ECI caused quite a stir when they dropped their certification program, and 48 hours later the team is left to start from square one.
Almost 48 hours after announcing their debut product, ECI is reversing course after a negative reaction to their $400 esports certificate.
ECI Certificate causes Instant Backlash
Despite an honest attempt, the Esports Certificate Institute (ECI) has decided to reverse course after a rough news cycle. The recently created thinktank has decided to switch gears after releasing a $400 "esports certificate" that many criticized.
ECI created a certification program centered around a study guide and exam, but may criticized it over the entry fee, contents, and overall effectiveness. While Institute founders Seb Park and Ryan Friedman championed the idea, Twitter did not. Many commenters expressed support for the owners and co-sponsors, but distrusted an overarching "certificate" with no intrinsic value.
Despite a PR tour, the consensus remained the same and the plug was pulled. Their website is now no longer accessible and a lengthy Twitter thread explains what happens next. With a wealth of ideas to pull from, a bounceback for the institute may be in order.
For now, ECI is refunding everyone who signed up for the exam as they try and retool their efforts. In a statement to all those who bought the test they said,
Unfortunately, we are going to be putting a pause on the ECI certification for the time being. We want to incorporate the feedback from the community to make sure we can give you the value we want ECI to represent and provide.
Meme'd to death; Community reaction
The community wasted no time in creating a lot of memes around the idea of an "esports certificate." From memes about the exam to its value, most remained lighthearted and fun. The test prep questions were freely available online and mirrored SAT questions in ideas, and many industry professionals joked about failing the test.
For all esports related news, keep Esports.gg in your thoughts and bookmarks.