CounterPress levels up as The Load-In becomes the network's first dedicated esports site

Ready to play? CounterPress is set to break new ground with the launch of a site dedicated entirely to high-quality coverage of esports.

Already a YouTube channel, The Load-In will launch as a site on CounterPress next month and will report the esports stories fans deserve – sourced independently, reported across teams and regions, built to last.

The site is fronted by US based esports reporter Paul Delos Santos, an esports journalist with bylines at Esports Insider and The Sporting Tribune.

Alongside his esports work, Delos Santos covers the Vegas Golden Knights for NHL.com, bringing a traditional sports journalism background, which influences’ The Load-In approach toward esports. That dual grounding, in both traditional sports coverage and dedicated esports reporting, shapes The Load-In's editorial identity.

The Load-In members can look forward to long-form exclusive interviews and essays across esports, including the fighting game community, League of Legends, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang scenes.

Full transcripts and editor's notes on every anchor piece will also be available, along with coverage from leagues and events from the major centres of esports, such as Korea, Japan, China, Southeast Asia and Europe.

Paul said: "I'm pleased to bring The Load-In into the CounterPress family, with a shared goal of growing esports' footprint by following a traditional sports media model.

"Most traditional sports sites have stepped back from giving esports the same dedication I've always believed it deserves, and this partnership is a chance to double down on that.

"The Load-In aims to reach fans at every level – newcomers looking for stories, games, and personalities to connect with, and longtime fans looking for real analysis and interviews with people who know the industry inside out.

"Above all, I want The Load-In to bring fans together and strengthen the communities that make both traditional sports and esports so vibrant."

The Load-In's early interest waiting list is now open ahead of a full launch next month.

Esports fans keen to explore the platform can secure an exclusive discount on membership by adding their details to the mailing list today.

In addition to being the first esports site to launch on CounterPress, The Load-In is also the first US-based outlet to join the network.

CounterPress offers the technical infrastructure and industry knowledge and support that journalists and creators need to build their own media brand.

Around 50 sites have already agreed to make CounterPress their home, with a number of other outlets across a variety of sports set to launch on the platform this summer.

Co-founder Sam Morshead said: "This is an exciting step for CounterPress, as we jump into the world of esports alongside a journalist from the sector in Paul Delos Santos, who has the knowledge, drive and enthusiasm to make his own title work.

“I have no doubt we will learn just as much from each other over the months and years to come, as we look to build a home for the esports community - and a product which can sustain Paul a healthy and useful additional income.

“CounterPress continues to look at the possibility of scaling new horizons, and this launch shows that our services really are a good fit for a range of subjects - spanning the full spectrum of the sporting and geographical world.”