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“A great opportunity to create something fresh and unique”: BLAST sheds light on its Bounty format

Image credit: Adam Lakomy, BLAST Tournament formats in Counter-Strike esports rarely change, with several event organisers often opting for a Swiss Stage followed by a Playoff to determine the eventual champion. However, in January 2025, BLAST tweaked the system slightly, launching its Bounty event that saw the world’s best teams each have a monetary bounty … Continued The post “A great opportunity to create something fresh and unique”: BLAST sheds light on its Bounty for

Esports Insider 12.01.2026 14:05 Uhr

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5 Dota 2 regions with the most to prove in 2026

Image credit: Valve Europe has been the most dominating region since the days of OG’s back-to-back TI wins, raising the most promising talent across all Dota 2 competitive regions. China has been struggling to keep up since 2019, with most of the older teams replaced by younger players who can’t quite match their Western counterparts. … Continued The post 5 Dota 2 regions with the most to prove in 2026 appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 12.01.2026 14:01 Uhr

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Project Zero and Oxygen Esports secure Six Invitational 2026 spots through LCQs

Image credit: Ubisoft Rainbow Six Siege X (R6) teams Project Zero and Oxygen Esports have successfully qualified for the Six Invitational 2026 tournament through the Last Chance Qualifiers (LCQ). Only two spots remain for the R6 esports crowning event, featuring the top 20 international teams will compete in Paris, France, this February to be crowned … Continued The post Project Zero and Oxygen Esports secure Six Invitational 2026 spots through LCQs appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 12.01.2026 13:10 Uhr

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The biggest winners and losers of LoL 2026 Season 1 update

Image credit: Riot Games Riot Games made big changes to the game in the Season 1 update, introducing role quests and bringing back core items. LoL champions like Kai’Sa, Sylas, and Gangplank benefited the most from the big update. ADCs won the most from the changes, while roamers and tanks lost. Esports players might have … Continued The post The biggest winners and losers of LoL 2026 Season 1 update appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 12.01.2026 12:56 Uhr

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Team Secret joins Web3 Checkmate Ecosystem, launches membership NFT

Image credit: Team Secret Team Secret has joined the Checkmate Ecosystem, a Web3 gaming network based on the CHECK token. The network includes Anichess, a chess-based game backed by Chess.com and Magnus Carlsen. As part of this, Team Secret is set to launch a Web3 membership NFT pass, which will unlock many engagement opportunities for … Continued The post Team Secret joins Web3 Checkmate Ecosystem, launches membership NFT appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 12.01.2026 12:51 Uhr

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Co-streamer applications open for LCP 2026

Image Credit: Riot Games The League Championship Pacific (LCP), the premier Asia-Pacific region for League of Legends, has officially opened applications for co-streamers. Interested applicants can apply through a dedicated form and earn the opportunity to co-stream the LCP 2026, which will officially kicks off this week on January 16th. Applicants will be required to … Continued The post Co-streamer applications open for LCP 2026 appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 12.01.2026 12:34 Uhr

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NRG returns to League of Legends following DarkZero merger

Image Credit: NRG, DarkZero Dragonsteel North American esports organisation NRG has announced its return to League of Legends esports via the tier-two North American scene. Announced on its social media channels, NRG will be competing in the North American Challengers League (NACL) after merging with DarkZero late last year, the latter of which was already … Continued The post NRG returns to League of Legends following DarkZero merger appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 12.01.2026 12:27 Uhr

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ESL and BLAST adjust CS2 map pools following Valve update

Image credit: Valve Esports tournament organisers ESL and BLAST have announced changes to their Counter-Strike 2 map pools following Valve‘s decision to adjust the first-person shooter title’s Active Duty map pool. As a result of the change made on January 9th, IEM Kraków 2026 and BLAST Bounty Season 1 2026 will feature Anubis in place … Continued The post ESL and BLAST adjust CS2 map pools following Valve update appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 12.01.2026 11:05 Uhr

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Kakeru announces future plans following Street Fighter retirement

Image Credit: Esports World Cup The FGC was shocked when Kakeru ‘Kakeru‘ Watanabe announced his retirement from Street Fighter esports in October 2026. Now, the fighting game veteran has revealed his upcoming career goals. Kakeru had an impressive career in Street Fighter, including his $1 million Capcom Cup 11 victory in 2024. However, he slowly … Continued The post Kakeru announces future plans following Street Fighter retirement appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 12.01.2026 05:25 Uhr

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Team Liquid drops Melee legends Ken, Chudat and Chillindude

Image Credit: Team Liquid Over the weekend, Team Liquid announced that the organisation was letting go of three long-time Super Smash Bros. Melee competitors, Ken Hoang, Daniel ‘Chudat’ Rodriguez and Kashan ‘Chillindude’ Kahn. Team Liquid called the three Melee veterans ‘legends of the game,’ noting these were their longest tenured players. The organisation stated: “These … Continued The post Team Liquid drops Melee legends Ken, Chudat and Chillind

Esports Insider 12.01.2026 04:33 Uhr

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“It was an in-the-moment decision”: G2’s IGL Valyn on JonahP’s departure

Image Credits: Colin Young-Wolff, Riot Games G2 Esports’ decision to remove Jonah ‘JonahP’ Pulice from its VALORANT roster ahead of the 2026 VCT season shocked the community. The move left little to no time for the Canadian player to find a new team and came as a surprise, especially considering the organisation’s performances throughout 2025. … Continued The post “It was an in-the-moment decision”: G2’s IGL Valyn on JonahP’s departure appeared first on Esports Insi

Esports Insider 10.01.2026 20:50 Uhr

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Why aren’t racing games more popular in esports?

Race in Forza Motorsport / Image credit: Steam/Forza Racing games are one of the most popular genres of video games, but despite their success, they’re not particularly popular in the esports scene. While there are racing esports on the market, shooters, MOBAs, and fighting games are usually more popular for esports viewers. Racing is already … Continued The post Why aren’t racing games more popular in esports? appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 10.01.2026 13:00 Uhr

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Fortnite’s next Ranked Cup has Elite Daigo skin reward

Image Credit: Epic Games Competitive Fortnite players taking part in the next Ranked Cup have the chance to unlock the Elite Daigo skin. The Elite Daigo skin has been met with excitement from the Fortnite community, but it could be quite difficult to unlock the cosmetic. The grind toward unlocking the Elite Daigo skin will … Continued The post Fortnite’s next Ranked Cup has Elite Daigo skin reward appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 10.01.2026 04:25 Uhr

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Evo Awards preview: date, categories and what to watch for

Image Credit: NASR Esports Evo Awards nominations have closed for the 2026 ceremony, with the fighting game community (FGC) now waiting to see which moments, players and creators make the final shortlist. The Evo Awards are operated by the Evolution Championship Series (Evo), the long-running fighting game tournament series. Evo previously announced that the 2026 … Continued The post Evo Awards preview: date, categories and what to watch for appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 10.01.2026 04:04 Uhr

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Counter-Strike 2 brings Anubis back as Premier Season Four map pool confirmed

Image Credit: Valve Corporation Valve has confirmed changes to Counter-Strike 2’s Premier mode ahead of Season Four, with Anubis returning to the Active Duty map pool following a six-month absence. In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Counter-Strike’s official account announced that Premier Season Three will conclude on January 19th. To earn the Season … Continued The post Counter-Strike 2 brings Anubis back as Premier Season Four map pool confirmed appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 10.01.2026 01:42 Uhr

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Overwatch 2 unveils new OWL inspired cosmic skins

Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment Blizzard Entertainment has released its latest round of Overwatch 2 cosmic skins, inspired by the shuttered Overwatch League (OWL). The Cosmic OWL Mega Bundle 3 includes skins and cosmetic items for Reinhardt, Widowmaker, and Lucio. The bundle is available to purchase through Battle.net website, costing 3,800 Overwatch Coins (~$36/£32) in total. … Continued The post Overwatch 2 unveils new OWL inspired cosmic skins appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 09.01.2026 21:21 Uhr

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iBUYPOWER to sponsor Monster Energy’s fl0m Mythical LAN 2026

Image Credit: iBUYPOWER Custom PC builder company iBUYPOWER is set to sponsor community party and tournament, Monster Energy’s fl0m Mythical LAN 2026. As the name suggests, the event is created by popular streamer and former Counter-Strike 2 player Erik “fl0m” Flom and is scheduled to take place this weekend at the HyperX Arena from January … Continued The post iBUYPOWER to sponsor Monster Energy’s fl0m Mythical LAN 2026 appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 09.01.2026 20:37 Uhr

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Everything to know about ALGS Year 5 Championship

Image credit: Electronic Arts Electronic Arts has revealed more details surrounding the Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) Year 5 Championship ,taking place in Sapporo, Japan. The season-ending event will see the top 40 international teams compete from January 15th to 18th, to be crowned this season’s champion. From format and schedule to livestream details, here … Continued The post Everything to know about ALGS Year 5 Championship appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 09.01.2026 20:31 Uhr

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Team Vitality reveals its 2026 jersey in collaboration with Fulllife

Image credit: Team Vitality Team Vitality has revealed its new jersey for the 2026 season in collaboration with French streetwear brand Fulllife. In addition to this, the French esports organisation has secured a two-year deal with Fulllife to become its official kit supplier. Now available to pre-order, the new jersey features Team Vitality’s signature black … Continued The post Team Vitality reveals its 2026 jersey in collaboration with Fulllife appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 09.01.2026 19:07 Uhr

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PaiN Gaming adds vsm and piriajr to CS2 roster

Image credit: Stephanie Lindgren, BLAST Brazilian esports organisation paiN Gaming has confirmed the signings of Vinicius ‘vsm‘ Moreira and Guilherme ‘piriajr‘ Barbosa to its Counter-Strike 2 roster. Vsm joins from the Brazilian side of Keyd Stars, while Piria joins on loan from Bounty Hunters Esports. The organisation cited a lack of consistency throughout the 2025 … Continued The post PaiN Gaming adds vsm and piriajr to CS2 roster appeared first on Esports Insider

Esports Insider 09.01.2026 18:10 Uhr

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The biggest winners and losers of VALORANT’s season V26 update (Patch 12.00)

Image credit: Riot Games VALORANT welcomed Season V26 on January 6, 2026. The patch brings major map reworks, UI changes, competitive tweaks, and a new weapon. It also includes agent buffs to Breach, Harbor, Sage, Vyse, and Brimstone.  Patch 12.00 lays the groundwork for all the major updates anticipated in the 2026 season. VALORANT Patch … Continued The post The biggest winners and losers of VALORANT’s season V26 update (Patch 12.00) appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 09.01.2026 17:29 Uhr

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Nate Purkeypile, the world builder who brought Skyrim and Fallout to life on why gamers deserve better than $100 games

Image credit: Bethesda Former Bethesda Lead Artist Nate Purkeypile has called on the company to tighten up the scope of Elder Scrolls VI to create a more captivating, human-made world rather than chase the scope of Starfield in an exclusive interview with Esports Insider. The former World Artist, whose credits include Fallout 3, Fallout 4, … Continued The post Nate Purkeypile, the world builder who brought Skyrim and Fallout to life on why gamers deserve better than $100 games appeared fir

Esports Insider 09.01.2026 17:07 Uhr

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Fnatic parts ways with blameF, signs Maden to CS2 roster

Image credit: PGL Fnatic has announced that it has parted ways with Danish Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) player Benjamin ‘blameF‘ Bremer ahead of the 2026 season. Alongside confirming his departure, the UK-based esports organisation has signed Pavle ‘Maden‘ Bošković as its new entry fragger. Fnatic revealed that the signing of Maden is part of “the system” … Continued The post Fnatic parts ways with blameF, signs Maden to CS2 roster appeared first on Esports In

Esports Insider 09.01.2026 16:54 Uhr

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CS2 skins vs VALORANT skins: Which game does cosmetics better in 2026?

Image credit: Valve / Riot Games CS2 skins can be traded, sold, and even gambled, giving them real-world value and investment potential. VALORANT skins are purely cosmetic items, with developer-controlled value  The best CS2 skins are decided by their rarity condition and pattern index.  Pros and Collectors will generally gravitate towards CS2 skins for their … Continued The post CS2 skins vs VALORANT skins: Which game does cosmetics better in 2026? appeared first on Esports Insi

Esports Insider 09.01.2026 16:10 Uhr

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