There was a time when video games were blasted as a negative influence – but Gamers Without Borders is turning the tables in spectacular fashion.
The charity esports festival is back for 2021, and this year is hoping to raise $10million to fund noble causes the world over.
The focus is on getting vaccinations to the world’s most vulnerable communities, and if that doesn’t want to make you pick up a controller and join the cause, you must be suffering serious lag.
WE…ARE…BACK!
The world's biggest charity esports event #GWBPS returns for a second edition with #NoOneLeftBehind
BIGGER. BETTER. STRONGER. TOGETHER https://t.co/eY0u9VlbmQ pic.twitter.com/Dr0JtIXnD5
— Gamers Without Borders (@gwbps) June 1, 2021
It’s all being hosted by the Saudi Esports Federation, in partnership with European esports giants ESL, and features nine weeks of elite level esports and community gaming for noobs and wannabe pros alike.
Viewer donations will help fill the kitty, and more than 14 million people are expected to tune in.
Held under the theme ‘No One Left Behind’, the festival kicks off with the six-week pro series, where the best gamers on the planet will go head-to-head on titles including Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, Fortnite, Rocket League, PUBG MOBILE and CS:GO.
All shares of the charity cash they win will go directly towards vaccine distribution in the world’s poorest countries.
Then it’s the turn of the have-a-go heroes (dusts off controller).
The Gamers Without Borders’ community tournaments are free-for-all battlegrounds for gamers of all abilities, with daily marathon and play-and-go tournaments across the same games as the pros, with the likes of Overwatch, Tekken 7, NBA2K and Call of Duty thrown in for good measure.
The debut edition of the festival in 2020 featured the likes of musicians Snoop Dogg and Liam Payne and footballers Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dele Alli and Paulo Dybala plugging in – so expect star names to show their support this time around.
Ready, player one?
From June 7. gamerswithoutborders.com
