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A buffet, not a meal: Inside the Esports World Cup opening ceremony 

Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen was a diminutive silhouette as he sat at the end of the stage where he’d be illuminated at the end of the Esports World Cup’s Opening Ceremony’s opening gambit. Five minutes later, French superstar Aya Nakamura performed one song and left the stage. So too did Theodora, before waltzing up the … Continued The post A buffet, not a meal: Inside the Esports World Cup opening ceremony  appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 10.07.2026 11:22 Uhr

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“If they call me that, I need a performance that matches”: I witnessed the Faker fandom at MSI 2026, and their passion for the GOAT goes beyond traditional sports fans

The sign to T1 Base Camp is easy to spot. There’s enough red to make it stand out. The arrow pointing down the stairs to the PC Bang and store dedicated to T1 and its players in Seoul’s Hongdae neighborhood is accompanied by pictures of the team’s past success. At the bottom of the stairs, … Continued The post “If they call me that, I need a performance that matches”: I witnessed the Faker fandom at MSI 2026, and their passion for the GOAT goes beyond traditio

Esports Insider 09.07.2026 19:45 Uhr

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The XSE Pro League is a great example of how not to operate esports events

Several factors are required to ensure the smooth operation of an esports tournament. Whether it’s preventing hardware crashes, providing adequate practice facilities, or making sure that the power doesn’t cut during a crucial moment, keeping things on track in front of a sold-out arena is no easy feat. Counter-Strike tournament organizers are no strangers to … Continued The post The XSE Pro League is a great example of how not to operate esports events appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 09.07.2026 18:14 Uhr

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Leak culture, vagueposting, and oversharing: What we can learn from the FrosT and Global Esports drama

Ever since the conclusion of Masters London at the end of June, seemingly no topic has been more prominent in the VALORANT esports scene than the unexpected kicking of Head Coach Hector “FrosT” Rosario from Global Esports. What started as a leak on June 24th sparked a wave of rumors, speculation, and finger-pointing among fans … Continued The post Leak culture, vagueposting, and oversharing: What we can learn from the FrosT and Global Esports drama appeared first on Esports Ins

Esports Insider 09.07.2026 02:50 Uhr

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The Esports World Cup is claiming record ticket sales after move to Paris… Is this cap?

The Esports World Cup is back, and this time it has a brand-new look. Due to geopolitical tension, the entire multi-week tournament was uprooted from Saudi Arabia at the last minute and shipped thousands of miles away to Paris, France. According to the tournament organizers, this chaotic city swap has been a massive triumph. At … Continued The post The Esports World Cup is claiming record ticket sales after move to Paris… Is this cap? appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 08.07.2026 20:57 Uhr

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Sony’s baffling decision to region lock Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls has united the FGC, as its potential as an esport now hangs in the balance

Sony is on a generational speed run of bad PR in recent days after announcing its intent to completely discontinue disc production for its consoles. However, I believe that the biggest issue they have right now involves Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls and its region lock in over 130 countries, according to SteamDB. It’s such a … Continued The post Sony’s baffling decision to region lock Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls has united the FGC, as its potential as an esport now hangs in the balan

Esports Insider 07.07.2026 17:48 Uhr

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“Fighting games are a language”: The FGC has been bringing countries together far before the World Cup

If you’re anything like me (chronically online, spend too much time scrolling TikTok), you’ve probably seen tons of videos over the past few weeks of World Cup fans from Europe, Japan, Korea, and Mexico flooding various cities in the United States to watch the matches. It’s one of those rare, wholesome moments that you barely … Continued The post “Fighting games are a language”: The FGC has been bringing countries together far before the World Cup appeared fir

Esports Insider 07.07.2026 00:04 Uhr

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I’ve sorta hated Anime Expo for years, and it seems the anime community finally had enough this time

I am going to vindicate myself here. A few years back, I went to Anime Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center, stood outside in a brutal, shadeless two-hour line that felt like a mild form of torture, and decided, Yeah, I am good on this forever. It was packed, it was frustrating, and for … Continued The post I’ve sorta hated Anime Expo for years, and it seems the anime community finally had enough this time appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 06.07.2026 05:03 Uhr

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Puppey returns as a coach, SumaiL hints at retirement, China’s chance at redemption: the best storylines going into The International 15

After a grueling series of qualifiers, we’ve finally locked in the 16 teams competing at The International 15, which is going to be Dota 2’s biggest tournament of the year. If you’re one of those seasonal viewers who only comes out of your cage for TI, here are some of the most important storylines to … Continued The post Puppey returns as a coach, SumaiL hints at retirement, China’s chance at redemption: the best storylines going into The International 15 appeared first on Esports I

Esports Insider 03.07.2026 17:49 Uhr

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Kalshi’s June esports data shows a $231.8M market dominated by Counter-Strike

Kalshi’s esports markets traded $231.8 million across 4.05 million individual trades in June 2026, spread across 28 distinct series covering seven titles. With the danger of sounding like I’m flogging a dead horse, the $231.8 million traded does not equal total money risked, such is the nature of prediction markets. The more interesting one is … Continued The post Kalshi’s June esports data shows a $231.8M market dominated by Counter-Strike appeared first on Esports Insid

Esports Insider 03.07.2026 15:58 Uhr

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One of the FGC’s biggest fears came true at Evo Vegas 2026: Ludwig’s comment shines light on grassroots, authenticity, and artificial hype

Evo Vegas happened just this week, and while the tournament was a great success with lots of announcements benefiting the fighting game community, it also highlighted a growing pain point for the scene. Let’s start with a positive! Evo intends to support locals around the world, essentially cultivating a stronger fighting game esports scene. This … Continued The post One of the FGC’s biggest fears came true at Evo Vegas 2026: Ludwig’s comment shines light on grassroots, authent

Esports Insider 02.07.2026 17:14 Uhr

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CDL Major 4 showed me Call of Duty esports must focus on Europe to survive

The fourth Major of the Call of Duty League (CDL) season brought an end to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7’s regular season, a season that has proven to be one of the most competitive since Activision’s first-person shooter switched to a franchised model. For the first time in nine years, Call of Duty’s top … Continued The post CDL Major 4 showed me Call of Duty esports must focus on Europe to survive appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 02.07.2026 16:39 Uhr

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“We’ve seen people coming back”: Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves devs on pushing past previous setbacks, new content, and new players

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves burst onto the fighting game scene in April 2025 just in time to build up the hype ahead of Evo Vegas that summer. It took one of the Main Stage spots, and the Top 8 was insanely fun to watch due to the veteran players giving it their all … Continued The post “We’ve seen people coming back”: Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves devs on pushing past previous setbacks, new content, and new players appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 01.07.2026 21:45 Uhr

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Okay, Evo Vegas 2026 changed my mind about 2XKO: It will survive, but only as an esport

I have never been a fan of 2XKO. I’ve made that pretty clear in my recent debate with my colleague over the survival of 2XKO. Hint: I said it won’t make it past 2027. However, this was based on Riot’s shortcomings in the game’s launch and marketing strategy, as well as the dwindling number of … Continued The post Okay, Evo Vegas 2026 changed my mind about 2XKO: It will survive, but only as an esport appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 01.07.2026 03:29 Uhr

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“EWC isn’t about prestige, it’s about value”: Arslan Ash on too many Evo’s, getting more W’s ahead of retirement, and being alone at the top

There has been a lot of chatter about Evo Vegas losing its prestige. Even Arslan Ash himself has mentioned this before. After a Saudi Arabian company purchased Evo and announced a massive circuit expansion, many pros and fans felt the hype around the event was dying. Once the culmination of the season, it seemed Evo … Continued The post “EWC isn’t about prestige, it’s about value”: Arslan Ash on too many Evo’s, getting more W’s ahead of retirement, and b

Esports Insider 30.06.2026 23:25 Uhr

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Esports World Cup Paris: Team Vitality’s Nicolas Maurer on home advantage, Macron, and a “secret dream”

Nicolas Maurer can’t quite remember the name of the tournament. A small Call of Duty LAN – somewhere in Paris – the kind where the musk of stale energy drinks and hum of a room full of machines linger longer than the name – left its mark on the man who would go on to … Continued The post Esports World Cup Paris: Team Vitality’s Nicolas Maurer on home advantage, Macron, and a “secret dream” appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 30.06.2026 13:17 Uhr

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“Being together and doing hype stuff is important”: Invincible VS devs discuss locals, trash talk, and working with the FGC

I’ll admit, I was skeptical of Invincible VS. Not because it looked particularly bad or anything, but because I feel we already have too many fighting games in the esports scene already. However, my mind was completely changed at Evo Vegas 2026. First, I had the opportunity to play the game, which I hadn’t had … Continued The post “Being together and doing hype stuff is important”: Invincible VS devs discuss locals, trash talk, and working with the FGC appeared firs

Esports Insider 29.06.2026 08:05 Uhr

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“I want to be an icon like SonicFox”: Hikari wins 2XKO tourney at Evo Vegas 2026

Riot’s 2v2 fighter 2XKO had the spotlight at Evo Vegas 2026 as one of the games on the Main Stage thanks to its impressive number of competitors. Out of those 1,080 fighters, Jo’siah “Hikari” Miller came out on top. The Top 8 for 2XKO was stacked. Dominique “SonicFox” McLean and Lenwood “Inzem” Arnold hadn’t dropped … Continued The post “I want to be an icon like SonicFox”: Hikari wins 2XKO tourney at Evo Vegas 2026 appeared

Esports Insider 29.06.2026 02:26 Uhr

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“That saltiness and anger stays with the game”: MenaRD on Kemonomichi controversy, Evo Vegas, and what keeps him positive at every tourney

Nobody would be surprised to see Saul Leonardo “MenaRD” Mena II win the Street Fighter 6 tournament at Evo Vegas 2026. He’s considered one of the best SF6 players in the world right now. However, his journey to Evo this year was totally out of the ordinary for him. Luckily, MenaRD has the right mindset … Continued The post “That saltiness and anger stays with the game”: MenaRD on Kemonomichi controversy, Evo Vegas, and what keeps him positive at every tourney

Esports Insider 28.06.2026 00:08 Uhr

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“We’ve gained so much resilience”: One kiNgg and his four rookies. The winning formula in VCT 2026 and beyond

VALORANT Masters London concluded on June 21st with a five-map thriller between Pacific’s Paper Rex and VCT Americas’ Leviatán. But it wasn’t the event favorite, comprised of a loyal core of VCT legends, that lifted the Masters London trophy in the end. It was Leviatán who came out on top with a dominant performance on … Continued The post “We’ve gained so much resilience”: One kiNgg and his four rookies. The winning formula in VCT 2026 and beyond appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 26.06.2026 20:02 Uhr

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Counter-Strike 2 is clearly winning the viewership war against VALORANT after the IEM Cologne Major 2026… For now

Viewership is frequently used to determine whether a notable esports tournament is a success or a failure. High figures often grab the headlines, with some tournaments peaking at several million viewers, matching or exceeding those of traditional sporting spectacles.  Between June 19th and 21st, 2026, Counter-Strike’s IEM Cologne Major filled the iconic LANXESS Arena as … Continued The post Counter-Strike 2 is clearly winning the viewership war against VALORANT after the IEM Cologne M

Esports Insider 26.06.2026 02:58 Uhr

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“Dota 2 salaries are inflated”: Tundra Esports founder reveals expenses of a Tier 1 Dota team and the scene’s struggling economics

Tundra Esports exiting Dota 2 this year was definitely not on our bingo cards. The roster has already won four trophies this season and remains a solid top-five team in the world, but Tundra still decided to sell its roster to 1win Team before the Esports World Cup and The International.  Naturally, this move sparked … Continued The post “Dota 2 salaries are inflated”: Tundra Esports founder reveals expenses of a Tier 1 Dota team and the scene’s struggling economics

Esports Insider 25.06.2026 20:30 Uhr

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$109 million was traded with Kalshi on IEM Cologne 2026: here’s what the markets revealed

Over 20 days in June, IEM Cologne saw $109.3 million traded on US-based prediction market Kalshi as a fairytale storyline drew to a conclusion in Germany. The $109.3 million represents volume of contracts traded, so does not necessarily represent amount of actual money wagered, or handle in traditional sportsbook terms. Still, it’s an impressive figure … Continued The post $109 million was traded with Kalshi on IEM Cologne 2026: here’s what the markets revealed appeared first o

Esports Insider 25.06.2026 12:35 Uhr

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There are too many fighting games in the FGC esports scene

In recent years, developers have heavily tapped into the fighting game genre. Left and right, there seems to be a new game coming out, which took the fighting game community (FGC) by surprise, because the genre hadn’t been touched by other developers not named Capcom, Bandai Namco, Arc System Works, SNK, or NetherRealm for a … Continued The post There are too many fighting games in the FGC esports scene appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 24.06.2026 21:15 Uhr

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