On the back of six highly successful years, the MotoGP™ eSport Championship continues to innovate in a variety of ways in 2022. After debuting in 2020, the Rising Stars Series, an eSport talent promotion initiative, returns for a third year and gets underway in September – played, as ever, on the official MotoGP™22 from videogame developer, publisher and longstanding partner Milestone.
Aimed at finding and fostering fresh eSport talent around the world, the Rising Stars Series mirrors Road to MotoGP™ initiatives out on track such as the Red Bull MotoGP™ Rookies Cup, the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup and more, as it seeks to promote young talent towards the pinnacle of the sport.
Two seasons in, and the results already speak for themselves. Of the eleven riders competing in this year’s MotoGP™ eSport Global Series, one - PieroRicciuti55 – first came to the world’s attention in the inaugural Rising Stars Series, and have climbed to MotoGP™ eSport’s blue riband event in a short period! As well as that, two other Rising Stars Series alumni – Vindex813, and U-Mastru21 – are competing in this year’s Global Series.
There have been changes to streamline the series in 2022. The programme consists of three Online Challenges, where results will be separated by three World Regions (the Americas, Europe and Africa, Asia and Oceania). This year, there will be just one final to determine the winner, with the top four gamers from each region qualifying.
The series kicks off in September and the winner gets a guaranteed place in the 2023 MotoGP™ eSport Championship Pro Draft. 2022 MotoGP™ eSport Official Riders will not be able to compete in the Rising Stars Series.
The Rising Stars Series comprises two phases: the Online Regional Challenges and the Online Final. Gamers will be divided into three categories, depending on their location: Americas (North and South), Europe and Africa, and finally, Asia and Oceania.
The Online Regional Challenges (Qualifiers) are disputed in time attack mode and run throughout September, with the gamers who achieve the fastest lap times awarded points. Only the fastest laps count and each Challenge is played on three different tracks with three different machines and riders.
The four gamers from each region who have the most points from each region after the final Challenge will qualify for the final outright, set to be held on 19th October. They are online only, disputed on the PC and each will be held on different virtual circuits, with the winners of each Online Regional Final awarded a place in the 2023 MotoGPؑ™ eSport Pro Draft.
More info on the calendar here:
Stay tuned across social media on motogp.com and esport.motogp.com, as well as across all the official MotoGP™ eSport social media platforms including YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Twitch, and Facebook.
