Thunderpick Takes Year-Round Role in 2026 Esports Awards

Thunderpick will be the presenting and official iGaming partner of the 2026 Esports Awards, with the event branded the Esports Awards Presented by Thunderpick under a 12-month deal.

Partnership spans awards and content

The agreement covers the ceremony, three awards and programming throughout the year. Thunderpick will present Esports Play of the Month, Esports Play of the Year and Streamer of the Year, and will support content and original storytelling, including the Esports Play of the Month series and Origins Podcast.

The main ceremony is scheduled for November 17 in Miami. No financial terms were disclosed. The arrangement gives Thunderpick a role across both the awards night and the event’s year-round content, rather than limiting its involvement to the ceremony.

The Esports Awards also named Hotspawn presenting partner for the Esports Awards Invitational, Lifetime Achievement Mixer and PWR UP B2B Conference. Those partnerships give the wider programme distinct presenting partners across its ceremony, content and additional events.

Voting and event context

The awards have run for more than 10 years and recognise contributors across the esports industry, including players, teams, companies and brands. The programme spans competitive achievements and work behind the scenes, giving the ceremony a broader industry remit than player and team honours alone.

Nine categories are currently open to fan voting, including Esports Game of the Year, Esports Mobile Game of the Year, Streamer of the Year and Esports Personality of the Year. The event’s scope has also included new recognition initiatives, such as the Esports Awards’ mobile awards.

Individual honours remain part of the programme, with categories recognising players among the awards open to votes. The best esports player category reflects the event’s focus on recognising talent across the competitive scene.

Key dates ahead

• The 12-month agreement makes Thunderpick the presenting and official iGaming partner of the 2026 awards.
• Thunderpick will present Esports Play of the Month, Esports Play of the Year and Streamer of the Year.
• Fan voting runs through November 10. Votes cast from November 3 to November 10 count double.
• The ceremony is scheduled for November 17 in Miami, with Thunderpick’s content support continuing across the partnership term.

The voting window closes one week before the ceremony, with the double-count period forming the final stage of the public ballot. The announced partnership and content programme run across the stated 12-month window; the announcement did not provide projected audience, viewership or sponsorship-performance figures.