Portugal Debates Esports Regulation in Landmark Parliamentary Conference
Portugal hosted its first parliamentary conference on esports regulation and recognition on July 2, as reported by . Dubbed #PensarEsports, the event is supported by the Portuguese Socialist Party and promoted by the Portuguese Electronic Sports Federation (FPDE). According to the report, the conference is aimed at creating a regulatory framework for esports, addressing its recognition as a sport, economic and employment impacts, legal issues, and mental health implications. This marks a significant step toward formalizing esports within Portugal’s legislative framework.
PUBG MOBILE Global Open to Return in 2025, Heads to Uzbekistan
The PUBG MOBILE Global Open (PMGO) is set to return in 2025, with Uzbekistan as the host, announced James Yang, Senior Director of Global Esports Center at Level Infinite, Tencent Games, during gamescom latam 2024. This follows the successful debut of PMGO in São Paulo, Brazil, where Reject secured the championship and the lion’s share of the $500,000 prize pool.
S8UL Adds Popular GTA RP Streamer Kaztro to its Roster
Indian esports organization S8UL has added Muhammed “Kaztro Gaming” Ramees to its roster. Kaztro, a gaming creator from Kerala with a strong regional following, has a YouTube channel with 1.42 million subscribers focused on BGMI, GTA Roleplay, and other PC games. According to a release, S8UL co-founder Lokesh Jain, aka 8Bit Goldy, noted Kaztro’s potential to enhance the organization’s content diversity while Kaztro views his move to S8UL as an opportunity to connect with a broader segment of the Indian gaming community.
Bitmagic Nets $4 Million to Advance Text-to-Game AI
Helsinki-based Bitmagic has , which enables users to create 3D games from text prompts. The company also announced the public availability of its platform on Steam Playtest. The funding round was led by Korea Investment Partners, with contributions from Supercell, Sisu Game Ventures, and notable angel investors, including Zak Phelps, a former senior director at Fortnite Creative, and Maarten De Koning of DDM. Bitmagic’s platform claims to simplify game development, allowing users to generate multiplayer 3D games by typing descriptions, a move that could lower traditional barriers in the industry.
