Game developer EA SPORTS and esports production company DreamHack Sports Games will host the NHL 23 World Championship finals, the first of its kind since 2019.
The tournament will see top NHL esports players from North America and Europe compete for its $50,000 (~£39,000) prize pool in Nashville, Tennessee on June 27th 2023. The tournament will be produced by DreamHack Sports Games, a subsidiary of the ESL FACEIT Group.
The tournament is the largest in the new season of NHL Esports, which was rebranded and expanded ahead of its sixth competitive season. The NHL has doubled down on esports efforts with more matches, branded segments and activations, which will culminate during the grand finals in the USA later this year.
According to DreamHack Sports Games and EA SPORTS, the current NHL esports season saw 65 times more games than its real-world counterpart. The season itself saw players representing 32 NHL teams compete in two regions, with more than 80,000 games played during the regular season.
The event will take place outside the Bridgestone Arena, the home of NHL team Nashville Predators. The World Championship will take place in between the 2023 NHL Awards and the Upper Deck NHL Draft. The tournament will also see NFL Draft players visit and greet fans.
The four best NHL esports players, consisting of winners and runners-up from Europe and North America, will get the chance to take home the $50,000 (~£39,000) prize, $28,000 (~£22,000) of which goes to the winner.
The NHL 23 World Championship is supported by Japanese car manufacturer Honda, Scotiabank and hair salon chain Great Clips.
