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Ninjas in Pyjamas sign stavn as primary AWPer after benching r1nkle
NIP benched their sniper and announced his successor within the hour, nine days after missing the IEM Cologne Major. The rebuilt five now has until November 2 to earn a Major place.
Media RightsESL adds Kick for CS2 and Dota 2 and moves Challenger League there
ESL announced on April 14 that its Pro Tour in Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 is now shown on Kick, beside other platforms, and that the Challenger League moves there alone.
PublishersHow Mobile Legends esports is organized in five regions in 2026
Moonton's 2026 road map splits Mobile Legends esports into five regions. Here is where the national leagues sit, how the world championship is reached and which events are planned.
CareersHow Japan's JeSU pro license works and why prize money depends on it
In Japan, large tournament prizes run into consumer law. How the Japan Esports Union's pro license turns prize money into pay for work, and what the junior license allows.
OrganizationspaiN Gaming closes its Dota 2 division ten weeks after returning
paiN Gaming parted ways with its five Dota 2 players and three coaches on April 12, 69 days after returning to the game. The record of a short comeback.
SalariesUK minimum wage and worker status: what it means for esports players
How UK employment law sorts a player, a coach or a caster into worker, employee or self-employed, and the National Minimum Wage rates that apply from April 2026.
CreatorsCo-Streamers, Not Official Broadcasts, Drove Q1 2026 Esports Viewing
Esports Charts data for Q1 2026 shows co-streamers leading hours watched across League of Legends, Counter-Strike 2, Valorant and Rocket League.
VenuesBLAST takes the first Open of its 2027 CS2 season to Singapore
BLAST Open Singapore will open the organizer's 2027 Counter-Strike 2 Opens in March, with a US$400,000 pool of acceptance fees for the teams it invites.
Media RightsESL sets 2026 co-streaming rules: Twitch only, always on, 5% webcam
ESL's Co-Streaming Guidelines 2026 charge no license fee but bind English co-streamers to its feed, its sponsors and a webcam of 5% of the screen during play.
RevenueGameSquare's 2025 accounts: US$45 million of revenue and a positive Q4
The owner of FaZe Esports reported 2025 revenue of US$45.0 million, up from US$27.5 million, and its first quarter of positive adjusted EBITDA, while still posting a net loss.
RegulationUS tax on prize money for foreign players: the 30 percent withholding
Prize money won in the United States by a foreign player can be taxed before it is paid. How the IRS withholding rule works, which forms are involved and where a treaty changes the rate.
OrganizationsRiot opens applications for a new two-year VCT partnership cycle
Riot Games opened applications on April 8 for a two-year Valorant Champions Tour partnership starting in 2027, with five criteria and four benefits for the teams it picks.
SalariesWhen a team stops paying its players: what a league can do
Leagues have barred owners, removed teams, left slots with the players and set prize money aside for the people owed. How those tools worked in four published decisions.
VenuesAichi Sky Expo signs on as the esports venue of the 2026 Asian Games
The Aichi-Nagoya organizers have signed a venue agreement with Aichi Sky Expo, the airport exhibition center that will host esports at the 2026 Asian Games.
Prize MoneyPrize money, club share, incentives: how CS2 organizers pay in 2027
BLAST, PGL and ESL have each set what they will pay Counter-Strike 2 teams in 2027. The totals are close, but the four kinds of payment behind them are not mixed the same way.
Media RightsDisney+ and KeSPA widen their deal to more Korean esports in 2026
Disney+ will stream Esports Championships Asia in Jinju, the 2026 LoL KeSPA Cup and the Korean national team's warm-up matches before the Asian Games.
PublishersRiot Scraps VCT League Play for Open Tournament Model in 2027
Riot Games will replace VCT's regular league seasons with open-qualified Cup tournaments starting in 2027, opening Masters and Champions to any team.
RankingsValve's April standings lock the ranking behind the Cologne Major
Valve's standings of April 6, 2026 fix the 32 invitations to the IEM Cologne Major. Vitality lead with 2063 points, Natus Vincere climb to second and FaZe finish 26th, outside the cut.
RegulationKorea amends its esports law so local governments can found teams
South Korea's National Assembly passed an amendment to the E-Sports Promotion Act on March 31, giving local governments a legal basis for teams, events and youth programs.
PublishersRiot postpones the NLC Spring Split to late April after operator exit
Riot Games has pushed back the spring season of Northern Europe's League of Legends regional league while it looks for a new tournament organizer, format and dates.