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Everything published in Esports Observer, newest first.
Rainbow Six Siege co-streaming: how Ubisoft's Creator Program works
Who may rebroadcast Rainbow Six Siege esports on their own channel, the three audience thresholds Ubisoft sets, the review, the Discord clean feed and how drops fit in.
TournamentsLeviatán Beat Paper Rex to Win Valorant Masters London 2026
Leviatán came back from 2-1 down to beat Paper Rex 3-2 and win Valorant Masters London 2026, the Argentine organization's first international title.
TournamentsTeam Falcons Beat FURIA to Win the IEM Cologne Major 2026
Team Falcons swept FURIA 3-0 to win the IEM Cologne Major 2026, giving NiKo and m0NESY their first Major titles after a combined 18 prior attempts.
RegulationBrazilian court orders Riot to pay R$15 million over loot boxes
A children's court in Brasília found League of Legends loot boxes abusive toward minors and ordered R$15 million in collective damages. Riot can still appeal.
Media RightsIEM Cologne Major passes Austin as most-watched CS event by hours
Before its semifinals were played, the IEM Cologne Major passed 76.2 million hours watched, a Counter-Strike record, while a vertical TikTok feed set a record of its own.
OrganizationsMISA Esports, three-time TCL champion, leaves League of Legends
MISA Esports announced on June 19 that it is closing its League of Legends section and will skip the TCL Summer 2026 split, after a third straight Turkish title.
TransfersPARIVISION sign HObbit and slaxejezzz after their 0-3 Cologne exit
In three days PARIVISION replaced two of the five who went 0-3 at the Cologne Major: veteran HObbit in for BELCHONOKK, then 18-year-old slaxejezzz in for nota.
LeaguesVCT 2027: eight partner teams in every twelve-team Kickoff
Riot Games has put numbers on the 2027 Valorant Champions Tour: twelve-team Kickoffs with eight partners, no guaranteed Cup places and fixed payments for open teams.
RevenueAdjusted EBITDA in esports company results: what it leaves out
Listed owners of esports teams lead their results with adjusted EBITDA. What the measure counts, what each company removes from it, and how to read the table that links it to the net loss.
IntegrityWhat a coach may say at a CS2 Major, and when: the rule and its penalties
How the coaching rule works at a Counter-Strike 2 Major: who sits behind the players, the three moments a coach may speak, how timeouts are called and how breaches are punished.
PlayersHLTV rewrites its Hall of Fame eligibility rules before the 2026 class
HLTV has set fixed waiting periods for its Counter-Strike Hall of Fame, split the ballot between two eras and dropped the rule that kept out former players who now coach.
PublishersMoonton makes ESIC rules a condition of every MLBB tournament license
Organizers who want Moonton's approval to run an official Mobile Legends: Bang Bang tournament must now write the Esports Integrity Commission's program into their rules.
CoachesAstralis part ways with coach ruggah after Cologne Major exit
A week after going out of the IEM Cologne Major in Stage 2, Astralis ended its work with head coach ruggah. The club says talk of other changes to the team is unsubstantiated.
PlayersWho can enter Fortnite tournaments: age 13, level 350, region lock
Epic Games' Fortnite Competitive Master Rules of June 4, 2026 set who may compete: the minimum age, parental consent, account level, FNCS activity, regions and team lock.
TournamentsEleven teams confirmed for MSI 2026 in Daejeon, T1 and G2 among them
Riot Games has published the primer of the Mid-Season Invitational: eleven teams from six leagues, a four-team Play-In from June 28 and a grand final on July 12 in South Korea.
PlayersRLCS 2026 roster rules: the majority-of-residents requirement
Every RLCS 2026 team must field a majority of residents or citizens of its region. What counts as residency, who is counted, and how transfers and points fit around it.
SalariesEmployee or contractor? How US tax rules classify esports players
A US team can pay a player as an employee or as an independent contractor. How the IRS and the Labor Department draw that line, and what each label changes for pay and forms.
IntegrityESL bars Legacy's coach from the rest of the IEM Cologne Major
ESL ruled on June 13 that Legacy coach adrrr may no longer coach at the IEM Cologne Major after repeated warnings for communicating with his players during rounds.
CreatorsEsports Foundation opens a US$2 million Creator Program for EWC and ENC
The organizer of the Esports World Cup and the new Esports Nations Cup wants 5,000 co-streamers in 2026, rewarded through missions, leaderboards and a Battle Pass.
SponsorshipsTeam Vitality's ApEX Joins Oakley's Athlete Roster
Dan 'apEX' Madesclaire signed with eyewear brand Oakley's athlete roster, joining names like Patrick Mahomes II and Kylian Mbappé ahead of IEM Cologne.