Esports
Ongoing coverage on Esports.
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Call of Duty League Championship 2026: Prize pool, schedule, MW4 open beta & how to watch
The Call of Duty League Championship 2026 will feature a $2 million prize pool, with the first-place team taking home $800,000. The tournament, held in Las Vegas, will showcase Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and conclude on Sunday, July 19. Viewers watching the Call of Duty League Championship on Twitch are eligible for early access keys to the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 open beta through a sweepstakes.
Midday Esports and Competitions
The Develop Star Awards for 2026 have announced their winners. The article also touches upon topics related to esports and competitions.
Counter-Strike 2 for Console Gamers: What Xbox Players Need to Know
Counter-Strike 2, a major PC title, is not planned for a native console release on Xbox due to its design favoring keyboard and mouse input and historical issues with console ports. While direct play on Xbox is unavailable, players can access it via PC Game Pass on a Windows PC or through cloud streaming services like GeForce NOW using the Xbox's Edge browser, though the latter may introduce input lag unsuitable for competitive play.
Pokemon Unite removed from 2027 Championship Series
The Pokemon Company has announced that Pokemon Unite will be removed from the Championship Series starting in 2027, with this year's World Championships being its last appearance. A separate in-person event for Pokemon Unite will be held in Japan in 2027, with qualifying teams receiving travel support. No specific reason was provided for the exclusion from the main Championship Series.
PUBG BATTLEGROUNDS Nations Confirmed for Esports Nations Cup 2026 Finals | Invision Game Community
The Esports Foundation has finalized the online regional qualifiers for PUBG BATTLEGROUNDS at the Esports Nations Cup 2026, with the finals set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Ten nations have secured spots through regional competitions, joining 12 invited teams, with one wildcard slot remaining. The tournament will feature 24 national teams competing from November 11-15.
Riot Games Releases Spanish and Catalan Remix of VALORANT Anthem | Invision Game Community
Riot Games has released a new Spanish and Catalan remix of the VALORANT anthem 'Villain (Take the Shot)' in collaboration with Catalan artist Mushkaa, alongside original artists Barns Courtney and ARB4. This remix celebrates the upcoming VCT EMEA Stage 2 Finals in Barcelona and aims to connect with local audiences. The track will also be performed live at the finals event.
Even though Old School RuneScape was 'not built to have a LAN setup at all,' it just had a live esports tournament with 4,000 attendees: 'We were doubting at times whether we actually can pull it off'
Jagex successfully hosted the Deadman All Stars esports tournament for Old School RuneScape in Chicago, drawing 4,000 in-person attendees and over one million online viewers. Despite the game not being designed for LAN events, the team overcame significant logistical challenges to create a special instanced version of the MMO for the competition, ensuring optimal conditions for players.
A Million Eyes on the Action — Million Dollar Tyr Cup S1 Concludes in Spectacular Fashion
The inaugural Ragnarok Origin Classic (ROOC) Million Dollar Tyr Cup concluded in Bangkok, Thailand, with Team ENCORE from the Philippines winning the grand prize of USD 500,000. The tournament emphasized fair competition and skill over spending power, attracting over 333,000 participants globally and over one million viewers online. The event also announced the upcoming Tyr Cup Global with a USD 1 million prize pool.
Announcing Convergence Fest, A First-of-Its-Kind Celebration of Teamfight Tactics and Riftbound
Riot Games announced Convergence Fest, a new multi-day live event combining the Teamfight Tactics Vegas Open and the Riftbound North American Regional Championship. The event will take place in Las Vegas from December 11-13, 2026, and will feature competitive tournaments, developer panels, an Artist Alley, and exclusive merchandise. Tickets go on sale in August and September.
Anichess Season 9 Debuts with New Daily Circuit Events
Anichess has launched Season 9: The Circuit, introducing a new daily tournament format with two daily competitions and enhanced player features like spell practice Sanctums and special events. The season features daily leaderboards, weekly payouts after fair-play verification, and results announced on Discord, with entry options including free access and paid Gambit buy-ins.
F-Zero 99 Festival Event continues - Dealer's Choice
Shacknews staff will be streaming F-Zero 99 tonight at 5:00 p.m. PT/8:00 p.m. ET as the Festival Event continues. The stream will be available on the Shacknews Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and X accounts. Asif Khan, CEO of Shacknews, will be participating in the event.
Masters at work: how Riot grew Valorant into its second global esport
Riot Games has successfully grown Valorant into a major global esport, second only to League of Legends, by focusing on community engagement and diversifying revenue streams beyond sponsorships. Bill Pan, Head of Product Strategy for Valorant Esports, highlights how in-game digital goods have been crucial for funding the esports ecosystem, allowing Riot to thrive despite broader industry challenges like an 'esports winter'. The company continuously adapts its content and distribution strategies to maintain relevance with evolving player bases and changing entertainment consumption habits.
VALORANT Game Changers EMEA Grand Finals Return to Istanbul for Third Consecutive Year | Invision Game
Riot Games announced that the VALORANT Game Changers EMEA Stage 3 Grand Finals will be held in Istanbul, Türkiye, at the ESA Esports Arena on August 30. This marks the third consecutive year the city hosts the event, which will determine which teams qualify for the VALORANT Game Changers Championship. The venue will also host an official VCT EMEA watch party for the Stage 2 Finals.
DXRACER partners with Identity V Championship NAEU 2026 to supply chairs to its first ever regional finals
DXRACER has been announced as the official gaming chair partner for the Identity V Championship NAEU 2026, supplying custom chairs for the event which runs from July to September 2026. This marks the first offline Grand Finals for Identity V in the North American and European regions, with the finals taking place in Los Angeles.
Ragnarok Origin Classic Releases Its Update Today! Glast Heim and New Job Gunslinger Arrive!
Ragnarok Origin Classic has released its major "Shadows over Glast Heim" update, introducing the new "Glast Heim" ruins, the "Gunslinger" job with a melee focus, and the high-difficulty "Draconic Cataclysm" dungeon. The update also includes new server rewards and launches the global "Tyr Cup Global" esports tournament with a million-dollar prize pool.
Games of the Future 2026 Lineup Confirmed: Titles, Teams, and Disciplines Revealed
The official lineup for Games of the Future 2026 has been confirmed, featuring eight disciplines and a prize pool exceeding $4 million. The event will include popular titles such as Dota 2, Counter-Strike 2, PUBG: Battlegrounds, UFL, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves, Just Dance, and 3on3 FreeStyle. Over 800 athletes from renowned Esports and sports institutions will compete from July 29 to August 9 in Kazakhstan.
GOALS Unveils Global Esports Circuit: Tournament Formats, Dates, and Grassroots Strategy
GOALS has officially launched its global Esports circuit, featuring a multi-tier tournament structure. The circuit includes online Majors for top-ranked players and elite offline Masters tournaments, with the first event, the GOALS Open, culminating in Stockholm on September 1. GOALS also aims to foster community growth through tools for smaller organizers and support for marginalized groups within gaming.
GOALS Unveils Ambitious Esports Vision With First Global Tournament Series
The free-to-play football game GOALS has announced an ambitious esports vision, including global tournaments and offline championships. The inaugural GOALS Open will kick off this summer with regional qualifiers and a grand final in Stockholm, featuring a $10,000 prize pool. The game is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Game Pass, emphasizing skill-based gameplay.
Parallel Debuts Community Clash Tournament Series for Card Game
Parallel has launched the Community Clash, a new series of grassroots tournaments for its sci-fi trading card game. This initiative aims to provide accessible pathways for players to compete and earn qualifications for the prestigious Community Clash Cup, fostering a more inclusive competitive environment. The series expands upon Parallel's existing esports ecosystem, which includes the Parallel League and Prime Championship.
Goals is building an exciting esports ecosystem "where everyone can compete"
Goals, a free-to-play soccer game, has announced plans to build an inclusive esports ecosystem allowing anyone to compete. CEO Andreas Thorstensson detailed a system with grassroots qualifiers leading to regional finals and major championships, emphasizing community involvement and accessible tournament creation tools. The game will feature in-game leaderboards, team kits, and cosmetics, with a €10,000 prize pool for official events and plans for player-funded prize pools.
