Gaming giant Ubisoft and the Electronic Sports World Cup today announced a partnership to turn Just Dance into an official ESWC sport, making it the first casual game to enter the competitive contests ranks. The Electronic Sports World Cup is a worldwide competition that starts locally with national qualifying rounds and culminates in a World Final designed as a live show. With Just Dance being the top selling game of its genre, it’s no surprise it is getting this kind of treament.
“For the 11th edition of the ESWC, we are very proud to widen the definition of eSport with Ubisoft. Competitive gaming has to welcome all kind of players, has to be developed in partnership with the games publishers, and has to showcase the most advanced technologies which link the body to the game. Just Dance is for ESWC the perfect medium to reach those goals”, said Matthieu Dallon, founder of the ESWC.
Qualifiers for the Just Dance World Cup will take place between June 24th and September 21st online and around the world at gaming events. The competition is open to anyone and there are three ways to qualify including:
- On World Dance Floor, the online multiplayer mode in Just Dance 2014 which allows players to compete against each other’s performances. Qualifying sessions are scheduled for July 13th, July 20th, July 27th, August 3rd, August 31st, September 7th, September 14th and September 21st.
- Through Just Dance TV, players can submit their best dance recording through the in-game Autodance feature.
- In-person at specific ESWC qualifier events and Ubisoft events to be communicated at a later date.
The top twenty Just Dance players will be flown to Paris Games Week to compete in the Grand Final of the Just Dance World Cup from October 30th to November 1st, 2014. During the Final, performances will be appraised on score and style of the dance by a jury and submitted to online voting. Details about the jury members and the rewards for the winners will be announced soon. At E3 2014 Ubisoft announced its plans for the future of Just Dance with Just Dance 2015 and Just Dance Now, an all new mobile game that allows players to play Just Dance tracks with their smartphones and any Internet-connected screen. For the latest information on the Just Dance World Cup by ESWC, please visit www.justdanceworldcup.com. You can view the announcement trailer below.
