Category: E-Sport

Image Credit: Esports World Cup On May 20th, the Esports World Cup (EWC) officially announced that it would move the $75m competition from its previous host, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to Paris for its 2026 edition. As with any news surrounding the EWC, this announcement was met with divisive reactions from the esports community due to the event’s ties to the Saudi Arabian government. However, a concerning portion of stakeholders, including France’s President Emmanuel Macron, have welcomed the change of location with excitement. This is a reminder that the EWC is nothing but a sportswashing campaign carefully employed by the Saudi…

Image Credit: ESL A few days ago, Norwegian esports organization HEROIC caused an uproar within the esports community with a divisive post on X (formerly Twitter). The post intends to trash-talk Saudi Arabian esports organization Team Falcons by putting its logo next to a photo of actress Sydney Sweeney under the caption “t*ts or a**.” However, as pointed out by several esports fans and professionals, the punchline of this “joke” is rooted in misogyny. It reduces the actress to a single body part and sexualizes her without her consent. Disappointingly, however, public reactions to the “meme” were mixed rather than…

The viewership numbers from the RLCS 2026 Paris Major were shockingly low. Like, really low. It’s easy to immediately assume that Rocket League is dying, the old esports mantra. But what’s actually going on? Well, it’s not dying. But the excuses people have for the reduced viewership actually do point to one thing: it’s not popular. And it’s not retaining interest. Keep Reading As the esports industry crumbles, the FGC has become a refreshingly real escape to what esports used to be RLCS Boston Major becomes the most-watched Rocket League event The RLCS 2026 Paris Major is still underway, with…

Image credit: Helena Kristiansson, ESL There has been a long-standing resentment toward Nintendo in the Super Smash Bros. esports community. Nintendo has not only refused to fund an esports circuit but has also actively shut down streams and tournaments for various strict reasons. The Smash community, especially Melee, hates Nintendo. But is it Nintendo’s absence from the Smash scene that has actually kept it thriving for decades? Keep Reading As the esports industry crumbles, the FGC has become a refreshingly real escape to what esports used to be NAVI victorious, Donk dominates, Poland on the map: the Cologne Major won’t…

Image credit: Combo Breaker, Stephanie Lindgren The fighting game esports scene is growing, defying the whole “esports is dead” discussion. As sponsorships and Saudi Arabia fuel the general esports scene, esports fans are chasing that authenticity that’s been lost over the years. And they’ve found it in the FGC. The proof? Combo Breaker‘s massive attendance. Keep Reading 2XKO won’t make it past 2027: Esports Insider debates Death, taxes, and technical difficulties: Evo Japan should not be an Evo event Combo Breaker is a massive fighting game event taking place this weekend. There are over 20 fighting game titles with tournaments…

Image Credit: Twitch The Super Smash Bros. esports scene is notoriously broke. The tournaments are often crowdfunded, with prize pools reaching only a few thousand. This hasn’t stopped players from grinding Melee for hours every single day, which is what makes the scene special… And maybe a bit stupid. One of the most notorious examples of the Smash scene’s lack of career paths? Jason “Mew2King” Zimmerman. Whether competing, coaching, or streaming, Mew2King can’t seem to make a living in Smash, despite dedicating his entire life to the scene. Keep Reading 2XKO won’t make it past 2027: Esports Insider debates “The…

Image Credit: ESL Gaming GmbH Last week, Counter-Strike interviewer Anastasija “Heccu” Tolmačeva shared a heartfelt video that resonated deeply with esports professionals across our industry. In her video, Heccu opened up about her struggles to find freelance opportunities in the CS tournament landscape and how this has drained her emotionally and financially. What followed was a wave of support from the CS community, along with several stories from esports professionals reporting similar experiences in their careers. Heccu’s video resonated so strongly because she gave voice to the many challenges esports professionals face in the current ecosystem. Job insecurity, a competitive…

Image Credit: Team Liquid Sigh. Another day, another creep in the Super Smash Bros. community. Team Liquid coach, commentator, and tournament organizer Ryan “L4st” Krichbaum has been banned from Smash events in Georgia after multiple people accused him of sexual assault. Is the Smash community doomed? Accusations Against L4st Prove Horrific On May 10th, the Georgia Smash group on X said that a moderator had been notified about allegations coming from three anonymous individuals. The accusations against L4st included rape, emotional abuse, coercion, and “multiple cases of sexual assault.” One of the individuals came forward a few years ago, requesting…

Image Credit: Riot / YouTube The FGC is a bit shook by the new fuse in 2XKO. But not for the reason you may think. Teamfight is the latest fuse, dropping May 12th. A fuse in 2XKO is a team-wide gameplay modifier chosen during character select, allowing players to have a specific advantage or playstyle. The newest one, Teamfight, lets two champions appear on-screen at once for 7 seconds. It literally sounds insane. Keep Reading Death, taxes, and technical difficulties: Evo Japan should not be an Evo event 2XKO is not going to last in the FGC, and it’s Riot…

Image Credit: Christina Oh/Riot Games Last week, a new “girls only” VALORANT tournament made waves in the esports community, but perhaps not in the way its organizer, femaleplayersTN, had hoped for.  First criticized for its AI-generated social media graphic, it was revealed shortly after that femaleplayersTN did not allow trans women to participate in its tournament. According to leaked Discord screenshots, femaleplayersTN members set this rule due to their religious beliefs.  Keep Reading “We get a lot of hate. For nothing”: Milk Cup Fortnite pros talk sexism in esports and hope for the future Esports has changed, but sexist situations won’t go away “We…