Press release

Competitive VR Esports is Back: X8 Launches Inaugural League with $10,000 Prize Pool

Renowned Japanese virtual reality game developers, Thirdverse Inc. will partner with United States-based VR esports organization, Virtual Athletics League, to launch the competitive esports league for the free-to-play VR game, X8, this September.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - August 29, 2023 – The future of VR esports is about to expand as players and fans alike prepare for the fall, 2023, X8 League. The eight-week season will kick-off on September 25, 2023, with an official pre-season beginning on September 4, 2023. Players will form their own teams and compete in a 5v5 demolition match each week to climb the rankings and aim for a piece of the $10,000 cash prize pool.

The launch of this new exhilarating league by Thirdverse will bring the world of virtual reality gaming to the forefront of competitive esports entertainment once again and open up more opportunities for VR enthusiasts to connect with new players and teams. The league adopts a skill-based matchmaking system (MMR) across the season, ensuring riveting matches that will captivate players and observers alike. Each match is a best-of-three-maps encounter, intensifying gameplay excitement.
 
Players keen to partake in this historic event are encouraged to sign up via the official website:
https://valvr.com/seasons/2/x8-preseason
 
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About X8
X8 is a thrilling 5v5 shooter game where a diverse cast of heroes from different FPS franchises
meet and battle against each other in interactive, competitive rounds. Each hero has access to
three special abilities and their hero-specific items offer situational advantages. Players can use funds to purchase an extensive loadout of weapons, armor, and items to equip their heroes with during each round. The objective is to deploy a ‘Syphon’ at specific sites on the map during an attack or deactivate it within 30 seconds using ‘The Defuser’ during defense. If the defenders eliminate all attackers and prevent deployment of the Syphon or defuse a deployed Syphon, they win the round.  Attackers win if the Syphon detonates. One session of X8’s gameplay consists of 14 rounds, first to 8 or drawing at 7/7 (subject to change).
 
About Thirdverse, Co., Ltd
Founded in 2020, Thirdverse, Co., Ltd is a virtual reality game development, distribution and management company paving the path to the metaverse with two studios in Japan and the United States.
 
In August 2022, the studio launched its next-generation sword-fighting VR title “ALTAIR BREAKER'' for Meta Quest 2 and PCVR. In September, Thirdverse announced a new multiplayer VR tactical hero shooter title called “X8'' developed by its US Studio, and exhibited the game to the public for the first time at the Tokyo Game Show 2022. In November, they announced that both titles are joining the lineup for PlayStation®VR2. Currently, Thirdverse plans to strengthen the recruitment of VR game creators for the development of new titles, scheduled for release in 2023 and beyond. For more information, visit www.thirdverse.io
 
(C) Thirdverse, Co., Ltd
 
About The Virtual Athletics League (Virtualities, Inc)
Founded on the idea that VR esports is a social and technological revolution, Virtual Athletics League combines the best elements from electronic and traditional sports. VAL works with content creators across all major social media platforms to market VR game developers and titles. To support their creators, VAL hosts the largest bi-annual VR tournament, known as the VR Summer and Winter Games, in addition to conventional marketing efforts.
 
Stay updated with the latest news from X8 on social media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlayX8VR
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/playx8vr
Discord: https://discord.gg/VZbfMX4wc4