David Beckham's Guild to host first net-zero Fortnite tournament

Soccer star David Beckham’s Esports organisation Guild Esports is set to host the world’s first net-zero Fortnite tournament in partnership with Difference Makers, reported The Mirror. 

The closed tournament, which will be the first carbon-neutral Fortnite tournament, is scheduled to kick off on Friday, Aug. 27, and set to feature Guild’s best professional Fortnite players and content creators who will take on Guild’s young academy students.

According to The Mirror, the tournament will also serve as a platform for participants to channel their love for gaming into making it a gateway to the world of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) – the Difference Makers campaign, which is an initiative of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, aims to get young people interested in STEM.

The popular Fortnite game format involves harvesting wood as a fundamental part of it, but the Guild and Difference Makers tournament will plant one tree in real life for every tree that’s cut in-game. This, Guild says, will offset the carbon footprint of the game which involves running PCs.

Talking about the collab, IET President Professor Danielle George said: “The future scientists, technicians and engineers, who might one day save the world are likely to be found today in front of their consoles. With STEM and sustainability so integral to modern life, we’re proud to be creating the world’s first Fortnite tournament where players are fighting for more than just the win; they’re also fighting to make a positive impact on the world around them.”

Guild’s Director of Partnership Michelle Tierney also chimed in, saying, “As an Esports organisation co-owned by David Beckham, we understand the importance of an academy structure and the educational benefits for young people as they’re developing. We’re proud to be educating the next generation with the skills to understand the critical importance of sustainability for our future.”