Thursday, February 12, 2026
Home Blog Page 144

PGL Astana 2025 Becomes Most Viewed Esports Event in Kazakhstan

Aritra Patra
-
0
PGL Astana 2025 Becomes Most Viewed Esports Event in Kazakhstan

Team Spirit won the PGL Astana 2025 Counter-Strike 2 tournament with a 3-1 triumph over Astralis in the grand final at Barys Arena, Astana, Kazakhstan. The competition was held from May 10 to May 18, with 16 elite teams vying for a cut of the $1.25 million prize pool.

Fronting Team Spirit’s onslaught was 18-year-old Russian wonderkid Danil “donk” Kryshkovets. Donk played a superb tournament. His consistent brilliance was rewarded with the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, joining his ever-growing list of awards.

Astralis demonstrated resilience and strategic brilliance to make it to the finals. Their run enthralled fans, with all their playoff games being among the tournament’s top five most-watched games. To check out the full match coverage, click here.

The grand final match between Astralis and Team Spirit had a record peak viewership of 920,009, which became the highest esports event in viewership in Kazakhstan. This milestone also made it the most-watched non-Major event of PGL’s history and the highest-viewed PGL event in 2025 at that time.

PGL Astana 2025 not only testified to the competitive nature of Counter-Strike 2 but also to the increasing visibility of esports in Central Asia. As it successfully ran and broke viewership records, the tournament has become a new standard for future tournaments in the region.

IEM Dallas 2025: Schedule, Teams, Prize Pool and More

Sarjyo Mukherjee
-
0
IEM Dallas 2025: Schedule, Teams, Prize Pool and More

Following the conclusion of PGL Astana 2025, the final premier tournament before we head to Texas for the Major, IEM Dallas is a few hours away. In this article, we have summarised everything you need to know to get the best IEM Dallas experience possible.

While PGL Astana was missing some of the big names, Dallas houses all the top teams, and once again, we will have the superstars in NiKo, ZyWoo, and m0NESY competing to be the best, but all eyes will be on s1mple, who will be making his debut with FaZe Clan.

Teams

Group A

  • Vitality
  • The MongolZ
  • G2
  • 3DMAX
  • FURIA
  • GamerLegion
  • Legacy
  • Lynn Vision

Group B

  • MOUZ
  • Falcons
  • Aurora
  • FaZe
  • Liquid
  • HEROIC
  • NRG
  • BC.Game

Schedule

Group A – IEM Dallas 2025

DateTimeTeam 1vsTeam 2
19/05/202522:003DMAXvsGamerLegion
20/05/202500:30VitalityvsLegacy
20/05/202503:00G2vsLynn Vision
20/05/202505:30The MongolZvsFURIA

Group B – IEM Dallas 2025

DateTimeTeam 1vsTeam 2
19/05/202522:00LiquidvsFaZe
20/05/202500:30MOUZvsBC.Game
20/05/202503:00FalconsvsNRG
20/05/202505:30AuroravsHEROIC

Talent

Presenters

  • Tres “⁠stunna⁠” Saranthus
  • Freya “⁠Freya⁠” Spiers
  • Jacob “⁠Pimp⁠” Winneche

Analysts

  • Janko “⁠YNk⁠” Paunović
  • Joshua “⁠steel⁠” Nissan

Caster

  • Chad “⁠SPUNJ⁠” Burchill
  • Alex “⁠Machine⁠” Richardson
  • Jason “⁠moses⁠” O’Toole
  • Adam “⁠Dinko⁠” Hawthorne
  • Mike “⁠DarfMike⁠” Winnick
  • Cole “Xner” McHenry
  • Garret “Phy” Schier
  • John “JRT” Tsoupanarias

Prize Pool

Prize Distribution

PlacementPlayer ShareOrg Share
1st$125,000$160,000
2nd$50,000$100,000
3rd-4th$25,000$80,000
5th-6th$12,500$60,000
7th-8th$7,000$40,000
9th-12th$5,000$20,000
13th-16th$4,000$0

IEM Dallas is all set to be the biggest event and one that is likely to be tricky. While teams are likely to keep most of their playbook away from the eyes of other teams, which might present us with an expected victor. Nonetheless, IEMs are always exciting, and this one has all the ingredients to give us a perfect pot boiler ahead of the Major.

How to Watch Zenless Zone Zero 2.0 Livestream?

Aritra Patra
-
0
How to Watch Zenless Zone Zero 2.0 Livestream?

HoYoverse will be revealing a major expansion to Zenless Zone Zero in the form of the upcoming Version 2.0, “Where Clouds Embrace the Dawn.” The update is set to launch on June 4, 2025, and is the beginning of Season 2, bringing with it an abundance of new content, such as a new storyline, a new region, and vast gameplay improvements.

To present an overall summary of the upcoming content, a special livestream session is organized on May 23, 2025, at 7:00 PM (UTC+8). The audience can watch it through the official Zenless Zone Zero channels on Twitch and YouTube.

Zenless Zone Zero 2.0 Livestream Local Start Times

  • PDT: May 23, 4:00 AM
  • CDT: May 23, 6:00 AM
  • EDT: May 23, 7:00 AM
  • BRT: May 23, 8:00 AM
  • BST: May 23, 12:00 PM
  • CEST: May 23, 1:00 PM
  • IST: May 23, 4:30 PM
  • CST (China): May 23, 7:00 PM
  • KST/JST: May 23, 8:00 PM
  • AEST: May 23, 9:00 PM
  • NZST: May 23, 11:00 PM

Version 2.0 is expected to bring the Waifei Peninsula, a region in which urban living becomes intertwined with exploration of the Hollow. The region becomes the backdrop for the new narrative progression, presenting players with a holistic and engaging experience as they explore the game’s lore.

The Yunkui Summit, a martial arts clique based in the Waifei Peninsula, is at the forefront of the new release. The organization functions as a conventional martial arts academy, with an emphasis on discipline and fighting skills.

Simultaneously with the update to Version 2.0, Zenless Zone Zero will arrive on Xbox Series X|S in June 2025. The Xbox release features next-generation visual effects, native 4K resolution at 60 frames per second, and controller-specific optimizations. It also has cross-progression and Xbox Cloud Gaming support for effortless gameplay across devices.

What else do you expect from the upcoming Zenless Zone Zero 2.0? Let us know in the comments below.

Team Spirit Wins PGL Astana 2025

Sarjyo Mukherjee
-
0
Team Spirit Wins PGL Astana 2025

Team Spirit is the champion of PGL Astana 2025, beating a rejuvenated Astralis side with a 3-1 scoreline. Despite heroics from Astralis, Team Spirit’s prowess became too much for the Danes to handle, who managed to put up tough competition but failed to push it over the line.

VETO

  • Spirit removed Inferno
  • Astralis removed Anubis
  • Spirit picked Dust2
  • Astralis picked Nuke
  • Spirit picked Mirage
  • Astralis picked Train
  • Ancient was left over

Map 1: Dust 2; Pick: Spirit; Winner: Spirit

A blistering start for Spirit blew the Danish side out of the water, winning all of the rounds as Astralis managed on by the skin of their teeth. Winning a single round in the first half, the Danes had no hope for a comeback, and their future attempt to level the scoreline began with a 3-round streak, but Spirit did not waste any time and closed the game with a dominant scoreline of 13-5.

Map 2: Nuke; Pick: Astralis; Winner: Spirit

Having performed well earlier in the map, Astralis managed to go 4-0 up before Spirit saw their first round. Donk, firing on all cylinders, pulled his team back as they levelled the scoreline before switching sides. Astralis managed to edge out Spirit on the defence by the end but fell to two back-to-back 1v3s from Chopper and Donk, leading to an unbelievable choke from Astralis that otherwise could have led to the Danes levelling the series.

Map 3: Mirage; Pick: Spirit; Winner: Astralis

Starting strong, Spirit went 4-0 up before Astralis got back on the board. Both teams traded rounds for a while before the Danes managed to put together a few rounds to edge out a narrow lead of 7-5. Moving to the offense, Astralis managed to post a perfect offense to win the map 13-5. Despite the 18 kills from donk, it was stavn that managed to outshine the Russian sensation to take a map back for Astralis.

Map 4: Train; Pick: Astralis; Winner: Spirit

Astralis is getting off to a stellar offense, going 7-2 up after losing the pistol round. Spirit managed to pull in a few rounds before switching sides, giving them a platform to make a comeback. Powered by donk, Team Spirit managed to replicate Astralis’ first-half performance and take the game to overtime. In overtime, Spirit’s fast-paced offense did not let Astralis stand firm on the defence as they blew them away to win the game with a tight 16-13 scoreline.

HooXi’s arrival has transformed Astralis, and now they are a force to be reckoned with. Their performance in PGL Astana showcased that they are not to be taken lightly in the coming Major, as now they pose a good chance to make a deep run and take some big names down on the way if those teams are not careful enough.

As for Team Spirit, donk is the ultimate deciding factor, and over-reliance on him might see the team struggle in big events and top oppositions. While the likes of Falcons, Vitality skipping the event paved the way for Spirit to win in Astana, having donk hard carry them every time might see the struggle in the Major.

Rainbow Six Siege Wamai Elite Set: Price & How To Get

Sonu Banerjee
-
0
Rainbow Six Siege Wamai Elite Set: Price & How To Get

As the Rainbow Six community gears up for the launch of the highly anticipated Siege X, Ubisoft has introduced a new Wamai Elite set in the game as part of Operation Prep Phase.

The Director of Acquisitions bundle features Wamai in a sleek outfit and also includes a stylish MVP screen for players to show off their new look.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at everything you need to know about the new Wamai Elite set in Rainbow Six Siege, including its price and how to get it.

Rainbow Six Siege Wamai Elite Set Price

The Wamai Elite set is exclusively available for purchase through the in-game Rainbow Six Siege shop and can only be acquired using R6 Credits, the game’s premium currency. The Director of Acquisitions bundle is priced at 1800 R6 Credits.

Players who already own the Membership or the Battle Pass will receive a small discount when purchasing the bundle, bringing its price down to 1,620 R6 Credits.

Rainbow Six Siege Wamai Elite Set: How To Get

Players can simply follow these steps to get the Wamai Elite Set in Rainbow Six Siege:

  • Launch Rainbow Six Siege on any platform.
  • From the Main Menu, head over to the in-game Shop.
  • Click on the Wamai Elite Set – Director of Acquisitions bundle in the highlighted section.
  • Purchase the set.

Rainbow Six Siege Wamai Elite Set Contents

Upon purchasing the Elite set for Wamai in Rainbow Six Siege, players will be able to get the following items:

  • Headgear
  • Uniform
  • Spotlight Animation
  • Director of Acquisitions Operator Portrait
  • Golden Card Background
  • Mag-net Gadget Skin
  • Weapon skins for AUG A2, MP5K, P12 and Keratos
  • Wamai Elite Chibi Charm

That’s everything you need to know about the Wamai Elite set in Rainbow Six Siege.

Marvel Rivals Players Express Frustration Over Chrono Shield Cards: Controversy Explained

Sonu Banerjee
-
0
Marvel Rivals Players Express Frustration Over Chrono Shield Cards: Controversy Explained

The introduction of new Chrono Shield Cards in the latest Marvel Rivals update has stirred controversy among the game’s competitive community, and players are not happy.

For the uninitiated, Chrono Shield Cards have been added to Marvel Rivals with the game’s May 15 update as part of the Galacta’s Gift event. The update also reintroduced the Season 0 Battle Pass for a limited time, giving players who missed it another chance to unlock its rewards.

Upon unlocking the Chrono Shield Cards by going through the tiers of the Galacta’s Gift event pass, players could use them to prevent rank rating loss upon losing competitive games.

This move by NetEase caused many players to question the competitive integrity of Marvel Rivals, with concerns being raised about rank inflation and griefers ruining games without repercussions.

Marvel Rivals Chrono Shield Card Controversy

Shortly after NetEase announced the addition of Chrono Shield Cards to Marvel Rivals, players took to social media to highlight its potential negative impact on the game.

The majority of players reiterated the point that ranking up in Marvel Rivals is already too easy, and giving away these ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ cards could worsen the rank inflation the game has been struggling with for some time.

Some players also argued that the Chrono Shield Cards can introduce a pay-to-win aspect to the game if the devs decide to put them up for sale in the future, while others slammed NetEase for incentivising players to throw ranked games without the fear of consequences.

Following this, the devs put up a statement addressing player concerns, claiming that Chrono Shield Cards will never be put up for sale. Additionally, they also stated that these cards would only be usable in Gold and below.

However, players were still not satisfied, arguing that limiting the cards to lower ranks doesn’t solve the potential impact on the overall competitive experience.

At the time of writing, players can get eight Chrono Shield Cards from the Galacta’s Gift event, and can stack up to 20 cards in total. These cards expire at the end of a season.

Whether these Chrono Shield Cards remain a short-term experiment or signal a longer-term design shift, only time will tell.

Valorant Masters Toronto 2025: Schedule, Format, Teams & More

Sonu Banerjee
-
0
Valorant Masters Toronto 2025: Schedule, Format, Teams & More

With Valorant Masters Toronto 2025 being just around the corner, participating teams from throughout the world have started gearing up to compete in the prestigious event.

For the uninitiated, Valorant Masters Toronto 2025 is set to feature twelve elite teams across the Americas, EMEA, Asia-Pacific, and China. The teams will be competing for a $1,000,000 USD total prize pool alongside some precious VCT Points that will help them get one step closer to Champions 2025.

In this article, we’ll take a look at everything you need to know about the second international Valorant event of the year, including its teams, schedule, format, and where you can watch it live.

Valorant Masters Toronto 2025 Format & Schedule

Valorant Masters Toronto 2025 is set to kick off on June 7th, delivering two weeks of intense competitive action before culminating on June 22nd.

The event will be held across two stages: the Swiss Stage and the double-elimination playoffs. While the VCT 2025 Stage 1 winners will be directly qualified for the playoffs, the rest of the teams will have to go through the Swiss Stage, with the top four advancing to the playoffs.

Let’s check out the detailed schedule of Valorant Masters Toronto 2025, as confirmed by Riot Games:

  • June 7th-8th: Round 1 Matches
  • June 9th-10th: Round 2 Matches
  • June 11th: Round 3 Matches
  • June 13th-14th: Upper Bracket Quarterfinals
  • June 15th: Lower Bracket Round 1
  • June 16th: Upper Bracket Semifinals
  • June 17th: Lower Bracket Quarterfinals
  • June 20th: Upper Bracket Finals and Lower Bracket Semifinals
  • June 21st: Lower Bracket Finals
  • June 22nd: Grand Finals and Showmatch

Valorant Masters Toronto 2025 Teams

Below, we’ve included the full list of teams that will be attending Valorant Masters Toronto 2025:

EMEA

  • Team Heretics
  • Fnatic
  • Team Liquid

Americas

  • G2 Esports
  • mibr
  • Sentinels

China

  • XI LAI Gaming
  • Bilibili Gaming
  • Wolves Esports

Pacific

  • Rex Regum Qeon
  • Gen.G Esports
  • Paper Rex

Among these teams, G2 Esports, XI LAI Gaming, and Rex Regum Qeon have directly qualified for the playoffs, with the final slot still pending confirmation

Where To Watch Valorant Masters Toronto 2025 

Players looking to catch all the action that unfolds during the Valorant Masters Toronto 2025 can tune into the official livestreams of the event on Twitch or YouTube. By watching the Masters Toronto livestreams for a specific duration, viewers can also claim some exciting drops to add to their Valorant inventory.

Astralis Dominates Aurora Out of PGL Astana 2025

Sarjyo Mukherjee
-
0
Astralis Dominates Aurora Out of PGL Astana 2025

Astralis is in the Grand Final of PGL Astana after coming back from a map loss to open the series. Freshly minted IGL HooXi has proven his worth once again, having led the team to their first Grand Final in years. This speaks to the brilliance of the team that went unnoticed under previous leadership.

VETO

  • Aurora removed Ancient
  • Astralis removed Anubis
  • Aurora picked Mirage
  • Astralis picked Nuke
  • Astralis removed Dust2
  • Aurora removed Inferno
  • Train was left over

Map 1: Mirage; Pick: Aurora; Winner: Aurora

Going into an early lead, Aurora managed to keep the Danish defence on the back foot. With what has always been a strong map for Aurora, Mirage CT woes continued for dev1ce and co. in light of MAJ3R calling a fantastic offence for the Turks. Despite being on the back foot, Astralis managed to scavenge 5 rounds before switching sides. The second half saw the momentum switch back and forth between the two sides, with neither being able to find consistency, which led to the team winning at half time, winning the map by the skin of their teeth with a 13-11 scoreline.

Map 2: Nuke; Pick: Astralis; Winner: Astralis

Aurora, despite starting strong on defense in Nuke, allowed Astralis to take back control of the game. The Danes posted a solid T side despite managing 5 rounds by the end, giving them a fighting chance on the CT side. Swapping halves with a 7-5 scoreline, Astralis managed to post a perfect CT side, reading Aurora every step of the way, leading to the Turks failing to win a single round. Of the 9 rounds on offense, Aurora only managed to plant the bomb once, showcasing a dominant defense planned by HooXi. Stavn with 21 kills shone for Astralis by far as the best player on the server.

Map 3: Train; Pick: Decider; Winner: Astralis

A dominant CT side started from the Danes, saw Astralis go 4-0 up before Aurora could see a round on the board. Despite Astralis remaining largely dominant in the offence, Aurora managed to somehow win 3 rounds, giving them the slightest chance at a comeback. Switching sides, Astralis’ pistol win closed the door for the Aurora comeback as the scoreline kept looking more and more dominating with every passing kill. Playing a perfect T side, Astralis won the map with a 13-3 scoreline, brushing aside Aurora from PGL Astana.

A shocking result given the fact that Aurora was threatening the big names under the previous organization, while Astralis had little time to practice under HooXi’s leadership. Having a proper IGL has given dev1ce the freedom to be the star AWPer that he is, and his impact was undeniably too much for the Turks to handle today.

How To Get Chrono Shield Cards in Marvel Rivals?

Sonu Banerjee
-
0
How To Get Chrono Shield Cards in Marvel Rivals?

NetEase is celebrating Marvel Rivals‘ first anniversary by handing out various free rewards to the community, including the brand-new Chrono Shield Cards.

The Chrono Shield Cards are a new addition to Marvel Rivals that casual players won’t be able to make much use of, since they can only be used when playing the competitive mode of the hero shooter. When used, this item prevents players from losing points after a defeat in competitive matches.

While a portion of the Marvel Rivals community isn’t happy with this new item due to the apparent rank inflation in the game, it can still come in handy for players looking to get out of the lower ranks.

But how do you get Chrono Shield Cards in Marvel Rivals?

How To Get Chrono Shield Cards in Marvel Rivals

At the time of writing, the only way to obtain Chrono Shield Cards in Marvel Rivals is by participating in Galacta’s Gift event.

The Chrono Shield Cards can be unlocked for free by reaching the required tiers in the Galacta’s Gift event pass.

You’ll be able to get your first cards upon reaching tier 2 by winning three games in a row, but you’ll have to grind to the fourth tier to get your next pack of cards.

While you can have a maximum limit of 20 Chrono Shield Cards at a time, only 8 can be earned through the event pass.

Whether players will be able to earn Chrono Shield Cards through other means still remains to be seen. NetEase has confirmed that both the Chrono Shield Tokens and Chrono Shield Cards will not be put up for sale, and will only be usable for Gold rank and below.

How To Download Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.81 Update on All Platforms

Sonu Banerjee
-
0
How To Download Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.81 Update on All Platforms

The Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.81 update is currently available to download for all players throughout the globe. This new hotfix was shipped out by Mojang to patch out some issues that players were facing in the Minecraft 1.21.80 update.

If you’re a Minecraft player, it’s highly recommended for you to update your Minecraft client to the 1.21.81 build as soon as possible to ensure a smoother and more stable gameplay experience.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps you ended to follow to download the Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.81 update for every platform.

How To Download Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.81 Update

Below, we have listed all the platforms which Minecraft Bedrock Edition is playable on alongside instructions on how to download the newest update.

PC

You can get the Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.81 update on PC directly via your game launcher. If you don’t have the launcher installed, you can head over to the official Minecraft website and download it from there.

Android/iOS

To get the Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.81 version on Android and iOS, all you need to do is search for the Minecraft app on the Play Store or App Store and tap the ‘Update’ button.

Xbox One & Series X|S

Simply follow these steps to download the Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.81 version on your Xbox One or Series X|S consoles:

  • Go to the “My Games & Apps” section in your library
  • Find Minecraft from the game list, and click “Options”.
  • Under “Manage Game & Add-Ons,” click on “Updates.”

Wait for Minecraft to get updated to the latest version, and launch the game.

PlayStation 4 & 5

All you need to do to get the new Minecraft update on your PS4 or PS5 is locate Minecraft in your game library, and look for the “Check for Updates” option located under settings.

Once done, simply wait for the update to complete and launch Minecraft.

Switch

If you’re using a Nintendo Switch, you’ll be automatically prompted to download the Minecraft Bedrock 1.21.81 update upon launching the game.

If you want to manually update your Minecraft, launch the game and press the ‘+’ or ‘-’ buttons on your console. Next, go to “Software Update” and select “Via the Internet.”

Now wait for the update to finish, and you’re good to go!

1...143144145...1,979Page 144 of 1,979

EDITOR PICKS

Opinions

POPULAR CATEGORY

ABOUT US

TalkEsport is world's premier stop for esports scores, news and coverage! In the industry since 2009, TalkEsport has garnered immense authenticity and credibility, making it the top destination for Esports!

Contact us: [email protected]

FOLLOW US

© TalkEsport Media & Broadcasting (P) Ltd. All Rights Reserved 2012-2025.