We had a blast holding the Skillshot Atlanta Open at MomoCon 2019, and we wanted to capture some of the event highlights for those who couldn't make it. From Soul Calibur VI tournaments to meeting players from different leagues, the stage was full of activity. Overall, MomoCon welcomed more than 39,000 people (120,000 in turnstile attendance) over four days. Read on for details!
Just because we left the studio doesn't mean we didn't want to rep SMITE Pro League and Paladins Premiere League while we were away from home. In addition to streaming SPL for MomoCon audiences, we also held two meet and greets. First, Renegades stopped by to talk about being a professional player -- from favorite foods to group activities outside of gaming. Later that evening, members from Splyce and Envy (SPL & PPL World Champions) talked with Cooper and Finch about what it feels like to win on the grand stage.
If you know one thing about Skillshot, its that we're always down to try new things -- even board games! We decided to shake things up a little and hosted a Warhammer 40,000 Showmatch. We had a lot of fun with this one, and our Production Designer came from behind the stage to cast the entire thing.
Atlanta Reign was in the building on Friday and Saturday with a meet & greet and an autograph session! Coach Casores, NlaaeR and Kodak spent some time with us on the Skillshot Atlanta Open stage. Attendees received free team posters that Atlanta Reign members signed on site. If you haven't already, check out the Atlanta Reign Homestand Weekend taking place July 6th & 7th at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Tickets are almost sold out! Head over to www.atlreign.com for more information.
Skillshot engaged the local fighting game community to host an intense SoulCalibur VI tournament. In addition to guest casters who kept everyone hype and up-to-date, we had open play PS4 stations for folks to warm up and hone their skills. Once open signups closed, competition started on Saturday and ran through Sunday.
After two days of competition through the top and lower brackets, the top eight competitors emerged:
Thanks to everyone who signed up to compete, and congratulations to the tournament winners!
At the Skillshot Atlanta booth, Roberto, a professional makeup artist, provided cosplay touch-ups, sleeves, and makeup. At our table, we also handed out codes for SMITE, Paladins, and Realm Royale along with some free tshirts. A big thank you to our sponsors: Inap, SteelSeries, R.S. Andrews, Respawn, and Select Fulton. We couldn't have put on such a marvelous event without your support!
Stay tuned for the next Skillshot Atlanta Open coming to a convention near you. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter at @SkillshotMedia for more updates!
If you're going to MomoCon and looking to show off your skills in SoulCalibur VI, we got you covered. Starting on Friday, May 24, Skillshot Atlanta Open will host a PS4 SoulCalibur VI tournament. Featuring a full stage, live commentary, and a $2,500 prize pool, you don't want to miss this opportunity to turn those combo patterns into cash.
Players, can register for free on www.ssgg.io/SoulCalibur. We only have room for 128 competitors, so sign up now to secure your spot! If you haven't already, visit this link to purchase your ticket to MomoCon.
Can't make it to MomoCon? Tune in from home and catch the action on Skillshot's Twitch channel. Game broadcasts will start at 2pm EST on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Prizing
Skillshot is providing a $2,500 prize pool for those who finish in the top eight. Competition will take place over four days, and prizing is awarded as follows:
Tournament Format
The 128 player open bracket will be grouped into 8 pools of 16 competitors. The tournament is in double elimination format, with rounds played Thursday - Sunday. Each pool is played in its entirety before the next pool begins. Each day's breakdown is as follows:
Three competitors per pool will advance into the finals bracket — two competitors from the winning bracket, and one winner from the losers bracket.
Tournament Rules
To keep things running smoothly, there are some rules that will be strictly enforced.
Game Play & Setup
Choosing Characters
Keep an eye on @SkillshotMedia and @MomoCon for news and updates. Don't forget to register, and we'll see you at MomoCon!
COO of Hi-Rez Studios and President of Skillshot Media will serve on the 2019 board.
Make-A-Wish Georgia appoints Todd Harris, COO of Hi-Rez Studios and President of Skillshot Media to the 2019 board of directors.
This appointment is an extension of Hi-Rez Studios and Skillshot Media’s dedication to Make-A-Wish Georgia as a community partner and supporter. Each year, Make-A-Wish Georgia benefits from Spring Fling -- an annual, online event that encourages the SMITE and Paladins gaming community to raise funds for local wishes. Over the past two years, the event successfully raised more than $170,000 for the organization.
“I am thrilled to serve on the board of Make-A-Wish Georgia and further our commitment to this life-changing mission,” said Todd Harris, Hi-Rez Studios COO and Skillshot Media President. “As a board member, I look forward to lending my talents and expertise to serving children with critical illnesses and fulfilling wishes across the state of Georgia.”
Harris is a co-founder of Hi-Rez Studios, one of the largest video game studios in the Southeast, and President of Skillshot Media, the largest dedicated esports production company on the east coast. Between Hi-Rez Studios and Skillshot Harris works to advance competitive gaming and help partner brands authentically reach our esports fans.
“We are very fortunate to have Todd by our side as we continue to strengthen Georgia communities by creating life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses,” said Tim Earley, Make-A-Wish Georgia CEO. “Todd embodies the spirit of community and has already made an impact on our mission. The leadership, talent, expertise and energy he brings to the table will help propel our work of granting the wish of every eligible throughout our state.”
About Skillshot
Based in Alpharetta, GA, Skillshot provides a turnkey esports solution for leading competitive titles, including online and offline tournament organization, industry-leading esports production and active community management. Skillshot has more than five years of esports experience in hosting thousands of global competitors, paying out millions in tournament prizing and serving more than one billion esports views to date. Learn more at www.skillshot.com.
About Make-A-Wish Georgia
Since 1995, Make-A-Wish Georgia has been granting the wishes of local children facing critical illnesses. More than 20 years later, nearly 8,000 lives have experienced the impact of a life-changing wish. Make-A-Wish Georgia is a movement, powered by you, to renew families and communities disrupted by serious childhood illness. We all have the power to make wishes comes true. To learn how you can make wishes come true, visit www.georgia.wish.org.
There is arguably no entertainment medium as globally loved as video games. From the early days of arcade games to consoles, and the virtual games dominating today, video games have always held a special place in the entertainment sector.
The gaming industry is ever-growing and has undergone some remarkable changes since its inception. Arcade games were the first to gain popularity, but Sony’s PlayStation has taken the gaming industry to new heights since the advent of the PlayStation 1. The PlayStation series is now in its 4th installment and alongside other consoles like Xbox, and Nintendo, as well as PC, have helped bring the gaming world the latest trend: Esports.
The team behind NJgames made an infographic indicating that despite its recent surge in market value, Esports has been around since the 80s, but owes it’s recent success to advancements in internet and technology, with improved internet connectivity and online streaming helping the growth of the industry.
The rise of Esports’ popularity has coincided with the release of fan favorite gaming titles which have helped attract even more fans and investors to the gaming sector. The total Esports audience is set to exceed 550 million by 2021, and revenue is also set to triple between now and then.
In partnership with the Northside Hospital Sports Medicine Network in Atlanta, Skillshot Media launches the first Esports Medicine Program to benefit professional SMITE and Paladins esports players and to further medical research in the esports industry.
As esports continues to grow with more organizations, teams, and players entering the scene and playing video games at a highly-competitive level, Skillshot Media, a turnkey esports provider, and Northside Hospital have come together to form a comprehensive esports medical program for SMITE and Paladins esports athletes. Northside will apply existing knowledge of sports science and sports medicine to maximize performance and minimize injury with esports players.
“In discussions with the Northside Hospital Sports Medicine Network, it became clear that they are not only taking early notice of the rising trend of esports injuries, but also aspire to serve our pro players just like athletes in traditional sports — benefiting from nutrition, exercise, rest, and best practices for optimizing performance and prolonging careers,” said Todd Harris, President of Skillshot Media.
“We are thrilled to partner with Northside to provide complementary injury-prevention services for our players and also share ongoing research with the broader esports community”
Skillshot will serve as an esports consultant to help educate Northside about the esports industry, support Northside’s research studies, and run original esports medicine programming.
“As the convergence of technology expands our definitions of ‘athletes and competition,’ Northside Sports Medicine is proud to step into this unique role,” said Dr Vonda Wright MD, Orthopedic Surgeon and Chief of the Northside Hospital Sports Medicine Network. “The growth of esports is a worldwide phenomenon, and Northside is ready to provide elite sports medicine and performance therapy to the professionals of Skillshot Media. Through preventive care and innovative research, we hope to maximize performance while minimizing injury for these pro players, while setting a standard of care for esports athletes at every level.”
Common injuries that frequent esports athletes include carpal tunnel, issues with the lumbar spine, brain fatigue, and ocular strain. As part of this partnership, Northside will provide pre-performance injury screenings for each SMITE and Paladins team, hold weekly endurance training twice a week, and provide a team/league doctor as needed for tournament play. Access to Northside Hospital’s Sports Medicine experts for physical and mental health management, group sports nutrition training, and an injury training room will also be provided to esports athletes.
Though this partnership directly benefits the 90 SMITE and Paladins esports athletes traveling or relocating to Atlanta for the 2019 season, research gained from this partnership will shape new insights and best practices in the emerging athletic field of esports. Topics like injury prevention, documenting injury epidemiology, and measuring mental stamina will be explored in the research and innovation phase of this partnership.
About Skillshot
Based in Alpharetta, GA, Skillshot provides a turnkey esports solution for leading competitive titles, including online and offline tournament organization, industry-leading esports production and active community management. Skillshot has more than five years of esports experience in hosting thousands of global competitors, paying out millions in tournament prizing and serving more than one billion esports views to date.
About Northside Hospital Sports Medicine Network
The Northside Hospital Sports Medicine Network includes a team of clinical experts — orthopedic sports surgeons, non-operative sports medicine doctors, sports performance and concussion experts — who provide high-tech, high-touch evidence-based musculoskeletal care and offer a full complement of surgical and medical consultants, a comprehensive sports concussion program, sports nutrition, physical therapy and a sports performance and innovative research initiative. Locations in Georgia include Atlanta, Alpharetta, Buckhead, Buford, Cumming, East Cobb, Holly Springs, Midtown, Roswell and Woodstock. For more information about the Northside Hospital Sports Medicine Network, call 1–855-NH-SPORT (647–7678).
If your child is a fan of video games, they have likely played or are aware of multiplayer games. These types of games allow friends and strangers from anywhere in the world (as long as they can get an internet connection) to play together in a single game — with countless other games happening at the same time. If your child is a fan of multiplayer online games, and you’re wondering how to keep them safe without stinting their fun, here’s what you need to know.
Start and continue the Tech Talk. Private information about your child should remain, well, private. Their gamer tag should not reveal their name, age, or gender. They should never reveal where they live or what school they go to. Email addresses, phone numbers, photos of their face, and gaming account passwords are also off-limits. Be sure that your child understands you are always available to step in if someone makes them feel uncomfortable while playing a game.
Stranger danger is still something you need to teach your kids but in a new way. Your child should understand that they should never accept an invitation to communicate with another gamer they do not know on a non-gaming platform or app. Remind your child that a stranger is ALWAYS a stranger, even when online interactions may make them seem familiar. In the online world, you never truly know who is behind the screen. Most importantly, your child should never, EVER agree to meet up with a stranger offline.
Even as the intensity builds in a game, always remind your child to communicate with respect and empathy towards fellow players.
Set and share family time limits for gaming. Help your child proactively plan how they game. Watch your child’s gaming habits not from the number of hours played but by behavioral characteristics like withdrawal, compulsion, lying and a shift of values.
Understand the content of each game, before your child starts playing, and decide if it is appropriate for your child. Due diligence should include reading game reviews that may alert you to potential risks of each game or gaming platform. Depending on the age of your gamer, you may want to consider enabling some parental control options. Review what parental controls are available, especially the ones that further your child’s privacy while playing, are available in-game and on the gaming console your child uses.
Know that there is no pause button in live, online gaming! Asking your child to end an online game before a match is completed is akin to walking off the field in the middle of a Friday night football game.
Understand all the ways that strangers could interact with your child as they game. Many online games are designed with built-in voice/video/chat functions. As a parent, have conversations with your child about what he or she may hear, see, or experience in the gaming world. Also, let them know when they need to alert you for help. If your child encounters an incident that needs to be reported, make sure you know how to report inappropriate behavior that occurs on platforms and in games. This can include harassment, hate speech, and toxic language.
Make sure you know who your child is playing with and regularly review the nature of the communications.
The best way to learn more about online gaming is to play a game or two with your kids. Plus, you can show them their gaming world is not an alternative to real life, it’s just one fun aspect of it! In playing games with your child, you can also better explain your concerns to your gamer and in turn, they may develop a deeper understanding and respect for the limits you establish. Before you know it, you may find yourself understanding your child’s love of gaming and establishing quality time to level up together.
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This article was contributed by Savvy Cyber Kids — a nonprofit organization providing free resources to help parents, grandparents, teachers, and students navigate today’s digital world with cyber safety and cyber ethics in mind. By day, Ben Halpert is the VP of Risk and Corporate Security at Ionic Security, Inc. By night, he champions cyber safety and cyber ethics education throughout society. Learn more about Savvy Cyber Kids on their website, and be sure to sign up for free material about internet and digital safety.
This year, we had the honor of being presenting sponsor for The Lionheart School's 19th Annual "Party With Heart" event. It was a wonderful evening full of heart in support of an organization working tirelessly to give kids the skills they need to succeed.
As part of a multi-organization collaboration, Skillshot Media, Johnson STEM Activity Center, The Forever Young Foundation, and Atlanta Public Schools established an esports arena as an extension of the Johnson STEM Activity Center’s operations. The esports arena will be a free resource to students who want to compete in the inaugural season of varsity esports programs in the state of Georgia.
“Skillshot seeks to foster community via esports,” said Todd Harris, President of Skillshot Media.
“Esports cultivates discipline, teamwork and good sportsmanship as well as STEM skill development. This new venue and partnership will greatly expand access to the local community.”
8 to 80 zones are a collaboration between NFL Hall of Fame Quarterback and Founder of the Forever Young Foundation Steve Young and former NFL player Jerry Rice. This service provides youth in underserved communities the skills they need to pursue careers in technology and media.
“Jerry and I continually seek to reach the youth we serve ‘where they are’,” said Steve Young. “We want to stimulate their minds and creativity by utilizing platforms they are already passionate about.”
Skillshot Media provided technological and infrastructural direction in constructing the 3,500 square-feet addition to the Johnson Stem Activity Center. The esports arena is a state-of-the-art facility that allows students to hone their skills as they compete in season one of the Georgia High School varsity esports program. Teams from around the metro area will be transported from their school to the arena at no charge.
“Not every school has the financial resources to support an esports team,” said Dr. Lonnie Johnson, Atlanta inventor and Founder of the Johnson STEM Activity Center. “Our arena will level the playing field and allow anyone with the desire to compete to play for a state championship.”
In addition, the space is a classroom that provides students with hands-on training in broadcast production, online streaming, audio engineering, video editing, and game development.
About Skillshot
Based in Alpharetta, GA, Skillshot Media provides a turnkey esports solution for leading competitive titles, including online and offline tournament organization, industry-leading esports production and active community management. Skillshot has more than five years of esports experience in hosting thousands of global competitors, paying out millions in tournament prizing and serving more than one billion esports views to date.
About Johnson STEM Activity Center
Since 2007, the Johnson STEM Activity Center has been providing free STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) resources to Georgia’s most underrepresented communities. With over 2,000 students annually, JSAC is a major reason Georgia leads the nation in African American students involved in robotics.
We recently released a list of the competitive esports organizations that will compete in Paladins Premier League and SMITE Pro League in 2019.
As part of a multiyear franchise, eight organizations will compete in the Paladins Premier League (PPL). Signed teams consist of new and returning organizations to PPL, including Natus Vincere, Pittsburgh Knights, Ninjas in Pyjamas, Spacestation Gaming, Renegades, Virtus Pro, Kanga Esports, and Team Envy. Team roster reveals will occur at a later date.
Announced last week, ten organizations will compete in the SMITE Pro League (SPL) in 2019. Signed organizations include Splyce, eUnited, Spacestation, SK Gaming, Trifecta, Pittsburgh Knights, Renegades, Team Rival, Dignitas, and Luminosity.
Team rosters are available here: https://esports.smitegame.com/news/smite-pro-league-2019-season-6-rosters
In 2019, all PPL and SPL regular season games will be held on-site at the Skillshot Media Studio in Alpharetta, GA. As such, at least 90 pro esports players will be moving to the metro-Atlanta area or traveling to compete. This relocation is intended to help Skillshot provide players with a better competitive environment, provide fans with an upgraded production experience on broadcast, and supply additional esports shoulder content throughout the season.
For more information about PPL, visit: https://esports.paladins.com/ For more information about SPL, visit: https://esports.smitegame.com
About Skillshot
Based in Alpharetta, GA, Skillshot provides a turnkey esports solution for leading competitive titles, including online and offline tournament organization, industry-leading esports production and active community management. Skillshot has more than five years of esports experience in hosting thousands of global competitors, paying out millions in tournament prizing and serving more than one billion esports views to date.
