Jan 10, 2025.
Global No.1 FPS game, boasting over a billion users in more than 80 countries, joins the EWC’s unprecedented collection of games, further expanding the event’s ability to reach new audiences
Riyadh/Seongnam, (December 23, 2024) — The Esports World Cup Foundation (“EWCF”) and Smilegate, a global game development and publishing company, today announced the three-year partnership that will bring one of the most popular games, CROSSFIRE, to the 2025 Esports World Cup, the world’s largest gaming and esports event, set to return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, next summer.
The CROSSFIRE announcement marks the addition of another new title to the Esports World Cup multi-year rosters, joining a high-profile collection of previously announced returning games across a variety of genres. To date, 19 tournaments in 18 game titles–including the most popular first-person shooters, MOBAs, battle royales, real-time strategy and fighting games–have been revealed for the 2025 event, with additional titles set to be announced soon.
“We are thrilled to welcome CROSSFIRE to the Esports World Cup 2025, the world’s largest celebration of competitive excellence and esports fandom,” said Fabian Scheuermann, Chief Games Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation. “CROSSFIRE has built an incredible legacy as one of the most beloved games in China, Asia-Pacific, and many other countries across the world, and continues to grow its passionate fanbase. We’re excited to welcome its global community and build on the strong foundation CROSSFIRE has established.” He added, “We’re grateful to the CROSSFIRE team for their dedication and collaboration in forming this three-year partnership. The mutual trust we’ve built reflects our shared vision of bringing CROSSFIRE to the biggest stage in Riyadh and working together to collectively support the sustainable growth of esports as a global sport.
Following its launch in 2007 by South Korea’s Smilegate, CROSSFIRE quickly became a smash hit in China and one of the top FPS titles in the country. The game boasts over 1.1 billion lifetime users across more than 80 countries and holds a record of 8 million concurrent users. The game’s popularity spans more than a decade and has led to the development of multiple media adaptations, including a streaming series based on CROSSFIRE esports, which drew more than 1.8 billion viewers in the first weeks of the show in 2020. In addition, CROSSFIRE’s global esports league, CROSSFIRE Stars, celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023. The CFS 2024 Grand Final has successfully concluded, bringing together 16 teams from six major regions in an exciting display of competition. This event highlighted the importance of building a more globally inclusive stage that connects players, fans, and partners while fostering the growth of the esports community worldwide.
“The inclusion of CROSSFIRE in the Esports World Cup 2025 marks a significant milestone for both the game and its global esports ecosystem,” said Ina Jang, CEO at Smilegate Entertainment. “As one of the most popular FPS titles worldwide, CROSSFIRE has fostered a dedicated community of players and fans over the past decade. Joining the EWC provides an exciting platform to showcase the skill, passion, and competitive spirit of CROSSFIRE esports to a broader audience, further solidifying its place on the global stage. We look forward to working alongside the Esports World Cup Foundation to deliver a world-class experience for our players, fans, and partners.”
Esports World Cup 2025 will once again unite gaming and esports communities in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for a global competition that will crown the next Esports World Cup Champion. The tournament’s unique cross-game format will reward Clubs and players competing for a life-changing prize pool across a mix of platforms and genres, in the largest-ever celebration of esports. The inaugural EWC in 2024 featured 200 Clubs and 1,500 elite athletes from 100 countries, competing in 22 tournaments across 21 games for a $60 million prize pool. The eight-week competition and festival drew 500 million views online and saw 2.6 million people attend.
To learn more about EWC, visit esportsworldcup.com. For more information on Smilegate and CROSSFIRE, connect with smilegate.com and follow EWCF and Smilegate on LinkedIn.
About Esports World Cup
The Esports World Cup (EWC) is a premier annual sporting event and global celebration of competitive excellence and esports fandom. The competition features a unique cross-game format that pits the world's top esports clubs against one another for the largest prize pool in esports history. The inaugural EWC in 2024 featured 1,500 elite athletes and 200 clubs from 100 countries. They competed in 22 tournaments across 21 games for a $60 million prize pool. The eight-week competition and festival drew 500 million views online and saw 2.6 million people attend. Returning to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in the summer of 2025, the EWC will bring gaming and esports communities together again to crown the next Esports World Cup Club Champion.
About Smilegate
Smilegate is a global game development and publishing company headquartered in South Korea with regional offices in the United States, China, and Japan. Its flagship franchise ‘CROSSFIRE,’ is one of the largest and most successful franchises in gaming history. It has more than 1 billion registered users to date in PC and mobile platforms and over 8 million concurrent players globally. Its latest project, ‘Lost Ark,’ is an MMORPG that was released in South Korea in 2018 and was launched in North America and Europe in February 2021. Learn more by visiting Smilegate.com
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