Parken Challenger Championship's future in question as partners pull out of project

Just under one week after the conclusion of Parken Challenger Championship #8, two companies integral to the operation of the tournament series announced they would be suspending their involvement until further notice.

The first is Esplay, a matchmaking platform based in Sweden that was the home of all matches in the series. The second is Barstool Production, a broadcasting company based in Copenhagen, where all events have been held.

While eight Parken Challenger Championship events were held between February and May of this year, another eight were planned for late June through October. A final event was also in development to be a culmination of the 16 LANs.

With the news coming out with seemingly little warning, main event organizers New Breed Agency ApS are in a difficult position. Esplay's post on social media seems to imply that New Breed has not upheld some of their responsibilities, particularly regarding prize money. Esplay wrote, "Esplay AB and Barstool Production have upheld their respective obligations... Esplay AB is not, and has never been, responsible for prize money payouts."

While the Parken Challenger Championship series is not a tier-one circuit, it has provided valuable LAN exposure for several teams looking to climb the VRS. Some notable participants in the circuit includee BC.Game BOSS, GamerLegion, SINNERS, 100 Thieves, BESTIA, B8, and 3DMAX.

100 Thieves in particular have been to three different events. Despite entering all three as favorites by the VRS, they only managed to claim one title.