Cassava Network & Play1st Launches Africa’s Largest Esports Gaming League with the Inaugural ‘Cassava x Play1st Cup’

Lagos, Nigeria – Cassava Network, a blockchain infrastructure ecosystem providing Africans with inclusive financial services, and Play1st, a Web3 gaming app store and subsidiary of Africa’s largest mobile games publisher, Carry1st, are launching the continent’s largest Web3 esports gaming league with an inaugural tournament, the ‘Cassava x Play1st Cup’.

Taking place over a week from November 18th to the 26th, the Cassava x Play1st Cup will see teams from across Africa battle it out for cash and NFT prizes. This inaugural tournament will feature the popular Web3 game ‘Thetan Arena’, which can be downloaded via the Play1st store. The finals will be live-streamed across social media platforms and live commentary will be provided by some of Africa’s leading esports personalities. 

Players can register now via Play1st, with registration closing on November 16. Entering a team is free and winners will share a $1,000 prize pool while also receiving unique NFT badges to display on their Play1st profile. The tournament itself will consist of group heats followed by a knockout stage to determine the winner.

Elsie Godwin, Head of marketing at Cassava Network, said: “Esports have seen rapid growth in recent years, and gaming is seen by many as an important way of onboarding new users into Web3. By launching the Cassava x Play1st Cup we’re looking to inspire more Africans to participate in a booming global industry. Perhaps more importantly, we’re excited to see the level of competition gamers will bring to the tournament!”

George Payne, Head of Web3 gaming at Carry1st, added: “Gaming is as much a part of our culture today as cinema and television, and the growth of esports and gaming in Africa is expected to continue as devices become more powerful and more affordable.”

Esports have seen a massive surge in popularity in recent years, with VentureBeat estimating a global viewership of more than 420 million people in 2021. According to Dot Esports, the total esports market value hit $1 billion in 2021, with sustained growth projected into the future. As more and more Africans connect to the web, particularly via mobile, similar growth in esports interest and viewership is predicted across the continent.

Web3 gaming is an emerging submarket that merges gaming with economic incentives via the blockchain. There are many different ways to integrate blockchain into video games, with popular paths including resaleable in-game items represented as NFTs, token rewards for achievements, and ad revenue redistribution to players. Although these are common, there are no fixed models for Web3 games and developers are regularly finding new ways to innovate in this exciting market.

Mouloukou Sanoh, Co-founder of Cassava Network, said: “Nearly half of the world are gamers. Web3 offers an opportunity for this massive demographic to earn doing what they already love doing – playing video games with their friends. We’re excited to bring these two worlds together in Africa and to ultimately see more Africans competing at tournaments on the world stage.”

Players are encouraged to get a team together and register for the tournament before November 16, 2022. Updates on how to watch the live gameplay will be shared on Play1st and Cassava Network social media channels.

To register for the tournament, please visit play1st.co/quests/cassava-play1st-cup.

What is a Web3 Game?

A Web3 game is a video or mobile game incorporating blockchain technology. For example, some web3 games allow players to earn a token, others to own characters as NFTs, and others to redistribute ad revenue to players. There’s no set model for this new game type!

What Game will be Played?

Given its popularity in Africa, Thetan Arena, a battle royale-style mobile game, will be used for the Cassava x Play1st Cup. The game can be downloaded at Play1st.

Where can I Register for the Tournament?

You can register for the tournament at play1st.co/quests/cassava-play1st-cup, and keep up to date with news on the tournament on Twitter.

About Cassava Network

Cassava Network is a blockchain infrastructure that connects developers and users to Web3. Through its native token CSV, Cassava transforms any web application into a crypto-enabled app that can reward contributors and end-users alike. The Cassava ecosystem includes tokenized rewards infrastructure, digital identification systems, user-controlled data profiles, and a powerful crypto and NFT wallet designed to empower an entire continent of blockchain users.

About Play1st

Play1st is a gaming platform designed to increase the access and playability of Web3 games. On Play1st, players can find Web3 games, play in new virtual worlds, and earn rewards.

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