Chinese smartphone maker Vivo has signed as the first title sponsor of the PUBG Mobile Club Open.
The Open is a new esports event played via the mobile version of the hugely popular PC and console video game, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG).
As part of the deal, Vivo will provide all smartphones used in the competition.
The deal was signed by Vivo, game developer PUBG Corporation and owner Tencent Games – the Chinese conglomerate that is pushing its gaming assets deeper into esports.
The PUBG Mobile Open is an annual, year-long tournament that takes place across two ‘splits’ covering Spring and Fall.
Professional and semi-professional players from 10 regions will compete for a total prize pool of $2.5m (£1.51m).
Vincent Wang, general manager of global publishing at Tencent Games, said: “This partnership is just the beginning. We want to continue building a strong portfolio of partnerships with industry-leading companies, such as Vivo, to provide the best mobile gaming experience possible.”
The PUBG Mobile Club Open is separate from PUBG Corporation’s official esports season, which launched early this year.
Including six regional pro leagues and three additional regional pro circuits, the annual season is divided into three splits that all culminate with the Global Championship in November.