Guild Esports PLC (LSE:GILD, OTCQB:GULDF) has extended the contracts of star Fortnite players Anas El-Abd and Henrik McLean for another 12 months, with an option to extend their contracts for an additional year.
Anas shot to fame after taking home US$1mln for first place in the global Fortnite competition 'MrBeast's Extreme Survival Challenge' as well as the 'zero-build' event at the Gamers8 Fortnite LAN in Saudi Arabia, splitting the US$250,000 prize with his teammate.
McLean, who goes by the handle ‘Hen’, achieved international competitive success by winning the Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS) EU three times, contributing to Guild's major trophy tally since signing in 2020.
Both Anas and Hen, who are widely regarded as being among the best Fortnite players in the world, compete together regularly, recently achieving third place in the Elite Cup Weekly Finals (Europe) in January 2023.
Anas and Hen will compete under the Guild banner in all upcoming European and international Fortnite tournaments, including the Fortnite Champions Series (FNCS), which returns for 2023 with a US$10mln total prize pool, and a Global Championship in-person event taking place in Copenhagen in late 2023.
A small proportion of their winnings will continue to go to Guild, in line with contractual agreements made between Guild and its pro-players.
Jasmine Skee, chief executive of Guild Esports, commented: "Guild continues to attract the best players in the world, and we are thrilled that Anas and Hen have decided to extend their contracts with us.
“We are committed to supporting player development and with the Fortnite professional scene looking exceptionally strong for 2023 with a $10mln total prize pool and an international in-person event later in the year for FNCS, this is a major focus for Guild.
“We are looking forward to continuing our partnership with these two world-class players, and I will be cheering them on as we look to expand our trophy collection this year."