Running Global Free Fire Broadcasts Across Time Zones: The Making of FFWS USA

Esports projects are rarely simple. Add multiple time zones, two simultaneous broadcasts, and overnight production schedules, and things get interesting very quickly.

That was exactly the case with the Free Fire USA Championship 2025 and Free Fire World Series (FFWS) USA 2026 Spring, two large-scale online productions we delivered together with Garena.

For us, the project itself was already pretty unique. An Asian publisher trusted a European agency to operate official broadcasts targeting the USA market. In esports, projects often become international very quickly, but this one genuinely felt global from day one.

As Head of Operations at Goexanimo, I was responsible for coordinating the entire project across departments, making sure tasks were delivered on time, reviewing work internally, communicating with the client, and, during live broadcasts, helping solve problems in real time while keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes.

Building a Cross-Regional Production

Across both events, our team handled:

Tournament operations

Broadcast production

Social media content

Graphics package adjustments

Talent management

Technical setup

Player management

API integration support

One of the more challenging parts of working with Free Fire is the game observer system itself. Every graphic, API integration, and broadcast overlay has to be tested carefully with the observer client to make sure everything behaves properly during live matches.

And of course, esports production would not be esports production without a few technical surprises along the way.

On top of that, we were running two streams simultaneously, one in English and one in Spanish, which meant double the coordination, double the communication, and definitely double the number of tabs open at all times.

Working Across Continents

One of the coolest parts of this project was seeing how international the team became.

We had more than 15 people involved across Latvia, Finland, the UK, the USA, and Singapore together with the Garena team. Even though some worked remotely from different parts of the world, the collaboration felt incredibly smooth throughout both events.

That’s one of the things I enjoy most about esports production. One moment you’re reviewing graphics with someone in Europe, the next you’re discussing player issues with admins in another region while broadcast talent prepares for the next segment live on air.

It can get chaotic sometimes, but in a good way.

Preparing for Overnight Broadcasts

One challenge we underestimated slightly at first was the schedule.

Because the broadcasts were aimed at the American audience, our production days in Europe started around 01:20 at night and often finished close to 7 AM. Adjusting an entire team to that schedule before finals weekend was… not exactly easy.

So naturally, we handled it in the most esports way possible.

Before the finals, we organized a small LAN night for the team and stayed awake gaming until morning to force ourselves into the overnight rhythm ahead of the biggest broadcast days. Surprisingly, it actually worked really well.

It also became one of those small moments that helped the team relax a bit before the pressure kicked in. Long broadcasts are always easier when the people behind them genuinely enjoy working together.

Finals Weekend

Across both projects, the broadcasts generated close to one million total views and featured a $30,000 prize pool, bringing together top Free Fire teams and talent from across the region.

During live days, my role became a mix of operations management, problem solving, internal coordination, and occasionally jumping in wherever help was needed most at the time.

That’s usually how live esports works. Even with months of preparation, something unexpected always happens eventually. The important part is having a team experienced enough to react quickly without letting viewers notice what’s happening behind the scenes.

Thankfully, our team handled that incredibly well throughout both events.

Looking Back

Projects like FFWS USA are a reminder of why I still enjoy working in esports after all these years.

It’s stressful, technical, occasionally chaotic, and heavily dependent on teamwork, but when everything finally comes together during a live show, there’s really nothing else quite like it.

Massive thanks to everybody involved across both productions. The Goexanimo team, freelancers, broadcast talent, and the Garena staff who trusted us with the project from start to finish.