Old-school esports fans will fondly remember the prestigious World Cyber Games (WCG) as one of the world’s earliest multi-event esports competitions.
After a temporary hiatus since WCG 2020 due to the COVID pandemic, World Cyber Games has reemerged with a completely new structure under the ownership of South Korean start-up, Bigpicture Interactive Co.
Bigpicture Interactive: A Journey into Esports
Founded by CEO Kwangjun Song on May 16th, 2015, Bigpicture Interactive started its mission to “Make gamers’ lives happier.” Over the years, the company expanded its services to include the first pro-gamer school, GameCoach Academy, the gaming channel GCL, and the esports tournament platform LVUP.GG, and acquisitions of KPOP performance content company MSTORM and esports data company PLAYXP.
As the esports industry witnessed significant changes, World Cyber Games adapted its approach. Recognizing the dominance of game developers’ official competitions in the market, World Cyber Games took a new direction under Bigpicture Interactive’s ownership. Leveraging its expertise in esports and gaming, World Cyber Games now serves as an open platform where gamers and developers worldwide can participate.
In 2023, WCG made a triumphant return, organizing an open tournament lasting five months with 5,604 players from 58 nations participating in games like Clash Royale and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. Despite challenges in connecting to online platforms, WCG aims to continuously provide new entertaining content and competitions to gamers worldwide.
Strategic Collaborations for Growth of World Cyber Games
To overcome the challenges of hosting major third-party tournaments, WCG sought collaborations with game developers. A key partnership with Riot Games for VALORANT Challengers Korea provided more entertainment to fans and expanded WCG’s cooperation opportunities with leagues globally.
WCG made its first LAN appearance in four years with the WCG 2023 BUSAN, an esports and gaming festival held in South Korea. Partnering with renowned developers, the event featured pro teams from Southeast Asia and the Asia Pacific. WCG’s ambition is not just to be an esports competition but to transform it into a real festival, offering various fan activations.
Looking Ahead
WCG, under Bigpicture Interactive’s vision, aims to become a platform-friendly tournament series, embracing both online and offline formats. From WCG’s permanent tournament to WCG Rivals and WCG Valorant Challengers League, the organization seeks to capture the hearts of gamers worldwide, just as it did back in 2000.
The revitalization of the esteemed WCG brand under Bigpicture Interactive’s ownership showcases the ability of an old dog to learn new tricks. With its strategic collaborations and vision for the future, WCG continues to play a significant role in the dynamic and ever-evolving world of esports.
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