Local esports tournament company Mettlestate announced an all-girl Counter-Strike: Global Offensive invitational competition, called the Valkyrie Challenge.
Through a partnership with computer retailer Evetech and technology blog Tech Girl, the Valkyrie Challenge will see Amaryllis Gaming and Energy Esports' eNergy Finesse side battle it out in a Best Of 5 for R50 000 on 5 August 2017.
Tech Girl's Sam Wright explains that the Valkyrie Challenge is a continuation of the recently-held Acer gaming event, which was focussed towards women.
"We were fully booked within 24 hours of announcing the event. Seeing so many ladies gaming and so interested in trying new games as well as Esports was overwhelming. We had more than 150 ladies in attendance and many requests for more events," Wright said.
Wright, who is an on-air presenter for Mettlestate, further explained that the event was partially borne from the need to give women a better esports platform.
"Esports is seeing six-figure sums being thrown around for prize pools but we don't see enough women in those competing line ups. Esports is a place where men and women can compete as equals and, as nearly half the gaming audience is female, it is important to kill past stigmas and get more of these incredibly talented ladies showcasing their skills and participating in competitions," she said.
Barry Louzada from Mettlestate notes that partnering with Tech Girl for the Valkyrie Challenge was an easy decision to make.
"Mettlestate is committed to growing the South African Esports community and ensuring it is inclusive. And so when Sam, who is part of the Mettlestate family, came to us with a great idea (of hosting girl gaming events) a few months ago, we backed her 100%. The first event she hosted was phenomenal and so well received, and her next goal was to host an invitational such as this - the Valkyrie Challenge."
In a press release it was explained that access to the invitational will be free on 5 August at Evetech's studio in Centurion, but spots must be pre-booked. Tickets will be released via the Tech Girl, Mettlestate and Evetech social media channels on Wednesday 19 July 2017, as there are limited spaces for a studio audience.