Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Partnership with Smilegate for Crossfire
The Esports World Cup Foundation has revealed a significant partnership with game developer Smilegate for its popular FPS title Crossfire.
Through this collaboration, Crossfire is set to be featured in the 2025 Esports World Cup, an annual esports event with multiple titles, scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Crossfire will be joining Chess as one of the featured games at the Esports World Cup. The game, initially launched in 2007, has garnered a substantial following in China over the years. It even has its own franchised esports league in the country known as CFPL. Moreover, its popularity led to the creation of a drama series called “Cross Fire” in 2020, which quickly gained immense viewership.
The recent Crossfire world championship held in Hangzhou saw Chinese team Evolution Power emerge victorious, securing a significant portion of the $1.4 million prize pool.
While details about the 2025 Esports World Cup Crossfire event, including prize distributions and competition format, are yet to be disclosed, there is much anticipation surrounding this inclusion.
Ina Jang, CEO at Smilegate Entertainment, shared her thoughts on this collaboration:
“The inclusion of Crossfire in the Esports World Cup 2025 marks a significant milestone for both the game and its global esports ecosystem. As one of the most popular FPS titles worldwide, Crossfire has built a strong community of players and fans over the years. Participating in the EWC provides an excellent platform to showcase the skill, passion, and competitive nature of Crossfire esports to a broader audience, solidifying its presence on the global esports stage.”
Although the Esports World Cup has received criticism from some within the esports community due to its connections with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, discussions about the country’s human rights record remain prevalent.
About the Author
Tom has been a part of Esports Insider’s team since October 2020 and currently serves as the platform’s Editor. When he’s not immersed in playing Football Manager, he enjoys covering the mobile esports scene and the betting sector.