Look Sports Media – Esports Charts, a leading analytics platform, has ignited a fierce debate within the esports community by announcing a boycott of the 2025 BRICS Tekken 8 tournament held in Moscow. The Ukraine-born company, citing Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, refused to track or list the tournament on its site, a move that underscores the growing intersection of geopolitics and the esports industry.
The boycott, announced on June 2nd via X (formerly Twitter), declares Esports Charts’ commitment to "uphold ethical analytics." This means the BRICS tournament, concluded on June 1st, will be absent from all organizational profiles and prize pool tracking on the platform. No related analytical news will be published either.
Esports Charts, owned by AWERTI, a data intelligence company, provides in-depth audience analytics, tracking trends across the esports landscape, including tournament metrics and betting data. While their focus is corporate, their platform enjoys significant engagement from fans tracking team and organization performance. The company’s core founders are Ukrainian nationals.
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The boycott has sparked a mixed reaction. While some applaud the stance, others question the ethical lines drawn, particularly given Esports Charts’ continued coverage of the Esports World Cup, which is backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. This has led to criticism regarding Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, mirroring the recent withdrawal of GeoGuessr from the same event due to community pressure. A user on X, @4zuriii, directly questioned Esports Charts’ selective coverage, asking, "so you will not cover EWC too, right?" Esports Charts has yet to respond to such inquiries.
This situation sets a significant precedent. It highlights the growing pressure on esports organizations to consider ethical implications beyond pure competition, forcing a difficult conversation about balancing business interests with moral stances in a globalized industry. The Esports Charts boycott serves as a stark reminder that the world of competitive gaming is not immune to the complexities of international relations.
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