Passionate About Gaming: Tinder’s Latest Esports Team Up

When it comes to monetising our need to connect with other human beings no one is more driven to try new things than the dating app Tinder. Whether it is creating new ways for plant-based lovers to meet, giving their app users a tool to block their exes or introducing new “passion” categories like “Festival” or “Chef Mode” they are constantly innovating.

In what would have been considered a meme before streaming services like Twitch turned competitive gamers into the Gen Z version of a rockstar, Tinder has struck a collaboration deal with none other than the ONE Esports, Asia's self-proclaimed “largest” championship esports company.

Tapping Into Gaming’s Passion

The partnership will see Tinder headlining a series of events and experiences for Southeast Asian fans during the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), and Arena of Valor (AoV) tournaments.

Gaurav Girotra, GM Southeast Asia at Tinder & Match Group, said:

“More than half of our Tinder members globally are Gen Z between the ages of 18 and 25, and we know that many of them are now spending more time exploring their passion for gaming online in the aftermath of the pandemic. The introduction of Esports Passion will give Gen Z gamers another way to present themselves authentically as they look to connect with others.”

What these Esport lovers will have the chance to win their share of freebies and giveaways including:

1. Ten prizes of 500 MLBB diamonds for use in Mobile Legends.
2. Five hampers of official ONE Esports merchandise
3. MLBB fans will be awarded the entries to the 2021 Community Tournament series.

To further support online streamlining the collaboration will also see AoV fans in Thailand and Vietnam awarded exclusive content from two popular streamers: TMPT VGamer and Thanh Tung Streamer.

 Third-Wave Esports Investment

Interestingly, this is not Tinder’s first foray into the world of Esports collaborations, rather it is their third.

Their first partnership was back in 2018, before the onset of the pandemic when they collaborated with Brazilian esports team MIBR. The deal was brokered by Immortals and saw the Esports team sign advertising agreements with both Tinder and Betway.

With the global health crisis bringing all land-based and sporting events to a standstill Tinder jumped off the Esports bandwagon, only reigniting their “passion for gaming” in early in 2020 when they partnered with another Brazilian Esports team, paIN.

This makes Tinder’s latest partnership their first foray into the Asian market, a region that has been relatively untapped by the global dating behemoth till now. It will be interesting to see if this deal, like the south American ones before it, remains one-and-done or it leads to a longer-term partnership.