Guild Esports . Regulatory News (GILD)

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Press release

19 November 2020

Guild Esports PLC

("Guild Esports" or "the Company")

Entry into Fortnite with debut pro-player signing

Guild Esports, a UK-based owner and developer of esports teams (LSE:GILD), is pleased to announce its entry into Fortnite, a hugely popular battle royal online multiplayer game developed by Epic Games, with the signing of top-ranked professional player Nikolaj Andreas Frøslev ('Flikk').

The signing of Flikk marks Guild's move into its fourth esports discipline and is the first of several Fortnite player appointments which the Company will announce in due course. The new players will join Guild's existing rosters competing in Valorant, a 5v5 multiplayer tactical shooter; Rocket League, a motor-racing and soccer hybrid game; and FIFA, the eponymous football franchise.

Flikk achieved notable success by finishing in the top three in the FNCS (Fortnite Champion Series) Trio Finals this month and is also a two-time winner of the Champion Cash Cup. Flikk, ranked as the No.16 best player in Europe, is widely regarded as an industry "one-to-watch" and has won over $100,000 in tournament prize pools to date.

Flikk has signed a one-year contract, with Guild having an option to renew for another year, and will receive an annual salary and performance incentives. He will be competing under the Guild banner in all upcoming European and international Fortnite tournaments including the culminating event of Epic Games' Marvel Super Series, the $1M Super Cup on 21 November.

Since its release by Epic Games in 2017, Fortnite has become a global cultural phenomenon with 350 million players worldwide as of May 2020. The title has achieved mainstream success and signed brand deals with Marvel and Disney. Similarly, the title has achieved record-breaking viewing figures on the video streaming service Twitch. In October 2020, Fortnite events on Twitch achieved peak viewers of 488,650, making it the platform's fourth most popular title.

Commensurate with its position as one of the most popular esports, the total prize pool for Fortnite competitions stood at $64.42m in 2019 (Source: Statista), the biggest cumulative esports prize pool for any game that year.

Guild's launch into Fortnite will introduce the Company to large new audiences and enhance its social reach with the esports' highly engaged digital audiences. Flikk has a combined social media following of 237,900 across his social channels, comprising 35,800 followers on Instagram, 60,800 YouTube subscribers, 67,200 followers on Twitch, and 74,100 on Twitter.

Carleton Curtis, Executive Chairman, said: "Fortnite has achieved tremendous success and is one of the most important games of our generation. Guild is excited to join the thriving global Fortnite community and our entry into this esport is one of our biggest plays so far as we realise our ambitions to compete in the industry's most popular titles. We have big plans for Fortnite and look forward to creating engaging content and esports entertainment for its huge audience.

"We are also proud to welcome Flikk to the Guild family. Aged just 17, he is already a talented young player with huge potential and we have high hopes for him. Guild and our academy system will support him to win tournaments and succeed at the highest level."

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About Guild Esports:

Guild Esports PLC is a global fan-focussed team organisation and lifestyle brand that fields professional players in gaming competitions under the Guild banner. Our in-house training academy aims to attract and nurture the best esports talent, and our goal is to provide the ultimate entertainment experience alongside a distinctive lifestyle brand authentic to the esports community worldwide. Guild is led by an experienced management team of esports veterans and is co-owned by David Beckham. The company is headquartered in the UK and its shares are listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange.