PUBG Corp. is currently hosting its very first tournament for its popular title PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds – titled the PUBG Global Invitational (PGI) – and its monitor partner for the $2,000,000 event (£1,525,650) is ZOWIE.
The news was announced by ZOWIE – which is a brand by BenQ built specifically for competitive gaming – during the first day of play.
The exact monitor in question is the ZOWIE XL2411P and is in use by every single member of the 20 teams in attendance – including top organisations such as Team Liquid, Natus Vincere, and Gen.G (previously known as KSV eSports).
It appears that the extent of this partnership is strictly the use of ZOWIE’s monitor, as the brand’s logo hasn’t been on display physically at the event nor in digital means. This means that the sole sponsor of PGI is Intel, who is providing hardware and software for both the first-person and third-person competitions.
In the past, ZOWIE has been involved as a sponsor or partner for both the eXTREMESLAND CS:GO Asia Open and DreamHack Open 2016. The brand was announced to be an esports-specific effort from BenQ – which has its own range of monitors for gaming – in late 2015.
The PUBG Global Invitational is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the plans that PUBG Corp. has in store for the esports side of the game. Earlier this week, it was revealed that the developer has a five-year strategy that includes four regional pro leagues, a revenue-sharing system, and an annual world championship.
Esports Insider says: For an event the size of PGI, it’s quite surprising to see only one blatant sponsor involved – though it is a major one in the form of Intel – so it’s sweet to discover another brand that PUBG Corp. is working with for the tournament.