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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

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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

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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.

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“They’ve gotta listen to the people actually playing the game”: Warzone will die if it doesn’t learn from Apex Legends and go all-in on esports

It was the face of gaming during a pandemic that bred a need to socialize and escape reality. Although the immersive dystopia was a war-torn landscape called Verdansk, Call of Duty: Warzone quickly became a haven for friendship, camaraderie, and alliances.  The promised land of competitive battle royales dawned with every parachute glide, as even the most … Continued The post “They’ve gotta listen to the people actually playing the game”: Warzone will die if it doesn&#821

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I was not going to watch the Esports Nations Cup, but it has now become an exciting and much-needed showcase of co-ed esports competition

The Esports Nations Cup (ENC) is meant to be a fun, slightly unhinged celebration of national pride, where countries assemble dream teams and battle it out for bragging rights. It is a festival of gaming. But leave it to a corner of the internet to ruin the vibe. When Team Denmark announced their VALORANT roster, … Continued The post I was not going to watch the Esports Nations Cup, but it has now become an exciting and much-needed showcase of co-ed esports competition appeared first on Es

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NiKo won IEM Cologne Major 2026 no matter what the Team Falcon haters say

“I am a prime example to never give up. Never give up on your dreams.” That was Nikola “NiKo” Kovač‘s emotional speech after winning IEM Cologne Major 2026. He’d been to 17 majors over a decade, but this was his first time lifting the trophy. As he wiped away his tears, fans debated whether it … Continued The post NiKo won IEM Cologne Major 2026 no matter what the Team Falcon haters say appeared first on Esports Insider.

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Parasocial behavior and death threats: VALORANT esports fans are going too far

VALORANT Masters London’s second Playoffs day kicked off last week with a three-map thriller between VCT EMEA darkhorse FUT Esports and VCT China legend Champions EDward Gaming (EDG). Tension was brewing throughout the series, with FUT Esports delivering banter on stage and receiving boos from the audience in return. What followed after the series, though, … Continued The post Parasocial behavior and death threats: VALORANT esports fans are going too far appeared first on Esports Insider.

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Every city thinks it can be the “next esports capital,” and no, London is most definitely not

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is the latest guy to claim his city will “lead the world in esports.” It sounds exciting at first, sure, but it made me laugh almost immediately. How many friggin “esports capitals” do we need? It’s a phrase that basically means nothing at this point. During a high-profile trade … Continued The post Every city thinks it can be the “next esports capital,” and no, London is most definitely not appeared first on Esport

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Scalping continues to plague big esports events
 But fans are apparently willing to pay thousands for those tickets

If you have spent any time trying to buy tickets for a premier esports event lately, you probably have some deeply held, highly aggressive feelings about ticket scalpers. The community sentiment right now is a mixture of absolute exhaustion and pure rage. Over on Reddit, the “IEM Cologne Major: Flights Booked. Hotel Booked. No Ticket. … Continued The post Scalping continues to plague big esports events… But fans are apparently willing to pay thousands for those tickets appeared

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Esports will never be taken seriously until people get paid on time

It’s no secret that people working in esports have faced payment delays before, and we’ve been reminded of that fact multiple times this week alone.  First, an artist going by “EDICH” who previously worked on Dota 2 merch for some of the biggest events in esports, including The International’s Secret Shop and ESL tournaments, published … Continued The post Esports will never be taken seriously until people get paid on time appeared first on Esports Insider.

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IEM Cologne drove 63% of all Kalshi esports betting volume in the week of June 7–13

The week of June 7–13 saw $66.2 million in esports prediction market contracts on Kalshi, and the story behind what drove that number was never really in doubt. Counter-Strike 2 was responsible for nearly two-thirds of all activity, with IEM Cologne at the epicentre of all esports trading activity. That $66.2M figure is worth comparing … Continued The post IEM Cologne drove 63% of all Kalshi esports betting volume in the week of June 7–13 appeared first on Esports Insider.

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The FGC must transition out of grassroots if it wants to survive

The FGC prides itself on being raw. In fact, one of the community’s main gripes about the Daigo vs MenaRD match a few months ago was that some of the moments felt forced. It’s a far cry from the out-of-nowhere, wonderful moments such as Evo Moment 37 and Hayao’s air parry at Evo Vegas 2024, … Continued The post The FGC must transition out of grassroots if it wants to survive appeared first on Esports Insider.

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League of Legends is one of the most greedy gacha games out there, Brazil has demanded microtransactions be removed

Riot Games is currently learning a very expensive lesson about international gambling laws. A Brazilian court just handed down a massive ruling, ordering the League of Legends developer to pay roughly $3 million over its use of loot boxes. The lawsuit, spearheaded by an association protecting children and adolescents, claims that Riot has been exposing … Continued The post League of Legends is one of the most greedy gacha games out there, Brazil has demanded microtransactions be removed ap

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Why I’ll be rooting for the underdogs in the IEM Cologne Major playoffs

Witnessing a lesser-known team conquer an established name in esports and traditional sports is a sight to behold. Whether it’s on the football pitch or the main stage of a high-profile tournament, the idea of a team defying the odds frequently captures the imagination of fans across the world. This year’s IEM Cologne Major has … Continued The post Why I’ll be rooting for the underdogs in the IEM Cologne Major playoffs appeared first on Esports Insider.

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Riot wants Locke to be fair, but will League of Legends’ new assassin break the meta?

After revealing the new League of Legends champion Locke, Riot Games has unveiled his abilities and gameplay details. Corvin Locke will arrive in Patch 26.13 as a new AP melee assassin for the mid lane.  Known as the Ashen Exorcist, he is a nail-slinging vigilante born from Demacia’s hidden occult underbelly. He is the only … Continued The post Riot wants Locke to be fair, but will League of Legends’ new assassin break the meta? appeared first on Esports Insider.

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The Pokémon NAIC is moving to Chicago in 2027, but maybe it should move to Canada instead

New Orleans apparently isn’t big enough to accommodate PokĂ©mon‘s rapid growth. After a wild three-year run of filling the Big Easy with thousands of cardboard-slinging, video-game-battling trainers, the tournament is packing up its bags. Starting in 2027, NAIC is officially moving to McCormick Place in Chicago. According to PokĂ©mon’s Director of Global Esports and Events, … Continued The post The PokĂ©mon NAIC is moving to Chicago in 2027, but maybe it should move to Canada inst

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LCS Spring Split has all-time low viewership, and it’s because it’s a bit depressing to watch

Riot Games was willing to give us the League Championship Series (LCS) back after the disastrous LTA experiment. But it looks like Riot was right after all about LCS: the League of Legends esports scene doesn’t care about it. LCS Spring 2026 peaked at only 183,152 live viewers, according to Esports Charts, making it the least-viewed … Continued The post LCS Spring Split has all-time low viewership, and it’s because it’s a bit depressing to watch appeared first on Esports

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Evo Vegas’ prestige is gone: Registration numbers shine spotlight on Evo’s depressing downfall

It looked like a massive Evo was coming this summer. Last year’s Evo Vegas was massive, with 8,541 unique registered competitors and 14,500 attendees. Then, Evo Japan earlier this year was even bigger, with 9,875 total participants. It was mostly for Street Fighter 6, but still. By all accounts, it seemed like Evo Vegas 2026 … Continued The post Evo Vegas’ prestige is gone: Registration numbers shine spotlight on Evo’s depressing downfall appeared first on Esports Insider

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“I’m hooked forever”: Inside the small, toxic, and passionate Super Smash Bros. Brawl scene from the eyes of GENESIS X3 champion Chia

In the corner of the GENESIS X3 convention, with eight CRT TVs, no stage, no livestream, and no microphone, was a tournament for an 18-year-old game with a $450 prize pool on the line. And it meant the world to the 45 or so players who competed. This is Super Smash Bros. Brawl. This is … Continued The post “I’m hooked forever”: Inside the small, toxic, and passionate Super Smash Bros. Brawl scene from the eyes of GENESIS X3 champion Chia appeared first on Esports Insider.

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More transphobia in Game Changers, AI graphics, and Masters London criticism: VALORANT’s turbulent week

Masters London officially kicked off last Saturday, but there’s been plenty of VALORANT esports shake-ups even beyond VCT’s second global event of the year.  From concerning Game Changers backlash to the highlights (and lowlights) of Masters London, here’s everything you need to know about last week’s VALORANT shenanigans! Wayne Announces Indefinite Break After Sudden Team … Continued The post More transphobia in Game Changers, AI graphics, and Masters London criticism: VALORANT’s turbulen

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Esports prediction markets on Kalshi: Breaking down the $36M by game

Earlier this week, we published our initial piece looking at the headline figures from 1-7 June on prediction market operator Kalshi. This piece dives deeper, looking at the games that generated most interest; which games saw the most money and why. We’ve taken the ten largest Counter-Strike, Valorant, Dota 2 and League of Legends matches … Continued The post Esports prediction markets on Kalshi: Breaking down the $36M by game appeared first on Esports Insider.

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“Everyone is in survival mode”: Inside the struggles of Iran’s esports community

It’s been over 70 days since the conflict between the United States and Iran began, with fighting in the Middle East resulting in sharp increases in oil prices, damage to infrastructure, and the inability to access the internet. Before the conflict, Iran’s government focused on controlling its citizens’ internet activity, restricting access to social media … Continued The post “Everyone is in survival mode”: Inside the struggles of Iran’s esports community appeared

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Touch grass, kick a ball, play Counter-Strike 2: Esports fans wonder if signing a kid at 7 years old is a harmful marketing stunt

Esports organization Inner Circle made headlines after signing a seven-year-old Counter-Strike 2 player, making him one of the youngest signings in this industry’s history. The kid was sitting at FACEIT Level 6, which is honestly pretty impressive for someone his age. However, the announcement quickly backfired and became a self-report, as FACEIT took notice and … Continued The post Touch grass, kick a ball, play Counter-Strike 2: Esports fans wonder if signing a kid at 7 years old is a ha

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The Smash scene needs Super Smash Bros. 6 to come out ASAP

Another Nintendo Direct, another disappointment. I didn’t even bother watching the livestream, and I’m glad I didn’t: just a bunch of remakes, DLC, and a bunch of other crap we’ve already seen before. No Super Smash Bros. 6. We already knew this, of course. Masahiro Sakurai has essentially confirmed another Smash is coming, but given … Continued The post The Smash scene needs Super Smash Bros. 6 to come out ASAP appeared first on Esports Insider.