Smilegate Partners with GRID to Modernize CROSSFIRE Esports Data Infrastructure

Smilegate teams up with GRID to bring official live match data to the CROSSFIRE esports ecosystem, focusing on fans, media, and commercial growth.

By: AXL Media

Published: Feb 26, 2026, 7:43 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Esports Insider

Capturing Real-Time Insights

The partnership establishes GRID as the backbone of CROSSFIRE’s official match data infrastructure. This collaboration ensures that live data from professional matches is captured with high precision and distributed to a variety of stakeholders, including media partners, broadcasters, and the wider community. Charlie Hanley-Nickolls, CPO of GRID, emphasized that this data is a critical part of the game's IP, stating that it helps "evolve esports ecosystems, enable new activations, and improve fan experiences." Financial details of the agreement remain undisclosed.

Expanding the Regional Footprint

For GRID, the deal represents a strategic expansion into key territories across Asia-Pacific and Latin America. CROSSFIRE maintains a massive and loyal player base in countries like Brazil and Vietnam, where it runs dedicated professional leagues. China remains the title's largest market, highlighted by the recent success of All Gamers, who secured victories at both Crossfire Stars 2025 and the Esports World Cup 2025. This partnership provides GRID with deep access to one of the most popular and long-standing FPS franchises in history.

Strategic Alignment in the Data Space

Smilegate joins a growing roster of major publishers and tournament organizers that utilize GRID’s technology, including Riot Games, Ubisoft, KRAFTON, and the ESL FACEIT Group. Over the past year, GRID has aggressively expanded its market presence through acquisitions and partnerships with AI-powered prediction platforms like Sportstensor. By standardizing data distribution, Smilegate can better protect its competitive integrity while unlocking new revenue streams through data-driven sponsorships and betting integrations in regulated markets.