International esports organization Team Liquid announced the continuation of its Eve Ascension series, with a focus on popular MMO World of Warcraft. In collaboration with presenting partner PC maker Alienware and WoW platform RaiderIO, Team Liquid plans to launch two World of Warcraft tournaments this year.
Team Liquid describes Eve Ascension as a “game-agnostic series developed by Team Liquid in 2022 to elevate inclusive communities for marginalized gender gamers” through a variety of activities including “tournaments, events, and community initiatives.”
Registration for the first event opens on May 17 and will begin with a two-week qualifier period starting on May 28. During that time, teams can sign up for RaiderIO and compete for a spot in the main event, with the top four teams at the end of the qualifying period earning an invite to participate in the live tournament on June 29, which will be broadcast on Team Liquid’s Twitch channel.
“We are thrilled to continue the Eve Ascension series in 2024 with not one, but two World of Warcraft tournaments,” said Olivia Wong, event manager at Team Liquid. “The success of Eve Ascension since its launch in 2022 has been a testament to the importance of creating inclusive spaces and high-level competition for marginalized gender gamers. We are grateful for the ongoing support of our partners Alienware and RaiderIO in making these events possible.”
The total prize pool for the first tournament is $10K USD, with first place taking home $5K, second place earning $2.5K, third place receiving $1K, and fourth place winning $500. In addition to the main prize pool, there will be “five bounties” worth $200 each, awarded to the first team to complete specific milestones during the event.
More details for the second Eve Ascension World of Warcraft tournament in 2024 will be announced at a later date.
More details on the event can be found at tl.gg/eveascension.
While the Eve Ascension series is about supporting marginalized genders, the organization has faced public criticism for its participation in Gamers8 last year and its expected participation in the Esports World Cup this summer—both of which are owned and operated by the Saudi Arabian government. Same-sex relationships/sexual activity are prohibited in Saudi Arabia by law, according to Equaldex, while male guardianship over women is also codified in law (meaning women may need permission from a male guardian in order to do certain things, such as travel on their own, as an example).