Prize money is invisible; a medal is not. As a die-cast medal manufacturer shipping metal awards since 2010, I am asked every season whether esports still needs physical medals when prizes arrive by bank transfer. Our order book says yes. Start with our custom sports medals overview.
[Image: esports-tournament-medals-guide.jpg — gold, silver and bronze die-cast esports medals with controller pendants and neon-trimmed ribbons]
Why a physical medal still matters
A screenshot can be lost; a medal sits on a shelf for years, photographs well on stream overlays, and turns the ribbon and reverse into sellable sponsor space. For a gaming café running weekly cups, a medal also costs less than a cash prize of similar perceived value.
Die-cast metal vs acrylic
Both are legitimate.
| Die-cast metal (ours) | Acrylic / plastic | |
|---|---|---|
| Feel and weight | Heavy, cold, premium | Light, glossy, budget |
| Best for | Finals, MVP, champions | High-volume participation |
| Plating | Gold, silver, bronze, black nickel, rainbow | Colour only |
Classic coloured-field look: enamel medals.
Shapes: logos, controllers, mascots and shields
Most-cast briefs: the game or team logo, a controller or headset silhouette, a mascot as raised 3D relief, and the shield for league champions. Two variants suit esports especially — spinning medals with a free-turning disc inside a static frame, and LED variants that light translucent enamel for a neon look that reads on a dark stage.
Size and weight
Esports medals run from a 45 mm participation piece to a 70–80 mm champion medal. Weight follows density: zinc alloy 6.7 g/cm³, brass 8.9 g/cm³, iron 7.8 g/cm³, aluminium 2.7 g/cm³. Minimum wall thickness is 2 mm, minimum raised relief 0.4 mm and minimum line width 0.3 mm; zinc alloy melts at 385°C on an 88-ton die-casting machine.
Plating and colour
Plating is a 9-step process: alkaline copper for about 500 seconds, then acid copper for 20–60 minutes, then the colour plate. Gold, silver and bronze are the standard competition set; black nickel reads as gaming hardware; rainbow plating gives an iridescent shift. Colour filling (soft enamel 0.3 mm, imitation hard enamel 0.5 mm) gives flat saturated colour; UV printing handles gradients and covers relief up to 7 mm.
Ribbons
Our standard ribbon is 860–900 mm long and 20–30 mm wide, printable both faces so the reverse carries your sponsor — see medal ribbons.
How many medals does a bracket need?
Rarely three. One division, single elimination needs 1st, 2nd and two joint 3rd medals (4). Add an MVP, multiply by division — most events run 3–5 — and decide whether participation medals are covered by the entry fee. A 200-player, three-division LAN lands between 60 and 120 medals; at 30,000+ pcs/day that is a normal production day for us.
Artwork and QC
Send vector art (AI, EPS, clean SVG) and confirm permission to reproduce any publisher logo; our free proof returns within 24 hours, and our medal design guide covers the same checklist. Every order passes 3-stage QC (incoming material, in-process casting and plating, final AQL) toward 100% conforming delivery, and we hold BSCI, ISO9001, Reach and RoHS certifications.
MOQ and lead times
MOQ is 100 pcs per design; bulk lead time 7–15 days after proof approval, samples 7–10 days; payment T/T 30% deposit plus 70% balance. We export to 50+ countries and have cast in Huizhou, Guangdong since 2010. For multi-design runs, bulk custom medals explains staging.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make medals shaped like a controller or mascot?
Yes. We cut to outline, so controller, headset and mascot designs work as long as the art respects the 2 mm minimum wall thickness and 0.3 mm minimum line width.
What is the minimum order for esports tournament medals?
MOQ is 100 pcs per design — low enough for a single-division campus cup. Reorders on the same die cost less per unit.
How long does a bulk esports medal order take?
Bulk production takes 7–15 days after proof approval and samples 7–10 days, so artwork to delivered medals is roughly three weeks.
Can you match a neon or RGB colour scheme?
Yes. Rainbow plating gives an iridescent shift, black nickel a dark hardware look, and translucent enamel over an LED backlight an actual glow. Gradients go through UV printing (relief up to 7 mm).
Do you offer gold, silver and bronze on the same design?
Yes — the most common esports setup. The die is shared and only the 9-step plating run changes, so the medals differ only in finish.
Not sure how many medals your bracket needs? Send your division list, player count and logo, and we will reply with a proof and a bulk quote.
