GamingMalta

Oct 22, 2022

A British writer covering indie and retro gaming, esports, and more. Got it! Got it! getty If you’re asked to name cities that regularly give the biggest stage to elite-level esports, several come to mind: Cologne, Katowice, Shanghai to name a few. However, an entire country has now pledged itself to one of the industry’s most prestigious championships–and with it, it not only hopes to transform the global esports landscape but the fortunes and development of the nation as a whole. With a population of just over 500,000–similar to Sacramento or Atlanta–the Mediterranean island of Malta may seem like a surprising choice for the center of competitive gaming. However, it has form. Over the last two decades, the world’s tenth-smallest country has transformed itself into a hub of online gambling and now wants to leverage its advanced technological infrastructure to become a paradise for competitive gamers. Following years of negotiations, Malta engineered a deal with ESL Pro League –the world’s most prestigious CS:GO tournament–for the next three years, beginning with Season 16, which culminated with a close-run 3-2 victory for Team Vitality, overcoming former champions Team Liquid on October 2 for a maiden title in the sunny climes of Naxxar, Malta. It was a long time coming for the Maltese government, after years of careful planning–but despite its best efforts, its major partnership with the ESL Faceit Group nearly never came to fruition. From the jaws of defeat GamingMalta–the independent, non-profit foundation founded in 2015 by the Government of Malta and the Malta Gaming Authority–was tasked with securing an agreement with a major esports league. In 2020, after two years of negotiation, it finally put pen to paper with ESL Pro League, quickly delivering on its mission to promote Malta as a center of excellence in the gaming sector. MORE FOR YOU Ivan Filletti, the chief operating officer of GamingMalta, remembers the dramatic event all too well. “I remember it being one of the most difficult telephone calls I had to make,” he says. “The teams were about to get on the plane to Malta. I’m not bluffing; they were coming to Malta, and ESL had its production team here already. Our prime minister held a press conference to say we’re shutting down the island. I had to call and say, ‘hey, guys, turn back. It’s not happening.’” Filletti is a gregarious character who embodies his country’s esports ambitions, with an incredible passion for making Malta a global hub of esports. What’s more, he firmly believes his nation has everything the industry needs to deliver to its global fanbase. Instead of giving up, GamingMalta redoubled its efforts and secured victory from the jaws of defeat. In August, at Gamescom 2022 in Cologne, Filletti, Malta’s economy minister Silvio Schembri and ESL Gaming CEO and co-founder Ralf Reichert signed a second deal that guarantees the island will host five season finals in total, taking it through to the end of Season 20 in 2024. L-R: ESL co-CEO and founder Ralf Reichert; Maltese minister for the economy Silvio Schembri; and ... [+] GamingMalta chief operating officer Ivan Filletti, signing the deal that puts ESL Pro League in Malta until 2024, at Gamescom 2022. Viola Sophie Schuldner “We’re in this for the long haul,” says Filletti. “It shows the commitment of our government that, you know, we did not pull back, but said, ‘hey, let’s discuss with ESL to see how we make this partnership work.’ “We’re very humble about it. A lot of the work went into creating our venues over the last two years, and we’re still building that up. There isn’t yet a venue specifically for esports on the island. Still, we’ve got the hotels, we’ve got the conference venues, the facilities, the beaches, and also looking ahead, our national heritage sites.” Alex Inglot, the Commissioner of ESL Pro League, agrees. “Malta meets and exceeds our expectations and we’re very happy with this partnership,” he says. “Two things stand out: firstly, it’s a beautiful place, full stop. As a summer venue, it gives six beautiful weeks, and our teams and players love being there. It’s just a glorious place to be. “[Secondly], what really stuck out to us was they were with us through the hard times. Instead of going ‘well, come back to us when we can do it,’ they doubled down and became a sponsor. They saw it as a great opportunity to showcase the country; the Malta imagery was still very much there, even if we were in the studio or in Düsseldorf. “All of the teams are really appreciative of the support they’ve given them. We know they’re doing great work, they’re committed, and they gave us long-term backing that continued through the hard times. That kind of support, it’s not common. We don’t forget.” Inglot also highlights that while the Pro League deal represents one of the biggest deals ever made by GamingMalta, it’s not their “one shot” at the industry–it’s part of a grander scheme to transform the island’s fortunes on a grander scale. Malta’s grand plan For Filletti, ESL represents the perfect foundation for something greater. “We needed a strong partner who can help us to build the ecosystem, organize local events, and take us on a zero-to-hero journey,” he says. “That’s why we found the best partnership would be with ESL. At this stage, we’re being proved right; they’re excellent partners. But now we’ve got ESL, we’re also nurturing a local esports ecosystem. Strategically, it’s a no-brainer.” The ESL Pro League trophy will be lifted by five champions in Malta. Helena Kristiansson Filletti explains that the Malta Esports Federation is actively learning from ESL and working with leisure providers to organize online and live events. Key players in Malta’s domestic esports scene are creating more opportunities to develop local talent; Level Academy runs esports educational programs with schools, while World Pro Racing is hoping to transform Maltese gamers into sim racing experts through its advanced facility. GamingMalta has also signed an agreement with Unity, as part of its Center of Excellence program, to train the country’s students. “What’s interesting is that we get a lot of foreign students learning English here. Now think about it, what if we extend that also to students coming here to Malta to learn English and esports?” GamingMalta’s goal is to not only have true competitors but also secure the next generation of experts in what is, as Filletti describes, a “war for talent” that would otherwise pull people away from the island. Looking past the athletes themselves, his organization is already encouraging parents, children, and schools alike to embrace new technologies and specialisms in their personal development. “You don’t need to be a traditional sports athlete to form part of the esports world,” he says. “We need talent in broadcasting, in SEO marketing, project management, broadcasting, design… we need to show our people how there is a world around this that isn’t ‘just playing games’. You can make a career out of it.” Beyond 2024 for ESL and Malta Until at least 2024, the ESL Pro League will supercharge GamingMalta’s lofty ambitions for global esports dominance. After then, it’ll be on Malta to assess ESL’s value and pitch again or look elsewhere for new opportunities with other games and partners. Commissioner Inglot remains open-minded about the relationship, which promises four more season finales. “Who knows what beyond 2024 will look like?” he says. “ESL is committed to global expansion and exploration. But it may be that Malta comes to us and asks for another multi-year deal. I would be certainly surprised if they didn’t. If you’re trying to build something, I think that stability or credibility comes from a longer and longer relationship. “Still, it’s really difficult for me to predict what’s going to happen, you know, especially in esports, which is so fast-moving. So, options are open, but we’re all-in on Malta for now.” Filletti, too, remains quietly confident but doesn’t know what the future will bring. “We’ll continue to build our local esports ecosystem, the infrastructure, and one has to see the results that one gets after three years,” he says. “We’ll assess that and see how best to move forward. Depending on the budgets we have, we’re open to any organizations to partner with on esports. “Malta is open for business.” Follow me on  Twitter  or  LinkedIn . Check out my  website .