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In a surprising move US TV network the CW has announced that it will air the upcoming H1Z1: Fight for the Crown competition.
The competition will see 15 teams, including Echo Fox, Denial eSports, Panda Global and Rouge Gaming, fight it out for a share of $300,000 with the event being broadcast on the channel. It all kicks off on April 20th, with the network broadcasting the competition from 9pm US time.
Alongside airing the competition itself the CW will also create a five part documentary series based around Echo Fox’s preparations for the competition.
The tournament itself will be a bit of a change of pace for H1Z1 as previous competitions have not featured the team formatt. Previously it was every man for himself in the game that is best described as the hunger games meets Day Z, but now with the introduction of team based competition it will be much more focused on cooperation than individual skill.
"It will be fascinating to see the different team dynamics and strategies at work because the stakes are higher," said H1Z1 executive producer Chris Wynn. "There is no room for mistakes or hesitation when your whole team is relying on you."
"The introduction of the 5v5 format brings more potential for rivalries, action and storylines, perfect for propelling the [game’s] esports aspirations forward," said Panda Global chief financial officer David Wu. "Panda Global is proud to be one of the teams on the forefront of this movement."
