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Fainting at Supernova, distracting opponents at CEO 2026: Have Hungrybox’s pop-offs gone too far? No

The art of the pop-off has been perfected in Super Smash Bros. Melee. A grassroots scene known for its grit and passion, the sets can get quite intense, leading to some intense celebrations once someone beats a longtime rival or wins an incredibly difficult match. One of the most iconic pop-off-ers in Smash is Juan … Continued The post Fainting at Supernova, distracting opponents at CEO 2026: Have Hungrybox’s pop-offs gone too far? No appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 17.08.2026 18:42 Uhr

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How well did Paper Rex f0rsakeN perform on each VALORANT agent?

With his Gekko pick during Paper Rex’s VCT Pacific Stage 2 series against Team Secret on July 31st, Jason “f0rsakeN” Susanto has become the first player to have played every single VALORANT agent on a VCT stage at least once. He has undoubtedly proven himself as one of the game’s greatest flex players. But how … Continued The post How well did Paper Rex f0rsakeN perform on each VALORANT agent? appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 14.08.2026 19:46 Uhr

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Gen Z increasingly sees esports betting as financial planning

Gen Z, which includes those born between 1997 and 2007, is increasingly turning to sports betting for income, according to a recent survey. The rise coincides with increased esports wagering, particularly driven by greater opportunities to gamble on prediction markets.  According to a survey conducted by wealth and savings platform Betterment, 26% of Gen Z … Continued The post Gen Z increasingly sees esports betting as financial planning appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 14.08.2026 19:01 Uhr

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Janicka Gaming on bridging PUBG MOBILE’s community and its esports scene

Recently, PUBG MOBILE‘s attempts to grow its competitive footprint in Western Europe saw it sign a partnership with G2 Esports and launch an ambassador program, revealing German content creator Janicka Gaming as the first ‘dedicated ambassador’ for Western Europe. Janička is no stranger to PUBG MOBILE’s European community, having been in the partner program before … Continued The post Janicka Gaming on bridging PUBG MOBILE’s community and its esports scene app

Esports Insider 14.08.2026 15:13 Uhr

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AI vs expert: The human strikes back heading into LEC week four

In a week where LinkedIn users rejoiced at the opportunity to ‘report AI slop’, you’ll have to excuse the slightly Star Wars-sounding headline. But I bring positive news. We’re delighted to report another monumental victory for humankind against the robots. Our expert, Craig Robinson, came out swinging and landed his first fictional accumulator of the … Continued The post AI vs expert: The human strikes back heading into LEC week four appeared first on Esports Insid

Esports Insider 14.08.2026 13:14 Uhr

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Are women actually worse at esports – or is it just the money?

Women make up almost half of the world’s gaming population, yet they hold only about 5% of competitive and professional roles in esports. The gap becomes even more jarring at the upper echelons, when the highest-earning women in esports don’t even crack the top 600 all-time earners list. While female-only tournaments have grown significantly, boasting … Continued The post Are women actually worse at esports – or is it just the money? appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 14.08.2026 10:34 Uhr

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Who should be the next Hall of Legends inductee after Caps?

Rasmus “Caps” Winther is rumored to be the next player inducted into the League of Legends Hall of Legends (HoL), following Faker and Uzi. If the rumors are accurate, few could argue against his selection. Caps is the greatest Western player in League history, having won MSI, reached two Worlds finals, and collected more European … Continued The post Who should be the next Hall of Legends inductee after Caps? appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 13.08.2026 20:26 Uhr

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“I think we can close the gap”: The Honor of Kings World Cup showed China that some countries are not far behind

Every region has a game that dominates its gaming ecosystem. Korea has League of Legends. Pakistan has Tekken. Japan has Street Fighter. Southeast Asia has Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. Europe has Counter-Strike 2. Meanwhile, China has a strong footprint in all games, but there is one game that they are miles ahead of the next … Continued The post “I think we can close the gap”: The Honor of Kings World Cup showed China that some countries are not far behind appeared first on Espo

Esports Insider 13.08.2026 20:09 Uhr

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“He just thought he wouldn’t get caught”: Dota 2 coach Astini on the larger match-fixing, cheating problems in South America behind TaiLung’s ban

The Dota 2 scene was unpleasantly greeted with groundbreaking news days before The International 15, with LGD Gaming’s prodigy Santiago “TaiLung” Agüero Gustavo getting banned from the tournament and all future PGL events for life. The 17-year-old Peruvian was heavily suspected of potential competitive integrity issues – so bad that his own team had to … Continued The post “He just thought he wouldn’t get caught”: Dota 2 coach Astini on the larger match-fixing

Esports Insider 12.08.2026 19:25 Uhr

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From VCT Game Changers to Riftbound: One organizer’s plans to add team competition and inclusivity to Riftbound

Riftbound has certainly blown up its projects and initiatives with Unleashed, and it’s all manifesting around the Vendetta launch. Last week, we spoke to T1 about the organization entering Riftbound, and one thing that stood out about their efforts is that they wanted to treat it like a grassroots project. They are certainly not wrong. … Continued The post From VCT Game Changers to Riftbound: One organizer’s plans to add team competition and inclusivity to Riftbound appeared fi

Esports Insider 12.08.2026 19:06 Uhr

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G2 Esports CEO Alban Dechelotte: “We see huge long-term potential” for PUBG MOBILE in Western Europe

G2 Esports established a partnership with PUBG MOBILE Esports last month, focusing on Western Europe. The initiative spans creator activations, grassroots competition, and looks to grow the region through the 2026 PUBG MOBILE Club Open (PMCO) Western Europe Wildcard. Together, G2 and PUBG MOBILE Esports have also launched an ambassador program, with JanickaGaming becoming the … Continued The post G2 Esports CEO Alban Dechelotte: “We see huge long-term potential” for PUBG MOBILE

Esports Insider 12.08.2026 14:31 Uhr

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The International 2026 predictions: which teams will make it to the playoffs?

Dota 2’s The International is always difficult to predict, but this year may have one of the most volatile fields yet. No single team feels untouchable. The defending champions remain strong but inconsistent, while last year’s runner-up has fallen off the map, and a newly formed team of rejects enters as the tournament favorite. Meanwhile, … Continued The post The International 2026 predictions: which teams will make it to the playoffs? appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 12.08.2026 09:57 Uhr

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Five Shotzzy plays that guided OpTic Gaming to Esports World Cup success

This year’s Esports World Cup (EWC) saw OpTic Gaming complete a successful title defense, much to the delight of the capacity crowd in attendance. After winning in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 last year, the North American organization successfully lifted the trophy in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.  While success at Call of … Continued The post Five Shotzzy plays that guided OpTic Gaming to Esports World Cup success appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 11.08.2026 18:17 Uhr

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Chess should be played over the board at the Esports World Cup

The chess category at the Esports World Cup has a $1.5 million USD prize pool. That is almost on par with the Grand Chess Tour’s prize pool of $2,000,000 USD, which is dispersed over the course of six tournaments. The EWC is giving it away in one.  That places the EWC among the world’s best-funded … Continued The post Chess should be played over the board at the Esports World Cup appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 11.08.2026 18:03 Uhr

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Dota 2 Fantasy picks for TI 2026: best players, Emblems, and more

Dota 2 Fantasy returns for The International 2026 (TI 2026), giving everyone another way to follow the action and earn rewards throughout the tournament. Available directly inside the Compendium, Fantasy lets you build a roster from competing players and score points based on their in-game performances. Here’s how to play Dota 2 Fantasy, including the … Continued The post Dota 2 Fantasy picks for TI 2026: best players, Emblems, and more appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 11.08.2026 13:00 Uhr

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Can Counter-Strike 2 break the EWC 2026 viewership record?

The Esports World Cup (EWC) mega-event is well underway in Paris, boasting an eye-watering $75 million prize pool, spread across 25 tournaments and 24 titles. As one of the most significant remaining events, Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) runs from Aug. 12–23, with 32 of the best teams lighting up the servers. With hundreds, if not thousands, … Continued The post Can Counter-Strike 2 break the EWC 2026 viewership record? appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 11.08.2026 08:30 Uhr

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“Before you do a pull-up, you should be able to hang on the bar”: NA pros and coaches aren’t worried about the East, they’re worried about fixing the path to pro first

FlyQuest jungler Johnson “Griffynn” Le moved to Korea at 16 years old to try and climb up the region’s brutal League of Legends player development system. It was uncomfortable, especially since – by his estimation – he probably could have been in the LCS by then. But the lure of playing in the hotbed of … Continued The post “Before you do a pull-up, you should be able to hang on the bar”: NA pros and coaches aren’t worried about the East, they’re worried about fixin

Esports Insider 10.08.2026 18:57 Uhr

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“Unacceptable conditions”: The VALORANT Challengers Americas LCQ disaster highlights potential pitfalls of the 2027 VCT ecosystem

The question of how much freedom versus top-down control game publishers should implement in their respective esports ecosystems is often raised in discussions of esports sustainability and profitability.  However, as showcased by the recent disasterclass of a Grand Final during the VALORANT Challengers Americas Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ), this question also carries relevance in the … Continued The post “Unacceptable conditions”: The VALORANT Challengers Americas LCQ disaster highli

Esports Insider 10.08.2026 12:23 Uhr

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BLAST Open Porto 2026 preview: schedule, format, teams, and more

BLAST Premier returns to Portugal, but this time it’s breaking new ground. After three stops in Lisbon, BLAST Open Porto 2026 will take the world’s top Counter-Strike 2 teams to Porto for the first time – all fighting for a cut of a $1.1 million prize pool. Taking place right after the Esports World Cup … Continued The post BLAST Open Porto 2026 preview: schedule, format, teams, and more appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 10.08.2026 11:53 Uhr

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Gambling in esports: Oddin expands, BIG partners with Razed, League of Legends grows at Kalshi

“We are not taking an esports product and placing it in a casino lobby,” Market Suchar, the co-founder and managing director at Oddin.gg says. Suchar’s comments came as Oddin announced the launch of its new venture, Oddin Casino, which will see the esports specialist branching out into casino gaming.  “Casino has its own rules, audiences, … Continued The post Gambling in esports: Oddin expands, BIG partners with Razed, League of Legends grows at Kalshi appeared first on Esports Inside

Esports Insider 08.08.2026 00:07 Uhr

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Nobody is playing fighting games anymore, and Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls isn’t helping

My X feed is basically everyone and their mom talking about how unplayable Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls is after ongoing PC performance issues. And it sucks, because I was looking forward to this one. While it may just seem like the FGC complaining again, this is an ongoing issue with fighting games that has reached … Continued The post Nobody is playing fighting games anymore, and Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls isn’t helping appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 07.08.2026 19:08 Uhr

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Alright, I’ve watched the Tekken 8 EWC tourney so far, and here is my prediction for the Top 8

The excitement never ends for the FGC at the Esports World Cup, with Tekken 8 currently in full swing. Even in just the first two group stages, the competition has already shown that it’s going to be fierce and that nobody is handing out free wins. With that said, wouldn’t it be fun to predict … Continued The post Alright, I’ve watched the Tekken 8 EWC tourney so far, and here is my prediction for the Top 8 appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 07.08.2026 17:38 Uhr

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AI vs expert: Return of the bots for LEC week three predictions

Week three of the LEC Summer Split is upon us, and the humans-versus-robots scoreboard is starting to take shape. Look away now, clanker nay-sayers. After week one, it was Claude and Gemini cashing in while ChatGPT and our expert, Craig Robinson nursed their fictional losses. Week two saw one clanker hypothetically cash in, and my … Continued The post AI vs expert: Return of the bots for LEC week three predictions appeared first on Esports Insider.

Esports Insider 07.08.2026 14:35 Uhr

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Valve has finally made Dota 2 worth grinding again with the latest MMR system update

It’s no secret that professional Dota 2 players have been breaking MMR records like twice a year. Most recently, we had PARIVISION’s wonderkid Alan “Satanic” Gallyamov breaking the 18,000 MMR milestone, becoming the first in the world to do so. However, nobody really celebrated this accomplishment… Not because it isn’t impressive, but because it happens … Continued The post Valve has finally made Dota 2 worth grinding again with the latest MMR system update appeared first

Esports Insider 06.08.2026 22:22 Uhr

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