Initiative Aims to Provide Financial Partners with a Card Program Featuring a Loyalty and Esports Component that Caters to Gen Z’s Tastes
NEW YORK — ESL FACEIT Group, the leading esports and video game entertainment company, today announced a partnership with Level Infinite Group to launch the PUBG MOBILE Esports Card Program for payment systems and financial institutions. The program is the first of its kind, combining esports, card benefits and streamer engagement into a single, cohesive offering.
This initiative will redefine the intersection of esports and financial services, to encompass a diverse range of card issuers in retail banking, fintechs, and telecom operators across MENA and Europe, excluding India, South Korea and China. The PUBG MOBILE Esports Card Program represents a unique opportunity for financial institutions to differentiate themselves from their competition, drive new card sign-ups and increase usage among a highly engaged gaming and esports audience.
“This program in partnership with PUBG MOBILE Level Infinite Group offers financial institutions a unique avenue to capture and engage a major share of Gen Z audience and seamlessly integrates the excitement of esports and gaming into everyday financial products,” said Eugene Zelenyi, Senior Director, Global Brand Partnerships at ESL FACEIT Group. “The partners of this groundbreaking initiative do not have to choose between awareness and performance: with a product offering that combines card product acquisition, usage, and audience awareness at scale, all-in-one.
To capture the attention of Gen Zers, the PUBG MOBILE Esports Card Program leverages a turnkey solution for financial institutions looking to enhance their appeal to younger customers. This unique card proposition goes beyond traditional offerings and engages these consumers with the type of added value that matters most to them.
The PUBG MOBILE Esports Card Program is built on three core pillars designed to maximize engagement and value for both partners and users:
- Esports Competitions
- Naming Rights: Partners will secure naming rights for the PUBG MOBILE Club Open (PMCO), a grassroots tournament linked to the PUBG MOBILE Professional Circuit.
- Bootcamps: Organize and run bootcamps for the most talented PMCO participants, fostering deeper engagement with the gaming community and building brand loyalty.
- IP and In-Game Value
- Exclusive Card Designs: Access unique card designs featuring PUBG MOBILE game and esports IP.
- In-Game Rewards: Distribute in-game items and UC (Unknown Cash) to players based on their card spending, enhancing the value proposition for cardholders.
- Creators and Content
- Creator Partnerships: Collaborate with top PUBG MOBILE creators across multiple markets to generate content around the brand and the card program, increasing visibility and engagement.
- Activations: Utilize creator IP and activations to add excitement and exclusivity to the card program.
By partnering with EFG, financial institutions will benefit from a seamless integration process. EFG will act as the program manager, hosting esports competitions, managing creator engagements, providing Level Infinite rights, and offering an API for automated UC distribution, allowing PUBG MOBILE Esports Card Program partners access to all of these programs without the need to divert valuable resources toward them.
The PUBG MOBILE Esports Card Program targets key markets in MENA, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Egypt, as well as top markets in Europe such as Turkey, Germany, Romania and Poland. This regional focus ensures the program resonates with local audiences while maintaining a global appeal.
For potential partnership inquiries, please contact Eugene Zelenyi at E.Zelenyi@efg.gg. For more information on ESL FACEIT Group, visit eslfaceitgroup.com and follow EFG on LinkedIn.
About ESL FACEIT Group
ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) is the leading esports and video game entertainment company dedicated to creating worlds beyond gameplay where players and fans become a community. EFG is built on a legacy of world-renowned brands, including ESL, FACEIT, DreamHack and DreamHack Sports Games, providing innovative ecosystems for global communities of players, fans and creators around the games they love. With leading partners, brands and global IPs, EFG operates an unmatched portfolio of live events, digital platforms and developer tools.
About PUBG MOBILE
PUBG MOBILE is based on PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, the phenomenon that took the world of interactive entertainment by storm in 2017. Up to 100 players parachute onto a remote island to battle in a winner-takes-all showdown. Players must locate and scavenge their own weapons, vehicles and supplies, and defeat every player in a visually and tactically rich battleground that forces players into a shrinking play zone. PUBG MOBILE is co-developed by LIGHTSPEED STUDIOS of Tencent Games and KRAFTON, Inc.
