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Risk without reward: Counter-Strike 2’s new sticker system threatens the entire esports scene’s structure

There’s a lot of buzz in the Counter-Strike community right now, and it has to do with Major stickers. Valve recently changed how Major sticker sales work at IEM Cologne 2026, ditching the capsule system we’ve used for decades in favor of a token shop where you just buy the sticker you want for a … Continued The post Risk without reward: Counter-Strike 2’s new sticker system threatens the entire esports scene’s structure appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 23.07.2026 04:38 Uhr

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Forget the burrito bowl: Karmine Corp’s Blue Rising TCG is the future of esports monetization

Let’s be honest with ourselves for a second: the era of esports organizations begging mainstream corporate giants for a lifeline is getting a little tired. For years, the industry playbook was simple: throw money at non-endemic brands, slap a Mastercard, Coinbase, or Mercedes-Benz logo on a jersey, and pray that a casual crypto customer suddenly … Continued The post Forget the burrito bowl: Karmine Corp’s Blue Rising TCG is the future of esports monetization appeared first on Esports

Esports Insider 22.07.2026 21:13 Uhr

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Single-player games deserve more attention in esports

If you look at the top tier of competitive gaming, it feels like a total team sport monopoly. The biggest heavyweights in the industry pull in staggering numbers, and almost every single one of them relies on a full squad to get the job done. Take a look at the viewership metrics. League of Legends … Continued The post Single-player games deserve more attention in esports appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 22.07.2026 00:58 Uhr

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I am not convinced that hunting for AI is going to solve esports’ biggest issues

I am going to say something that might get me kicked out of a few Discord servers, but somebody has to say it. The esports community has officially entered its witch hunt era when it comes to artificial intelligence. Every single time a game developer or an esports organization posts an image, half the comment … Continued The post I am not convinced that hunting for AI is going to solve esports’ biggest issues appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 21.07.2026 18:48 Uhr

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Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves has an insane DLC schedule, but it may not be enough to bring the sauce

SNK is absolutely on one right now. They just pulled back the curtain on Season 3 of Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, and the release schedule is relentless. We are getting a brand-new character dropped every single month for a straight half-year, starting with Rick Strowd. The developers’ strategy is pretty transparent here. They … Continued The post Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves has an insane DLC schedule, but it may not be enough to bring the sauce appeared first on Esports Inside

Esports Insider 20.07.2026 23:08 Uhr

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South American Dota 2 just got dealt one of its worst blows yet after PlayTime’s scandal at the Esports World Cup

South American Dota 2 just got dealt one of its worst blows in God knows how long. At the Dota 2 tournament at the Esports World Cup, one of the biggest tournaments of the year, PlayTime’s mid-laner Gonzalo “DarkMago” Herrera and coach Juan “Vintage” Angulo were provisionally suspended by ESIC over suspected breaches of its … Continued The post South American Dota 2 just got dealt one of its worst blows yet after PlayTime’s scandal at the Esports World Cup app

Esports Insider 20.07.2026 17:01 Uhr

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The FGC has become too serious and we need more people like Hayao

In recent times, the Fighting Game Community (FGC) has been too serious for its own good and has forgotten how to have fun while playing the games they love. I don’t blame the community, though. It’s easy to lose sight of fun if there’s a million dollars dangling in front of you to claim, as … Continued The post The FGC has become too serious and we need more people like Hayao appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 17.07.2026 20:54 Uhr

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“Maybe it’s not actually voluntary”: Are esports organizations pressuring VALORANT pros to compete in the EWC? Or does the issue go deeper than that?

Last week, insights from a recent episode of The Vodfathers podcast sparked heated discussions about the Esports World Cup (EWC) VALORANT tournament.  According to esports broadcast talent and The Vodfathers co-host, Josh “Sideshow” Wilkinson, some esports organizations prioritize the EWC over their performance in Riot Games’ semi-franchised VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) due to the massive … Continued The post “Maybe it’s not actually voluntary”: Are esports organiza

Esports Insider 17.07.2026 20:39 Uhr

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Lenovo on why ‘not marketing’ is the best way to market Legion at the Esports World Cup

Esports Insider sat down with Alia Rosmini, Executive Director of Consumer Marketing, Global at Lenovo, and Karan Kapur, Global Marketing Head of Gaming at Lenovo, at the press conference for the Esports World Cup‘s opening ceremony to talk sponsorship strategy, measuring ROI, and where AI fits into the brand’s approach to gaming and esports. All … Continued The post Lenovo on why ‘not marketing’ is the best way to market Legion at the Esports World Cup appeared fir

Esports Insider 17.07.2026 13:35 Uhr

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France reiterates questionable esports betting ban legislation as the Esports World Cup enters second week

As the Esports World Cup in Paris heads into its second week, the French gambling regulator,  Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), has reiterated that betting on esports is illegal everywhere in France, on every platform. The regulator issued the reminder during the first week of the Esports World Cup competition, emphasizing that its ban on … Continued The post France reiterates questionable esports betting ban legislation as the Esports World Cup enters second week appeared first on Esport

Esports Insider 16.07.2026 21:24 Uhr

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Is Counter-Strike 2 going soft? Esports fans react to new comms rule and debate hate speech vs. trash talk

Leading tournament organizer ESL has just updated its Counter-Strike 2 rulebook, adding a bunch of changes. However, one that stuck out was a new clause regarding internal team communications during a live match. The newly-added Clause 2.30 states that what you say to your own teammates during a match is no longer off-limits to tournament … Continued The post Is Counter-Strike 2 going soft? Esports fans react to new comms rule and debate hate speech vs. trash talk appeared first on Esports

Esports Insider 16.07.2026 17:55 Uhr

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Esports has an excellent opportunity to cash in on nostalgia right now

Nostalgia within the gaming industry is a surefire way for developers and publishers to generate huge profits. In the majority of cases, the remaster or re-release of a popular title from years gone by generates huge interest among fans looking to take a trip down memory lane.  The launch of an old title rarely captures … Continued The post Esports has an excellent opportunity to cash in on nostalgia right now appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 16.07.2026 17:02 Uhr

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VALORANT’s viewership at Esports World Cup has fans worried that the game is “dying” once and for all

If you tuned into the Esports World Cup expecting the usual high-octane crowd and absolute chaos you usually get during a Grand Final match, you might have noticed things felt a little quiet. Like, “empty customs lobby” quiet. According to the latest stats from Esports Charts, VALORANT took a massive hit in the viewership department … Continued The post VALORANT’s viewership at Esports World Cup has fans worried that the game is “dying” once and for all appear

Esports Insider 15.07.2026 22:03 Uhr

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EA Head of Esports on cross-title strategy and what’s next for the Esports World Cup

EA Head of Esports, Monica Dinsmore, spoke with Esports Insider (ESI) at the Esports World Cup about how EA organizes its esports operations across titles, the growing overlap between esports and real-world sports, EA’s mobile push, and what could be next for the Esports World Cup. Over the first weekend of competition, EA had one … Continued The post EA Head of Esports on cross-title strategy and what’s next for the Esports World Cup appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 15.07.2026 14:23 Uhr

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The Combo Contest is unironically my favorite Super Smash Bros. tournament of all time

Another year, another missed Combo Contest. I have unfortunately decided to head to Monterey Car Week this summer, which means I won’t be able to attend the newly expanded Supernova (aka Smash Con) and watch my favorite tourney of all time: the Combo Contest. Supernova is the largest Smash event in the world, featuring tournaments … Continued The post The Combo Contest is unironically my favorite Super Smash Bros. tournament of all time appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 14.07.2026 20:35 Uhr

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MSI 2026 proved the gap between East and West is closing — at least at the top

For years, the script on the League of Legends esports international stage has been the same: China and Korea battle it out for the top spots, with one Western team barely keeping up.  The Mid-Season Invitational 2026 completely threw that script away, partially rewriting the storylines for the second part of the season.  Yes, a … Continued The post MSI 2026 proved the gap between East and West is closing — at least at the top appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 14.07.2026 19:41 Uhr

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As much as I want Super Smash Bros. back at Evo, it no longer makes sense to include it

One of the most devastating things to ever happen to the Super Smash Bros. community was the time Nintendo pulled Smash games from Evo. Evo used to be one of the largest showcases of Smash’s talented, gritty, and passionate esports scene. Pros crying on stage after they won, Smash players boo’ing during the Wii U … Continued The post As much as I want Super Smash Bros. back at Evo, it no longer makes sense to include it appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 13.07.2026 19:24 Uhr

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“I think LEC is one step ahead”: CBLOL’s FURIA and LCP’s Team Secret Whales tell us what it takes to catch up to bigger regions

Underdog stories aren’t built on random happenstance. Rather, they are fostered through the unseen moments that fly under the radar. League of Legends isn’t any different from any other form of competition. Teams are bracketed into their specific roles, similar to other sports. China’s LPL is making a run at the dominant LCK, Korea’s top … Continued The post “I think LEC is one step ahead”: CBLOL’s FURIA and LCP’s Team Secret Whales tell us what it takes to catch up

Esports Insider 13.07.2026 16:35 Uhr

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Monsoon interviews Blinkzr ahead of ALGS 2026 Split 1 Playoffs at EWC

Ahead of the ALGS 2026 Split 1 Playoffs at the Esports World Cup in Paris, we handed Bowen “Monsoon” Fuller the mic and let him interview his own teammate, Miguel “Blinkzr” Quiles, with Esports Insider (ESI) stepping in only occasionally. Rather than the usual pre-match press questions, we’ve got two champions bidding for back-to-back titles, … Continued The post Monsoon interviews Blinkzr ahead of ALGS 2026 Split 1 Playoffs at EWC appeared first on Esports In

Esports Insider 11.07.2026 09:24 Uhr

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Even the Dota 2 pros are bored with Tier 1 tournaments: Let’s shake it up with Fearless Draft and Tier 2 teams

Last week, tournament organizer BLAST announced changes to its Dota 2 series, the BLAST Slam, revealing that they’re cutting the prize pool down from $1 million to $750,000. And to be completely honest, this wasn’t a shocker to me. The Dota scene gets a million-dollar tournament almost every single month, from the aforementioned BLAST Slam, … Continued The post Even the Dota 2 pros are bored with Tier 1 tournaments: Let’s shake it up with Fearless Draft and Tier 2 teams appeared firs

Esports Insider 10.07.2026 20:43 Uhr

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Top Fatal Fury fighter GO1 drops out of Esports World Cup, and he took the hype and views along with him

It is incredibly rough to see a legend like Goichi “GO1” Kishida have to pull out of a major tournament like the Esports World Cup due to health issues, especially when he was the main anchor keeping a lot of us glued to the screen. Fighting games thrive on storylines, and GO1’s run with Fatal … Continued The post Top Fatal Fury fighter GO1 drops out of Esports World Cup, and he took the hype and views along with him appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 10.07.2026 17:29 Uhr

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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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