Hyundai hosts in-house esports event for employees

Hyundai AutoEver, an affiliate of South Korean automotive marque Hyundai, has hosted an in-house esports event for its employees.

The AutoEver Rock Festival saw employees compete across a range of titles, including League of Legends and StarCraft II.

According to a release, approximately 650 employees took part in the AutoEver Rock Festival, with 30 earning a place in the finals. The event’s finals were broadcast live on YouTube and saw professional esports commentators overseeing the action.

The event is designed to encourage communication among employees alongside ‘enhancing the employee experience’. In addition to improved communication, the event aims to use gaming as a tool, enabling employees to interact with each other through gaming.

“The AutoEver Music Festival is part of an employee experience improvement program that provides opportunities for healthy communication among employees and strengthens collaboration,” said a Hyundai AutoEver representative. “We will continue to operate various communication channels that contribute to the development of our corporate culture.”

Outside of its corporate initiatives, Hyundai continues to use esports as an engagement tool. In 2024, the marque hosted the Hyundai N Virtual Cup, a sim racing event open to participants across Europe, China, South Korea, and the United States.

Esports has become a staple of South Korean culture over the past three decades. In November, the leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) called for a stronger esports policy as the country’s ecosystem continues to grow.

August saw this year’s LCK Grand Finals shown on terrestrial TV for the first time, giving fans more platforms to watch the country’s popular League of Legends circuit.

Elsewhere, organisations continue to expand their operations in the country. In June, Gen.G opened a public gaming venue in Seoul, becoming the first-ever PC gaming cafe operated by an esports organisation.