As we near the launch of the highly anticipated FACEIT CS2 Season 9, the matchmaking platform has officially revealed its updated ban policy heading into the new season.
The FACEIT Ban Policy is changing on August 05 with Season 9.
Longer bans for cheating, smurfing, stream sniping, and repeated abuse. Ban durations now weigh the context of the offence more closely, with more room for harmless banter and trash talk.https://t.co/uQ0jJLZwHtpic.twitter.com/sv8Hkw6Ca7
The new ban policy, set to go live starting August 5th, introduces harsher bans for more serious offences like cheating and smurfing, while easing rules for trash talking.
Moving forward, cheating, smurfing, and stream sniping will see penalties scaling to permanent bans, with harsher punishments for repeated abuse. FACEIT has also confirmed that ban durations will now weigh the context of each offence more closely rather than applying blanket punishments.
The platform also mentions that players will be able to enjoy โmore room for harmless banter and trash talk.โ Prior to this update, players would receive bans ranging from a week to permanent suspensions for trash talking and profanity. With the start of Season 9, trash talking your enemies will be โgenerally permittedโ as long as it doesn’t progress into abuse.
Bans for abuse or harassment now start from a minimum of 3 days instead of the previous 7 for the first offence.
NEW FACEIT Update: Ban Policy changes โผ๏ธ
– Cheating: 2 years > 5 years – Smurfing: 30 days > 3 months (to the main account, smurf is permanently banned) – Stream Sniping: 30 days > 6 months – Trash Talking: Bannable > Generally permitted – High-severity toxicity/Griefing: Firstโฆ pic.twitter.com/pcVRsR02up
Note that the leniency on the trash talk bans could potentially coincide with the return of the half-time voice chat feature to the platform.
Needless to say, the CS2 community has welcomed most of these changes with open arms. Players have long argued that FACEIT’s harshest bans were often given for the wrong offences, with heated in-game chat sometimes drawing similar or even longer suspensions than blatant cheating and smurfing.
With Cache now being part of the Active Duty Map Pool, players have committed to finding neat tricks to get as much advantage as they can, and Finnish CS2 player vesq_ has just discovered something that can potentially shift the dynamics of how the map is played.
Just like every other map, “Mid” is a key area that often dictates how the game will be played, and for years, Ts have needed a teammate to take a boost from the boxes near the A entrance, but not anymore. vesq_, during a matchmaking game, discovered that with good movement, players can jump to the top without asking a teammate to boost them. No cheats, no exploits, just pure movement mechanics.
With the amount of skill needed to pull it off, it goes without saying that it would take a lot of practice should you try it for the first time. The movement involves performing a crouch jump to get onto the ledge, maintaining an initial movement speed between 190 and 220 units, and finally bunny-hopping onto the top of Mid boxes. Players would need precise strafing skills to take advantage of this, which makes it reserved for the more experienced ones.
Is this movement worth the practice? One can argue that a solo boost almost takes the same amount of time, and the CT will always keep an eye on it; however, it becomes a valuable tool in mid-rounds, especially for the lurkers, or to throw off a rotation, which can potentially render the defence vulnerable if timed to perfection. Tricks like this may not appear to be groundbreaking on the surface, but the right player at the right moment can use it to turn the tide of a match.
While the fundamentals of the game remain the same, subtle tricks like this showcase how players go into depth to gain the tiniest of advantages. Maps that have been in the game forever have ever-changing metas, which speaks to how CS2 has evolved tactically since its inception.
Fortnite has added a new cosmetic item that players can claim without spending a single V-Buck. The KATS Turntable Back Bling went live after the July 23, 2026 hotfix. It is part of the Cuddles and Chaos collaboration with Maya Higa, and players can start claiming it from July 24, 2026 onward.
If you want to add this Back Bling to your Locker for free, here is everything you need to know.
What Is the KATS Turntable Back Bling
The KATS Turntable Back Bling is a Twitch Drop reward tied to the Cuddles and Chaos collab. It became available right after the July 23, 2026 hotfix. Players do not need to buy it from the Item Shop. Instead, they can earn it simply by watching an eligible Twitch stream.
Tune in to @mayahiga on July 24, or any Fortnite Cuddles and Chaos stream on Twitch, to earn the KATS Turntable Back Bling. pic.twitter.com/R5OV8eTtFZ
The reward window is short. The Fortnite Twitch Drop opened on July 23, 2026, and stays live until July 26, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET. After that, the free claim period ends.
How to Unlock KATS Turntable Back Bling for Free
Getting the KATS Turntable Back Bling for free is simple. Follow these steps:
Go to the Epic Games Store website and open account settings.
Click on the linked accounts section.
Find the Twitch icon and select Connect.
Follow the prompts to authorise the link between your Epic Games and Twitch accounts.
Head to the Fortnite category on Twitch and watch a livestream for 30 minutes.
Wait for a notification confirming your watch time is complete.
Open the Twitch Drops and Rewards menu.
Claim the free KATS Turntable Back Bling.
Once claimed, the Back Bling appears in your in-game Locker.
You can earn the KATS Turntable Back Bling by watching these participating channels on Twitch:
Maya
CarynandConnie
BoxyFresh
Ronnie
Eeowna
Other Fortnite streamers also count toward this drop. Just make sure the channel has the “DropsEnabled” tag before you start watching. As long as you watch for a combined 30 minutes, you will unlock the reward. Maya Higa and the other listed creators are only expected to go live from July 24, 2026, onward. So plan your viewing time after that date.
Nearly five years after the release of Halo Infinite, the iconic franchise is finally getting a new game.
Halo: Campaign Evolved, the newest addition to the beloved franchise, is a faithful yet modernized remake of the original Combat Evolved campaign. The 2001 adventure that essentially kickstarted the series has been rebuilt with high-definition visuals, updated cinematics, refined controls, and three brand-new missions for players to explore.
In addition to solo-play, Campaign Evolved can also be played with up to four players online with full crossplay and cross-progression support, or in 2-player split-screen co-op locally.
Whether youโre here to know more about the exact release date of Halo Campaign Evolved or youโre looking to get your hands on the game early, weโve got you covered.
Halo Campaign Evolved is scheduled to go live on July 28, 2026 for the Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. It has a price tag of $49.99 USD for the Standard Edition.
If you donโt mind spending a bit more, you can also enjoy early access prior to the official release of the title.
How to Get Early Access to Halo Campaign Evolved
The early access for Halo Campaign Evolved is already live, and anyone who pre-ordered the Digital Premium Edition or Collector’s Bundle can start playing the game right away.
The Premium Edition will cost you an additional $20 USD over the Standard Edition, but you’ll be able to enjoy the game five days ahead of its global release.
Note that anyone who pre-orders any edition will also get access to the Foundry Armory Pack, which includes the classic Mark V Mjolnir armor for Master Chief.
Epic Games has added a new Ice Spice skin to Fortnite. The outfit is called Bikini Bottom Ice Spice, and it brings the rapper into the game’s ongoing SpongeBob collaboration. This is her second outfit in Fortnite.
The skin comes with an unusual twist. Instead of standing alone, it arrives alongside characters from Bikini Bottom, including Patrick Star.
What Is The Bikini Bottom Ice Spice Skin
The Bikini Bottom Ice Spice outfit is part of the Ice Spice set in Fortnite. It was introduced in Chapter 7, Season 3. Players can buy it directly from the Item Shop.
The skin is sold on its own for 1,200 V-Bucks. It is also part of a larger bundle priced at 3,400 V-Bucks.
What’s Included In The Bundle
The Bikini Bottom Ice Spice & Patrick Star Bundle includes several cosmetic items tied to the SpongeBob theme. These are:
Bikini Bottom Ice Spice (Outfit)
Patrick Star (Sidekick)
Spicefish (Back Bling)
Ice’s Parasol (Pickaxe)
Big Guy, Ice’s Version (Emote)
Patrick’s Ultimate Cone (Pickaxe)
Jellyfish Net (Back Bling)
Bikini Bottom Jellyfish (Pet)
Rockstarfish (Guitar)
K-BLUB Special (Microphone)
Big Guy, from The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants (Jam Track)
With the Patrick Star Sidekick included, players can pair him with SpongeBob in-game. This completes the classic SpongeBob and Patrick duo inside Fortnite. The two can also be used together while collecting Cube Sprites, a feature that was released recently.
Steps To Get The Bikini Bottom Ice Spice Skin
Getting the skin is simple. Follow these steps:
Open Fortnite and go to the main lobby.
Select the Item Shop from the top bar.
Look for the SpongeBob section. Since this is a new collaboration, it appears near the top of the shop.
Choose the Bikini Bottom Ice Spice & Patrick Star Bundle for 3,400 V-Bucks. You can also buy individual items separately.
Make sure your account has enough V-Bucks for the purchase.
Press and hold the Purchase button to confirm.
Once the purchase goes through, check your Fortnite locker. The new cosmetics will be there.
When Does The Skin Leave The Item Shop
The Bikini Bottom Ice Spice skin will not stay in the shop forever. According to the listing, it is set to leave the Item Shop on August 2, 2026, at 8 PM ET. Players who want the skin or the bundle should purchase before that date.
This is not the first time Ice Spice has appeared in the game. She was earlier featured during the Chapter 2 Remix season, where she appeared in the Battle Pass storyline as one of the featured rappers. The Bikini Bottom Ice Spice outfit marks her return, this time tied to the SpongeBob crossover instead of the Remix theme.
The MARVEL Tลkon: Fighting Souls Open Beta is now live, giving players on PC and PlayStation 5 their first major opportunity to experience Arc System Worksโ upcoming 4v4 tag-team fighting game ahead of its full release.
The open beta runs for 72 hours, beginning on July 24 at 12:00 AM PT and ending on July 26 at 11:59 PM PT. For Indian players, the beta began at 12:30 PM IST on July 24. It is available through PlayStation 5, Steam and the Epic Games Store. No beta registration or PlayStation Plus subscription is required.
How to Play the Marvel Tลkon Open Beta
Players can simply download the MARVEL Tลkon: Fighting Souls Open Beta from their respective digital storefronts. A PlayStation Account and an internet connection are required to access the beta.
The test also supports pre-loading, allowing players to install the game before the servers open.
Marvel Tลkon Open Beta Characters
The beta features a large selection of Marvel heroes and villains. The official beta FAQ lists 16 playable characters, including Captain America, Iron Man, Black Panther, Storm, Magik, Wolverine, Danger, Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel, Star-Lord, Peni Parker, Ghost Rider, Blade, Doctor Doom, Magneto and Green Goblin.
Blade is among the characters making his playable debut in the beta.
Modes and Features
The open beta offers more than standard online matches. Players can try Casual and Ranked Matches, private Room Matches, Local Versus, Training Mode and an online lobby.
New players can start with Start Up Battle, an interactive tutorial covering the fundamentals of the game’s 4v4 combat system.
The beta also introduces Episode Mode for the first time. Players can experience the opening three chapters of the Amazing Guardians storyline, following Spider-Man as he begins assembling his team.
Marvel Tลkon Release Date
MARVEL Tลkon: Fighting Souls is scheduled to launch on August 6, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and PC. The open beta therefore serves as an important final opportunity for players to experience the game’s combat before launch.
For fighting game fans and Marvel enthusiasts, this weekend’s beta is the best chance yet to see whether Tลkon can establish itself as a serious new name in the competitive fighting game scene.
League of Legends legend Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok has taken on a new title away from the Rift. South Korea’s National Police Agency has named the 30-year-old T1 star an honorary police officer and public ambassador for a campaign against youth cyber gambling.
The appointment took place on Wednesday during a ceremony at the agency’s headquarters in Seoul.
Faker Given Rank of Senior Patrol Officer
Faker received the honorary rank of senior patrol officer. This is the same entry-level rank held by officers who join the police through its cyber investigation career track. It is not just a symbolic title. It places him at the same starting point as officers trained for that specific line of work.
Police explained their choice by pointing to Faker’s long career as a professional gamer. They said his self-discipline, focus, and restraint make him a strong role model for young people.
His Role in the Youth Gambling Campaign
As part of his new duties, Faker will appear in public awareness videos and posters. These materials will encourage teenagers to report their own involvement in cyber gambling voluntarily.
The self-reporting program has been running since May 18 and will stay open through August 31. Teenagers who come forward receive counseling from school police officers and gambling prevention specialists. They then go through an addiction assessment before being referred to treatment.
Police said they will weigh factors like how much money was involved, the teenager’s attitude of remorse, and their treatment progress. Those who report themselves can receive leniency under the program.
During the ceremony, Faker also donated a signed team jersey to a group of teenagers who had completed rehabilitation programs after struggling with gambling addiction.
Why Police Chose Faker as Ambassador
Acting Commissioner General Yoo Jae-sung said catching youth cyber gambling early matters. He noted that counseling and treatment work best when they start before the problem grows worse. Yoo added that he hopes Faker’s influence will give struggling teenagers the courage to come forward on their own.
Faker echoed that goal in his own statement. He said he plans to actively raise awareness of the dangers of cyber gambling among young people and help promote the self-reporting program.
Faker’s Other Recent Honors
This is not Faker’s first public honor of 2026. He recently received the Cheongnyong Medal for Contributions to Physical Education, the top tier of South Korea’s Order of Sport Merit. That award followed T1’s third consecutive League of Legends World Championship title.
Faker also has a history with gambling prevention work outside esports. In 2024, Hana Financial Group brought him on for a three-year initiative aimed at preventing teen gambling and supporting treatment for young people already dealing with addiction.
Faker is widely seen as one of esports’ most respected figures. His profile as a six-time world champion and one of South Korea’s best-known esports personalities gives the campaign a familiar face for reaching younger audiences. The National Police Agency is counting on that recognition to push more teenagers toward getting help through the self-reporting program before their situation gets more serious.
Valve developers have confirmed that the highly anticipated Deadlock matchmaking update is all set to go live next week.
According to a message by Deadlock dev โYoshiโ on the gameโs official Discord server, the major matchmaking overhaul that the community has been eagerly looking forward to for the past few months is โon track to go out next week.โ
In usual Valve fashion, the company has remained pretty tight-lipped about the actual contents of this matchmaking update, and the community will likely have to wait for the patch to actually go live to be able to get a look at the release notes.
However, we do know that this matchmaking overhaul will be followed by a couple more exciting updates.
Earlier this month, Yoshi claimed in another Discord message that the devs have been prioritizing three major updates: one for matchmaking, an item-focused update, and a large content update.
With the matchmaking update set to release next week, we might be standing closer than ever to a much-anticipated content update on the scale of โOld Gods, New Bloodโ.
A portion of the community also believes that these updates might be Valveโs final push towards the official release of Deadlock. For the unaware, despite its immense popularity, the MOBA hero shooter is currently still in its closed Alpha phase, and players can only access the game if theyโre invited by someone whoโs already in the playtest.
If you havenโt had the chance to try out Valveโs upcoming masterpiece, we highly recommend you secure yourself an invite. Otherwise, you can choose to wait for its global release, although Valve has yet to announce an official release date.
Call of Duty is changing how matchmaking works in Black Ops 7. The update arrives with Season 5, which launches on July 23. Activision confirmed the change through a social media post this week.
The new system brings back a matchmaking style inspired by older Call of Duty titles. It will apply to specific playlists, not the entire game.
Black Ops 7 Matchmaking Changes
Activision said it has learned a lot about multiplayer matchmaking over the past year. The publisher pointed to player data and community feedback as the main drivers behind the update.
Over the past year, we've continued to learn a lot about Multiplayer matchmaking through player data and community feedback. Weโre also excited to see all the recent love for Black Ops and Black Ops II, which reinforced that there are many elements of those experiences thatโฆ
The company also noted strong interest in the recent Black Ops and Black Ops 2 ports for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. That renewed interest appears to have shaped this decision.
Starting with Season 5, three playlists will use the new matchmaking system:
Black Ops Classic
Quick Play
Party Games
Activision says this system takes inspiration from the matchmaking used in the original Black Ops games. Those older systems relied less on skill-based matchmaking, or SBMM.
Open Playlists Are Not Going Away
Players who prefer the current setup do not need to worry. Black Ops 7 will keep its existing Open playlists. Activision confirmed these will continue to run alongside the new Classic-style option.
Open playlists were introduced as a low-SBMM option. Activision previously described them as using only minimal skill consideration. This made Open the closest thing Black Ops 7 had to older Call of Duty matchmaking, before now.
Activision has not explained the exact difference between Open and this new Classic-inspired system. Both are expected to lean away from heavy SBMM, but the technical details remain unclear.
Why This Matters for Modern Warfare 4
Matchmaking has been a long-running debate inside the Call of Duty community. Skill-based matchmaking became a bigger focus in recent years, and Black Ops 7 originally shifted toward less SBMM. That changed after launch, when the system moved back toward more skill-based matching due to higher engagement.
Activision has also confirmed that Modern Warfare 4 will include Open playlist options during its beta test. If the new Black Ops 7 system performs well, it could influence how matchmaking works in Modern Warfare 4 after release.
Modern Warfare 4 is set to launch on October 23 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, and PC.
Season 5 brings more than matchmaking changes. The update includes a new battle pass with two new guns and a returning operator from previous Black Ops titles. A new multiplayer map is also part of the season, themed around a pinball machine and inspired by Nuketown.
Marvel Rivals has received its first major update since the gameโs Season 9 patch, and thereโs plenty of new content for players to explore.
The Marvel Rivals Version 20260723 brings with it a number of exciting changes to the NetEase hero shooter, including a brand-new map, an expansion to the Blood Hunt game mode, new cosmetics, Twitch Drops, and more.
In this article, weโll go through everything you need to know about the Marvel Rivals July 23 update.
A new update for Marvel Rivals is on the horizon! โ๏ธ
The Patch Notes for July 23 are coming soon, covering all the exciting content and adjustments headed your way for the following week.
The Marvel Rivals July 23 update is already live at the time of writing. The update was shipped to the live servers at around 09:00:00 UTC without any server downtime.
Marvel Rivals July 23 Update: Patch Notes Revealed
NetEase has revealed the detailed patch notes for the Marvel Rivals Version 20260723 update before shipping it to the live servers.
The highlights of the update include the new map Thebes, new additions and a deadline extension for the Blood Hunt game mode, Esports tab improvements, new cosmetics for Psylocke and Hela, new Twitch drops, and various bug fixes and QoL improvements.
Below, we have included the full list of all the changes that the latest update has in store for you:
All-New Content
New Map: Thebes
Two monuments of power, divided by a sea of sand and stolen devotion. Apocalypse’s Pyramid and the Temple of Khonshu dominate opposite ends of the map. A rapidly weakening Khonshu desperately seeks to take back his stolen faith, but Moon Knight arrives burdened with a dark suspicion, demanding Khonshu answer a question before the Faith-Harvesting Engine. In this arena where ancient Egyptian ruins collide with primordial Celestial tech across dunes and oases, true villainy is about to be dragged into the moonlight.
Esports
Keep your eyes on the champions of the Chronoverse! We’ve added a brand-new Subscription feature to the Esports tab. You can now subscribe to your favorite tournaments, teams, and pro players. Use the new Calendar view to instantly track match schedules, league standings, active brackets, and historical match records. Plus, turn on notifications to get an alert the moment a subscribed match goes live; never miss a heroic clash again!
Blood Hunt
The vampire threat continues! We’re bringing upgrades to your arsenal to help you survive the night:
– Gear Enhancement: Push your power to the limit! You can now enhance your existing gear to unlock even higher stat bonuses. – Gear Refining: Perfect your loadout! You can now reroll specific stats on your gear to perfectly synergize with your custom hero builds. – New Drop – Dew of Insight: Enemies will now drop this rare item during combat. Use it to grant an instant burst of EX to any hero of your choice. – Nightmare Difficulty Expanded: The true test of a hero! The Nightmare Difficulty cap has been pushed to Floor 300. As a special bounty, clearing Floor 260 with any hero will reward you with 100 Units (Limit one reward per hero).
Event Duration Adjustments: Blood Hunt Double XP event has been extended to October 5th, 2026, 09:00:00 (UTC). Blood Hunt mode has been extended to October 9th, 2026, 09:00:00 (UTC).
New In Store
Psylocke – Pinned Butterfly Bundle (Includes a free customization option to remove the chin decoration) Hela – Consort of Khonshu Bundle Hela – Consort of Khonshu Chroma Midnight Moon/Sapphire Shadow and Ultimate Ability VFX
Available From: July 24th, 2026, at 2:00:00 (UTC)
Twitch Drops
The Marvel Rivals Mid-Season Finals are about to kick off in spectacular fashion, bringing together top teams for an unparalleled competitive feast! Tune in via designated streaming channels and claim exclusive rewards simply by meeting watch-time requirements. This round’s drops include the Daredevil – IGNITE Daredevil (2026) costume along with related bundle content, as well as an incredible array of exclusive rewards including special Moods, Emojis, and commemorative Nameplates!
Drops Period: July 29th, 2026, 17:00:00 to August 29th, 2026, 17:00:00 (UTC)
Fixes and Optimizations
Heroes
– Spectator’s Spectral Screencast: Fixed an issue where if a player was spectating certain heroes after being KO’d, and the spectated hero was also defeated, it could cause UI anomalies upon the player’s revival. Your visor is cleared, and the UI has returned from the grave! – Punisher’s Turret Tally: Fixed a bug where the ammo count in the bottom left corner wouldn’t display correctly while The Punisher was unleashing hell from his Culling Turret. Frank’s arsenal is now perfectly accounted for, locked, and loaded!
Team-Up VFX Toggle
– Based on community feedback, we’ve added a new settings option! You can now choose to enable or disable the Team-Up visual effects on your end (this setting only affects your screen; the effects will always remain visible from the perspective of enemies and teammates). This option can be configured universally across all heroes or tailored specifically within each hero’s custom settings!
Other
– Weaponized Wardrobe: Addressed an issue where Angela, Daredevil, and Gambit had incorrect weapon assets equipped on some of their costumes. Their signature armaments are back in action and looking sharper than ever!
