Cineplex brings eSports to the big screen in Canada with groundbreaking new series

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 11, 2015) - (TSX:CGX) - Cineplex Entertainment today announced plans to launch an exciting new series focused on eSports - the global competitive gaming phenomenon attracting spectators to venues around the world.

The eSports Cinema Events series launches Sunday, July 21, with an exclusive showing of the documentary, ALL WORK ALL PLAY: The Pursuit of eSports Glory LIVE. The documentary will be followed by a panel and gaming demo, live via satellite, from ESL studios in Burbank, California. An encore presentation of the documentary, panel and demo takes place on Monday, July 29.

ALL WORK ALL PLAY: The Pursuit of eSports Glory LIVE, directed by Patrick Creadon, puts the spotlight on the flourishing eSports scene, taking it from the underground and into the mainstream. The documentary takes viewers on a global journey - following the pro-gaming tour, including season nine of the Intel Extreme Masters. This event features the top players and teams in the race for the grand prize in their respective eSports.

Front Row Centre Events' eSports Cinema Events series will also offer a live screening of the highly-anticipated ESL One Cologne 2015: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive FINALS. This three-hour event will be broadcast from the second-largest stadium in Europe, LANXESS Arena in Cologne, Germany, on Sunday, August 23. YouTube sensation Soe Gschwind-Penksi (Soembie) will host the event for cinema audiences, showing guests the inner-most workings of the tournament.

"eSports have been exceptionally popular, drawing large audiences to venues around the world," said Pat Marshall, Vice President, Communications and Investor Relations, Cineplex Entertainment. "Much like movies, live gaming events are best shared with other fans - making them a perfect fit for the cinema experience."

The eSports Cinema Events series provides gaming fans access to global eSports events, curated specifically for cinema audiences. It will include live broadcasts of gaming events, as well as specially-produced content (documentaries and more) for cinema screens, taking fans behind the scenes of the growing eSports world.

The series is presented by Cineplex's Front Row Centre Events, in partnership with ESL and BY Experience.

Tickets for ALL WORK ALL PLAY: The Pursuit of eSports Glory LIVE are on sale now. Tickets for the ESL One Cologne 2015: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive FINALS go on sale on Friday, June 12. For a full list of participating theatres, or to purchase tickets, visit Cineplex.com/Esports, or a participating theatre box office.

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About Front Row Centre Events (FRCE):

Brought to you by Cineplex Entertainment, Front Row Centre Events bring world-class entertainment to your local Cineplex Entertainment theatre and other participating locations. Presented in high-definition with digital surround sound, guests can experience the best in original one-night only and series-based programming. With the Metropolitan Opera's Live in HD series, Broadway productions, live broadcasts direct from the stage of London's National Theatre, dance performances, classic films, concerts, live sporting events and documentaries, Front Row Centre Events put you in the centre of the action on the big screen.

About Cineplex:

Cineplex Inc. ("Cineplex") is one of Canada's leading entertainment companies and operates one of the most modern and fully digitized motion picture theatre circuits in the world. A top-tier Canadian brand, Cineplex operates numerous businesses including theatrical exhibition, food services, gaming, alternative programming (Front Row Centre Events), Cineplex Media, Cineplex Digital Solutions, Cineplex Digital Networks, and the online sale of home entertainment content through CineplexStore.com and on apps embedded in various electronic devices. Cineplex is also a joint venture partner in SCENE - Canada's largest entertainment loyalty program.

Cineplex is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, and operates 162 theatres with 1,652 screens from coast to coast, serving approximately 74 million guests annually through the following theatre brands: Cineplex Odeon, SilverCity, Galaxy Cinemas, Scotiabank Theatres, Cineplex Cinemas and Cineplex VIP Cinemas presented by Scotiabank. Cineplex also owns and operates the UltraAVX, Poptopia, and Outtakes brands. Cineplex trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol CGX. More information is available at Cineplex.com.

About ESL:

ESL is the world's largest eSports company, leading the industry across various games with numerous online and offline competitions. It operates high profile, branded international and national leagues and tournaments such as the Intel® Extreme Masters, ESL One, ESL Pro Series, StarCraft® II World Championship Series, as well as grassroots amateur cups, leagues and matchmaking systems. ESL covers a broad field of services in gaming technology, event management, advertising and TV production, fully catering to the needs of the eSport's ecosystem. With offices in Germany, Russia, France, Poland, Spain, China, North America and partners in many other countries, it has a truly global footprint. www.eslgaming.com

About BY Experience:

BY Experience kicked off the digital revolution of live events to movie theaters and other locations globally with David Bowie's 2003 Reality album launch and since then, over 22 million tickets have been sold worldwide for cinema events BY Experience has distributed globally. Current cinema series credits: Distribution Representative, The Met: Live in HD (Worldwide; since 2006), the U.K.'s National Theatre Live (Ex-UK; since 2009), Bolshoi Ballet (North America; since 2014), Stratford Festival HD (Ex-Canada, since 2014). Additionally, BY Experience has executive produced and/or distributed several diverse programs for cinema including numerous rock concerts, radio programs, fine art exhibits, and other special content events. BY Experience distributes to over 60 countries, to over 2,000 movie screens. http://www.byexperience.net.