Esports Awards 2024 NOMINATIONS Announced: Everything You Need to Know About the Riyadh Ceremony

Following a controversial entry into Saudi Arabia’s Esports World Cup, the Esports Awards have announced its nominations for more than ten categories for the Year 2024, including the coveted Streamer of the Year award.

The ceremony is scheduled for July 24, 2024, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, just two days before the conclusion of the Esports World Cup.

As you know, the Esports Awards has recently entered into a three-year agreement with the Esports World Cup Foundation, marking the first occasion the awards ceremony will take place outside of America.

But because some people are worried about Saudi Arabia’s track record on human rights, Esports Awards decided to split the event, and there will be a second ceremony in London later in the year.

Let’s dive into the essential details, including the event’s timing, location, nominations, selection process, and the controversy surrounding this year’s ceremony.

Who Are the Nominees for the Esports Awards 2024?

The finalists for the 2024 Esports Awards have been announced, with public voting now open until July 18, on the official website. Here are the nominees across various categories:

Streamer of the Year

1. Nicholas “Jynxzi” Stewart
2. Kai Cenat
3. Ibai “Ibai” Llanos
4. Cody “Clix” Conrod
5. Darren “iShowSpeed” Watkins Jr.
6. Case “CaseOh” Baker
7. Félix “xQc” Lengyel
8. Marc “Caedrel” Lamont
9. Victor “Coringa” Augusto
10. Alexandre “gAuLeS” Chiqueta
11. Samantha “Rivers” Treviño

Esports Personality of the Year

1. Jeremy “Disguised Toast” Wang
2. Tarik “tarik” Çelik
3. Matthew “Nadeshot” Haag
4. Seth “scump” Abner
5. Ibai “Ibai” Llanos
6. James Banks
7. Marc “Caedrel” Lamont
8. Naman “Mortal” Sandeep Mathur
9. Bruno “Nobru” Goes

Esports Content Group of the Year

1. G2 Esports
2. Offline TV
3. Karmine Corp
4. Sentinels
5. Fnatic
6. TI
7. S8UL Esports

Esports Game of the Year

1. Counter-Strike 2
2. VALORANT
3. League of Legends
4. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
5. Dota 2
6. Apex Legends
7. Rainbow Six Siege
8. Rocket League
9. PUBG Mobile

Mobile Esports Game of the Year

1. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
2. Brawl Stars
3. Honor of Kings
4. PUBG Mobile
5. Call of Duty: Mobile
6. Clash Royale
7. Free Fire
8. Pokémon UNITE

Esports Content & Coverage Platform of the Year

1. Liquipedia
2. Esports Charts
3. Dexerto
4. HLTV
5. Dot Esports
6. Sports Business Journal
7. Esports Insider

Esports Publisher of the Year

1. Riot Games
2. Valve
3. Epic Games
4. Microsoft Gaming
5. Ubisoft
6. Capcom
7. EA
8. Moonton

Esports Commercial Partner of the Year

1. Red Bull
2. Intel
3. Logitech G
4. Mastercard
5. Razer
6. Lenovo
7. AT&T
8. Adidas

Creative Team of the Year

1. ESL FACEIT Group
2. Riot Games
3. BLAST
4. 100 Thieves
5. Flyquest
6. LOUD
7. NRG/Full Squad Gaming
8. Sentinels
9. Team Liquid
10. Team Vitality
11. G2 Esports

Esports Content of the Year

1. GODS ft. NewJeans (Official Music Video) | Worlds 2023 Anthem – League of Legends
2. Think Like A Pro VALORANT Duelist | Know Your Role
3. G2 Esports x Mastercard: Mastercard Gamer Academy Educational Content Series
4. Manners maketh man | T1 x Ralph Lauren
5. TEAM LIQUID x AURA & ECHO || HELLO INDONESIA & THE PHILIPPINES
6. The 3 prodigies of Rocket League | Worlds 2023 documentary

Esports Breakthrough Player of the Year

1. Danil “donk” Kryshkovets – Team Spirit
2. Cauan “cauanzin” Pereira – LOUD
3. Stanislav “Malrlne” Potorak – Team Falcons
4. Han “SangJoon” Sang-jun – REJECT WINNITY
5. Pedro “swiftt” Gomes – Ninjas in Pajamas
6. Daniel “Daniel” Piecenski – G2 Stride
7. Wang “UMA” Yuan-hao – Street Fighter player
8. Rayan “Sniper” Shoura – 100 Thieves

Esports Analyst of the Year

1. Emily Rand
2. Mimi “aEvilcat” Wermcrantz
3. Jacob “Pimp” Winneche
4. Tyler “Tbates” Bates
5. Mathieu “Maniac” Quiquerez
6. Kevin “Purge” Godec
7. The7WorldsGaming
8. Léo “Alphama” Robine

Additional awards for Breakthrough Game of the Year, Ones to Watch, Community Leader, and Lifetime Achievement will be announced at the event.

How Are the Winners of the Esports Awards 2024 Determined?

The process of determining the winners involves several stages:

1. Nominations by the Esports Awards Panel: A panel of industry experts provides the initial nominations.
2. Shortlisting: By June 10, the internal committee finalizes the shortlist.
3. Public Announcement: Finalists are announced through an official announcement June 27.
4. Public Voting: The community votes for their favorite nominees. Public voting is open until July 18, 2024.
5. Judging Panel Voting: For certain categories, a panel of judges votes on the nominees, with each judge voting independently.
6. Combining Votes: In categories where both public and panel votes are used, public votes account for 25%, and panel votes account for 75%.
7. Final Tally: The combined points from public and panel votes are tallied to determine the winners.

For most categories, the public vote accounts for 25% of the total, while the panel vote makes up 75%.

However, the Streamer of the Year, Esports Content Creator of the Year, and Esports Personality of the Year categories are determined 100% by community votes.

What’s the Controversy Surrounding the Esports Awards 2024?

The decision to hold the Esports Awards 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has sparked controversy within the esports community.

Several notable personalities, hosts, and panelists have withdrawn from the Esports Awards to demonstrate their opposition to this decision.

The most notable incident related to this controversy is:

• Popular esports commentator Alex “Goldenboy” resigned from his position as a host of the awards.
• Parker MacKay, a four-year veteran of the Esports Awards committee, echoed similar sentiments.
• Prominent personalities like Ludwig and Jacob Wolf, the past Esports Award Journalist of the Year, have also voiced their criticism of the growing Saudi Arabian presence in the esports industry.
• Another host of the Esports Awards and a prominent member of its vocal panel for four years, Thom “F.” Badinger has announced his departure from the scene.

Despite this setback, Michael Ashford, CEO of the Esports Awards, remains confident about the event’s success. He emphasized the importance of acknowledging and celebrating excellence in esports and fostering industry growth.

The controversy highlights the ongoing discussions about the globalization of esports and the ethical considerations that come with hosting major events in certain regions.

So, what do you think about this? Are you excited about the nominees? Do you have any favorites you’re rooting for? Let me know if you want to hear more about any specific category or nominee!

AND, Stay tuned to Gaming Foodle for more updates on the Esports World Cup and Esports Awards 2024.