Engine Media's UMG Gaming and UMG.TV to kick off full season platform for Gears 5

TORONTO, Aug. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- After successfully managing the Gears 5 Spring Online Major and Season Finals events for Xbox Game Studios The Coalition, UMG has been awarded an expanded partnership to oversee management and operations for the upcoming official season of Gears Esports to the Engine Media (TSX-V: GAME) (OTCQB: MLLLD) esports competition and broadcast experts.

As an official partner with Gears Esports, UMG will kick-off the new season for North and Latin America in September; managing the day-to-day competition platform supporting the esports series, and delivering the live streaming experience for the competition on UMG.TV and Twitch.tv/UMGGaming.

The expert pro gamers won't be the only ones doing battle; UMG will also handle management for the Pro League, Major Events (similar to the recently completed finals) and Weekly Challenger competitions.

Last season, Engine Media's UMG stepped in for the first-ever Spring Online Major for Gears Esports in May, successfully shifting the event from an in-person competition to an all-digital experience.

Building on that success, UMG repeated that role for the recent Gears Esports Season Finals and now the esports competition and broadcast division of Engine Media will take the reins for the next complete season of Gears Esports over the next 10 months.

"We are very proud to have earned this opportunity to partner with The Coalition as they become a platform affiliate for every single component of the championship," said Engine Media COO, Darcy Lorincz.

"This is a wildly popular Xbox game and our team did a brilliant job for the Gears community to handle the first ever online Major earlier this year and then repeat that with a faultlessly run and streamed season finals.

"Both sides of the UMG house - both UMG Gaming and UMG.TV - did an exceptional job and we're very excited to have earned this opportunity to extend the partnership across an entire season."

The upcoming season will feature a Pro League of 12 teams from North America and Latin America. There will be three total "splits." Each team will play in the Pro League streamed by UMG twice a week.

Additionally, UMG will run weekly competitions on the platform for amateur players (called "Challenger Players") giving them an opportunity to compete each week and climb the standings in hopes of qualifying for the Pro League themselves.

Gears of War is one of Xbox's longest standing franchises dating back to 2006. It is a unique, third-person tactical shooter where teams of five compete.

"UMG has been an excellent partner for Gears Esports. They played a critical role in helping us successfully stage two online Major events at the end of last season," said Dana Sissons, Communications Director for Gears of War. "They understand the unique passion of Gears Esports and have a strong vision for the upcoming official season of Gears Esports."

Engine Media's UMG features two divisions: UMG Gaming and UMG.TV. UMG Gaming is a leading esports tournament platform running competitions across major titles including Gears of War, Fortnite, Valorant, Call of Duty, Rocket League, NBA2K, Madden 21 and more.

UMG.TV streams live and on-demand esports events featuring some of the world's leading gamers; supporting your favorite college teams in head-to-head competition and delivering fans the latest content in the world of esports via headline shows including UMG Rewind.

Recently renamed from Torque Esports, Engine Media is a multi-platform media group leading the charge in esports, news streaming and gaming. The completion of the merger between Torque, Frankly Media and WInView Games (originally announced in March of this year) brings together a unique combination of esports content, streaming technology, gaming platforms, data analytics and intellectual property.

Engine Media is focused on new, live, and immersive esports and interactive gaming experiences through partnerships with traditional and emerging media companies.

About Engine Media Holdings, Inc.
Engine Media is focused on accelerating new, live, immersive esports and interactive gaming experiences for consumers through its partnerships with traditional and emerging media companies. The company was formed through the combination of Torque Esports Corp., Frankly Inc., and WinView, Inc. and trades publicly under the ticker symbol (TSX-V: GAME) (OTCQB: MLLLD).  Engine Media will generate revenue through a combination of: direct-to-consumer and subscription fees; streaming technology and data SaaS-based offerings; programmatic advertising and sponsorships; as well as intellectual property licensing fees.  To date, the combined companies have clients comprised of more than 1,200 television, print and radio brands including CNN, ESPN, Discovery / Eurosport, Fox, Vice, Newsweek and Cumulus; dozens of gaming and technology companies including EA, Activision, Blizzard, Take2Interactive, Microsoft, Google, Twitch and Ubisoft; and have connectivity into hundreds of millions of homes around the world through their content, distribution and technology.

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This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Engine to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.  Forward-looking information contained in this news release include, but are not limited to, any regulatory or other approvals required in connection therewith and Engine's expectations for growth in its operations and business. In respect of the forward-looking information contained herein, Engine has provided such statements and information in reliance on certain assumptions that management believed to be reasonable at the time, including assumptions as to obtaining required regulatory approvals. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements stated herein to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks.  Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information contained in this news release.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Engine does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf, except as required by applicable law.

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SOURCE Engine Media Holdings, Inc.

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