Next-Gen Esports Platforms in Action

Client Overview

• Client: eFuse
• Industry: Esports & Gaming
• Mission: eFuse’s mission is to empower anyone to change their life through gaming. Initially envisioned as the “LinkedIn of gaming,” the company evolved into a premier platform for esports tournaments through eRena Leagues and enhanced the streaming experience with their tool Sidekick. Ranked as the #1 startup in Columbus, eFuse is at the forefront of esports technology and community building.

The Challenge: Meeting Demand & Expanding the Platform

As the popularity of eRena Leagues grew, so did the complexity of tournaments and customer expectations. eFuse faced three key challenges:

• Performance Issues: Tournament registration and match generation slowed under higher demand.
• Tight Deadlines: Securing contracts with major esports publishers required rapid delivery of new features.
• Scalability: The proof-of-concept platform needed to become robust, maintainable, and ready for enterprise-level tournaments.

At the same time, their live streaming tool Sidekick needed improvements to deliver a smoother experience for streamers and audiences.

Our Approach: Partnering for Growth

eFuse partnered with augustwenty to stabilize, scale, and enhance their technology. We focused on improving both platform performance and engineering practices to enable long-term success.

Key Focus Areas:

1. Tournament Registration: Streamlined the player/team registration process.
2. Performance Optimization: Redesigned data models for brackets and match generation.
3. Scalable Architecture: Built systems that could handle larger, more complex tournaments.
4. Engineering Uplift: Mentored developers and introduced best practices for testing and deployment.

Implementation: From Quick Wins to Big Push

• Early Wins (2022):

  • Reduced page load times and production outages.
  • Improved registration and match generation stability.
  • Delivered consistent, reliable deployments.

• Publisher Push (Mid-2022):

  • In just two weeks, delivered critical new features required for a major publisher’s trial.
  • Met tight deadlines without sacrificing quality.

• Sidekick Enhancements:

  • Added autosave for widgets so streamers didn’t lose customizations.
  • Improved user experience for live content interaction.

• Ongoing Growth (Late 2022–2023):

  • Added student verification, match scoring automation, team chat, notifications, and match rescheduling.
  • Enhanced QA processes, introducing automated tests to strengthen platform reliability.

Challenges We Overcame

• Performance Bottlenecks: Redesigned backend models and optimized infrastructure.
• Deadline Pressure: Delivered publisher-ready features under extreme time constraints.
• Team Scaling: Provided mentorship and guidance to junior developers, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Results: A Platform Ready for the Big Stage

By project completion, eFuse had transformed its proof-of-concept into a scalable, feature-rich esports platform.

• Enhanced Tournament Management: Faster, more reliable registration and match generation.
• On-Time Feature Delivery: Met critical deadlines, helping eFuse compete for publisher contracts.
• Engineering Uplift: Stronger development practices, testing, and deployment processes.
• Improved Streaming Experience: Sidekick autosave and customization upgrades for streamers.

Technologies Used

• Backend Development: Python, Django
• Frontend Development: UI/UX enhancements for registration and tournaments
• Streaming Tools: Sidekick improvements for live interaction
• Testing: Automated testing and QA practices
• Deployment: Containerized environments and Kubernetes

Conclusion: Positioned for Esports Growth

The partnership between augustwenty and eFuse enabled the company to meet immediate deadlines while laying a solid foundation for the future. With a scalable platform, improved engineering culture, and a smoother streaming experience, eFuse is positioned as a leader in competitive gaming technology.

Key Takeaways:

• Scalable, performant platform ready for major tournaments.
• Fast feature delivery to secure publisher opportunities.
• Enhanced engineering practices and mentorship for team growth.
• Improved live streaming tools for content creators.