Luminosity Gaming, one of the most iconic names in the world of competitive Counter-Strike, has officially announced its return to CS2.
This marks the end of the Canadian organization’s seven-year absence from the competitive CS scene.
Earlier today, Luminosity Gaming announced the acquisition of Lucas “lux” Meneghini along with four players from the former Monte roster, marking its re-entry into the game following the release of its Brazilian roster seven years ago.
The move comes after founder Steve Maida bought back the Luminosity brand from Vertiqal Studios for roughly $212,000 in January, years after selling the organization to Aquilini GameCo for over $16 million back in 2019.
Maida explained that rebuilding around Counter-Strike had been his goal ever since retiring in 2021, and that the squad’s strong showing in Cologne convinced him the timing was right.
“After retiring in 2021 and watching Luminosity, it was always my goal to one day buy it back and put LG where it belongs, where it all started, Counter-Strike,” he said in a statement. “Today I couldn’t be happier to finally announce that day has come.”
The new roster largely carries over Monte’s core following their breakout run at the Cologne 2026 Major. Aurimas “Bymas” Pipiras, Aurélien “afro” Drapier, and Oscar “AZUWU” Bell all arrive as free agents once their Monte contracts lapsed, while Aleks “Rainwaker” Petrov required a contract buyout.
The only departure from the original Monte lineup is captain Jack “Gizmy” von Spreckelsen, who is reportedly headed to 100 Thieves, with lux stepping in as his replacement and the team’s new IGL.
The rebuilt Luminosity Gaming squad, now competing under a European banner, is wasting no time getting to work. The new lineup debuted at the XSE Pro League 2026, kicking off a new chapter for the organization’s return to the competitive stage.
Valve has shipped out yet another minor update to Counter-Strike 2 ahead of the highly anticipated Premier Season 5, and it brings a few crucial changes to the Cologne 2026 Major Shop and the Armory.
For starters, the AK-47 Aphrodite has been removed from the Armory after being available to redeem for well over five months. No other changes to the Armory have been made, with players speculating that a major Armory update might be introduced alongside the Premier Season 5.
The upcoming Armory update is expected to remove several collections that are currently on “last chance to redeem,” while adding appropriate replacements. It could also add a brand-new limited-edition skin to the Armory lasting through the entirety of Season 5.
CS2 Cologne 2026 Shop Changes
The Cologne 2026 Major Shop is also seeing some notable changes with the July 1st CS2 update.
With this latest patch, Valve has added the Cologne 2026 Champions Stickers to the Major Shop, alongside Souvenir Charms that enable players to view the biggest highlights across every stage of the tournament.
Both the Souvenir Charms and the new Champions Stickers can be purchased through Tokens in the Cologne 2026 Major Shop.
With the CS2 Premier Season 5 update all set for release next week, this is likely to be the last update we see before the new season goes live.
Season Four of Premier ends on July 6th.
You must have 25 Season Four Premier wins and a visible CSR when the Season concludes to earn your Premier Season Four medal.
As the calendar flips to July, the esports scene has already delivered a packed month of unforgettable moments. From record-breaking Counter-Strike tournaments to the start of League of Legends’ Mid-Season Invitational (MSI), June ended with plenty of storylines that will shape the competitive landscape in the weeks ahead.
Counter-Strike 2 Enters a New Era
Counter-Strike 2 dominated headlines in late June following the conclusion of the IEM Cologne Major. The event set new viewership records, while Falcons lifted the trophy after defeating FURIA in the grand final. The tournament also crowned m0NESY as the MVP, capping off one of the biggest CS2 events of the year.
Roster changes quickly followed. Teams including G2, FaZe, MIBR, NIP and BC.Game announced significant lineup moves, while Valve’s competitive ecosystem also welcomed the return of Cache to the Active Duty map pool—one of the most anticipated gameplay changes in recent memory.
MSI 2026 Begins Strong
League of Legends fans shifted their attention to MSI 2026, which entered its opening stages before July. T1 once again proved to be a major driver of global interest, helping the tournament attract more than 1.3 million peak viewers during its opening days. Early Play-In matches also produced several standout individual performances, setting the stage for an exciting knockout bracket.
Indian Esports Continues to Grow
India’s competitive gaming scene also enjoyed a major milestone. GodLike Esports completed a remarkable comeback to win the BGMI Pro Series (BMPS) 2026 after recovering from a difficult opening day. The championship attracted record online viewership and thousands of spectators at the LAN event, highlighting the continued growth of mobile esports in the country.
What to Watch in July
July is expected to be another busy month for esports fans. MSI 2026 will continue with its most important matches, while Counter-Strike teams begin preparing for upcoming BLAST competitions amid ongoing roster changes. Fans can also expect fresh announcements across VALORANT, Dota 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and other major titles as the second half of the competitive season gets underway.
With June providing memorable champions, blockbuster transfers and record-breaking audiences, July promises to be another month that every esports fan should keep an eye on.
Valve has officially immortalized Boris “Magixx” Vorobiev’s memorable moment from the IEM Cologne Major 2026 against G2 Esports, where he pulled off a near-impossible 1v4 clutch.
The legendary play took place in the playoffs of the IEM Cologne Major when Team Spirit faced G2. In a critical post-plant situation, Magixx managed to plant the bomb in the B bombsite of Mirage, with 4 G2 players moving in from Market to retake the site. The Spirit IGL, moving in to take the fight by the market window, sprayed down 4 players chasing in with a single magazine to put his side on match point.
To commemorate the iconic moment, Valve has introduced a clever Easter egg that blends into the map. Players can now find a jar of tomato sauce “Magic: Secret Sauce” with a “4X” marking, a direct reference to his incredible 4K spray down. With this move, Valve has permanently embedded him in the game for future generations to remember.
While many elite players have graffiti of their own, an Easter egg might look less fancy, but on the other hand, not many players can boast about having one in the game. Magixx will be joining an elite group of players whose achievements have been marked in the game, and it is this that makes Counter-Strike the best esport in the world.
Fans have warmly welcomed this gesture, with the community appreciating the developers for giving him the much-deserved recognition. With time, we shall see more to come, but Boris gets to boast that the first CS2 Major Easter egg belongs to him, a feat that can never be replicated.
Steam’s popular customization tool Wallpaper Engine is pulling thousands of wallpapers from its Workshop after hackers used the feature to spread malware. The change targets “Application” wallpapers, a category that lets creators run external Windows programs as desktop backgrounds.
The decision follows a security warning from Kaspersky, which found attackers hiding malicious code inside Wallpaper Engine uploads on Steam Workshop. The infected wallpapers looked and worked like normal backgrounds. In the background, though, they could steal Steam accounts and other sensitive data from a victim’s PC.
Why Wallpaper Engine Is Removing Application Wallpapers
In a blog post on Steam, the Wallpaper Engine team confirmed it will permanently remove support for Application wallpapers from the Workshop. The developers said the legacy feature is no longer worth the security risk it carries.
Application wallpapers work differently from standard Wallpaper Engine creations. Instead of rendering entirely inside the app, they can launch external Windows executable (.exe) files. That functionality made them useful for advanced users in the app’s early days, but it also gave hackers an easy way to disguise malware as a desktop background.
The team said Application wallpapers make up just 0.5% of all wallpapers on the platform. Most users never touched the feature at all, since it stays hidden by default inside the app.
Developers Call The Old Feature Too Risky
The Wallpaper Engine team admitted the original design choices behind Application wallpapers have not aged well. “The assumptions we made back then were well intended but quite naive,” the developers wrote.
They added that letting anyone freely share .exe files through the Workshop had become a risk they were no longer willing to accept.
Xbox is sending direct notifications to Game Pass subscribers with a clear message. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will not be part of the subscription when it launches. Players who want day-one access will need to buy the game separately.
Xbox Sends Direct Notification About Modern Warfare 4
Xbox has sent notifications to Game Pass subscribers reminding them that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will not be available on the service at launch. A separate purchase is required for anyone who wants to play right away.
The message tells subscribers that “Game Pass availability starts Holiday 2027” and adds, “if you’d like to jump in on day one, you’ll need to purchase the game.” The notification includes a button that opens the Modern Warfare 4 page on the Microsoft Store.
This marks a change from previous Call of Duty titles released after Microsoft’s takeover of Activision Blizzard, which were available day one with a Game Pass subscription. Xbox is sending the reminder ahead of the game’s November launch.
Why Call of Duty Is Leaving Game Pass at Launch
The shift was first announced in April, when Xbox confirmed that future Call of Duty titles would no longer launch on Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass on day one, starting with Modern Warfare 4.
Reports at the time linked the decision to cost. Bloomberg reported that including Black Ops 6 on Game Pass at launch cost Microsoft an estimated $300 million in lost revenue. The April announcement also came alongside a price cut to Game Pass subscription tiers.
Activision has leaned into the change through its own marketing. A recent ad campaign for Modern Warfare 4 tells players to preorder the game to “lock in” early campaign access, with a separate line stating “Not on Xbox Game Pass this year.”
When Modern Warfare 4 Will Come to Game Pass
Instead of a day-one release, Call of Duty titles will now be added to Game Pass the following holiday season, roughly a year after launch. For Modern Warfare 4, that points to the Holiday 2027 window named in the Xbox notification.
Because a new Call of Duty game arrives every year, that timing lines up closely with the release of the next title in the series. Players who rely only on Game Pass, instead of buying each game outright, will stay one release behind in the yearly cycle.
BGMI Best Guns Tier List is useful for players who want to know which weapons are worth picking up in the current meta. The BGMI 4.5 update has changed how several weapon classes perform, with SMGs becoming more valuable in close-range fights while snipers and DMRs remain strong at long range. Shotguns, meanwhile, have fallen behind after their recent balance changes. In this guide, we rank every major AR, SMG, sniper, DMR and shotgun from S to D tier based on damage, recoil, versatility, range and overall usefulness in Classic matches.
BGMI Best Guns Tier List: Every Weapon Ranked
The current BGMI meta strongly favors weapons that are reliable across different situations. The M416, Groza and AKM remain among the strongest ARs, while the UMP45 and JS9 are excellent choices for close-range fights.
The 4.5 update also made long-range weapons more relevant by removing damage drop-off for snipers and DMRs at long range. At the same time, shotgun power was reduced, pushing many players toward SMGs for close-quarters combat.
Situational or low-priority weapons depending on loot and playstyle
The rankings are based on the current 2026 meta rather than simply looking at base damage. Recoil, fire rate, attachment options, range and how consistently a weapon performs also matter.
Best ARs in BGMI
Assault rifles remain the most versatile weapons in BGMI. They can handle close, medium and even long-range fights with the right attachments.
S Tier ARs
1. M416
The M416 remains one of the safest weapons to pick up in BGMI. Its low recoil, strong attachment support and reliable spray make it particularly effective for medium-range fights.
It may not have the highest damage among ARs, but its consistency makes it one of the best weapons for both beginners and experienced players.
2. Groza
The Groza combines high damage with an extremely strong close-to-mid-range performance. Its biggest drawback is availability because it is an airdrop weapon.
If you find a Groza and can control its recoil, it can shred opponents extremely quickly.
3. AKM
The AKM is one of the strongest ground-loot 7.62mm ARs. Its high damage makes it excellent for close and medium-range fights.
The downside is recoil. Players who can consistently control the AKM get much more value from it than players who struggle with vertical recoil.
A Tier ARs
4. Beryl M762
The M762 offers excellent damage and a fast rate of fire, but its recoil makes it harder to master than the M416. It is a strong choice for aggressive players.
5. ACE32
The ACE32 offers a useful balance between 7.62mm damage and manageable recoil. It is particularly good when you want more stopping power without committing fully to the AKM’s recoil.
6. AUG
The AUG is a reliable all-round AR with good stability. It works well for players who prefer controlled sprays rather than aggressive close-range fights.
7. G36C
The G36C is easy to use and performs well in short-to-medium-range engagements. Its stability makes it a solid alternative to the M416.
8. FAMAS
The FAMAS can be extremely effective in close-range fights because of its fast firing characteristics. However, it is less forgiving when used outside its preferred range.
B Tier ARs
9. SCAR-L
The SCAR-L is one of the easiest ARs for beginners. Its recoil is manageable, although its overall damage output keeps it below the top-tier weapons.
10. QBZ
The QBZ is dependable and relatively easy to control. It is a useful weapon when better 5.56mm ARs are unavailable.
11. M16A4
The M16A4 has excellent burst potential but requires better timing and aim than automatic ARs. It is therefore more skill-dependent.
12. MK47 Mutant
The Mutant delivers high 7.62mm damage and can punish accurate players. Its burst firing style, however, makes it less versatile than automatic ARs.
13. Honey Badger
The Honey Badger is a useful close-range 7.62mm option, but it does not offer the same overall versatility as the AKM, M762 or ACE32.
Best SMGs in BGMI
SMGs have become increasingly important in the current BGMI meta. The 4.5 update improved SMG mobility and made close-range SMG fights even more viable.
S Tier SMGs
1. UMP45
The UMP45 is arguably the best all-round SMG in BGMI right now. It combines strong damage, low recoil and excellent control.
It is particularly useful for players who want a reliable close-range weapon without sacrificing too much mid-range capability. TalkEsport’s current weapon guide also ranks it as the top SMG for consistency.
A Tier SMGs
2. JS9
The JS9 is one of the most important additions to the current SMG meta. It offers a strong combination of fire rate, magazine capacity and controllability.
It is an excellent choice for aggressive players who frequently take close-range fights.
3. Vector
The Vector has an extremely high fire rate and can delete enemies quickly when every bullet connects. Its main weakness is the small magazine, especially without an extended magazine.
B Tier SMGs
4. MP5K
The MP5K is highly stable and works well for players who prioritize accuracy. It is particularly useful on maps where it is available as ground loot.
5. Tommy Gun
The Tommy Gun offers high per-bullet damage and a large magazine with the right setup. However, its attachment and scope limitations hold it back from the top tier.
6. P90
The P90 has a large magazine and strong close-range potential. It can be dangerous in aggressive fights but is not as universally useful as the UMP45.
7. Micro Uzi
The Micro Uzi has an extremely high fire rate and is deadly at very close range. Its low damage per bullet and limited effective range make it more situational.
C Tier SMGs
8. PP-19 Bizon
The Bizon has one of the largest standard magazines among SMGs, making it forgiving during extended fights. However, its damage output is not enough to compete with the strongest SMGs.
9. VSS
The VSS is technically capable of automatic fire and has an integrated scope and suppressor, but its damage and bullet characteristics make it a niche choice.
Best Sniper Rifles in BGMI
Snipers received a major boost from recent balance changes. BGMI removed long-range damage drop-off for sniper rifles and DMRs, making long-range shots more rewarding.
S Tier Snipers
1. AWM
The AWM remains the benchmark for sniper rifles. Its extremely high damage allows skilled players to eliminate heavily armored opponents with headshots.
It uses .300 Magnum ammunition and is an airdrop-exclusive weapon, which keeps it rare but extremely powerful.
2. Lynx AMR
The Lynx AMR is another devastating airdrop sniper. Its enormous damage and ability to damage vehicles such as the BRDM give it unique value.
It is not always the easiest weapon to build a loadout around, but its raw power puts it firmly in S tier.
A Tier Snipers
3. Kar98k
The Kar98k is one of the best ground-loot bolt-action rifles. It is reliable, widely available and capable of rewarding accurate headshots.
4. M24
The M24 is another excellent sniper with strong damage and a fast enough firing cycle to remain useful throughout a match.
B Tier Snipers
5. Mosin Nagant
The Mosin Nagant is a solid alternative to the Kar98k. It performs well when you need a bolt-action rifle but cannot find an M24.
6. Win94
The Win94 is more situational because of its built-in scope and limited versatility. It can still be effective in the hands of a player who is comfortable with it.
Best DMRs in BGMI
DMRs sit between ARs and sniper rifles. They are particularly useful for players who like repeatedly poking enemies from medium and long range.
A Tier DMRs
1. Mini14
The Mini14 is one of the easiest DMRs to use because of its low recoil and fast follow-up shots. The recent long-range changes have made it even more useful for sustained poking.
2. SLR
The SLR delivers heavy 7.62mm damage and can punish enemies who remain exposed. Its recoil is higher than the Mini14, so it requires better control.
3. MK14
The MK14 is one of the most powerful DMRs in BGMI. Its high damage and automatic firing mode make it extremely dangerous at both medium and close range.
Its biggest drawback is its rarity and recoil.
B Tier DMRs
4. SKS
The SKS is powerful but demanding. Players who can control its recoil can use it effectively for long-range fights.
5. QBU
The QBU is stable and accurate, making it a good choice when available. However, its map availability and overall performance keep it below the Mini14 and SLR.
6. MK12
The MK12 is a dependable 5.56mm DMR with good range and manageable recoil. It is a strong option but lacks the raw stopping power of the best 7.62mm DMRs.
Best Shotguns in BGMI
Shotguns have dropped significantly in the current tier list because recent balance changes reduced their damage and increased spread randomness. This has made SMGs more attractive for close-range fights.
B Tier Shotguns
1. DBS
The DBS remains the most forgiving shotgun because of its large magazine and rapid follow-up shots. It can still dominate very close-range fights, but it is no longer as universally strong as before.
2. S12K
The S12K offers automatic follow-up shots and a larger magazine with attachments. It is still useful inside buildings but has lost some of its previous dominance.
C Tier Shotguns
3. M1014
The M1014 offers a larger magazine than traditional pump-action shotguns and can be useful in close quarters. However, its current damage and spread keep it below the top weapons.
4. S1897
The S1897 can still deliver devastating point-blank damage, but its pump-action nature makes missed shots extremely costly.
5. S686
The S686 has excellent burst potential because of its 2-shell capacity. It can instantly punish an opponent when both shots connect, but it leaves little room for mistakes.
6. NS2000
The NS2000 is a niche shotgun that can work in specific close-range situations. However, there are generally better options available.
What Is the Best Gun in BGMI Right Now?
There is no single weapon that is perfect for every situation. However, the M416 is the best overall AR, while the UMP45 is the safest SMG choice for most players.
For long-range fights, the AWM and Lynx AMR are the strongest sniper options. The Mini14 is one of the easiest DMRs to use, while the DBS remains the most reliable shotgun when you specifically want a shotgun.
The current meta also favors pairing an AR with an SMG or long-range weapon rather than relying heavily on shotguns. TalkEsport’s post-4.5 analysis similarly recommends combinations built around an AR plus an SMG or sniper depending on the player’s position and playstyle.
Best BGMI Gun Combinations
Here are some reliable combinations for different playstyles:
M416 + UMP45: Best all-round combination
AKM + UMP45: High-damage aggressive setup
M416 + AWM: Balanced AR and sniper combination
Groza + AWM: High-end airdrop loadout
M416 + Mini14: Strong medium-to-long-range setup
M762 + Vector: Aggressive close-range setup
For most ranked players, M416 + UMP45 is the easiest combination to recommend because both weapons are relatively consistent and cover different combat ranges.
BGMI Gun Tier List: How We Ranked the Weapons
We considered several factors while ranking the weapons:
Damage: How quickly the gun can eliminate an opponent.
Recoil: How easy it is to keep bullets on target.
Fire rate: How quickly the weapon can deal damage.
Range: How effectively it performs outside close combat.
Magazine size: Important during squad fights and extended sprays.
Attachments: Better attachment support can significantly improve a weapon.
Availability: A ground-loot weapon is generally more practical than an airdrop weapon.
Current meta: Recent BGMI balance changes can dramatically alter weapon effectiveness.
For example, raw damage alone does not make the AKM better than the M416 for every player. The M416’s lower recoil and broader usability can make it more effective in actual matches. Current weapon data also shows the difference in damage and shots-to-kill between the major ARs and DMRs.
The BGMI Best Guns Tier List has changed significantly with the latest updates. M416, Groza and AKM remain the standout ARs, while UMP45 has become one of the most dependable close-range weapons.
The sniper and DMR classes have also gained importance because of the long-range damage changes. AWM, Lynx AMR and Mini14 are excellent choices for players who prefer long-range engagements.
Shotguns are still useful inside buildings, but their recent nerfs mean players have more reasons to choose an SMG instead. Ultimately, the best gun depends on your recoil control, preferred range and playstyle.
FAQs
Which is the best gun in BGMI? The M416 is the best overall gun for most players because of its low recoil, versatility and attachment support. The Groza and AKM offer higher damage but require more recoil control.
Which is the best SMG in BGMI? The UMP45 is one of the best SMGs because it combines strong damage with low recoil. The JS9 and Vector are also excellent close-range options.
Which is the best sniper in BGMI? The AWM is the best traditional sniper because of its extremely high damage. The Lynx AMR is another S-tier option with very high damage and unique vehicle-damage capabilities.
Which is the best DMR in BGMI? The Mini14 is one of the best DMRs for most players because it has low recoil and fast follow-up shots. The SLR and MK14 are stronger damage-focused alternatives.
Are shotguns still good in BGMI? Yes, but they are more situational than before. The recent balance changes reduced shotgun effectiveness, making SMGs a more reliable choice for most close-range fights.
What is the best BGMI gun combination? M416 + UMP45 is one of the safest combinations for ranked matches. It provides a reliable AR for medium-range fights and an SMG for close-range combat.
Founders and directors of India’s real-money gaming (RMG) companies have approached the GST Council seeking relief from personal liability, following the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on May 27, 2026. The verdict upheld a 28% GST on the full face value of player deposits across online gaming platforms, retrospectively. But the part getting less attention is this: the show-cause notices were sent not just to companies but also to their founders, directors, and key managerial personnel. The Supreme Court did not quash those personal proceedings.
That unresolved question is now the central concern for gaming executives who have already watched their companies shut down or scale back since the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act (PROGA) came into force on May 1, 2026.
What the Supreme Court Actually Decided
On May 27, 2026, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court of India delivered a verdict that effectively closed the book on the country’s real-money gaming industry. Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan ruled that organized online gaming activities involving money staked on uncertain outcomes, including fantasy sports, constitute betting and gambling under the GST framework. They are therefore subject to a 28% levy on the full face value of player deposits.
The Supreme Court upheld the Centre’s decision to retrospectively levy 28% GST on the full face value of bets placed through real money gaming platforms. In a separate but similar judgment, the apex court also upheld the state governments’ right to enact laws prohibiting online money gaming in their respective jurisdictions.
The valuation methodology, however, was partially revised in favour of the industry. The court directed tax authorities to recompute pending demands based on Rule 31B of the Central GST Rules, linking taxable value to player deposits instead of individual bets, and clarified that winnings reused for gameplay do not count as fresh deposits. That recalculation reduces the headline number, but does not eliminate it.
The Personal Liability Problem
The bigger shock for founders came from what the court left unresolved.
The original show-cause notices were issued not only to gaming companies but also to their directors, promoters and key managerial personnel. The Supreme Court has not quashed these proceedings. Instead, it directed assessees to file responses to show-cause notices within eight weeks and instructed adjudicating authorities to complete proceedings thereafter.
Executives were worried about the fine print in the show-cause notices they had previously received, which likely imposed liability on the directors of such RMG companies.
This has triggered fresh debate over whether insolvency or financial distress at gaming companies could expose promoters to personal recovery proceedings. If a company cannot pay and files for insolvency, the question becomes whether the founders themselves remain on the hook for the same amount.
Legal experts are divided on the answer. The judgment offers guidance but not a definitive answer. “On the specific question of whether insolvency of the company extinguishes the promoters’ personal exposure, the judgment is instructive but not determinative.”
An amnesty or waiver representation to the GST Council, on the analogy of Section 128A relief, is described as a realistic policy avenue by legal experts. That is the route gaming founders are now pursuing: a direct appeal to the GST Council to grant personal liability relief, similar to the amnesty framework that exists elsewhere in GST law.
The Scale of the Demand
The numbers behind this dispute are significant. According to the Centre’s submissions, the cumulative tax demands against the gaming companies stand at around ₹91,684.81 crore for online gaming companies and ₹16,820.19 crore for casinos.
An industry source said that while the cumulative GST demand on the sector exceeded ₹2 trillion including penalties, no company in the industry had the capacity to meet such liabilities. “The industry is gone. On a cumulative basis, companies will barely be able to meet even 20 per cent of the total GST demand,” the person said, adding that companies would have to liquidate themselves and declare bankruptcy.
“It is impossible for the companies to pay the tax liabilities that have been proposed by the GST authorities,” said Jay Sayta, a technology and gaming lawyer. “Prima facie there are no further legal recourses for the real-money gaming startups to seek, now that the Supreme Court has ruled in favour of the high taxation levy.”
The Industry Is Already Gone
The GST ruling landed on an industry that had already been dismantled before the judgment arrived.
In August 2025, the Indian government enacted the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, known as PROGA, which prohibits online money games where users deposit funds with the expectation of winning. The law came into force on May 1, 2026, just weeks before the Supreme Court ruling. Major platforms, including Dream11, MPL, PokerBaazi, and Zupee, suspended real-money operations immediately.
As TalkEsport covered in detail, India’s Online Gaming Rules 2026 came into force on May 1 and established a hard ban on all online money games. The same framework that killed the commercial category is now the backdrop against which founders must also face personal tax proceedings.
Over 3,000 employees were laid off as revenues dried up. PROGA meant the industry could no longer operate. The Supreme Court verdict meant the industry also owes a tax liability on everything it earned while it was operating. For many companies, the combination is existential.
What Legal Options Remain
“Prima facie there are no further legal recourses for the real-money gaming startups to seek,” said Rutuja Pol, partner at Ikigai Law. “The only thing that could give some leeway for how the startups can pay off these levies is that the respective GST bodies will have the authority to adjudicate on the dues.”
According to Pankaj Goel, partner at CNK, a chartered accountant firm, the ruling does not automatically mean gaming companies must immediately pay the entire tax demand, as individual GST notices would still undergo adjudication. Companies can still raise factual objections on valuation, mathematical discrepancies, and limitation periods when responding to individual notices.
A review petition under Article 137 is the most immediate legal option, but the court has fenced this in advance, citing that review lies only for an “error apparent on the face of the record,” not re-argument. The retrospectivity holding is cited as the likeliest review ground.
The GST Council amnesty route, however, is the most direct path for founders seeking personal relief. A similar mechanism exists under Section 128A of the GST Act, which allows waiver of interest and penalty in certain circumstances. The founders are requesting that the Council extend similar logic to their personal proceedings, given that the companies operated under a contested legal framework before October 2023.
What This Means for India’s Gaming Ecosystem
The real-money gaming industry’s collapse has had a knock-on effect on India’s broader gaming sector. The government itself now pegs India’s gaming market at ₹23,200 crore, with projections to ₹31,600 crore by 2027, as TalkEsport reported in the government’s official gaming market valuation. But that figure reflects the post-PROGA landscape: a sector stripped of its largest revenue segment and now reliant on esports, social gaming, and mobile competitive play.
The personal liability proceedings against founders create a different kind of risk for the future. If founders of legally operating companies face personal ruin from retrospective tax demands, it sends a clear signal to investors and entrepreneurs considering India’s gaming and tech startup market. That chilling effect is part of what the GST Council appeal is attempting to address.
For the gaming industry, the verdict represents far more than a tax dispute. Executives say it could determine whether India remains a viable market for skill-based online gaming businesses or becomes a cautionary tale for global digital investors.
For now, the next stage plays out in adjudication chambers, not courtrooms. Each company and each named individual must respond to their show-cause notices within eight weeks. The GST Council’s response to the founders’ appeal, if any, will determine whether the personal liability question is resolved by policy or left to individual adjudication across dozens of cases.
As we stand, only a few hours away from the release of the Genshin Impact 6.7 Luna VIII update, the excitement within the community is palpable.
The upcoming Genshin Impact 6.7 update will introduce a plethora of content to the game, including a new 5-star Fatui Harbinger, story quests, a brand-new exploration area outside Teyvat, and much more.
If you’re a Genshin Impact fan, you might be curious to know more about when the Genshin Impact 6.7 update will officially drop. This article breaks down everything you need to know regarding the Genshin Impact 6.7 release date and time.
Genshin Impact 6.7 Luna VIII update: Release Date and Time
HoYoverse has confirmed that the Genshin Impact version 6.7 update will officially hit the NA servers on June 30, 2026, at 08:00 PM PST, while the rest of the world will receive the update on July 1, 2026, at 11:00 AM CST.
The exact Genshin Impact 6.7 release time for you will depend on your time zone.
If you’re in NA, the maintenance for the Genshin Impact Luna VIII update will start at 03:00 PM PST on June 30, while for the rest of the servers, maintenance kicks off at 6:00 AM CST on July 1.
Below, we’ve listed the exact release times for Genshin Impact 6.7 across major regions:
Pacific Time (PST): June 30, 8:00 PM
Eastern Time (EDT): June 30, 11:00 PM
British Summer Time (BST): July 1, 4:00 AM
Central European Time (CEST): July 1, 5:00 AM
Indian Standard Time (IST): July 1, 8:30 AM
China Standard Time (CST): July 1, 11:00 AM
Japan Standard Time (JST): July 1, 12:00 PM
That’s everything you need to know about the Genshin Impact version 6.7 release date and time.
GTA 6 is one of the most ambitious open-world games ever built. But according to technical analysts at Digital Foundry, that ambition may come at a cost: a smooth 60 frames per second on consoles, even the PS5 Pro, looks unlikely.
For months, fans have hoped Sony’s upgraded console could deliver a true 60fps performance mode for GTA 6. Digital Foundry says that hope may not match the game’s technical reality.
The Problem Isn’t Graphics, It’s the CPU
Digital Foundry’s William Judd explained that the bottleneck has little to do with visual power. The real issue is processing strain.
GTA 6 features a massive open world, dense cities, advanced AI behavior, vehicle physics, ray tracing, and layered simulation systems. All of these place heavy demand on the CPU, not just the GPU.
Judd compared the scale of the challenge to other CPU-intensive games. He noted that GTA 6’s world looks far more demanding than dense RPGs like Dragon’s Dogma 2 or Baldur’s Gate 3. Players in GTA 6 can also travel by land, sea, or air much faster than in those games, and every vehicle requires its own complex physics calculations. That kind of simulation load has historically forced console games down to 30fps.
“60fps feels like a bridge too far,” Judd said.
PS5 Pro’s Upgrades Don’t Solve the Core Issue
Many fans assumed the PS5 Pro, Sony’s most powerful console, could be the answer. Digital Foundry says otherwise.
The PS5 Pro brings major improvements to GPU performance, ray tracing acceleration, and PSSR upscaling. However, its CPU is only marginally faster than the standard PS5. Since GTA 6’s frame rate ceiling is tied to CPU performance rather than graphics, those GPU upgrades don’t address the main obstacle.
According to Judd, the PS5 Pro’s extra power comes mostly from a stronger GPU, better ray tracing, and PSSR support, none of which reduce the CPU burden. Because of this, he believes GTA 6 is more likely to ship with a 30fps or 40fps mode on PS5 Pro rather than true 60fps.
If 60fps isn’t realistic, a 40fps mode may be the most likely compromise. It would sit between 30fps and 60fps and offer a noticeable improvement for players using 120Hz displays, even if it doesn’t reach a full 60fps experience.
