MUMBAI: The Star Group has formed a three-party joint venture with DirecTV and BSkyB and will invest in the first international professional video gaming league called Championship Gaming Series (CGS).

Launched in 2007, CGS offers players the chance to become professional gamers and win cash prize money through a series of online competitions, regional qualifying events in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia and an international World Championship final in the USA.

In Asia, CGS will host a series of qualifying events in China, South Korea, Australia and Dubai prior to the CGS Regional Championship to be held in October. Four teams of 10 players will be selected to represent Asia at the CGS World Championship in Los Angeles in November.

Star will produce content for the Asian series and will have access to footage from global CGS events. It will broadcast the League on its channels, which have a reach of over 300 million viewers across Asia.

Star chief operating officer Laureen Ong said, “We are thrilled to be part of such an important global franchise that enables us to forge an instant connection with the fast growing community of gamers across the region and worldwide. We believe that the league’s reality-competition format and vigorous elimination process will have a mass appeal and provide viewers – gamers and non-gamers alike – an unprecedented viewing experience.”

CGS commissioner Andy Reif added, “With a large and fast growing portion of the world’s gamers residing in Asia, this region will be pivotal for the growth and development of CGS. We very much look forward to developing the popularity of this sport and we are confident that with its vast resources across the region, Star will play an integral part in the launch and ongoing success of the league.”