FaZe Clan has unexpectedly forfeited its opening match in the ESL Pro League Season 22 Stage 2 against G2 Esports.
The news was confirmed by the official ESL X handle just a few hours prior to the scheduled start of the match, catching Counter-Strike fans throughout the world off guard.
At the time of writing, neither FaZe nor ESL has issued an official statement explaining the reason behind the team’s decision to forfeit the match.
As per an HLTV report, this decision may have been the result of a disagreement between FaZe and ESL over the lineup that the team was eligible to use for the tournament.
For the uninitiated, ESL’s General Rules and Roster Restrictions rulebooks require teams to retain a minimum of three out of five players from the roster listed in the invitation ranking. The lineup that FaZe was intending to use at the event only included two of the five players from the July 7 Valve Regional Standings, which served as the basis for tournament invites.
FaZe’s originally submitted roster featured Håvard “rain” Nygaard, thereby meeting the majority requirement. The rule was subsequently violated when he was replaced by Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken, who was listed as a substitute.
Epic Games has made it official that Fortnite is teaming up with the horror phenomenon Poppy Playtime, with the legendary blue monster Huggy Wuggy coming to the battle royale on October 23, 2025.
The news broke in a cryptic teaser clip published by Mob Entertainment, the development studio behind Poppy Playtime, presenting itself as security footage from the defunct Playtime Co. factory. The clip, named “Security_0783.AVI,” records Huggy Wuggy standing still in the lobby of the toy factory when an unmistakable Fortnite rift portal materializes behind him, yanking the colossal mascot into another universe.
The Poppy Playtime collaboration comes as part of Fortnitemares 2025, Epic Games’ biggest Halloween event to date. The timing could not be more apt. October 23 positions the release advantageously within the Halloween season while providing fans something to look forward to after the initial rush of Halloween content.
This crossover represents a significant milestone for both franchises. Poppy Playtime, which launched in 2021, quickly captured audiences with its unsettling blend of childlike toy aesthetics and psychological horror, drawing comparisons to Five Nights at Freddy’s. Meanwhile, Fortnite continues its streak of high-profile collaborations, cementing its position as the ultimate crossover platform in gaming.
Although official information is scarce, leaked reports indicate that Huggy Wuggy will be the main skin available through this collaboration. The beloved character, eight feet tall with blue fur, ghostly black eyes, and an abnormally wide smile, surprisingly adapts well to Fortnite’s bright art style.
Avid fans spotted the release date among the static of the teaser video, where “10-23-2025” flashed momentarily on screen. The exactness is characteristic of how Mob Entertainment usually creates hype through cryptic information and concealed content.
The Poppy Playtime collaboration is added to a record-breaking roster of horror crossovers for Fortnitemares 2025. The K-Pop Demon Hunters event is already playable, having debuted on October 2 with Rumi, Mira, and Zoey skins, as well as an overhauled Demon Rush limited-time mode.
Other established partnerships are Ghostface from Scream, Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th, Art the Clown from Terrifier, and, unexpectedly, the Scooby-Doo mystery gang. This cross-section of characters indicates Epic Games’ approach to offering a mix of truly scary material alongside more suitable family fare.
Only a few days remain before the Genshin Impact 6.1 livestream sheds light on all the new content that the upcoming patch will bring to the game, and excitement within the community is palpable.
Scheduled to launch around October 22, 2025, the Genshin Impact 6.1 update is set to introduce a plethora of new content to the HoYoverse title. For the uninitiated, we’ve seen numerous recent leaks suggest that the new playable character Nefer will be added to Genshin Impact with the Version 6.1 update alongside her signature weapon, the Reliquary of Truth.
Alongside these new additions, fans can also expect to see expanded Story Quests, new events, and a lot more!
Genshin Impact 6.1 Update Livestream Date & Time
HoYoverse has yet to announce the official Genshin Impact 6.1 livestream date and time to the fans. However, we still have plenty of information to make an educated guess regarding when the special program livestream is likely to take place.
Generally, Genshin Impact special program livestreams take place two weeks prior to the release of a major update. As mentioned earlier, the Genshin Impact 6.1 update is expected to launch around October 22, 2025.
With that being said, it’s safe to expect the Genshin Impact 6.1 livestream to take place on October 10, 2025.
Be sure to keep following the official social media handles of Genshin Impact for further updates on the topic.
Slurp Geysers are your go-to quick shield restoration tool in Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 4, restoring 30 shields per use and shooting you up to the sky for tactical repositioning.
These healing natural springs have turned into survival must-haves in the bug-infested terrain, providing players with a surefire way to sustain defensive leads within heated combat. Learning how they work and how to use them strategically can significantly boost your survival rate and competitive advantage.
How to Gain Shields Using Slurp Geysers in Fortnite?
Slurp Geysers have a predictable pattern, firing every 10-15 seconds when you are in their center. Each blow deals precisely 30 shields and sends you flying into the air, requiring glider deployment to land safely. Their dual-purpose nature makes them useful for both healing and mobility, enabling instant escape from threat areas while restoring your defensive capability.
The geysers look like unique, bright blue, bubbling fountains of Slurp juice held in rocky circular shapes. They are easily recognizable from a distance, so they can serve as accessible navigation points in matches. They differ from consumable shield items that take up inventory slots because these environmental elements have endless healing potential for the course of the entire match.
Slurp Geyser Locations
Four significant bug-infested areas hold the most dependable Slurp Geysers, and each has specific tactical benefits to offer:
The Hive (North-Central) is the most trafficked area, centrally located for convenient rotations but drawing many players hoping for quick shield recharges. The raised ground affords great vision for positioning while healing.
Ranger’s Ruin (West Side) has a more peaceful alternative with much less player competition. It is the perfect spot for those teams that like coordinated fights and early-game preparation without incessant third-party harassment.
Swarmy Stash (Central-East) has several surrounding buildings for natural cover during healing sessions. The defensive location makes it ideal for teams that are rotating from eastern drop zones.
Demon’s Debris (South) comes in handy, especially in late-game situations, perfectly located for storm circle rotations and retaining high shield levels.
The “Gain Shields Using Slurp Geysers” weekly challenge involves collecting a total of 100 shields from geyser activations. Because each activation rewards 30 shields, you would need at least four activations to achieve this goal. Completing the quest awards 20,000 XP, and it is an important source of Battle Pass progression.
Aside from questing, Slurp Geysers present great strategic benefit during combat situations. The healing-over-time effect persists even during live fights, providing prolonged defensive support. Intelligent players utilize geysers as anchor points for holding defense positions, keeping far better shield levels while holding strategic map locations.
The mobile nature opens up possibilities for aggressive maneuvers and strategic relocation. Launch yourself across enemy lines for high-ground benefits, or utilize the forced glider deployment to extract yourself from disadvantageous engagements rapidly. This synergy of healing and mobility makes geysers effective shields for defensive maneuvering as well as offensive initiatives.
The highly anticipated BGMI Franchise system will take longer to launch, but it is far from being scrapped. On the third episode of OnPoint with DPK, Karan Pathak, Associate Director of Esports at Krafton India, addressed the situation directly, reassuring fans, investors, and teams that the system is delayed, not cancelled.
BGMI Franchise Didn’t Go As Expected
Karan explained that while the BGMI Champions League (BCL) had its successes, the franchise model didn’t generate the volume of bids Krafton had hoped for. “Unfortunately for us, the franchise system didn’t do well. BCL for us was a success. Unfortunately, it was not the number of bids that we asked for,” he admitted.
Despite that, he stressed the system is still very much alive. “So no, it’s not shutting down. We’ve taken learnings from it, we are going to upgrade ourselves and come back strong.”
How BGMI Franchise System Idea Came into Existence
Karan recalled a key memory from PMWC 2025, where Team Aryan was competing. “I think we had a conversation on 28th of July, just before Team Aryan went for PMWC 2025. It was their third day, and I ended up going there. I was like, we have enough bids, and have nothing to worry about. I wasn’t supposed to travel if there weren’t any bids, and we had a good laugh and good chat. And I landed there, and they were like, hey, you know what? Three people are joining hands together because they want to make sure that the marketing campaign is done right.”
Temporary Setback, Not Permanent Cancellation
While fans were hoping for the franchise announcement this year, Karan confirmed the timeline is being pushed back. “That will not come on 2nd November (with other major announcements). We are taking a bit longer, and we’ll get back to you.”
The delay, he emphasized, is about learning, restructuring, and coming back stronger rather than abandoning the project.
To those already involved, Karan offered gratitude and assurance. “To all the potential investors or sponsors, you still have your game round next year maybe. And the ones who came on board, I will always look out to you, reach out to you.”
The BGMI Franchise may not be arriving as quickly as expected, but Karan has made it clear that this is a pause, not a stop. With learnings from the initial rounds and continued interest from the community and sponsors, the foundation is being laid for a stronger and more sustainable franchise model in the near future.
Charms were a fun addition to the game at the time of its release and eventually got more popular within the community as professional players started using them in tournaments. While they do not add any value besides aesthetics, the old chars were too bland to be used for a prolonged period.
As CS2 players were getting bored with old charms, Valve has dropped new ones that are more creative and useful than the ones before and are likely to appear in more grenade lineups moving forward.
8 Ball IGL
The 8 Ball IGL is simple, classy, and elegant, making it look like a hanging fruit off the top of a grenade. The timeless design has ensured that it has a mass appeal and looks cool to have on top of a grenade.
Big Brain
Quite tacky to begin with, the Big Brain charm may not be for everyone. The odd design may drive away quite a big chunk of the player base, and may not be a popular one.
Biomech
The CS2 Dr Boom charm Biomech looks something straight out of a science-fiction movie and can grow into a popular one.
Bomb Tag
Bomb Tag, a befitting name for a grenade charm, is good to have a spicy touch to your everyday utilities in CS2.
Butane Buddy
Butane Buddy is something straight out of a chemistry lab, and Valve has done everything right with this. Gut feeling is that after the hype dries down, this will be a popular one.
Dr. Brian
The CS2 Dr Boom Charms, Dr. Brian is quite an animated piece, but this is nothing more than a hit or miss.
Eye of Ball
This Eye of Ball can be something we find in the back pocket of Doctor Strange. Clean, magical, and likely to carry a mass appeal.
Flash Bomb
The Flash Bomb can attract a lot of eyes at first glance, but this is not one that everyone likes and will likely be a strict no for the players who prefer clean aesthetics.
Fluffy
The Fluffy charm fits the Halloween theme, which it was clearly designed for, but does not stand out compared to more attractive ones in the collection.
Glitter Bomb
Glitter Bomb, as the name suggests, looks like a burst of colour out of a grenade. Bold colours across the charm, and it goes without saying that this will be one of the more distracting ones.
Gritty
Neither attractive nor classy, the Gritty charm can be the one to be skipped.
Hungry Eyes
Bold colours blended with mythical designs, this charm may not be liked by everyone, but not a bad one compared to a lot of poor designs on this list.
Lil’ Bloody
Lil’ Bloody, based on the CS2 T-side Agent set, the Bloody Darryls, and will be one of the popular ones.
Lil’ Chomper
Lil’ Chomper is Valve’s attempt at a versatile charm that can be used alongside skins.
Lil’ Dumplin’
Lil’ Dumplin’, as the name suggests, is a charm based on a dumpling, looks better on a plate than on a nade.
Lil’ Eco
Lil’ Eco showcasing green all-over oozes of recycling. The choice of colours is interesting, and it goes without saying that players will avoid the name Eco.
Lil’ Facelift
Lil’ Facelift adds to the Halloween theme for the game, and nothing interesting besides that.
Lil’ Ferno
Lil’ Ferno looks like a dragon forced into a ball, and that will attract a lot of players.
Lil’ Yeti
The Lil’ Yeti charm looks cold, and the white and blue colors can make it a popular charm amongst CS2 players.
Lil’ Zen
The Lil’ Zen charm looks peaceful and classy. Lots to like, little to dislike.
Splatter Cat
Splatter Cat is highly animated with bold colours all over. Another hit or miss Charm, but certainly can be a popular one amongst players.
Whittle Guy
Whittle Guy is busy but clean and aesthetic; this pot looks to be housing a strong genie and will certainly find its place in the inventory of a long list of players.
That is the list of the new charms released by Valve, and while most of them are mass appealing, there are a few that will really turn heads. Goes without saying that Valve has done a fantastic job with this one.
On October 2, 2025, Riot Games unveiled ‘Skirmish’, an all-new game mode for Valorant that enables players to refine their gunplay and test how their marksmanship skills fare against their friends.
The new Skirmish game mode in Valorant can either be played in a 1v1 or team-based format, with the first team to win ten rounds being declared the winner. Similar to Deathmatch, players are unable to use abilities in this game mode and must rely on their mechanical aim to take down opponents. Unlike Deathmatch, however, there are no instant respawns. Once you’re taken out, you’ll have to wait until the round concludes before rejoining the fight.
Introducing : Skirmish
Skirmish is a new game mode in customs providing 1v1 to 5v5 matches in 3 maps where you get into the fight right away. Skirmish is live now!
At the time of writing, the Valorant Skirmish mode can only be played in Custom games. It’s unclear if Skirmish will be added to matchmaking in the future.
To play this new Valorant game mode, simply create a custom game lobby and from the dropdown menu, select ‘Skirmish’. Now, all you need to do is invite your friends and start the game. You’ll be pitted in one of the three available maps that are roughly similar in terms of layout, but with subtle differences.
That’s everything you need to know about the newly added Skirmish game mode in Valorant.
With the finals weekend of Valorant Champions 2025 underway, Riot Games has officially disclosed details about the upcoming VCT season, including the venues for next year’s major events.
As confirmed by Riot, the VCT 2026 season will introduce several significant changes that were initially planned for 2027. Still, the developers have decided to roll them out a bit earlier in hopes of creating a more “open” circuit with more events and a bigger variety of competition.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at everything you need to know before heading into the next VCT season.
Valorant Masters 2026 Locations
For the first time in history, Valorant Masters will head to LATAM, with the opening Masters event of 2026 set to take place in Santiago, Chile. This marks the game’s return to South America since the LOCK//IN event way back in February 2023.
The second Valorant Masters event of the year will head to London, England, also marking the city’s debut as a stage for a global Valorant event.
The VCT Season will culminate with the Valorant Champions 2026 in Shanghai, China, where the world champion will be crowned.
Masters 1: Santiago, Chile Masters 2: London, England Champions: Shanghai, China pic.twitter.com/0fE4BEqou5
— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) October 2, 2025
Riot Reveals Major Changes for VCT 2026
Alongside revealing the venues for the major events of VCT 2026, Riot Games has also revealed some big changes for the upcoming season.
Moving forward, the final weekends of each Stage 2 Playoffs will be destination events, providing more opportunities for fans to show support for their favorite teams and attend the tournaments in person. The VCT China league will span across five major cities over the course of the season.
The Kickoff event will also see some major changes moving forward, with the event running longer and shifting to a triple-elimination format.
“Starting 2026, every competition in the VCT will feature high stakes, do-or-die bracket-style play,” Leo Faria, Global Head of Valorant Esports, said in a statement. “That includes Kickoff, IL stage competitions, and global events.”
Lastly, starting in 2026, Riot is replacing Ascension with a new Path to Champions system. Under this change, teams from Challengers leagues will have the opportunity to qualify directly for Valorant Champions via their respective Stage 2 Playoffs. Four Challengers teams, one from each region, will be able to earn this shot, with Riot providing the necessary travel support and financial resources.
Valve released a Counter-Strike 2 update on 3rd October, with the focus being on community maps, weapon optics, and scripting stability.
The Palacio, Rooftop, and Golden community Workshop maps have been updated to their most recent versions, including recent design enhancements and balance changes to provide a smoother competitive experience.
On the gun side, the AUG and SG 553 got some subtle yet effective changes. Scope dot sizes have been adjusted, and players can tailor dot scale and sniper-rifle scope thickness through new game settings. Letterbox has also been introduced for camera path transitions.
If you are facing Fortnite sound problems on Xbox, you are not the only one. This tutorial describes the best methods to recover audio in Fortnite on Xbox Series X, Series S, and Xbox One consoles, according to the most recent troubleshooting steps and recent updates released by Epic Games.
The Fortnite audio problems on Xbox can be caused by a number of factors. Spatial audio clashes between Fortnite’s Unreal Engine 5 audio system and the hardware-accelerated 3D audio processing of Xbox may be the main cause. Memory allocation clashes between game audio and system tasks amid high-intensity gameplay may be the cause as well. Besides that, audio pipeline interruptions can interrupt the flow from game generation to Xbox processing and then to output devices. Recent patches may also create compatibility problems with Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos, and other spatial audio codecs.
Keep reading till the end to find out all the fixes.
Quick Fix: Disable Spatial Audio (Most Effective)
Epic Games officially acknowledged that players on Xbox may experience distorted audio when using spatial audio formats like Windows Sonic or Dolby Atmos. The recommended immediate fix is switching to stereo sound:
Press the Xbox button on your controller
Navigate to Profile & System > Settings > General
Select Volume & Audio Output
Change the audio format to “Stereo Uncompressed”
Restart Fortnite to apply the changes
This solution has proven effective for most players experiencing audio issues as of October 2025.
🔊 Players on PC and Xbox may have distorted audio when using spatial audio formats like Windows Sonic or Dolby Atmos.
We recommend switching to stereo sound or another non-spatial option until the issue is fixed.
The most comprehensive fix involves a complete Xbox audio system reset:
Step 1: Reset Xbox Audio Settings
Go to Settings > General > Volume & Audio Output
Select Advanced > Audio Testing and Details
Choose “Reset Audio Settings”
Confirm the reset to return all options to default values
Step 2: Power Cycle the Console
Turn off the Xbox completely (hold the power button for 5-6 seconds until the light goes dark)
Unplug the power cable from the back of the console
Wait 5-10 minutes while holding the power button for 30 seconds to drain capacitors
Reconnect the power and restart the console
Fortnite In-Game Audio Configuration
Optimize Game Audio Settings
Open Fortnite and access the main menu
Navigate to Settings > Audio tab
Configure these essential settings:
Main Volume: Set to maximum (100%)
Sound Effects Volume: 100%
Voice Chat Volume: 80-100%
Music Volume: Adjust to preference
Voice Chat Configuration
Set Voice Chat to “Friends and Teammates” or “Everybody” (not “Off”)
Choose Voice Chat Method: “Open Mic” or “Push to Talk”
Verify Voice Chat Input Device matches your headset or is set to “Default”
Xbox Audio Settings Optimization
Headset Configuration
Press the Xbox button and go to Audio and Music
Enable the “Headset Mic” option
Set Headset Volume to 70-100%
Position Headset Chat Mixer in the middle (50%)
Set Mic Monitoring to 0% or low setting
Advanced Audio Options
Navigate to Settings > General > Volume & Audio Output > Advanced:
Check “Mute Speaker Audio When Headset Attached” if using headphones
Set Party Chat Output to “Headset” or “Headset and Speakers”
Choose appropriate Multi Channel Output settings
Controller and Hardware Troubleshooting
Update Xbox Controller
Outdated controller firmware can cause audio issues:
Connect your headset to the controller
Press Xbox button > Profile & System > Settings
Go to Devices & Connections > Controllers and Headsets
Select your controller and choose “Update Controller”
Hardware Connection Checks
Inspect all cables for damage or loose connections
Clean controller ports to remove dust that causes crackling
Test with different headsets to isolate hardware issues
Verify HDMI connections for TV audio output
Advanced Troubleshooting Methods
Clear Xbox Cache
For persistent audio issues, clearing the system cache can resolve deeper conflicts:
Turn off the console completely
Unplug the power cable
Wait exactly two minutes
Hold the power button down while reconnecting
Restart the console
Game-Specific Solutions
Force quit Fortnite: Press the Xbox button, highlight Fortnite, press the Menu button, select “Quit”
Leave Xbox Party Chat: Party chat overrides Fortnite’s voice system
Update Fortnite: Check for the latest game updates that may contain audio fixes
Update Fortnite
Epic Games released Fortnite Update 1.000.197 on October 2, 2025, which specifically addressed:
Resolved distorted audio for Xbox and PC players using Windows Sonic or Dolby Atmos
Fixed audio desync issues where sound didn’t match on-screen actions
Improved spatial audio compatibility with Xbox hardware
If all troubleshooting steps fail, reinstalling Fortnite may be necessary. This won’t affect purchased items, emotes, or account progress as they’re stored on Epic’s servers. However, try all other solutions first as reinstallation is time-intensive.
