Esports

CSGO: IEM Katowice 2019 CIS Minor Storylines

CSGO: IEM Katowice 2019 CIS Minor Storylines

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IEM Katowice 2019 EU Minor Storylines For many Western viewers, the CIS region is the CS:GO equivalent of the twilight zone. And yet, there are quite a few familiar faces amid all the shadows and the confusion, and it turns out that some of the most interesting storylines of this minor cycle will come from […]


Dota 2: The Top Picks and Bans During the Bucharest Minor

Dota 2: The Top Picks and Bans During the Bucharest Minor

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Every Dota 2 event has its own unique meta, which tends to evolve a lot, especially during the later stages of the tournament. The Bucharest Minor was no exception. In total, there were 82 heroes picked, which is a somewhat smaller number compared to previous events. That is mainly due to the current pub meta […]


CSGO: IEM Katowice 2019 EU Minor Storylines

CSGO: IEM Katowice 2019 EU Minor Storylines

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IEM Katowice 2019 CIS Minor Storylines It’s always the darkest before dawn, and the long buildup to the Katowice major is finally starting to reach its conclusion. London’s incredible upsets, subtle rule changes, injuries and other drama all came together to set up perhaps the most exciting minor cycle in CS:GO history – but perhaps […]


Competitive Fortnite: A New Type of Video Game

Competitive Fortnite: A New Type of Video Game

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A closer look at the novelties of Fortnite and why they have made it the premier Esports game of 2018 In the past year and a half, Fortnite has exploded onto the gaming scene and, without surprise, was the most played video game of 2018. Because of the game’s unique play style and relatively novel […]


Overwatch Tips: 5 Common Player Mistakes

Overwatch Tips: 5 Common Player Mistakes

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We are not perfect. In every aspect of our lives, we make mistakes, and we grow by learning from them. Improving your skills in Overwatch is no different. Professional players make much fewer mistakes than the average player, as you would expect, but a common trend among them is that they also pay more attention […]


Overwatch Esports: Contenders Playoffs Recap

Overwatch Esports: Contenders Playoffs Recap

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With the Overwatch League soon approaching, the hype is ramping up for the popular esports tournament’s second season, having had such a successful inaugural season with its first twelve teams battling it out to fight for the grand prize. But the Overwatch League isn’t the only tournament to exist in the Overwatch esports circuit. Overwatch […]


S1mple, The Ukranian Superstar – Part 1: Origins

S1mple, The Ukranian Superstar – Part 1: Origins

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Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev is the AWPer for CIS powerhouse Natus Vincere. The 21-year-old is lauded by most as the best in the world and by some as the best of all time. In just five short years of professional play, he has worked his way up the rankings into one of the best teams in […]


Overwatch Esports: XL2 Player Drop and Contenders News

Overwatch Esports: XL2 Player Drop and Contenders News

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A lot happened recently in the Overwatch Contenders scene, including North American squad XL2 dropping three of its players in favor of recruiting locals, and more match results from the Contenders Playoffs. XL2 Players Dropped On January 11th, XL2 Academy tweeted to its followers that they were looking for New York locals to represent the […]


Overwatch League Season #2 Countdown – Atlanta Reign (#13)

Overwatch League Season #2 Countdown – Atlanta Reign (#13)

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#14 – Ghuanzhou Charge |  #15 – Hangzhou Spark |  #16 – Houston Outlaws |  #17 – Florida Mayhem |  #18 – Boston Uprising |  #19 – Washington Justice | #20 – Chengdu Hunters Coming in at #13 on our power rankings for Overwatch League Season 2 is the Atlanta Reign. Owned by Cox Enterprises and operated by Atlanta Esports Ventures, the Reign […]


Dota 2: The Bucharest Minor Grand Final Recap

Dota 2: The Bucharest Minor Grand Final Recap

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Being the second Minor of the 2018-2019 Pro Circuit, the tournament featured eight of the best teams in the world. We saw some incredible games, astonishing comebacks, and even better plays. Having said that, it is time to do a quick recap of the two finalists that faced each other in gruesome best of five […]


KFC Gaming Tease Possible Call of Duty Tournament

KFC Gaming Tease Possible Call of Duty Tournament

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Worldwide fast food restaurant KFC has teased a possible Call of Duty tournament or league on their gaming profile. On Saturday the 12th they released a tweet spelling out ‘KFC’ in ‘coming soon’ emojis along with a distorted image that can be slightly made out. In the image, you can make out what seems to […]


League of Legends TSM Announce an Emergency Roster Change

League of Legends TSM Announce an Emergency Roster Change

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TSM announced via Twitter that the starting jungler for the team, Jonathan ‘Grig’ Armao, will be missing the spring split due to “wrist issues.” This means that academy jungler Matt ‘Akaadian’ Higginbotham will be the starting jungler for the split. Akaadian was picked up by TSM in the offseason after his first season with OpTic […]


League of Legends Games to Watch 1/14 – 1/19

League of Legends Games to Watch 1/14 – 1/19

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With a new season upon us I share with you this week’s most interesting games in the major regions of League of Legends. You can catch all these games on ESTNN TV, watch.lolesports.com or any of their respective Twitch channels. (All times are approximate times and are displayed in the Eastern Time zone. If you […]


Week in Preview: CWL January 13th, 2019

Week in Preview: CWL January 13th, 2019

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A glimpse into the upcoming week in competitive Call of Duty As of today, only four teams have earned themselves a spot in the CWL Pro League for the Call of Duty®: Black Ops 4 season. These teams, OpTic Gaming, Splyce, Luminosity, and eUnited clinched their spots back in December at the CWL Las Vegas […]


Overwatch Esports: Is the Mei Stall Strategy Viable?

Overwatch Esports: Is the Mei Stall Strategy Viable?

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This strategy might be one of the cheesiest strategies I have ever seen in Overwatch. Buts it’s still a strategy nonetheless, and we need to approach the situation with an open mind instead of writing it off without analyzing its elements. The Mei Stall Strategy is fun to watch yet interesting to ponder about, so […]


League of Legends – Fnatic Vs. SK Gaming: 2019 Rivals

League of Legends – Fnatic Vs. SK Gaming: 2019 Rivals

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A fan-favorite organization that just came away from one of the most impressive runs of any Western team in any League of Legends World Championship ever. An organization that hadn’t been in the premier European League of Legends circuit since their relegation in Season 5. And yet, somehow, these teams are rivals. And they’re going […]


Overwatch League Season #2 Countdown – Guangzhou Charge (#14)

Overwatch League Season #2 Countdown – Guangzhou Charge (#14)

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#15 – Hangzhou Spark |  #16 – Houston Outlaws |  #17 – Florida Mayhem |  #18 – Boston Uprising |  #19 – Washington Justice | #20 – Chengdu Hunters The Guangzhou Charge, our final newcomer Chinese team to the Overwatch League, takes the #14 spot on our countdown to Season 2. The Charge is owned by the Nenking Group, a well […]


Which Video Games Are Considered Esports?

Which Video Games Are Considered Esports?

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There is a countless number of video games, created during almost half a century since the same industry was created. Over that period, numerous genres came about and to this day, new ones are constantly being invented or fused together. Among all those games, only a very few are considered esports or electronic sports. On […]


Global Offensive: A Three-Way Crossroads for Karrigan

Global Offensive: A Three-Way Crossroads for Karrigan

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Former FaZe in-game leader Finn “karrigan” Andersen lost his leadership role to NiKo at the FACEIT Major, and never regained it. His performance while in an unfamiliar position on the roster eventually resulted in him getting benched. FaZe has loaned the Dane to Envy so that he could compete at the upcoming Minor, and he […]


Overwatch League Season 2 Power Rankings – Hangzhou Spark (#15)

Overwatch League Season 2 Power Rankings – Hangzhou Spark (#15)

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#16 – Houston Outlaws |  #17 – Florida Mayhem |  #18 – Boston Uprising |  #19 – Washington Justice | #20 – Chengdu Hunters As we continue the countdown of Overwatch League teams in Season 2, coming in at #15 is the Hangzhou Spark. With no players on the Hangzhou team having any experience in the Overwatch League, this team […]


Made in Serbia: YNk’s Overrated Coaching Adventure

Made in Serbia: YNk’s Overrated Coaching Adventure

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Rarely is a coaching move considered a high-profile transfer in the world of CS:GO, but Janko “YNk” Paunović’s decision to exchange broadcast desks and fancy suits for a MiBR jersey grabbed the attention of the community. However, it’s worth taking a critical look at his tenure with the Brazilian-American side. No matter how many times […]


StarCraft II: Dec. 20 – Jan. 03 Period Analysis

StarCraft II: Dec. 20 – Jan. 03 Period Analysis

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Howdy folks! Hope you’ve had a nice, relaxing and drama-free new year so far and here’s to hoping it stays that way but in the StarCraft world, that never happens as the salt mines are real. Season-lock is soon upon us as StarCraft II 2018 Season 4 is scheduled to end on January 23 and […]


WCS Winter 2019 Schedule Released

WCS Winter 2019 Schedule Released

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Two weeks ago, Blizzard removed one of the four WCS Circuit stops and replaced it with WCS Winter, an online tournament split between two player regions: WCS Winter Americas (including Latin America, Taiwan, ANZ/SEA, and China), and WCS Winter Europe. Each WCS Winter region will have a prize pool of $60,000 and only 32 players […]




Overwatch: 3 Strategies That Managed To Beat GOATS

Overwatch: 3 Strategies That Managed To Beat GOATS

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“Just go GOATS” is the expression we are all too familiar with. It seems that if one team commits to the tanky composition, the only chance of the other team winning is to mirror it. For a professional team, not running it can be the same as putting yourself at a disadvantage on purpose. We’ve […]


KESPA Cup 2018: The Finals

KESPA Cup 2018: The Finals

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It’s time. Griffin has seized the chance to redeem themselves against the team that denied them a Worlds appearance in their debut split. GenG had the opportunity to show their fans that they’re allowed to have some hope for next season – after the worst performance of a Korean team at Worlds since Season 3. […]


OWL Season 2: Top 20 Teams Countdown – Houston Outlaws (#16)

OWL Season 2: Top 20 Teams Countdown – Houston Outlaws (#16)

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#17 – Florida Mayhem |  #18 – Boston Uprising |  #19 – Washington Justice | #20 – Chengdu Hunters At the #16 spot on our list is once again a team who played during OWL Season 1: Houston Outlaws. Despite mixed results in the inaugural season, the team is back for Season 2 with little to no change in […]


OWL Season 2: Top 20 Teams Countdown – Florida Mayhem (#17)

OWL Season 2: Top 20 Teams Countdown – Florida Mayhem (#17)

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#18 – Boston Uprising |  #19 – Washington Justice | #20 – Chengdu Hunters Next on our list at #17 is our second returning team from Season 1, the Florida Mayhem. After a lackluster 11th place finish in the overall rankings last season, Florida has their work cut out for them. The current Mayhem roster consists of only […]


KeSPA Cup 2018: SKT Superstars Crash and Burn… For Now

KeSPA Cup 2018: SKT Superstars Crash and Burn… For Now

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Damwon Gaming. That’s the name burned into everyone’s mind at this present moment in time. Whether it’s from word of mouth about their scrim prowess (NA heartthrobs Cloud9 had a few choice words around Worlds), or multiple analysts giving opinions about their path to the LCK 2019, Damwon Gaming are indeed the new kids on […]


Demacia Championship Winter 2018: Invictus Gaming Still Kings

Demacia Championship Winter 2018: Invictus Gaming Still Kings

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Coming into this tournament, and this off-season, one would expect that the once and future kings of Invictus Gaming would comfortably secure a finals berth for themselves in China’s most prestigious independent event. And yet the path to their second consecutive title was rockier than any of us could have expected. Whether we could attribute […]



Is CS:GO’s F2P Shift a Sign of Valve’s Declining Powers?

Is CS:GO’s F2P Shift a Sign of Valve’s Declining Powers?

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While the titans of PC gaming at Bellevue have already managed to pull off multiple iterations of the F2P model without sacrificing the gameplay experience and esport potential of their titles, a critical look at the broader landscape might prompt you to look at CS:GO’s similar shift in a different light: there’s a pretty good […]


Follow the Money: How Healthy is CS:GO’s Esport Scene?

Follow the Money: How Healthy is CS:GO’s Esport Scene?

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It’s no secret that it’s been a challenge to find profits in the world of esport nowadays, and it seems like mainstream interest, and a growing revenue pressure could very well collide in 2019. CS:GO’s third-party tournament circuit continues to produce eye-popping endeavors and sponsorship deals while many whisper about a potentially more extensive market […]


Esports Awards: Top 10 Esports Games of 2018

Esports Awards: Top 10 Esports Games of 2018

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The entire field of esports can be called a super-competitive domain which attracts those who have an almost irresistible drive to compete and outdo everyone else. With this in mind, it is no wonder that a similar type of dynamic exists among the esports themselves, not just their players. While many of these have little […]


OWL Season 2: Top 20 Teams Countdown – Boston Uprising (#18)

OWL Season 2: Top 20 Teams Countdown – Boston Uprising (#18)

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#19 – Washington Justice | #20 – Chengdu Hunters Next up on our Worst to Best OWL Team Ranking is a franchise we met during the inaugural season of the Overwatch League: Boston Uprising. From the original roster, only Gamsu, Kellex, and NotE remain. They are joined by six players with various backgrounds to form […]


Overwatch League Suspensions: 7 Players Disciplined

Overwatch League Suspensions: 7 Players Disciplined

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Last week we reported that many Overwatch League suspensions would be coming soon.  We now have official news from the Overwatch League that 6 players, all from different teams, have been suspended. In addition to the 6 suspensions, Won-Jae “Rise” Lee was fined $1,000 for account sharing. All of the players disciplined by the Overwatch […]


Demacia Cup 2018: A Rundown of The Winner’s Bracket Teams

Demacia Cup 2018: A Rundown of The Winner’s Bracket Teams

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The Demacia Cup, Demacia Championship, whatever you want to call it, is indeed the pinnacle of the Chinese League of Legends offseason. Following a tumultuous Day 1 – best-of-1 is always an anything-goes type of format – we find ourselves with some clear-cut favorites to stake a claim for the title here. Here’s just how […]


StarCraft II: Dec. 6 – Dec. 19 Period Analysis

StarCraft II: Dec. 6 – Dec. 19 Period Analysis

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It’s been close to a month now since the last balance patch went live and players now have had some time to adjust to the new maps and design changes as we’re already half-way through the current season (2018 Season 4 is currently set to end on January 23, 2019). Now that it’s Dec, 20th, […]


Overwatch: How-To D.Va Bomb Like an Overwatch League Pro

Overwatch: How-To D.Va Bomb Like an Overwatch League Pro

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We are proud to announce the start of our ESTNN Esports YouTube Channel. We have brought on members from Blitz Esports to help produce the best possible esports videos. The esports being covered will initially be Overwatch, League of Legends and CS:GO. If you are a fan of any of these games, please subscribe below. […]


Esports’ Most Influential Celebrity Investors

Esports’ Most Influential Celebrity Investors

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Esports, just like any other rapidly growing business, relies heavily on the individuals and companies that are willing to invest money in them. Current projections show the entire esports field to be worth more than $1 billion by 2020, but this does not mean that teams and organizations are currently generating that amount of profit. […]


KeSPA Cup: Korea’s New Rosters Meet the New Rookies on the Block

KeSPA Cup: Korea’s New Rosters Meet the New Rookies on the Block

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The KeSPA Cup Day One The KeSPA Cup. A League of Legends competition viewed as superfluous by some but entertaining by so many more. After all, who wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to see some fantastic roster moves from the off-season in full effect? Hanwha Life Esports Following their most significant signings ahead of 2019 […]


OWL Season 2: Top 20 Teams Countdown – Washington Justice (#19)

OWL Season 2: Top 20 Teams Countdown – Washington Justice (#19)

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In the 19th spot of our Top 20 Team Countdown for Season 2 of the Overwatch League is the Washington Justice. The team is owned by Washington Esports Ventures, a company founded by serial investor and entrepreneur Mark Ein to promote Washington esports teams. Washington Justice is the first team acquired by the company, which […]


Expect Overwatch League Player Suspensions Soon

Expect Overwatch League Player Suspensions Soon

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According to Yiska, an Overwatch writer, we can soon expect a ‘sizable amount of suspension’. News of possible Overwatch League suspensions can be seen in his tweet down below. Yiska is on to something. Before any player is officially signed to the OWL, teams must submit the players they offered a contract to for Blizzard […]


Nielsen Report: Less Than 40% of Esports Fans Watch TV

Nielsen Report: Less Than 40% of Esports Fans Watch TV

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According to a new report from Nielsen, less than 40% of Twitch’s esports audience watch television during a typical week. Additionally,  only half of the esports audience are said to own a paid TV subscription service. 70% of Twitch’s esports fans spend more time watching esports than traditional sports. Nielsen focused their study on Twitch […]


Netflix Documentary to Feature League of Legends Esports

Netflix Documentary to Feature League of Legends Esports

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The NA LCS (North America League of Legends Championship Series) will be the focus of an episode on Netflix’s new documentary. The documentary series will be titled 7 Days Out and will begin airing on December 21st. The trailer below will give you a brief idea of the documentaries tone. 7 Days Out will show […]


Overwatch: The Healing Creep – Can’t Eliminate Without Ultimate

Overwatch: The Healing Creep – Can’t Eliminate Without Ultimate

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Seagull’s infamous video is the gift that keeps on giving. One of his key points that generated a lot of controversies is his stance on the power level of Ultimate Abilities: he feels that ultimates are too powerful and reduce team fights to a simple “who has more ‘Q’s’” game. Unlike the other issues he […]


Overwatch League 2019 Full Schedule Released

Overwatch League 2019 Full Schedule Released

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Overwatch League Official Schedule The complete Overwatch League 2019 regular season schedule is now live! Fans can visit OverwatchLeague.com/schedule to view matches and buy tickets for all regular season matches played at Blizzard Arena Los Angeles. Opening Day, which is February 14, features a rematch of defending champion London Spitfire vs. the Philadelphia Fusion. Homestand […]


Dafran Is Back In NA Streaming On A New Twitch Account

Dafran Is Back In NA Streaming On A New Twitch Account

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Daniel “Dafran” Francesca has been spotted on a new Twitch account named “definetlynotdafran”. Dafran has been on an extended hiatus after melting down on Twitter and Stream. However, he was recently spotted playing solo que in the Oceanic region. Dafran tweeted out that he was in Australia visiting family and that he would be in […]


FC Schalke 04 Open Applications for LoL Academy Roster

FC Schalke 04 Open Applications for LoL Academy Roster

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Earlier today, it was announced via Twitter that renowned football team and established LEC franchise FC Schalke 04 would be holding open tryouts for their secondary line-up heading into the 2019 season. The tryouts are open to any Europe West player that hit Challenger or Master during Season 8. The Academy lineup will compete in […]


OWL Season 2: Top 20 Teams Countdown – Chengdu Hunters (#20)

OWL Season 2: Top 20 Teams Countdown – Chengdu Hunters (#20)

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Starting the list at #20, we have the Chengdu Hunters. One of the newest franchises to join the League, no player on this roster has any direct experience playing in the Overwatch League. This sets them at a severe disadvantage, as we have seen from season 1 how vital experience on the stage matters. However […]


China Bans Fortnite & PUBG, Also Warns Overwatch & LoL

China Bans Fortnite & PUBG, Also Warns Overwatch & LoL

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The Chinese government’s new ‘Online Ethics Review Committee’ has banned Fortnite, PUBG, and seven other titles for “promoting incorrect values.” The main reasons were for how they depicted females, and for the use of blood and gore. Fortnite was likely banned due to the depiction of women, as the game doesn’t have blood or gore, but […]


Esports Will Likely Not Be Included in the 2024 Paris Olympics

Esports Will Likely Not Be Included in the 2024 Paris Olympics

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Sad news today for esports fans, players and investors. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has stated that adding esports to the 2024 Paris Olympics is still “premature.” However, there is some potentially good news. Firstly, Tony Estanguet, Co-President of the Paris Olympic Committee, is advocating for esports to be included in the Olympics. Secondly, the […]


League of Legends All Stars 2018: Full Recap

League of Legends All Stars 2018: Full Recap

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Day One The annual League of Legends All-Star event kicked off on December 6th. Riot Games has hosted the event for many years following the Worlds Championship finals. Taking place in the eSports Arena in Las Vegas, NV, USA, the favorite League of Legends players from across the globe gather once more to meet in […]


League of Legends All-Stars 2018: Day Three Recap

League of Legends All-Stars 2018: Day Three Recap

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With a fun-filled opening to this year’s 2018 All-Stars event, day two finally came around and with it, a continuation of yesterday’s tournaments and more memories to be made. The day will feature the finale of the Charity 2v2 tournament, another Tandem, and Nexus Blitz match, as well as both the round of 32 and […]


Boosting for Profit is Now a Crime in South Korea, How Will Riot Games Respond?

Boosting for Profit is Now a Crime in South Korea, How Will Riot Games Respond?

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What Is Boosting? Firstly, what is ‘Boosting’? Boosting is when a gamer logs into another gamer’s account to play a ranked game to increase their ranking. Boosting has become a serious issue throughout major esports such as Overwatch, LoL, Dota 2 and CS:GO. The South Korean ‘Act on the Punishment of Alternative Game Act’ The […]


League of Legends All-Stars 2018: Day Two Recap

League of Legends All-Stars 2018: Day Two Recap

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With a fun-filled opening to this year’s 2018 All-Stars event, day two finally came around and with it, a continuation of yesterday’s tournaments and more memories to be made. The day will feature the finale of the Charity 2v2 tournament, another Tandem, and Nexus Blitz match, as well as both the round of 32 and […]


Overwatch League Expansion Team Profile: Atlanta Reign

Overwatch League Expansion Team Profile: Atlanta Reign

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THE SQUAD dafran (Daniel Francesca) Nationality: Denmark Role: DPS Teams Streamer for NRG Esports Selfless Gaming Popular streamer and Torbjörn player Intentionally threw games in Competitive Season 5 to get out of professional play Erster (Joon Jeong) Nationality: South Korea Role: DPS Teams Lucky Future Zenith Ardeont Consistent and high-performing on the best Chinese Contenders […]



League of Legends All-Stars 2018: Day One Recap

League of Legends All-Stars 2018: Day One Recap

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The annual League of Legends All-Star event kicked off on December 6th. Riot Games has hosted the event for many years following the Worlds Championship finals. Taking place in the eSports Arena in Las Vegas, NV, USA, the favorite League of Legends players from across the globe gather once more to meet in a less […]


DreamKazper Spotted Playing Overwatch

DreamKazper Spotted Playing Overwatch

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There have been some interesting rumors going around for the past few months about DreamKazper returning to Overwatch. The Overwatch League’s Boston Uprising cut DreamKazper during Season 1 for ‘allegations that arose on Twitter’. New developments have now come to light that likely proves DreamKazper is playing Overwatch again. The image below is from CarterOW’s Twitch […]


The Game Awards: 2018’s Esports Winners List

The Game Awards: 2018’s Esports Winners List

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Esports Winners Best Esports Team: Cloud9 Best Esports Game: Overwatch Best Esports Event: League of Legends World Championship Best Esports Host: Eefje Depoortere Best Esports Coach: Reapered Best Esports Moment: Cloud9’s Comeback Against Faze at ELEAGUE 2018


Ranking the World’s Top 25 Esports Teams in 2018

Ranking the World’s Top 25 Esports Teams in 2018

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Any team is only as good as the complete sum of all of its parts. The same goes for esports as much as any other collective competitive venture. Creating the ultimate rank in any such domain is exceedingly tricky, mainly because it is a process of measuring something that is continually evolving. Sure, esports have […]


No Gamer Left Behind – AbleGamer’s Charity Tournament

No Gamer Left Behind – AbleGamer’s Charity Tournament

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Playing StarCraft II is never easy and it’s about to get even harder this Saturday.  No Gamer Left Behind is supporting a star-studded AbleGamers StarCraft II tournament. No Gamer Left Behind is a charity tournament starring a line-up of popular streamers who will be playing with a handicap to help raise awareness and support for gamers with disabilities. The tournament […]


The World’s First AI-Based Esports Coach is a Global Success

The World’s First AI-Based Esports Coach is a Global Success

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 – Press Release – Budapest, 6th December 2018 – Hundreds of Overwatch gamers were waiting for the launch of the world’s first AI coach system, from which the first hundred packages were sold within 26 hours in a special pre-sale offer. Besides providing statistics, the unique coaching software also offers a complex training package for […]



15% of Girls in the United Kingdom Watch or Participate in Esports

15% of Girls in the United Kingdom Watch or Participate in Esports

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Today a report from Kids Insight showed some promising information for esports overall growth. Their report stated that 15% of UK girls aged 13-15 now watch esports. Additionally, they added that more 13-15-year-old girls watch esports and take part in esports than boys aged 13-15. Lastly, they stated that 84% of female teens spend time […]


New York Excelsior Beats Philadelphia Fusion 3-2 in Homecoming Match

New York Excelsior Beats Philadelphia Fusion 3-2 in Homecoming Match

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The old rivalry between the New York and Philadelphia Overwatch League teams continued to entertain fans this past weekend. Fans of both teams could watch them play in person in an exciting pre-season exhibition match, one of the first of its kind. The Philadelphia Fusion, who squared off against the London Spitfire in the playoffs […]


Overwatch: A Hunger for Stats

Overwatch: A Hunger for Stats

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The polemic Seagull’s video about the current state of Overwatch touched on a very popular subject and, since then, reignited a discussion that is as old as the game itself: the lack of proper in-game statistics. The overall consensus is that the players would benefit from not only more detailed statistics but also from displaying […]


What Does the Striker Trade Mean for Boston and San Francisco?

What Does the Striker Trade Mean for Boston and San Francisco?

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It’s no secret that Nam-joo “Striker” Gwon And Boston Uprising took Overwatch League season one by surprise. It’s also no secret that after multiple reports of internal issues between Striker and Boston Uprising GM Huk, that Striker would eventually be departing. Now it’s official; the San Francisco Shock have acquired Striker from the Boston Uprising. […]


Counter-Strike: Don’t Feel Sorry for Complexity or LDLC

Counter-Strike: Don’t Feel Sorry for Complexity or LDLC

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LDLC and Complexity are not bad teams, but they are fragile. Both sides have earned their namesakes through big single tournament results; LDLC, at IEM Chicago; Complexity, at the FACEIT London Major. While these two events come months apart, the manner in which they both earned their victories is the same. They both found momentum […]


Vancouver Overwatch League Franchise Reveals Branding

Vancouver Overwatch League Franchise Reveals Branding

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The Vancouver Overwatch League expansion team has finally announced their team logo and name. They will be called the Vancouver Titans. The team announced their branding during tonight’s Vancouver Canucks hockey game. The Vancouver Titans are owned by Aquilini Group, the owner of the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. Both teams have a similar blue and green […]


Vancouver Titans Sign RunAway Roster for OWL Season 2

Vancouver Titans Sign RunAway Roster for OWL Season 2

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With all eight new teams announced for the second season of the Overwatch League, we finally have a chance to look at the rosters for the newest contenders. One of the latest teams to reveal their roster was the Vancouver Titans, one of the two Canada-based teams now in the League. At first glance, some […]


Washington DC OWL Roster Moves Leaked By Muma’s Stream

Washington DC OWL Roster Moves Leaked By Muma’s Stream

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Yesterday on Muma’s stream he accidentally opened his recent player tab in Overwatch leaking the unannounced Washington DC roster along with Dallas Fuel and Philadelphia Fusions rosters. Down below you can find screenshots of all these rosters: Washington DC Leaked Roster: DPS Corey Stratus Ado Off tank SanSam Main tank Janus Supports Hyeonu Gido These […]


Overwatch Reporter & Insider KINGmykL Joining ESTNN

Overwatch Reporter & Insider KINGmykL Joining ESTNN

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We are happy to announce that Overwatch reporter and insider Michael “mykL” Padilla will be joining us here at ESTNN. He will be reporting on the Overwatch League, Overwatch Contenders, and other daily Overwatch news. Excited to announce I’ll be doing some reporting at @esportstvnews Go give them a follow! — mykL (@KING_mykL) December 1, […]


Full Overwatch League Season 2 Rosters

Full Overwatch League Season 2 Rosters

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Overwatch League 2019, Season 2 Rosters Sorted By Team Note: View in landscape mode on mobile devices for best results. Role  Team  Country  Nickname  Name  DPS  ATL  RUS  NLaaeR  Ilya Koppalov  DPS  ATL  KOR  Erster  Jeong Joon  DPS  ATL  DEN  dafran  Daniel Francesca  TANK  ATL  KOR  Pokpo  Park Hyun-Jun  TANK  ATL  USA  Gator  Blake Scott […]


Faker Inducted Into The ESL Esports Hall of Fame

Faker Inducted Into The ESL Esports Hall of Fame

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League of Legends superstar Lee Sang-hyeok, known better as “Faker”, has been inducted into the ESL Esports Hall of Fame. He is the first League of Legends player to be inducted into the Esports Hall of Fame. Faker was inducted via the first fan vote in the Esports Hall of Fame’s history. Faker is arguably the […]


NYXL vs. Fusion and NYXL vs. LA Valiant – Homecoming Matches

NYXL vs. Fusion and NYXL vs. LA Valiant – Homecoming Matches

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As the second season of the Overwatch League approaches, fans everywhere will be able to watch some of their favorite teams from the inaugural season face off once again. With updated team rosters and new talent all around, these matchups can be quite different than what they were in Season 1. In particular, the NYXL, […]


Overwatch League Ranks #3 on the SBD Hottest Sports Properties List

Overwatch League Ranks #3 on the SBD Hottest Sports Properties List

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The November 26th Reader Survey, Teams and Leagues on Sports Business Daily had some interesting results. The readers voted Overwatch League (OWL) as the third hottest sports property of 2018. The NBA and NFL lead the list respectively. Some notable leagues that the OWL surpassed include the MLB, NHL, MLS, NCAA and UFC. The OWL […]


Our Heart and Sol – CLG Moving Forward Without Huhi

Our Heart and Sol – CLG Moving Forward Without Huhi

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It feels like only yesterday that Counter Logic Gaming’s beloved (yet criticized) midlaner Jae-Hyun “Huhi” Choi put on some stellar (draconic?) performances on Aurelion Sol, one of the many driving forces behind CLG’s ascension through the 2016 Mid-Season Invitational that found them second only to future returning World Champions SK Telecom T1. It was that […]


How IG Made League of Legends World Championship History

How IG Made League of Legends World Championship History

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The Summoner’s Cup Has a New Home! The atmosphere of a community-driven event like the League of Legends World Championship is nothing short of breathtaking. With such a wide variety of events occurring at the tournament, it was very easy for many to take their eyes off of a certain underdog team. With the full […]


Secrets To Improving Your Overwatch Skills

Secrets To Improving Your Overwatch Skills

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When asked about about the methods used to get better at Overwatch, many professional players like xQc (Team Canada’s main tank) and Sinatraa (SF Shock’s DPS) respond with “I just played the game a lot”. While “just play the game” doesn’t sound like solid advice, it is undeniably true that in order to improve, one […]


Accessibility of Esports: Growth of the Ecosystem

Accessibility of Esports: Growth of the Ecosystem

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There is no denying that accessing esports either as a viewer or as a potential competitor is exceedingly easy. With nothing more than a computer/smartphone and an internet connection, anyone can join the community of a particular game. For many esports, there is not even the initial barrier of having to buy the actual game. […]


OverActive Media Has Purchased Esports Organization Splyce

OverActive Media Has Purchased Esports Organization Splyce

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OverActive Media, the owners of the Toronto Defiant, have purchased Splyce, the professional esports organization. OverActive Media is now the fourth company to own both a professional League of Legends and Overwatch franchise. Cloud9, Optic Gaming and Misfits are the other esports organizations to own teams in both popular esports. On Tuesday it was announced that […]


League of Legends European Championship: 10 Franchises

League of Legends European Championship: 10 Franchises

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Goodbye EU LCS, hello LEC. After six years of the old name, a rebrand is bound to feel strange – and strange it does. After what was seen as the EU LCS’ most successful year since 2015 – having two teams in the Worlds semi-finals – was further accentuated by having an EU team actually […]


Neeko: League of Legends New Trickster

Neeko: League of Legends New Trickster

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Riot Games has revealed their newest champion addition in Neeko: the curious chameleon, and with a kit loaded with creative outplay potential, she is here to shake up the rift. Neekos’ passive is Inherent Glamour, which allows here to become a clone of any allied champion regardless of their position on the map. This passive […]


LoL’s Jensen Moves From Cloud9 To Team Liquid

LoL’s Jensen Moves From Cloud9 To Team Liquid

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The League of Legends offseason has started off with a bang. Cloud9’s starting mid laner Nicolaj Jensen has moved to Team Liquid. Jensen who has played LoL for Cloud9 since 2015, has been a key team member. Jensen helped Cloud9 reach the Worlds 2018 Semifinals, and the NA LCS 2018 Summer Split Finals. Jensen started […]


Blizzard Announces Overwatch Free Trial From November 20-26th

Blizzard Announces Overwatch Free Trial From November 20-26th

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Considering joining the Overwatch Community? Well this week, you’ll be able to test drive Overwatch for free on all platforms. That’s right, Blizzard has announced that from November 20th-26th you’ll have access to almost all that Overwatch offers: 29 heroes—including Ashe—and 19 maps for you to play via Quick Play, Arcade or Custom Games. During […]


Counter-Strike: Looking Ahead to ECS Season 6 Finals

Counter-Strike: Looking Ahead to ECS Season 6 Finals

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ECS Season 6 Finals begin on November 22 in Arlington Texas and will feature 8 of Counter-Strike’s top teams battling for a $660,000 prize pool. Here are some story lines to keep an eye on heading into the tournament. Team Liquid can’t beat Astralis Easily the most promising North American team, Liquid have been turning […]


Overwatch League Expansion Team Profile: Paris Eternal

Overwatch League Expansion Team Profile: Paris Eternal

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THE SQUAD SoOn (Terence Tarlier) Nationality: France Role: DPS Teams Team France 2017-18 LA Valiant Rogue (Pre-OWL) Veteran DPS that has always been on top-tier teams ShaDowBurn (George Gushcha) Nationality: Russia Role: DPS Teams Team Russia 2016-18 Philadelphia Fusion FaZe Clan (Contenders) Former TF2 pro Considered one of the best Genji players in the world […]


Overwatch GOATS: A History, Analysis, And Its Current State

Overwatch GOATS: A History, Analysis, And Its Current State

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A HISTORY: Ninjas In Pyjamas The story of the GOATS composition begins with Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP), an EU team from the early days of competitive Overwatch. Half the players on this roster went on to join the Overwatch League and become commonly recognized players, namely Zappis and Zuppeh of Florida Mayhem’s season 1 roster […]


Breakdown of New Overwatch Character: Ashe

Breakdown of New Overwatch Character: Ashe

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Just days after its announcement during the BlizzCon 2018, Blizzard made its new DPS hero available on Overwatch’s servers. This new character, Ashe, is the anti nemesis of the popular gunslinger Jesse McCree. Ashe is the 16th damage dealer in Overwatch, and benefits from various abilities allowing her to shoot down enemies from range while […]


Counter-Strike: NiKo’s FaZe Isn’t a Great Team

Counter-Strike: NiKo’s FaZe Isn’t a Great Team

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It’s easy to be baited by FaZe. They are a team who show their strengths in the reflection of their trophies. From ESL One New York 2017, to EPICENTER 2018 over a year later, the ‘feel’ of a FaZe win is impossible to replicate. It’s as explosive as it is clinical; as overwhelming as it […]


Monetizing Esports Viewership Using Unique Marketing Mechanisms

Monetizing Esports Viewership Using Unique Marketing Mechanisms

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Esports work as a domain because they have the intrinsic ability to attract people. They do this on both sides of the equation – they are able to appeal to players who gradually become so good at one or more game that this allows them to turn pro. On the other side are the viewers […]


What Makes League Games So Different From Competitive Mode?

What Makes League Games So Different From Competitive Mode?

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Competitive Mode Backstory This is where pros proved themselves worthy to compete at the top level of play. Of course, other games factored into their skill such as TF2 (Team fortress two) as well as any first-person shooters or MOBA gave todays professionals and semi pros a leg up on the competition. I’m not saying […]


League of Legends Preseason: League of Klepto

League of Legends Preseason: League of Klepto

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Preseason is well underway and so far there are two extremely exploitable changes I would like to discuss today. The first being the changes to the Kleptomancy rune, currently on the PBE klepto will proc twice after a spell cast, with this change I have been seeing a change in the top lane especially. Champions […]


Esports Awards 2018: Full List of Winners

Esports Awards 2018: Full List of Winners

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The 2018 Esports Awards have just concluded. Here is a complete list of the winners: Unsung Hero of the Year Milos Nedeljkovic | FACEIT Videographer of the Year Davis “Hitch” Edwards | OpTic Gaming Streaming Platform of the Year Twitch Breakthrough Game of the Year Fortnite Console Rookie of the Year Kenny “Kenny” Williams | […]


Big Changes Coming November 16th to StarCraft II

Big Changes Coming November 16th to StarCraft II

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Well folks, it’s finally almost upon us – balance changes and LOTS of them. Originally announced back in early September of this year, the upcoming balance patch to StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void expansion is set to go live on November 16, 2018 to coincide with the start of Season XXXVIII. Since the expansion […]


FIFA 19 eChampions League Announced By EA Sports

FIFA 19 eChampions League Announced By EA Sports

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It’s in the game… if you own a PS4. EA Sports has announced a partnership with the UEFA Champions League. The partnership will feature a FIFA esports tournament that will hold a finals matchup in Madrid, one day before the Champions League finale. The UEFA Champions League finals take place on June 1, 2019, therefore […]



Overwatch League: Expansion Team Logos Leaked

Overwatch League: Expansion Team Logos Leaked

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According to Overwatch reporter Arran ‘Halo’ Brown, the Overwatch League logos have been leaked via the leagues mobile app. “The OWL league app seems to have once again accidentally leaked something. This time it’s the branding for 5 of the 6 we didn’t know about. Paris and Chengdu’s logos look pretty good, Washingtons, Guangzhou& Hangzhou […]


Team Vitality Involved in Possible Spot-Fixing Incident

Team Vitality Involved in Possible Spot-Fixing Incident

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The French Powerhouse Team Vitality has come under the eye of players and admins due to a very shady looking play enacted during their match against Team Valiance at the Loot.Bet Cup 3. The team boasts popular players such as NBK-, apEX, and Happy, all known for having played with the best of the best […]


World Electronic Sports Games Qualifiers In Progress

World Electronic Sports Games Qualifiers In Progress

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Every year the World Electronic Sports Games (WESG) tournament hosts teams from all around the globe to participate in an Olympics format tournament. Countries participate with their own players instead of the usual teams of players with different nationalities. Started originally by Alisports, the sports wing of the Alibaba Group, the third installment of this […]


League of Legends: Super Bowl Effect

League of Legends: Super Bowl Effect

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Riot games has recently announced the location of their World Championships for the next three years. This is a step in a new direction for the company, as in the past the decision seems to have been made last minute to the dismay of the fans wishing to attend. But with this move towards a […]


Epic Games & NFL Sign Deal to Bring Official Jerseys to Fortnite

Epic Games & NFL Sign Deal to Bring Official Jerseys to Fortnite

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NFL fans who play Fortnite will be able to dress their favorite characters in NFL jerseys. The jerseys will be available November 9 at 7PM EST. Fortnite players can purchase any of the 32 NFL teams jerseys and choose a number from 1-99. These can be bought in the Battle Royale store using virtual bucks. The […]


Toronto is Getting Canada’s Biggest Esports Lounge

Toronto is Getting Canada’s Biggest Esports Lounge

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Toronto is about to get a 13,000-square-foot esports lounge. Waves Egaming is set to open as soon as next week after years of planning. The location will be at 2160 Steeles Ave W, Toronto. The new esports lounge will allow Canadians to have a professional venue to host Twitch streams, compete in local tournaments, and […]



League of Legends: Preseason Discussion

League of Legends: Preseason Discussion

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With Worlds wrapped up we can now look ahead to the preseason and all the changes that accompany it. While there is plenty to dig through and discuss, I want to start with the new outer turret plating system and its potential effects on the bottom lane. Bear in mind that from here on out, […]


2018 WCS Global Finals: Day 2 Results

2018 WCS Global Finals: Day 2 Results

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Inside of the spectator-filled amphitheater of Hall A, at long last, the StarCraft II 2018 WCS Global Finals reached its unbelievable conclusion. It was an awesome sight to behold – thousands of people had gathered together, packed densely inside of an enormous auditorium to celebrate the crowning of a new world champion. Yesterday had been […]



League of Legends Worlds 2018: A Fiesta of Firsts

League of Legends Worlds 2018: A Fiesta of Firsts

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2018. What a year for League of Legends – emerging strategies, top lane champion reworks, a faster metagame… Season 8 has been a fiesta of firsts, and the World Championship has been no exception. The first time North America has seen the semifinals of a League of Legends World Championship since Season 1. The first […]


2018 WCS Global Finals: Day 1 Results

2018 WCS Global Finals: Day 1 Results

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Broadcast straight from Anaheim, the excitement felt is palpable all around the world as Blizzcon 2018 kicks off with the quarter-final matches for StarCraft II 2018 World Champion Series! And what a day it was, full of ups and downs, as the world’s best collide in a best-of-five to find out who will be crowned […]


BlizzCon 2018 Opening Ceremonies: Free For All

BlizzCon 2018 Opening Ceremonies: Free For All

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Blizzard Entertainment, the gaming goliath responsible for such games as Overwatch and Starcraft, held the opening ceremonies today for its annual gaming convention BlizzCon. BlizzCon is a two-day conference held at the Anaheim Convention Center in California. Historically, Blizzard has used BlizzCon as a platform to share upcoming features for their games, and the opening […]


Toronto Defiant Announces Season 2 Roster

Toronto Defiant Announces Season 2 Roster

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The OWL expansion team Toronto Defiant has announced their initial roster via Twitter. They still have two more roster spots open, which should be announced shortly. “We’ve got two more slots to fill. More details will come soon. Stay tuned.” – Toronto Defiant Twitter. Toronto Defiant Roster Main Tank: @yakpung Main Support: @Aid_OW DPS: @owivy2, […]


League of Legends Worlds 2018 Finals: A Mirror Match?

League of Legends Worlds 2018 Finals: A Mirror Match?

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With the Grand Finals for the League of Legends Championship coming up this weekend, now might be a good time to sit and reflect on this season and appreciate the journey we all took as players and fans. But something I noticed during my pondering was how very similar the two contenders for the Summoners […]


2018 WCS Global Finals: Pre-Game Analysis

2018 WCS Global Finals: Pre-Game Analysis

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The world of esports is about to get rocked as Blizzcon 2018 begins on November 2nd and with it, the opening round of the highly anticipated quarter-finals of the StarCraft II 2018 World Champion Series. It’s been an incredible year for the world of StarCraft and there have been some truly astounding runs, but there […]



Does Invictus Have The Best Solo Laners At Worlds?

Does Invictus Have The Best Solo Laners At Worlds?

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Day one of the League of Legends semi finals was a lesson that the best laid plans don’t always work, as G2 sought out to break the will and spirit of Ivictus’s youngest player, Theshy and Rookie proved that they are not threats to be ignored. At one point Theshy was averaging 1K damage per […]


League of Legends Worlds 2018: Champions to Ban – G2 vs IG

League of Legends Worlds 2018: Champions to Ban – G2 vs IG

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Allow me to preface this article by saying that I expect the usual bans of Aatrox, Urgot, Alistar, Heimerdinger, and Tahm Kench to come through without further explanation required. The picks are either incredibly strong in and of themselves, or are well-known pocket picks for players in this series.   I wanted to explain some […]


All Aboard The League Of Legends Worlds Finals Hype-Train

All Aboard The League Of Legends Worlds Finals Hype-Train

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For the past several seasons Korea has been the king ruling over international League of Legends play. But this year the royal houses fell like dominoes, one after another, with the killing blow being dealt by North America’s Cloud9. And not since the Red Wedding has the death of a king been quite so jarring […]