Archive

All stories

Everything published in Esports Observer, newest first.

Leagues

VCT Americas Stage 1: two groups of six and three Masters London spots

Riot Games has published the guide to VCT Americas Stage 1: twelve teams in two groups from April 10 in Los Angeles, eight in the playoffs and three places at Masters London.

9 min read
Leagues

CBLOL 2026 Stage 1: eight teams, Fearless best-of-threes, one MSI spot

Riot Games has published the full guide to CBLOL Stage 1, which starts on March 28: 28 series in six weeks, a six-team playoff and a Grand Final on June 6 for one MSI place.

9 min read
Publishers

Krafton sets PUBG: Battlegrounds seeds for the Esports World Cup and PGC

Krafton has fixed how 24 Esports World Cup places and 32 PUBG Global Championship places are filled in 2026, region by region, and doubled the points of the late circuits.

9 min read
Education

How Riot's College League of Legends and College Valorant work

Who may play in Riot Games' North American college leagues, how a team is built, and how the road runs from conference play to the College Championship and its scholarships.

14 min read
Careers

How Riot's esports broadcasting cadetship trains new production staff

A paid three-month placement at Riot Games' Remote Broadcast Center, run with the nonprofit 1,000 Dreams Fund: who can apply, how cadets are chosen and what the work involves.

13 min read
Coaches

FaZe part ways with coach NEO after nearly three years

FaZe have ended their work with head coach NEO and put analyst GruBy in charge for now. The change comes two days before a tournament that counts toward its Major invite.

9 min read
Rosters

PUBG Global Series 2026 roster rules: phases, substitutes and deadlines

Six seats, a half-local rule, three roster phases and an 11:00 AM cut-off: how the PGS 2026 rulebook and the SUPER ruleset decide who plays for a team in PUBG.

15 min read
Investment

Invictus Gaming launches WSIG with World Sports Group in 80% deal

Invictus Gaming and World Sports Group have announced a new club, WSIG, and an investment of nearly 80 million CNY. A company created for the deal now holds 80% of the 2018 world champion.

9 min read
Tournaments

Nongshim RedForce Sweep Paper Rex to Win Valorant Masters Santiago

Nongshim RedForce beat Paper Rex 3-0 to win Valorant Masters Santiago 2026, becoming the first team promoted through Ascension to win an international title.

8 min read
Transfers

G2 and Liquid swap malbsMd and NertZ three weeks before the Major cut-off

G2 and Liquid traded one player each on March 13. For Liquid the swap changes the region it is ranked in, with Major invitations due on April 6.

9 min read
Regulation

Riot pauses under-18 accounts in Brazil as the ECA Digital takes effect

Riot Games is rating League of Legends and four other games 18 in Brazil for now. Adults verify their age from March 16; under-18 players lose access on March 18.

10 min read
Academies

Virtus.pro rebuild their CS2 team around two VP.Prodigy players

Virtus.pro promoted AquaRS and F0R3VER from its academy team VP.Prodigy on March 12, completing a Counter-Strike 2 roster now led in game by mir.

8 min read
Rosters

ENCE bench their entire CS2 roster and turn back to Finnish talent

ENCE moved its five Counter-Strike 2 players and their coach to the bench on March 11 and said the next team will be built around Finnish players.

9 min read
Publishers

How PUBG's Global Partner Teams and the 2026 PGS circuit work

Who holds the 24 places of a PUBG Global Series event, what a partner place gives a team, and how a three-week circuit turns results into points for the world championship.

15 min read
Betting

Valve answers New York's gambling suit as a class action is filed

Valve has published its reply to New York's loot box lawsuit, saying its mystery boxes are not gambling. A proposed class action on the same ground was filed in Washington on March 9.

9 min read
Technology

BLAST Premier's 2026 CS2 stations: 610Hz monitors and RTX 5090 PCs

ASUS says its ROG brand will supply the monitors, PCs, keyboards and mice of all six BLAST Premier Counter-Strike 2 events in 2026, after three events at the end of 2025.

9 min read
Leagues

How the 2026 Call of Duty League season works: Majors, Minors, points

Twelve city teams, four stages, online qualifiers, Majors and Minors, a points race to an eight-team championship and a rebuilt second tier: the 2026 season, step by step.

13 min read
Venues

KeSPA opens bids from Korean cities for the Worlds 2027 playoffs

Korean cities can now bid for the quarterfinals, semifinals and final of the 2027 League of Legends World Championship, with arena sizes and dates set.

9 min read
Prize Money

PGL pledges US$22 million to Counter-Strike teams for 2027 and 2028

PGL will pay Counter-Strike teams at least US$11 million a year in 2027 and 2028, HLTV reported on March 9: prize money, an invitation reward and a viewership pool.

9 min read
Academies

NAVI Reportedly Preparing a Valorant Academy Roster for 2026

Natus Vincere is said to be building a Valorant academy team aimed at VCL: NORTH//EAST, targeting players aged 16 to 19 under coach Ivan 'Johnta' Shevtsov.

8 min read