ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) and TikTok have officially announced a partnership. They are aiming to capitalize on the massive market of vertical streams by broadcasting the esports tournament on the platform in vertical format.
The collaboration mainly focuses on bringing the younger reels- and shorts-consuming demographic that mostly lacks the attention span to watch a full horizontal stream or broadcast.
The first phase of the distribution partnership debuted during last weekend’s Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Atlanta. This kickoff was the first time an official EFG event was broadcast live in a completely optimized vertical format.
Instead of simply cropping a traditional horizontal 16:9 feed, which usually cuts chunks of the original content, EFG streamed using a dedicated vertical setup, which included bespoke overlay graphics and tailored production elements, delivering the TikTok audience an uninterrupted view of live matches, post-game highlights, and behind-the-scenes event coverage.
EFG is known for its partnerships with non-traditional esports entities. Currently, the group has partnered with TikTok for a very strategic gamble. According to reports, 41% of viewers are streaming content on larger home screens, while mobile devices at the same time occupy 56% of global esports viewership.
With 56% of Gen Zs interacting with TikTok on a daily basis, EFG is looking to gain more attention from the demographic, who ironically are known for their lack of it.
Beyond raw broadcasting, TikTok will also empower EFG tournaments by granting access to localized promotional tools and its extensive gaming creator network to support community co-streaming and creator-led amplification.
EFG may be a big one, but it isn’t the first one to imply this strategy in the space. Major live-streaming entities have recently altered their architectures to accommodate the vertical format, including Twitch’s new integration, allowing creators to utilize dual-format horizontal and vertical broadcasting concurrently (currently in beta).
Similarly, the Esports Foundation previously partnered with TikTok to establish a dedicated hub to drive creator-focused engagement.
While the new vertical project initially debuted with Counter-Strike at IEM Atlanta, EFG confirms that future vertical rollouts will systematically expand across the ESL Pro Tour circuit.
Featured image credit: EFG
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