There is a brand-new trailer for Esports World Cup: Level Up, the Emmy Award-winning five-part documentary series from R.J. Cutler. With the series reaching its midpoint, anticipation builds with three already available to stream on Prime Video. Episode 4 is due out on June 27, with the season finale, Episode 5, landing on July 4.
Level Up presents an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the first-ever Esports World Cup in 2024, a history-making event that saw 1,500 of the world’s best players and 200 Clubs from more than 100 countries converge on one location. Through 22 hotly contested competitions, players competed for a mind-boggling total prize pool of $60 million, a record-breaking milestone in esports history.
Made by This Machine, an extension of Sony Pictures Television, the documentary combines a verité filmmaking approach with close-up views of players’ home lives and on-site, intense coverage from Riyadh. What follows is a compelling presentation of the pressure, passion, and sacrifices that fuel the esports elite at the top level.
The trailer promises everything from on-screen rivalries to game-altering moments, set to driving cinematic music and underlined by a gripping voiceover that captures the essence of esports as a rapidly emerging global force.
“The world’s greatest players, the greatest teams — fighting across 22 championships, all after the same trophy,” the announcer declares. “For players, this is the Super Bowl, the World Cup, and the Olympics rolled into one — for the first time. But this wasn’t merely about determining who’s best. It was about who needed to win, who was willing to do whatever it takes to be remembered.”
Episode 101
The Esports World Cup begins in Riyadh, with Team Falcons’ latest Call of Duty: Warzone roster seeking to dominate. Soka, a talented and tough player from San Mateo’s rough streets, California, leads the roster against former teammates and opponents from Fnatic. The battle for the first EWC championship with a million-dollar prize on the line is intense and unforgettable.
Episode 102
Team Liquid comes with a rich heritage but soon finds itself lagging behind the hometown heroes, Team Falcons. Their League of Legends squad has to face their arch-nemesis — the legendary Faker. The focus turns to 17-year-old Sanford, a Mobile Legends: Bang Bang sensation battling not only to win, but for his family’s survival.
Episode 103
NAVI and Vitality both face breakthrough moments as they pursue Club Championship dominance. For NAVI, Counter-Strike 2 is a national pride mission as they face G2 and former prodigy M0nesy in an intense finale. As Vitality’s CS2 team falters, their Mobile Legends: Bang Bang women’s team thrives, with sisters Cinny and Chel overcoming loss and constant stress to make an empowering declaration on behalf of women in esports.
Episode 104 (June 27)
With competition reaching its pivotal points, FaZe and OpTic Gaming rekindle their legendary feud in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. At the helm of FaZe is Drazah, a young sensation from Alaska. In EA FC, Team Liquid chases Team Falcons’ top spot while a dark horse from a far-off island bursts onto the scene in a jaw-dropping debut that disrupts the quest for the top.
Episode 105 (July 4)
The climax features 22 games coming together in a $7 million final. Vitality and Team Liquid clash in R1 Sim Racing and StarCraft II. Vitality’s dominance in R1 is challenged by Max Verstappen’s Team Redline, and Liquid’s upstart Clem squares off with Vitality’s veteran Maru in StarCraft II. Second place is worth $4 million, so time is of the essence in this milestone finale.
In the years to come, the Esports World Cup 2025 will again head back to Riyadh from July 7 to August 24, welcoming the world’s best esports players and Clubs in an epic cross-game setup. With a wide variety of genres and platforms, the tournament will offer life-altering prize pools and will further bring together the global gaming community in the biggest celebration of competitive gaming the world has ever experienced.