- Gamers in North America and Latin America compete for $250,000 prize money

- UMG continues partnership to host tournaments and broadcast content for The Coalition

TORONTO, July 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- After launching a successful partnership in March with The Coalition (an Xbox Game Studio), Engine Media's (TSXV: GAME) (OTCQB: MLLLF), esports tournament and broadcast operations group UMG Gaming has expanded its partnership to operate and broadcast the Gears Esports Season Finals.

After making a name for itself as a home for online competitive Gears in "Gears of War 4" and "Gears 5" play over the years, UMG were selected by The Coalition to handle the Gears 5 Esports Spring Online Major in May.

After running a successful event, the Engine Media brand has been selected once again as the tournament operator and broadcast partner for the Gears Esports Season Finals in late July.

Previously staged as an on-site event, the Gears Season Finals has now been established as a popular streamed event with the top Gears 5 players competing for a prize pool of $250,000.00. The Gears Esports Season Finals will once again feature teams from both the North American, and Latin American regions.

The event will be streamed on Twitch.tv/GearsOfWar from July 31 to August 2.

"It was a huge validation to be selected by The Coalition to convert the Gears Esports Spring Major to an entirely online event – now we're expanding that partnership further for the Gears Season Finals," said Darcy Lorincz, Torque Esports COO.

"UMG has been the leading platform for enabling gaming tournaments for many years.  Our expansion of the UMG.tv network streaming platform this year has enabled us to present The Coalition with a complete solution - run the entire tournament producing a programming package."

UMG is the leading platform for online tournament play and esports entertainment events. The platform has generated more than 300 million views and has paid out more than US$3 million in prize money.

"The Spring Quarter Major was our most successful Gears Esports broadcast of the season and the UMG team were instrumental in that. We're pleased to be able to work with them again on the biggest event in the Gears Esports calendar, the Season Finals," said Roddy Adams, Director of Partnerships at The Coalition.

UMG.tv programming showcases Gears of War featured content each week at www.umg.tv/emergence-days.

The esports tournament and broadcast arm of Torque Esports, UMG is set to become part of the newly formed Engine Media Inc.

The creation of Engine Media was confirmed in May when Torque Esports Corp. (TSX-V: GAME) (OTCQB: MLLLF) completed its acquisition of Frankly Inc. ("Frankly"), and WinView, Inc. ("WinView") – placing Engine Media at the forefront of esports, gaming, news streaming and sports gaming across multiple media platforms.

To date, the combined companies have clients comprised of more than 1,200 television, print, and radio brands including CNN, ESPN, Discovery / Eurosport, Fox, Vice, Newsweek, and Cumulus; dozens of gaming and technology companies including EA, Activision, Blizzard, Take2Interactive, Microsoft, Google, Twitch and Ubisoft; and have connectivity into hundreds of millions of homes around the world through their content, distribution, and platform.

About Engine Media Holdings, Inc.

Engine Media is focused on accelerating new, live, immersive esports and interactive gaming experiences for consumers through its partnerships with traditional and emerging media companies. The company was formed through the combination of Torque Esports Corp., Frankly Inc., and WinView, Inc. and trades publicly under the ticker symbol (TSX-V: GAME) (OTCQB: MLLLF).  Engine Media will generate revenue through a combination of: direct-to-consumer and subscription fees; streaming technology and data SaaS-based offerings; programmatic advertising and sponsorships; as well as intellectual property licensing fees.  To date, the combined companies have clients comprised of more than 1,200 television, print and radio brands including CNN, ESPN, Discovery / Eurosport, Fox, Vice, Newsweek and Cumulus; dozens of gaming and technology companies including EA, Activision, Blizzard, Take2Interactive, Microsoft, Google, Twitch and Ubisoft; and have connectivity into hundreds of millions of homes around the world through their content, distribution and technology.

About Torque Esports
Torque Esports whose brands and businesses include UMG, Stream Hatchet, Eden Games, IDEAS + CARS, The-Race.com, WTF1 and Allinsports visit: www.torqueesport.com

About Frankly Media
Frankly and its wholly-owned subsidiary Frankly Media, LLC, provides a complete suite of solutions for streaming, VOD and advertising visit: www.franklymedia.com

About WinView
WinView is a Silicon Valley-based company, pioneering second-screen interactive TV which is pioneering mobile gaming and interactive second screen viewing through its ownership and licensing of intellectual property foundational patents visit:  www.winview.tv

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information contained in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the Torque's filing of a listing application with NASDAQ and its plans to file a Form 40-F with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any regulatory or other approvals required in connection therewith, Torque's expectations for growth in its operations and business and Torque's plans for submission of resolutions for shareholder approval. In respect of the forward-looking information contained herein, Torque has provided such statements and information in reliance on certain assumptions that management believed to be reasonable at the time, including assumptions as to obtaining required regulatory approvals. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements stated herein to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks.  Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information contained in this news release.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release are made as of the date of this release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Torque does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf, except as required by applicable law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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SOURCE Engine Media Holdings, Inc.