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HONOR Named as Official Smartphone Partner of Esports World Cup 2025

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The Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) today announced the return of global technology brand HONOR as the Official Smartphone Partner for the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025. Following a successful partnership at the debut EWC in 2024, this new partnership will see HONOR again at the forefront of mobile esports innovation.

This year, HONOR will introduce its newest flagship device, the HONOR Magic7 Pro, on the international stage, fueling competitive games such as Honor of Kings, PUBG: Mobile, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and Free Fire. These events alone will provide more than $10 million in prize money, with world-class players from all corners of the globe.

Designed for top-notch performance, the HONOR Magic7 Pro boasts the Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform, Ultra-wide Area Cooling System, and a 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate screen, specifically designed for all-day marathon gaming. It also debuts the first industry AI Real-Time Rendering technology, offering console-level quality visuals on a smartphone.

Mobile esports is one of the fastest-growing segments in competitive gaming, and having a partner like HONOR allows us to match that momentum with world-class technology. HONOR’s continued collaboration ensures our players are equipped with elite tools that elevate performance and unlock new levels of play. We’re thrilled to extend this partnership and to once again showcase what’s possible when cutting-edge innovation meets the global stage of the Esports World Cup.

Mike McCabe, Chief Operating Officer at the Esports World Cup Foundation

Back in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 7 through August 24, 2025, the Esports World Cup will be an even greater celebration of gaming culture. With 25 tournaments for 24 games, 2,000 top players, and 200 Clubs from over 100 nations, the event features the biggest prize pool in esports history at more than $70 million.

Audiences can also look forward to a full entertainment schedule, comprising live music performances, anime cafes, vintage gaming arcades, and cosplay areas.

Symbiote Spider-Man Skin & Iconic Dance Emote Added in Marvel Rivals Season 3 Battle Pass

The Marvel Rivals Season 3 Battle Pass is bringing with it a bunch of exciting additions to the hero shooter, and among them is the iconic Symbiote Spider-Man skin alongside a fan-favorite emote inspired by one of the original movies.

As the second season of Marvel Rivals nears its end, NetEase has officially revealed the patch notes for the game’s Season 3 update. The highly anticipated patch introduces the new hero Phoenix, a brand-new Domination map, and a plethora of other exciting changes to the game.

Similar to every other season, the Battle Pass remains one of the major highlights for the Marvel Rivals Season 3 update. It’s set to add 10 new sets of hero skins to the game alongside other cosmetics including nameplates, sprays, and more.

Marvel Rivals Symbiote Spider-Man Skin Revealed

While there’s plenty to check out in the Marvel Rivals Season 3 Battle Pass, Spider-Man fans are especially thrilled as it finally introduces the long-awaited Symbiote Spider-Man skin to the game.

But that’s not all — the upcoming Battle Pass will also add the iconic ‘Evil Dance’ emote to Marvel Rivals, reminiscent of the legendary dance scene of Tobey Maguire from Spider-Man 3.

Whether you’re a die-hard Spidey fan or just looking to add yet another meme-worthy cosmetic to your collection, the Symbiote Spider-Man skin in Marvel Rivals Season 3 is one you won’t want to miss.

Marvel Rivals Season 3 Update Brings a New Hero, Map, Accessories, and More

With only a week remaining till Marvel Rivals Season 3 hits the live servers, NetEase has finally dropped the patch notes for the highly anticipated update.

In accordance with the plethora of leaks we have seen earlier, the Marvel Rivals Season 3 update will bring with it the new hero ‘Phoenix’ to the game alongside a brand-new map.

Jean Grey will take on the Duelist role in the game’s ever-expanding roster, utilizing her fiery spells to wreak havoc on the battlefield. Fans can check out her official reveal trailer below:

The devs have also shed light on the upcoming map coming to the hero shooter with the third season. Klyntar: Celestial Husk will be a Domination map that will be added to Marvel Rivals on the same day as the Season 3 update.

Take a look at the full Klyntar map revealed below:

Other than that, there’s also a fresh new Battle Pass with 10 new sets of hero skins. The hero costumes for the Marvel Rivals Season 3 Battle Pass have been themed on the cosmic power of the Phoenix Force and the mysterious Symbiotes.

Moving forward, players will be able to earn ‘Accessory Points’ by playing Marvel Rivals matches, which can then be redeemed for hero-specific accessories.

There’s also the new Seasonal event ‘Milano Repair Logs’, new cosmetics in the game store, and a plethora of other exciting changes for players to enjoy.

Without further ado, let’s check out the detailed patch notes of the Marvel Rivals Season 3 update.

Marvel Rivals Season 3 Patch Notes

Here are the official patch notes for Marvel Rivals Season 3, as confirmed by NetEase:

New Hero Ignites the Battle!

Phoenix turns up the heat in Marvel Rivals!

New Map to Explore!

New Domination Map – Klyntar: Celestial Husk

S3 Battle Pass

Unlock a fiery new Battle Pass featuring 10 all-new sets of heroic costumes! This season’s theme is the cosmic power of the Phoenix Force and the mysterious Symbiotes. We hope you enjoy it!

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Season Event

New Event: Milano Repair Logs – Join the crew to help repair the Milano and earn a free Symbiote Storm costume.
This event launches alongside the new season.

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Competitive

Rank Reset: Based on your final Season 2.5 rank, ranks will be demoted by 7 divisions. For example, if you ended the season at Diamond I, your Season 3 journey begins at Gold II.
New Rank Settlement Rewards: New rewards have landed, and they’re hotter than a supernova! Reach Gold for the incredible Phoenix – Emerald Flames costume, and earn fresh Crests of Honor for Grandmaster, Celestial, Eternity, and the illustrious Top 500.
But that’s not all! This season, we’re igniting some fiery fun with brand-new Nameplate Frame rewards for Diamond and Platinum ranks.

Mission System Adjustments

1. Daily Missions Removed: Their Chrono Token rewards will be redistributed to other missions.
2. Weekly Missions Improved: Unfinished weekly missions will now roll over and can be completed until the mid-season ends.
3. New Season Missions: These last the entire season and can be completed repeatedly for rewards.
4. More Mission Types: New missions added, while excessive hero-specific missions have been removed.

New Systems

1. Accessories: Earn Accessory Points in matches and redeem them in the Shop for hero-specific accessories.
2. Student Perks: College students can verify their school email to get free trial access to 10 costumes.
3. Main Menu Update: New Events tab for easy event tracking.
4. Discord Integration: Reconnect your Discord account after the update to receive 100 Units and unlock new features: Chat with Discord friends in-game and message in-game friends via Discord when not in the game.
5. New Practice Option: Team captains can now queue all members into the same practice Doom Match session.

New In Store

1. New Costume: Phoenix – Chaos Phoenix Bundle.
2. New Emoji: Phoenix – Default Bundle.
3. New Costume Colors: Scarlet Witch – Immortal Sovereign, Jeff the Land Shark – Sunshine Land Shark, Invisible Woman – Malice, Rocket Raccoon – Sunshine Raccoon.
4. New Ultimate Ability VFX: Scarlet Witch – Immortal Sovereign, Jeff the Land Shark – Sunshine Land Shark.

Twitch Drops

As Season 3.0 kicks off, get ready for a new round of Twitch Drops. Simply accumulate the required viewing time to claim your rewards.
This round’s drops include the Hawkeye – Will of Galacta costume along with related bundle content.
Drops Period: 11/07/2025, at 12:00:00 ~ 08/08/2025, at 09:00:00 (UTC)

Tournaments

1. The third season of the Marvel Rivals Championship is here! Dynamic nameplate designs have been introduced for champion, runner-up, and third-place. Play 10 Open Qualifiers for an exclusive spray reward. Platinum III remains the minimum sign-up rank, with faction slots for each region increased to 2,500. The sign-up phase is shorter due to the season length adjustment. Stay tuned for the official schedule and check the Marvel Rivals Championship rules for details.
2. New Verified Faction System: Officially approved Factions get access to a unique name pool, verified name styles, and exclusive icons.

Fixes and Optimizations

All Platforms

1. Match Summary Revamp: More detailed stats and functions added.
2. Gallery Update: Merged “Serials” and “Special Edition,” added a new “Cinematics” tab featuring map cutscenes.
3. Costume MVPs: Previously Costume-Exclusive MVPs can now be used with any costume for greater customization. Mix and match freely!

Maps and Modes

1. Fixed terrain issues that could cause characters to become stuck or clip through odd locations.
2. Resolved various issues, including floating broken objects, collision errors, etc.
3. Improved symbiote lift devices: Now require a player to stand on them to trigger upon attack.

Heroes

1. Soundwave Enhancement: Added new, softer high-frequency hit and impact sound effects. Adjust settings in Audio > Combat Mix.
2. Thing’s Rocky Road: We’ve fixed an issue where The Thing’s Embattled Leap ability couldn’t target Wolverine while the Fastball Special was charging up. Now, nothing will stop Ben from jumping to Logan’s side.  
3. Emote Antics: We’ve patched up several emote animation bugs across the roster.

Console

To reduce future patch sizes, we’ve reorganized client files for S3, but this update’s patch size may be larger. Thank you for your understanding!

Marvel Rivals Season 3 Release Date

The Marvel Rivals Season 3 update is scheduled to go live on July 11, 2025, at 2 am PT. The servers are likely to be taken down for a few hours as the devs ship out the major update to the game.

How to Get the Kukri Knife in CS2?

Kukri Knife has been a popular choice among CS2 players since its introduction to the game in the Call for Arms update. Being popular means everyone wants to get it, and as a result, the prices are sky-high.

If you are new to the game and looking to get your first knife, then there is bad news for you. The only way to get a knife is to get it from the market or other third-party selling websites, unless you are willing to use up a lifetime’s worth of luck.

Types of Kukri Knife

  • Slaughter
  • Blue Steel
  • Case Hardened
  • Crimson Web
  • Stained
  • Night
  • Boreal Forest
  • Urban Masked
  • Forest DDPAT
  • Scorched
  • Safari Mesh
  • Fade

On the topic of using the lifetime of luck, opening a case is a cheap way to get your hands on said knife. While opening a case doesn’t guarantee you a knife, it is the cheapest way to get one of them. Kukri Knife is a part of the Kilowatt Case, and that is what you need to open.

Make sure to get a Key first and then open the case. If you are lucky enough, then you will get your hands on the most desired knives in the game. The chances of it cannot be any slimmer, but there is nothing wrong with trying your luck once in a while.

ESEA Introduce New ESL Pro League Qualification System

As we head into the second half of the Counter-Strike season, the ESL Challenger League and the ESL Pro League qualifying system have been modified to adhere to Valve’s tournament criteria. This will ensure that teams will have two Elite events to qualify for the big leagues of Counter-Strike.

ESL Pro League is a one-of-a-kind tournament that houses the big names as well as the small ones. It gives lesser-known players and teams a chance to showcase their skills against the world’s best. Not only does EPL provide a stage for emerging talent, but its format provides us with month-long top-tier CS action.

The Elite tournaments, which will take place twice a season in North America and Europe, where teams will give teams the chance to qualify and will be used for VRS rankings. ESEA League results will decide their seeding, and then the teams will find themselves in groups where the top 2 will make it to the next stage.

While lesser-known teams will have more opportunities, this will help with the discovery of young talent, which is essential for teams to survive and for the CS2 profession scene to keep rising in the coming days.

BMPS 2025 Grand Finals Day 1 Recap

The inaugural day of the Battlegrounds Mobile India 2025 (BMPS 2025) Grand Finals concluded with spectacular battles as India’s top 16 Battlegrounds Mobile India teams fought for the ultimate title at the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre in Delhi. With a massive ₹4 crore prize pool and a slot in the Esports World Cup at stake, the competition delivered intense action across six matches played on Erangel, Miramar, and Sanhok

BMPS 2025 Grand Finals Day 1 Summary

BMPS 2025 Grand Finals Day 1 concluded with a dramatic tie at the top, as both Los Hermanos and 4Merical Esports finished with identical 74 points, showcasing the competitive balance among India’s elite BGMI teams. Team Eggy secured third place with 69 points, while iQOO 8bit and Genesis Esports rounded out the top five with 60 and 59 points respectively.

Match 1 – Erangel

The first match of BMPS 2025 Grand Finals Day 1 opened with absolute chaos on Erangel, where Los Hermanos immediately established their dominance with a commanding victory. Led by an outstanding performance from LHSxKaalan, the team secured 16 eliminations to claim their first Chicken Dinner of the tournament.

Top Performers:

Winner: Los Hermanos (16 kills)

Runner-up: OnePlus K9 (6 kills)

Third: 4Merical (5 kills)

Match 2 – Miramar

The first Miramar match showcased a more defensive approach from most teams, but 4Merical Esports kept their composure to secure the victory. TFxMafia emerged as the MVP, demonstrating exceptional game sense and positioning.

Top Performers:

Winner: 4Merical (10 kills)

Runner-up: Team Forever (10 kills)

Third: iQOO 8bit (7 kills)

Match 3 – Sanhok

4Merical Esports continued their winning streak on Sanhok, claiming their second consecutive Chicken Dinner. Despite managing only 6 eliminations, their strategic positioning and zone control proved decisive.

Top Performers:

Winner: 4Merical (6 kills)

Runner-up: Team Forever (6 kills)

Third: 4TR (2 kills)

Match 4 – Sanhok

The second Sanhok match witnessed 4Merical Esports achieving an impressive hat-trick of victories. With 10 eliminations, they showcased their versatility across different map terrains. Team Forever continued their consistent performance, securing another second-place finish to maintain their position in the top rankings.

Top Performers:

Winner: 4Merical (10 kills)

Runner-up: Team Forever (multiple eliminations)

Third: Los Hermanos (9 kills)

Match 5 – Miramar

Los Hermanos bounced back in spectacular fashion during the second Miramar match, claiming their second Chicken Dinner with an aggressive 22-elimination performance. This victory propelled them up the leaderboard.

Top Performers:

Winner: Los Hermanos (22 kills)

Runner-up: OnePlus Gods Reign (26 placement points)

Third: iQOO 8bit (strong overall performance)

Match 6 – Erangel

The final match of BMPS 2025 Grand Finals Day 1 belonged to Los Hermanos, who delivered the most dominant performance of the tournament with an incredible 38 eliminations. This massive victory secured their tie for first place.

Top Performers:

Winner: Los Hermanos (38 kills)

Runner-up: 4Merical (consistent points)

Third: iQOO 8bit (strong finish)

With BMPS 2025 Grand Finals Day 1 concluded, the tournament remains wide open. The tie at the top between Los Hermanos and 4Merical Esports sets up an intriguing battle for the remaining two days. Teams like Team Eggy, iQOO 8bit, and Genesis Esports have positioned themselves well for a potential championship run, while others will need to significantly improve their performance to remain competitive.

Stay tuned to the TalkEsport app for detailed gaming and esports coverage, latest news, and much more!

NODWIN Gaming partners with Esports World Cup Foundation to manage media rights sales across South Asia

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NODWIN Gaming, a leader in South Asia’s esports and gaming ecosystem has officially partnered with the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) to manage media rights sales across South Asia including India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and other surrounding territories.

NODWIN Gaming will act as the strategic support for the EWCF in the region, supporting with media rights sales and distribution strategies for the EWC across South Asia. The partnership aims to bring the Esports World Cup to a broader audience of fans in one of the fastest-growing esports markets globally. Additionally, NODWIN Gaming will act as the EWCF’s marketing partner for the Indian market, to conceptualize and execute local campaigns and initiatives that support the Foundation’s mission of elevating esports and gaming culture worldwide.

The EWCF is the nonprofit organization behind the Esports World Cup (EWC), the world’s largest multi-title esports competition. The 2024 inaugural edition featured 1,500 elite players and 200 clubs from over 100 countries, competing across 21 titles for a record-breaking $60 million prize pool. With 500 million online viewers and 2.6 million in-person attendees, the EWC set a new benchmark for esports competitions worldwide.

With a proven legacy in managing media rights for the targeted distribution of world-class esports and entertainment content, NODWIN Gaming has successfully brought competitive gaming to mainstream audiences through multiple broadcast platforms, including television and OTT services. Its marquee IP, the Battlegrounds Mobile India Masters Series (BGMS), is currently the only Indian esports tournament to air on national television, broadcasting on Star Sports for three consecutive years. The company has also delivered top-tier productions and media rights solutions for properties such as the eISL in collaboration with Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), the VALORANT Challengers South Asia with Riot Games, the Mountain Dew Arena with ESL India, and the Kingfisher India Premiership, among others.

Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder and Managing Director of NODWIN Gaming said, “The Esports World Cup is a landmark moment for global esports, and we’re proud to partner with the EWCF to bring that experience to South Asia. This partnership is about more than just broadcasting a tournament – it’s about building a bridge between South Asia’s incredibly passionate gaming communities and the global stage that the EWCF represents. Whether it’s in India, Bangladesh, Nepal or beyond, our goal is to make world-class esports content more accessible than ever. We’re excited to work closely with the EWCF to not only grow the tournament’s reach but to also support the larger ecosystem and community it helps foster.”

The EWCF is dedicated to supporting the long-term growth and financial sustainability of the global esports and gaming sectors. The foundation’s mission is to advocate for the entire ecosystem including players, fans, and businesses and to reinvest any proceeds back into initiatives that fuel the development of the industry.

“Our mission at the Esports World Cup Foundation is to create lasting impact for the global esports industry by setting new competitive benchmarks and forging partnerships that understand the nuances of each region. South Asia represents an incredibly dynamic and fast-growing gaming market, and NODWIN Gaming brings unparalleled knowledge, reach, and local trust to this ecosystem. By partnering with NODWIN, we are not only ensuring that the Esports World Cup reaches more fans, but we are also reinforcing our commitment to making esports more accessible, inclusive, and sustainable.” stated Mike McCabe, COO of the Esports World Cup Foundation.

Through this association, the EWCF strengthens its global presence while leveraging NODWIN Gaming’s deep-rooted experience in youth engagement, esports content, and regional distribution across emerging economies.

Valve Introduces Souvenir Charms from the BLAST.tv Austin Major Playoff

CS2 developers are in no mood to stop putting new elements in the game, as we have another massive update following the BLAST.tv Austin Major introducing the Champion Capsules along with the Highlight Souvenir Package.

As Vitality cruised through another Major, it is quite deserved that they get a Champion Capsule along with the Highlight Souvenir Package. Vitality won the second Major in their history, and ZyWoo picked his 2nd MVP. As we prepare for the second half of the season, the first update dropped by Valve is a massive one to keep the player base hooked.

Goes without saying that it would not just be limited to cosmetics, Valve has dropped a range of bug fixes aimed at giving a better experience. Find the patch notes below to find out what is included in the latest update.

Patch Notes

[ AUSTIN 2025 MAJOR ]

  • Champions Autographs Capsule is now available for purchase, congratulations to Team Vitality!
  • Highlight Souvenir Packages can now be acquired for the Playoff matches.

[ MISC ]

  • Added in-game lobby voice chat and voice chat during Premier Pick/Ban phase.
  • Fixed bad command flows in point_servercommand entities.
  • Fixed community maps not reloading correctly with “restart” command.
  • Buy binds are now disabled during halftime freeze phase.
  • Fixed scoreboard column text formatting in Japanese.

Which souvenir package are you going to pick? Let us know in the comments below.

BLAST Austin Major Playoff Souvenirs and Champions Stickers Released

Austin Major can be considered one of the most memorable ones from the recent Counter-Strike events. Full of upsets and surprises, the outcome was exactly how everyone predicted, as ZyWoo powered through Vitality to pick up the second Major in the history of the organization as well as his 2nd Major MVP.

To cap off another successful Major, Valve has finally released the souvenirs and the Champions Sticker Capsule, all of which can be found in the game. The developers have also offered a variety of souvenir packages with a variety of in-game skins in addition to the sticker capsule.

Given the uncertain outcomes in the first few stages of the event, hardly anyone managed to get the Diamond Coin. Even Vitality somehow lost their opening game of the event, but as they progressed deeper into the Major, they found their footing and eventually went all the way, toppling all the big names.

As BLAST closes another stunningly successful Major, the ball is now in StarLadder’s court to make the Budapest Major an equally smashing one. Following the player break, we are in for another treat with Cologne breathing down our necks, even though it’s not a Major, it’s just an equally celebrated CS2 event.