Game developer 2K Games has partnered with event organiser ESL, NBA, and NBPA to create the NBA 2K20 Global Championship.
The tournament will feature over $100,000 (£80,095) in prizes for NBA 2K players worldwide.
The tournament will see players compete in both offline and online events starting in October, with the final taking place in the United States on February 22nd.
Jason Argent, Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations at 2K Sports commented in a release: “We’re excited to partner with the NBA, NBPA and ESL to create this first-of-its-kind tournament for NBA 2K. For anyone who is interested to test how their skills match up on a global scale, we encourage you to register and see if you truly have what it takes to become the best head-to-head player in the world.”
The regional finals will be held at the ESL studios in Los Angeles, Paris, and Sydney, where each respective winner will receive $15,000 (£11,947) and other prizes from the NBA and 2K Games.
Josh Goodstadt, EVP of Licensing for the NBPI added: “We are thrilled to be working with these partners in creating this milestone event in gaming. Our players come from all over the world and this is a unique experience which will allow fans from every corner of the globe to engage and compete with them through NBA 2K.”
Esports Insider says: It’s good to see NBA 2K expand beyond the official league, supporting amateur players from regions outside of North America. Bringing in ESL is hardly ever a bad idea, it’ll help to ensure the tournament runs well throughout.
