SHENZHEN, China, 17 March 2021 – Huawei, the leading global technology company, has announced that Huawei Assistant – its AI-based one-stop tool which quickly helps users find services and information they need from one place at a single swipe– will be the first virtual smartphone assistant to support an Esports ‘card’, providing up to the minute scores, results and news from major gaming events, leagues and tournaments all over the world.
With the number of Esports enthusiasts in Europe expected to rise by 8.2% to 113 million users by 2023¹, Huawei is exclusively partnering with live score app developer SofaScore to integrate its new Esports discipline into the Assistant. The Esports market is growing rapidly across Europe, with global revenues estimated to reach $1.1 billion dollars and a global audience of 495 million viewers in the next three years².
SofaScore, which is listed on AppGallery, specialises in detailed sports data and analytics provided in real time from sports events, leagues and championships all over the world. It is available in over 30 languages³ and covers more than 20 disciplines with over 20 million monthly active users. The new Esports function will provide Huawei smartphone users with all the information they need to keep up with the latest in three major leagues:
- CS:GO (Counter-Strike: Global Offensive);
- Dota 2 (Defense of the Ancients 2)
- LoL (League of Legends).
By integrating with Huawei Assistant, users will be able to swipe left to access the SofaScore Esports ‘card’, alongside the many other smart cards that provide useful notifications and reminders based on personalised needs and specific usage scenarios. From the news and weather through to the stock market or forthcoming flight information, depending on personal user choice. Users can specifically mark the Esports games, teams or topics they are interested in tracking, and the AI Tips function in Huawei Assistant will ensure they receive results and real time alerts for these choices.
SofaScore will also provide links to live streams of games in the card feature, and these can be displayed on multiple platforms, depending on the league, game, category, or the owner of the tournament. Streams typically feature on major platforms⁴.
“Interest in Esports is booming, and has now even accelerated in part thanks to many people spending more time at home. Players, enthusiasts and occasional viewers are increasingly expecting being able to easily follow and watch Esports on their mobiles, particularly younger generations, many of whom are located in the Nordic countries and in Eastern and Central Europe,” commented Derek Yu, VP Huawei CEE & Nordic at Huawei Consumer BG. “By coming to this exclusive partnership with SofaScore, we are bringing the exciting world of Esports to Huawei smartphone users. They can now easily keep up with the latest action, scores and fixtures, through the virtual Assistant and in real time.”
“SofaScore is all about providing the best user experience in following and enjoying sports. We go to great lengths to not only listen to our users but also to give them that extra mile. Our partnership with Huawei is a true testament to that philosophy. We’ve ventured into esports by providing the best possible experience for our current and new users. The results we’ve seen so far proves we are going in the right direction”, said Ivan Bešlić, COO at SofaScore.
