German esports organization Berlin International Gaming (BIG) announced that it has entered into the competitive world of Fortnite and signed two professional players—Lycian “Kiduoo” Kubelt and Troy “Kiro” Alexis.
BIG said in a release that this expansion is part of its “long-term strategy to enhance its presence in global gaming and esports ecosystems.”
Of course, the duo, who had a third-place showing at the recent European Fortnite Championship, was mainly signed to compete at the Esports World Cup this summer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. BIG, like other esports organizations, is exploring new esports in part because the Saudi government-backed Esports World Cup Foundation is providing financial incentives for organizations that sign new rosters to compete in the myriad of titles being presented during the eight-week-long event.
BIG said that it plans to sign at least two more Fortnite pros so that it can participate in 4v4 format competitions in the future.
“We are excited to announce BIG’s strategic entry into Fortnite, a decision that has been carefully planned for an extensive period,” says Daniel Finkler, CEO of BIG. “With Fortnite’s massive global appeal, we see tremendous potential, especially in the DACH region. We’re excited to welcome elite talents like Kiro and Kiduoo to our team. Fortnite is more than a game, it’s a cultural phenomenon that unites millions. At BIG, we’re excited to bring our unique style to this dynamic landscape and enhance the global gaming experience.”
BIG added in its announcement that it is committed to the long-term development of a larger presence within the Fortnite community, which includes new initiatives such as a creator program and custom map designs, aimed at engaging fans.
BIG currently fields professional teams and players in Counter-Strike 2 (including an academy-level team called BIG Academy and Iberian team BIG EQUIPA), League of Legends (including an all-women/non-binary team called BIG Chroma), Starcraft II, Quake, Trackmania, and TEKKEN. It also runs Go BIG League, a German-speaking FACEIT hub in the DACH region.