OFFICIAL RULES
NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. ENTRY INTO THIS CONTEST CONSTITUTES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
This Contest is sponsored by ESL Gaming GmbH, Schanzenstraße 23, 51063 Köln, Germany (the “Sponsor”).
1. Eligibility: EWC Discord Fanart Contest (“Contest”) is open and offered only to those who are over the legal age of majority in their primary state or country of residency. In the event of any conflict or inconsistency with any other advertising, promotional or other materials, these Official Rules shall govern. Employees, officers, directors, and representatives of Sponsor, as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, children, step-parents, step-siblings, and step- children, regardless of where they live) and same household members of each such employee, officer, director, or representative (whether or not related) are not eligible to participate in the Contest. Only individuals meeting all eligibility requirements set forth in these Official Rules may participate in the Contest or win a prize (“Participant”). All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. Sponsor reserves the right to verify the eligibility of winners. Residents of countries currently subject to United States sanctions or on the United States list of state sponsors of terrorism are not eligible to enter the Contest or win a prize. For a current list of countries currently subject to United States sanctions or on the United States list of state sponsors of terrorism, go to https://ofac.treasury.gov/sanctions-programs-and-country-information and https://www.state.gov/state-sponsors-of-terrorism/
2. Contest Period: The Contest commences at 18:00 Central Summer Time on August 15th, 2025 and ends at 18:00 Central Summer Time on August 22nd, 2025 ("Contest Period"). Sponsor’s computer is the official time-keeping device for this Contest. No further extensions will be issued.
3. How to Enter:
- To enter the Contest, Participants must:
- Join the official Esports World Cup (EWC) Discord server.
Submit original fan artwork that aligns with the theme “Celebration of the EWC in all its facets – games, players, teams and fans” in the dedicated #fan-art-submissions Discord channel before the end of the Contest Period.
Each Participant may submit only one (1) piece of artwork. Submissions must be Safe for Work and must not contain any content that is violent, sexually explicit, discriminatory, hateful, or otherwise inappropriate, at the sole discretion of the Sponsor.
Eligible file types include images (JPG, PNG), videos (MP4, WebM), and other digital formats supported by Discord uploads.
The use of AI-generated content is strictly prohibited. Sponsor reserves the right to request original work-in-progress files or layered project files (e.g., PSD, Procreate, etc.) to confirm that the artwork is human-made.
Submissions must comply with the Guidelines and Restrictions defined below. Entries must be submitted directly by the Participant in the specified Discord channel during the Contest Period. Submissions will not be accepted via email, private message, or any other method.
You must have a Discord account to enter via this method. Discord accounts are free. By submitting your information and creating an account, you agree to the terms of use and privacy policy of Discord. If you do not agree to such terms of use and privacy policy, you cannot create an account or participate in this Contest.
All entry information and comments shall be collectively referred to herein as the “Submissions” or each as a “Submission.” Submissions must comply with the Guidelines and Restrictions defined below.
By entering, each entrant warrants and represents the following with respect to entrant’s Submission: (a) entrant is the sole and exclusive owner of the Submission; (b) the Submission will not infringe on any rights of any third parties; and (c) any third parties appearing in the Submission have given entrant appropriate consent to be photographed and used as permitted herein. Sponsor reserves the right to request releases from any third parties appearing in any Submissions at any time. Failure to produce third party releases upon Sponsor’s request may result in disqualification, as determined by Sponsor in its sole and absolute discretion.
Licensing terms for submitted artwork are outlined in Section 7 below.
Limit one (1) Submission per person. Entrants are not permitted to submit a Submission more than once during the Contest Period. Duplicate Submissions by the same person will be subject to disqualification. All terms and conditions of Discord.com apply. Multiple entrants are not permitted to share the same Discord account. Any attempt by any entrant to obtain more than the stated number of entries by using multiple/different, Discord accounts, identities, registrations and logins, or any other methods will void that entrant's entries and that entrant may be disqualified. Use of any automated system, devices, bots and/or other programs or software to participate is prohibited and will result in disqualification. Entries must be submitted by the Participant. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, illegible, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible, misdirected, technically corrupted or garbled entries, which will be disqualified, or for problems of any kind, whether mechanical, human, or electronic. Sponsor shall not be responsible for incorrect or inaccurate entry information whether caused by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest or by any technical or human error which may occur in the processing of the entries in the Contest. Sponsor assumes no responsibility or liability for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, theft or destruction, or unauthorized access to, or alteration of entries. Only fully completed entries are eligible.
In the event of a dispute over who submitted a winning entry, the “authorized account holder” of the Discord account used to register on the platform will be deemed to be the entrant. Potential winner may be required to show proof of residency or identity or forfeit the prize. By entering the Contest, entrants fully and unconditionally agree to be bound by these rules and the decisions of the judges, which will be final and binding in all matters relating to the Contest.
4. Winner Selection: Three (3) Winners will be selected from all eligible Submissions received on or about August 22nd, 2025, based on the following criteria
- Creativity and originality of the artwork
- Relevance to the Contest theme
- Visual impact and artistic execution
Judging will be conducted by a panel composed of members of the EWC Community and Social Media teams (the “Judges”), whose decisions are final and binding in all respects.
One (1) Winner will be selected in each of the following categories:
- EWC Spotlight
- Creative Execution
- Community Favourite
The Community Favourite will be determined based on the number of unique emoji reactions to each Submission in the #fan-art-submissions channel during the Contest Period. Use of bots or any artificial reaction inflation methods will result in disqualification.
In the event of a tie in any category, the Judges will determine the winner based on overall adherence to the Contest theme.
5. Prizes: Each of the following three (3) winners will receive one of the following prizes:
- EWC Spotlight: One (1) Lenovo 5i Tower PC (approximate retail value: $1,600 USD)
- Creative Execution: One (1) PlayStation 5 (approximate retail value: $499 USD)
- Community Favourite: One (1) Lenovo Peripherals Bundle (approximate retail value: $200 USD)
Prizes are awarded only for the category won and cannot be exchanged for a different category’s prize.
In addition, all Participants who submit an eligible entry in accordance with these Official Rules will receive the honorary “Fan Artist” role on the EWC Discord server. Eligibility requires compliance with all content and submission guidelines. This role holds no monetary value and may be revoked at the Sponsor’s discretion in case of rule violations. Only participants whose submissions meet all requirements and are not disqualified will receive this role.
6. Prize is not available for individual retail-sale. Prize is non-transferable. No substitutions or cash redemptions. In the case of unavailability of a Prize, Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value. Sponsor reserves the right to, at its discretion, reschedule the Contest, modify the dates of the Prize, or cancel the awarding of Prize.
7. Ownership & Artwork Licensing
Participants retain full ownership and copyright of their submitted artwork.
By entering the Contest, each Participant grants the Sponsor a worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, publish, and display the Submission solely for purposes related to the administration, promotion, and publicity of the Contest and future editions of the Contest, including publication on Sponsor’s social media channels, websites, event broadcasts, and related promotional materials.
Any other commercial use of the Submission by the Sponsor will require the prior written consent of the Participant. The license granted under this section will remain in effect for three (3) years from the Contest end date, after which any further use will require the Participant’s permission.
The Sponsor will make reasonable efforts to credit the Participant whenever the artwork is used.
8. Moderation and Disqualification: Sponsor reserves the right to remove or disqualify any Submission that:
- Is generated or assisted by AI tools
- Uses copyrighted material without express permission
- Contains NSFW, hateful, violent, or otherwise inappropriate content
- Violates Discord’s Community Guidelines or the EWC Discord server rules
- Uses unfair methods to gain reactions (e.g. bots, mass tagging, or engagement farming)
Submissions that are incomplete, corrupt, or do not comply with these Terms and Conditions will be deemed ineligible at the sole discretion of the Sponsor.
9. Winner Notification: Sponsor will contact the potential winners via Discord DIRECT MESSAGE on or after August 22nd, 2025 and Sponsor will also announce the winner by posting a comment on Sponsor’s Discord server (discord.gg/ewc) within 3 days of the selection, and will provide details on how to claim the prize. Potential winners will be required to respond to Sponsor within 7 days in order to claim their prize. If a winner is unable to be contacted within 7 days from the first attempt, the potential winner may forfeit the prize. The winner may be provided an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability/Publicity Release (“Affidavit and Release”) to fill out, sign and return within 24 hours of receipt. If the winner does not sign and return the Affidavit and Release, or if a potential winner does not meet eligibility criteria, or is otherwise unwilling or unable to comply with these Official Rules or return same by the required deadlines, or refuses to complete any additional documentation that may be required by Sponsor, the prize will remain un-awarded. All taxes, duties, or levies associated with the receipt or use of any virtual prize are the sole responsibility of the winner. The winner is solely responsible for any customs duties, import taxes, or other fees related to the delivery of the prize. The Sponsor assumes no responsibility for the winner’s tax compliance obligations. The winner is advised to consult a tax advisor regarding the potential tax implications of receiving a virtual good. The Sponsor does not assume responsibility for any tax reporting or withholding obligations outside Germany. Winners are solely responsible for compliance with local tax laws applicable to their jurisdiction.
10. Verification of Potential Winners: POTENTIAL WINNER IS SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION BY SPONSOR, WHOSE DECISIONS ARE FINAL AND BINDING IN ALL MATTERS RELATED TO THE CONTEST. A PARTICIPANT IS NOT A WINNER OF ANY PRIZE UNLESS AND UNTIL PARTICIPANT’S ELIGIBILITY HAS BEEN VERIFIED AND PARTICIPANT HAS BEEN NOTIFIED THAT VERIFICATION IS COMPLETE. PRIZE WILL BE FULFILLED APPROXIMATELY 4-6 WEEKS AFTER WINNER VERIFICATION.
11. Publicity: Except where and as may be prohibited by law, participation in the Contest and acceptance of prize constitutes express permission of the winner, or his or her parent or legal guardian if Participant is a minor, for Sponsor to use such winner’s name, photograph, image, likeness, voice, opinions, hometown, and/or state for advertising, trade, promotion, and publicity purposes in all forms of media now known or hereafter discovered or devised, worldwide in perpetuity, without further notice, review or approval, or compensation.
12. General Conditions: Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify, extend, or suspend the Contest should non-authorized intervention, fraud, weather, force majeure events or other causes beyond the control of Sponsor corrupts or affects the administration, security, fairness, or proper conduct of the Contest. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any individual it determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, is or is attempting or intending to: (a) tamper with any aspect of the operation of the Contest, (b) defraud Sponsor, (c) undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest by cheating, deception, or other unfair playing practices, (d) annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any other participants, Sponsor, or representatives of the Sponsor, or (e) act in violation of these Official Rules. In such event(s), Sponsor reserves the right (in addition to disqualification of such individual) to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any provision of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. No groups, clubs, newsletters, or organizations may reproduce or distribute any portion of these Official Rules to their members, and anyone who participates in the Contest through means not permitted by these Official Rules is subject to disqualification.
CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY ANY INDIVIDUAL TO DELIBERATELY UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.
13. Agreement to Official Rules: By participating in the Contest, each Participant fully and unconditionally agrees to and accepts these Official Rules and the decisions of Sponsor (including but not limited to Sponsor’s employees or agents handling prize redemption), which are final and binding in all matters relating to the Contest. By participating in the Contest, each Participant waives any right to claim ambiguity in these Official Rules.
14. Release: By participating in this Contest, Participant agrees to release, indemnify, and hold harmless, ESL Gaming GmbH, the Esports World Cup Foundation, Discord Inc., Sony, Lenovo and their subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively, the “Released Parties”), from any and all liability for any claims, injuries, loss, harm, damage, cost, or expense of any kind to any person(s), including, without limitation, property damage, personal injury, and/or death, arising in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, or consequential, from acceptance, possession, use, and/or misuse of a prize or participation in this Contest or any Contest-related activity and for any claims based on publicity rights, defamation, or invasion of privacy. The Released Parties are not responsible for cancellations or delays, or if any prize cannot be awarded, or if the Contest cannot be conducted as planned for any reason due to non-authorized intervention, fraud, weather, force majeure event, acts of war, natural disasters, terrorism events or other causes beyond their control.
15. Limitation of Liability: Except where prohibited, Participant agrees that: (1) any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Contest, or any prize awarded, or the determination of the winners, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action; (2) any and all claims, judgments, and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Contest but in no event attorneys’ fees; and (3) under no circumstances will Participant be permitted to obtain awards for and Participant hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental, consequential, and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased.
WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, EVERYTHING REGARDING THIS CONTEST, INCLUDING THE PRIZES, ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF AN KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON- INFRINGEMENT. SOME JURISDICTIONS MAY NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES, SO SOME OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY. CHECK LOCAL LAWS FOR ANY RESTRICTIONS OR LIMITATIONS REGARDING THESE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS.
THE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE MAXIMUM LIABILITY OF SPONSOR FOR ALL DAMAGES, LOSSES AND CAUSES OF ACTION, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE, RELATED TO THE Contest SHALL BE ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS (US$100).
16. Choice of Law: All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation, and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of Participant and/or Sponsor in connection with the Contest, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, and all proceedings regarding same shall take place exclusively either in a state or federal court located in or around New York, New York. Participant agrees to the jurisdiction of such courts and waives any right to change of venue or any like right.
17. These Terms and Conditions are provided in English only. Translations may be made available for convenience, but in the event of any discrepancy or inconsistency, the English version shall prevail and be legally binding.
18. Privacy: By entering the Contest, each Participant agrees that Participant’s entry and any other personally identifiable information collected or used in connection with the Contest is subject to and may be used by Sponsor in accordance with its Privacy Policy, as posted on Sponsor’s website.
THIS CONTEST IS IN NO WAY SPONSORED, ENDORSED, ADMINISTERED BY OR AFFILIATED, OR ASSOCIATED WITH DISCORD, SONY OR LENOVO. YOU ARE PROVIDING YOUR INFORMATION TO SPONSOR AND NOT TO DISCORD, SONY OR LENOVO.