Today ESL Gaming Australia was announced as the official Tournament Operator for Halo esports across all of Australia and New Zealand (‘ANZ’). In partnership with developers 343 Industries, ESL Australia has committed to the long-term development of the competitive Halo ecosystem within ANZ, and will host tournaments in the region from 2021 onwards. Additionally, ESL Gaming has also been selected as tournament operator for the Halo Championship Series in Europe (under the DreamHack brand).

As part of the partnership, the ANZ region will have its own in-game cosmetic bundle, featuring nameplate, emblem, Sniper Rifle coating, as well as visor, available to purchase for in-game credits. When players purchase this bundle, a portion of the revenue will be shared with ESL Australia, directly contributing to the Halo esports ecosystem in the region. This marks the first time that players in Australia & New Zealand can directly support a local tournament operator from their region via in-game purchases.

The partnership will facilitate a world-class competitive ecosystem for local Halo fans, with pathways to global competition, while ESL also works with local esports teams, HCS Grassroots partners, and community esports organisations to build a solid foundation upon which a local Halo ecosystem can thrive. All details can be found on the official Halo blog here.

Quotes attributed to Josh Inman, General Manager, ESL Australia:

“At ESL Australia, our roots in competitive gaming come from Halo esports. Prior to becoming ESL, we were ACL – the Australian Cyber League – where we had our start by running Halo events all around the country.

“We started organising tournaments with Nick Vanzetti, current SVP of ESL APJ, at the helm (and also on my Halo team), along with our current Lead Producer, Damien Cauci, working on and competing in these events.

“Halo means a lot to our team here in ANZ – that’s why we’re so excited to partner with 343 Industries with whom we share the same goals of building a long-lasting competitive ecosystem, and local scene, for the game.

“I would encourage every Halo player across the region to check out this fantastic opportunity to compete, and look forward to showcasing all we have planned for 2022 in the near future.”