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Should VCT change its qualification rules after Masters London champion Leviatán missed out on Champions Shanghai?

Last weekend’s VCT Americas matches sparked heated discussions within the global VALORANT esports community. With LOUD’s successful dark horse run in the Stage 2 Lower Playoffs Bracket all the way to a second-place finish, Masters London winner Leviatán was pushed out of VALORANT Champions qualification. The Argentinian esports organization has now become the first team … Continued The post Should VCT change its qualification rules after Masters London champion Leviatán missed out on Champ

Esports Insider 10.09.2026 19:51 Uhr

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“It pains me to say, I don’t think the esports market is there yet”: ROLR CEO on esports betting in the U.S. and standing out in the betting market

From age 12, Seth Young got into competitive gaming. He said it became serious between the ages of 17 and 22 when he rose through the ranks in CS2 and got paid to play. While he still has a soft spot for esports, it has taken a back seat as he focuses on what he … Continued The post “It pains me to say, I don’t think the esports market is there yet”: ROLR CEO on esports betting in the U.S. and standing out in the betting market appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 10.09.2026 19:28 Uhr

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BETBY bringing slots betting to esports for continuous gameplay

Sportsbook supplier BETBY has launched SlotBets, a new interface that could turn esports betting into a casino style slot game experience. “SlotBets transforms live sports and esports into a simple, fast, and familiar slot experience,” the company said. It promises its partners to bridge the gap between sports betting and casino gaming. “Watching sports becomes … Continued The post BETBY bringing slots betting to esports for continuous gameplay appeared first on Esports I

Esports Insider 09.09.2026 18:15 Uhr

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Eight players to watch at VALORANT Champions Shanghai

VALORANT Champions Shanghai arrives at the end of a 2026 season that has refused to settle on a single dominant team, region, or even a definitive player. That unpredictability has been reflected at almost every major event. Nongshim RedForce clinched the Masters Santiago title; LEVIATÁN took the Masters London title but failed to qualify; 100 … Continued The post Eight players to watch at VALORANT Champions Shanghai appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 09.09.2026 14:27 Uhr

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Can MSI performance predict Worlds success?

Every year, the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) gives us what should be our first proper answer to one of League of Legends’ biggest questions: who is actually the best team in the world? The strongest teams from across the world meet, and eventually the best of them are thrown into best-of-five series against each other. By … Continued The post Can MSI performance predict Worlds success? appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 09.09.2026 08:10 Uhr

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“I wish I was better”: The downfall of Fnatic’s VALORANT team

For many years, Fnatic was considered the strongest team in the VCT EMEA circuit. With two international trophies under its belt and countless global VCT appearances, Fnatic’s consistency and regional dominance stood out amid EMEA’s glaring struggles compared to other VCT regions. Heading into the 2026 season off the back of two top-2 international finishes … Continued The post “I wish I was better”: The downfall of Fnatic’s VALORANT team appeared first on Esports I

Esports Insider 08.09.2026 21:59 Uhr

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Here’s what Super Smash Bros. 6 needs for the esports scene to grow

There’s a Nintendo Direct tomorrow (September 9th) and there’s a rumor that we will get the first confirmation that Super Smash Bros. 6 is on the way. This isn’t really a big surprise or secret: Kirby’s father, Masahiro Sakurai, has been saying he wants to work on another Smash for years now. He just needed … Continued The post Here’s what Super Smash Bros. 6 needs for the esports scene to grow appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 08.09.2026 18:51 Uhr

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Who really owns The International? A regional analysis of TI history

The International has always sold Dota 2 as a global competition, yet the teams carrying each region’s banner have rarely been national squads. Instead, rosters have usually comprised a mix of players from different countries, making team-level labels a poor guide to where TI’s strength actually comes from. To look beyond the organizations, I analyzed … Continued The post Who really owns The International? A regional analysis of TI history appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 08.09.2026 12:34 Uhr

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How MLBB built an esports empire across Southeast Asia

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) launched globally in 2016 and found extraordinary success in Southeast Asia (SEA), becoming one of the region’s biggest mobile esports titles. Even as Free Fire led installs and Honor of Kings emerged as a major challenger, MLBB has remained SEA’s leader in engagement and revenue. It took a traditionally PC-heavy … Continued The post How MLBB built an esports empire across Southeast Asia appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 08.09.2026 10:28 Uhr

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Esports players know how to compete, but esports orgs need to teach them how to behave

On August 28th, VCT China organization FunPlus Phoenix issued a statement announcing that it had “terminated all cooperation” with its IGL and controller, Blendi “kovaQ” Kovaci. According to FPX, the player made “inappropriate remarks while communicating with teammates during a game.” As a result, the organization launched an internal investigation in cooperation with Riot Games … Continued The post Esports players know how to compete, but esports orgs need to teach them how to

Esports Insider 07.09.2026 18:25 Uhr

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VALORANT’s strongest teams in each region before Champions Shanghai

As the dust settles on the 2026 VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) Stage 2 events, we turn our attention to the crowning event of the year: Champions Shanghai. At the heart of the discussions is one simple question: which teams are the strongest in each region? Building on an earlier analysis of the strongest VCT regions … Continued The post VALORANT’s strongest teams in each region before Champions Shanghai appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 07.09.2026 13:27 Uhr

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“I have always worried about the livelihood of Tier 2″: 2026 World Star Challengers Invitational gives hope and opportunity to struggling Tier 2 ecosystem

The changes to League of Legends’ Tier 2 system have long been whispered about, but the lack of commitment has created a regional imbalance among teams. Riot has now made its first step in making Tier 2 a healthier ecosystem. The company announced a collaboration with TJ Sports to host the 2026 World Star Challengers Invitational, … Continued The post “I have always worried about the livelihood of Tier 2″: 2026 World Star Challengers Invitational gives hope and opportunity to struggl

Esports Insider 05.09.2026 21:07 Uhr

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Dota 2’s biggest winners don’t play Dota 2 anymore, they trade it

The International brought together the top 16 Dota 2 teams in the world, with Team Vision lifting the Aegis of Champions. The total prize pool was $3.32 million, but the top 10 traders at Polymarket earned over $5.3 million between them. Team Vision took home $1.46 million as it joined the list of winners to … Continued The post Dota 2’s biggest winners don’t play Dota 2 anymore, they trade it appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 04.09.2026 20:34 Uhr

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Latest patch has FGC saying Nintendo can’t leave competitive Super Smash Bros. Ultimate players alone, bruh

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate hasn’t had an update since June 2025, but Nintendo just had to barge into the competitive space when it saw players attempting to thrive. Developers woke from their slumber like Godzilla sensing another kaiju landing in Tokyo and decided it was necessary to drop Patch 13.0.5, which only came with one … Continued The post Latest patch has FGC saying Nintendo can’t leave competitive Super Smash Bros. Ultimate players alone, bruh appeared first on Esport

Esports Insider 03.09.2026 22:16 Uhr

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Stewie2K gets called out for old skin stealing scandal, but public shaming is the only solution in CS2 right now

Last week, a video of North American Counter-Strike trash-talk went viral, as SportsBetExpert’s Shane “shane” Dressler was recorded yelling at Without a Roof’s Jake “Stewie2K” Yip after winning a series 2-0 at FRAG Midwest St. Louis 2026.  In this (primarily) one-sided altercation, shane got right in Stewie’s face and started calling him out, telling him … Continued The post Stewie2K gets called out for old skin stealing scandal, but public shaming is the only solut

Esports Insider 03.09.2026 21:14 Uhr

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Pacific vs. Americas: Which VALORANT region is truly the strongest in VCT 2026?

The 2026 VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) season has already produced two very different international results. The earlier Masters Santiago saw two Pacific teams meet in the grand final, while Masters London saw an unlikely Americas team win from the lower bracket. Ahead of VALORANT Champions 2026, we crunched the numbers from two major events this … Continued The post Pacific vs. Americas: Which VALORANT region is truly the strongest in VCT 2026? appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 03.09.2026 13:16 Uhr

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League of Legends Team Voice could transform Solo Queue forever… with one condition

For 17 years, League of Legends has asked players to coordinate in-game solely on pings and hurried messages typed in between clicks. Now, this could all change. Earlier this March, Riot Games confirmed that it was exploring the implementation of Team Voice to the game, extending communication beyond premade parties. While the feature hasn’t been … Continued The post League of Legends Team Voice could transform Solo Queue forever… with one condition appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 02.09.2026 21:03 Uhr

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Counter-Strike 2 vs. Call of Duty: How does the meta determine which esport is best?

The most effective tactics (the meta) in esports heavily influence how certain titles are played. Whether it’s a game-changing update impacting popular weaponry in a first-person shooter or an overpowered champion in a MOBA receiving a nerf, the world’s top players are constantly adapting in a bid to gain the upper hand over the opposition. … Continued The post Counter-Strike 2 vs. Call of Duty: How does the meta determine which esport is best? appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 01.09.2026 17:42 Uhr

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LEC vs. LCS: Who leads League of Legends’ oldest regional rivalry?

Europe vs. North America has been one of the game’s defining regional rivalries since the inaugural League of Legends World Championship in 2011. It has survived years of trash talk, Rift Rivals, international upsets, and one-sided stomps. For much of the last 15 years, though, Europe had the stronger argument. The region produced deeper international … Continued The post LEC vs. LCS: Who leads League of Legends’ oldest regional rivalry? appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 01.09.2026 08:39 Uhr

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“We’ve admittedly created an unintentional imbalance over the last few years”: VCT Pacific has an inclusivity problem, but can Riot fix it?

VALORANT Champions Tour Pacific has long positioned itself as a stage designed to unite talent from South Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, Oceania, and more under one competitive banner. Hosted primarily in South Korea and featuring a mix of partnered and Tier 2 organizations, the league has produced international contenders while building passionate fanbases across the … Continued The post “We’ve admittedly created an unintentional imbalance over the last few years”: VCT Pacific

Esports Insider 31.08.2026 23:26 Uhr

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“It’s just not sustainable”: Tier 2 esports orgs discuss the shocking finances and player poaching that comes with (finally) reaching the LCS

The North American Challengers League – North America’s League of Legends Tier 2 system – is in its home stretch. Six teams remain in the NACL Summer Playoffs, but the prize isn’t merely a trophy. The top two teams qualify for the League Championship Series’ promotion-relegation tournament, set to happen later this year. The finalists … Continued The post “It’s just not sustainable”: Tier 2 esports orgs discuss the shocking finances and player poaching that comes with (fi

Esports Insider 31.08.2026 21:02 Uhr

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Dota 2 The International winners: every TI champion in history

The Aegis of Champions is by far the most iconic trophy in Dota 2. Since Natus Vincere lifted it at the inaugural International in 2011, TI has delivered unforgettable plays, legendary dynasties, unexpected underdog runs, and some of the most memorable grand finals in esports history. Below is the complete list of Dota 2 TI … Continued The post Dota 2 The International winners: every TI champion in history appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 31.08.2026 10:02 Uhr

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I’m honestly so sick of Kick, and the “Last Woman Standing” exploitation stream was my final straw

I am really not the kind of person who watches other people play games and scream on Twitch. Nor do I find streamer drama interesting. It feels like the gaming (used loosely) equivalent of following Instagram influencer news. For this reason, I’m pretty late to hearing about this. But I was scrolling TikTok earlier today … Continued The post I’m honestly so sick of Kick, and the “Last Woman Standing” exploitation stream was my final straw appeared first on Esports I

Esports Insider 28.08.2026 20:28 Uhr

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Esports World Cup sees volume rise at Kalshi, but MSI and IEM remain biggest events

The final week of the Esports World Cup saw record trading volumes on Kalshi. Over $95 million was traded across esports events in the last seven days of the tournament.  This was up from $90 million the previous week. Volume exceeded $70 million every week of the tournament except for one, although not all the … Continued The post Esports World Cup sees volume rise at Kalshi, but MSI and IEM remain biggest events appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 28.08.2026 15:47 Uhr

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