Pixel P&L: CR7 Becomes Esports World Cup Ambassador

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When Michael Jordan endorsed sneakers, basketball shoe sales exploded. When Sachin Tendulkar promoted MRF, the tyre company's sales boomed. Now Cristiano Ronaldo is trying the same formula with esports, because apparently conquering football fields, social media, and our collective sanity wasn't enough. The Portuguese superstar just became the Esports World Cup's global ambassador, bringing his 650 million Instagram followers into the esports arena.

In today's email:

⚽ Ronaldo trades penalty kicks for keyboard clicks as esports' newest celebrity recruit

🎮 Indian esports org S8UL expands into League of Legends

🏆 EA's soccer empire kicks into Roblox and mobile gaming with new partnerships

Ronaldo Becomes Esports World Cup Ambassador

The Esports World Cup Foundation named Cristiano Ronaldo as global brand ambassador for its 2025 tournament, part of its push to attract audiences beyond core esports viewers.

The soccer star will promote the competition's "Rise Above" campaign through his substantial social media presence of over 650 million Instagram followers, 115 million on X, and 75 million YouTube subscribers as organizers attempt to bridge traditional sports and competitive gaming markets.

"Sport is always evolving, and esports is one more frontier," Ronaldo said, comparing esports athletes' commitment to traditional competitors.

Ronaldo's involvement reflects a broader trend of sports celebrities entering esports. Lionel Messi became co-owner of KRU Esports in 2023, while former Dutch player Ruud Gullit's team was acquired by Team Liquid earlier this year.

Ronaldo previously worked with the foundation in 2023, appearing at the tournament's Riyadh closing ceremony. The continued celebrity endorsements signal the Esports World Cup’s ongoing efforts to legitimize competitive gaming, though audience crossover results have been mixed.

S8UL Expands Portfolio, Enters League of Legends

Indian esports organization S8UL Esports has signed a South Asian League of Legends roster, making it one of India's first organizations competing across 12 major esports titles. The move positions S8UL to capture growing opportunities in the global gaming market.

The team features players from India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The roster includes three Indians who competed at the 2022 Asian Games, where esports made its official debut as a medal event.

The team will compete in India's inaugural publisher-backed League of Legends tournament, Legends Ascend, which offers a 10 lakh rupee prize pool. Winners qualify for the League of Legends Championship Pacific Wildcard Playoffs, potentially providing access to the game's premier regional competition.

Indian esports organizations have been expanding their competitive portfolios as the domestic gaming market grows. S8UL now fields teams across titles including VALORANT, Mobile Legends and Call of Duty, reflecting the industry's push toward multi-game operations.

The move comes as S8UL prepares to represent India at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh.

⚡Quick Bytes

FIFA Partners With Roblox Studio for Virtual Club World Cup

Roblox game studio Gamefam will bring the FIFA Club World Cup to its Super League Soccer game, running June 14 through July 13 alongside the real tournament. All 13 participating clubs will be playable for the first time as FIFA targets younger audiences on the gaming platform.

Mobile Soccer Game FIFA Rivals Launches Globally With Trading Features

Mythical Games released FIFA Rivals worldwide on mobile app stores, featuring officially licensed teams and digital collectibles trading. The arcade-style soccer game follows the company's successful NFL Rivals, which has attracted seven million downloads. Adidas backs the new title targeting mobile gaming audiences.

⚔️Side Quest

📺 Watch: Digital Foundry’s interview with CD Projekt Red developers about switching from proprietary Red Engine to Unreal Engine 5 for The Witcher 4. The discussion covers console-first development targeting 60fps and technical innovations, offering insight into how studios reassess strategies following development setbacks.

🎮 Play: We've been hooked on Nordhold, a clever tower defense game that mixes roguelite progression with base-building in a gorgeous Scandinavian setting. Each run feels fresh thanks to randomized perks and synergies, while the hexagonal battlefield design adds strategic depth. It's addictive, atmospheric, and perfect for strategy fans craving something new.

📚 Read: A new AI-powered study analyzed 1.5 million real gamer conversations across Reddit, Discord, and YouTube to uncover authentic sentiment about major gaming publishers. To no one’s surprise, Ubisoft ranked worst overall, while gamers consistently hate aggressive monetization practices.

💡Did You Know

The M6D Pistol in the game Halo: Combat Evolved was unusually powerful due to Bungie co-founder Jason Jones secretly adding code shortly before release to "change a single number on the pistol" when each map loaded. Jones felt the weapon's balance "wasn't where we wanted it to be," but changing the game's data wasn't feasible at that late stage. In a later IGN interview, he confirmed the story and took full "credit and blame" for creating one of gaming's most beloved overpowered weapons, calling the tweak a result of his attention to smaller details.

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