA 2K.

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.

Ty Arthur

Ty Arthur has spent the last decade of his journalism career covering everything from cutting-edge tech to local news through outlets such as the Houston Chronicle. He has focused on the counterculture aspects of society, from marijuana legalization to underground music through Metalunderground.com and rapidly changing trends in the entertainment industry. He lives in the cold, dark north with his wife and son. Address: 682 Indian Road, Toronto, Ontario, M6P 2C9. Phone: 416-721-8257.