Multi-Year Partnership Begins with ECS Season Three

LONDON – 16 March 2017 – FACEIT, the leading competitive gaming platform and creators of the Esports Championship Series (ECS), and YouTube, announce today a multi-year partnership to make YouTube the exclusive online home for the groundbreaking competition. ECS, which features Valve’s massively popular Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, will stream exclusively on YouTube starting on the 25th of March with the ECS Promotion matches. Fans of ECS and esports can find all the action live on the new ECS YouTube channel: youtube.com/faceit.

The partnership between FACEIT and YouTube offers fans of competitive gaming a distinct opportunity to enjoy their favorite esport like never before. With YouTube’s unique features and advanced video technology, and FACEIT’s world class competitive gaming platform, users will see key features including high bitrate 1080p 60fps live video, instant playback to relive those unforgettable moments, and advanced future integrations that will be unveiled within both the YouTube video platform and the FACEIT competitive gaming platform. Additionally, YouTube will actively work with ECS league players to provide guidance to maximize engagement on their YouTube channels and build their audiences.

”YouTube offers fans of the ECS an unmatched online viewing experience,” said Michele Attisani, Chief Business Officer and co-founder of FACEIT. “YouTube is by far the most watched platform for gamers in the world and continues to innovate and lead on video technology, making it a great place of us to call it our new home for the Esports Championship Series”.

By offering live streaming in addition to existing video-on-demand content, YouTube is burnishing its role as the central hub of esports content. And advertisers will be able to tap into the growing ecosystem of esports through new sponsorship packages of the league on YouTube.

“This is our most significant investment into esports to date and illustrates our continued commitment to growing esports with the hundreds of millions of gamers watching YouTube each day,” said Ryan Wyatt, Global Head of Gaming Content at YouTube. “The ECS revenue sharing and co-ownership structure reinforces our belief that all players should have a voice. We know the CS:GO community is already watching clips, highlights, and rebroadcasts on YouTube, so we are excited to be able to bring them all this same action live”.

For more information on the Esports Championship Series, check out the league’s official site at www.csgoleague.com or follow the ECS (@ECSLeague) on Twitter.

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About FACEIT

FACEIT is the leading competitive platform for online multiplayer games, with more than 6 million users logging in a total of over 12 million online game sessions each month. FACEIT allows players to easily play in tournaments and leagues for virtual and real-world prizes through automated tournament management and matchmaking technology. For developers, FACEIT’s advanced software development kit (SDK) allows game creators to easily integrate user-friendly matchmaking and tournaments into their titles to allow gamers to take part in competitive online games at all skill levels. esports organizers, players and communities use FACEIT to create and manage online competitions. For more information on FACEIT, please visit www.faceit.com.

About YouTube

Launched in May 2005, YouTube allows billions of people to discover, watch and share originally-created videos. YouTube provides a forum for people to connect, inform, and inspire others across the globe and acts as a distribution platform for original content creators and advertisers large and small.