Sticker and trading card company Panini has reportedly entered esports through a partnership with North American organisation compLexity Gaming.
The one-year deal is partially seen as the organisation helping Panini enter the industry in a productive manner.
The partnership includes trading cards and posters being made for compLexity Gaming, as well as the organisation handling a brand new Twitch channel for Panini. Content on the channel – which will also appear on YouTube and social media – will see sports athletes play games alongside compLexity’s competitors and personalities.
Jason Howarth, Vice President of Marketing at Panini discussed the company’s entrance into the industry: “We’ve been working here internally to figure out how we fit into the esports realm, and we’ve always felt we need to do more than just produce trading cards with teams. There has to be some engagement component, and there has to be some compelling reason for us to step in, and this 360-degree approach to the relationship is what makes it compelling.”
compLexity Gaming is also partnered with WinStar World Casino and Resort, H4X, Epics, and Twitch. The organisation competes in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, Rocket League, Fortnite, Clash Royale, Madden, Artifact, Magic: The Gathering Arena, and Hearthstone – it also houses a number of streamers.
Esports Insider says: It’s hard to say just how popular physical compLexity trading cards will do considering the digital nature of esports and gaming culture at large. With this being said, there’s a huge opportunity to be grabbed by Panini if this deal proves fruitful considering the depth of competition in the industry.