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Esports Nations Cup Rankings and Team Builder Go Live Ahead of Riyadh Debut

Satyam Kumar
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Esports Nations Cup Rankings and Team Builder Go Live Ahead of Riyadh Debut

The road to Riyadh just got a structure. The Esports Foundation has officially launched the Esports Nations Cup Rankings and a new interactive Team Builder platform, locking in the qualification system for the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026 this November.

The dual rollout finally answers the biggest question hanging over the world’s first major nation-based esports tournament: how exactly do countries earn their seat at the table? The short version — performance points from major club tournaments now decide direct invites.

What the ENC Rankings Actually Track

The ENC Ranking is built around club-based competitive results. Whenever a team finishes inside a points-earning bracket at a designated tournament, every active player on that roster pockets the full point haul individually. Substitutes don’t qualify. Those player-level points are then aggregated under each player’s nationality to produce a national score.

Each country or territory submits an official roster, and the system takes the highest-scoring lineup from that pool — the top five names for a 5v5 title, top four for a 4v4, and top three for a 3v3 format. That total becomes the nation’s score on the global board. Rankings refresh at the end of every month once submitted rosters are confirmed, and they keep moving through qualifying events until each title hits its individual cut-off date.

The Esports Foundation has framed this as the backbone of direct invitations.

The Team Builder Puts Fans in the Driver’s Seat

Alongside the rankings system, the ENC Team Builder is now live on the official ENC website. The tool lets fans put together hypothetical national lineups across team-based titles and compare them across regions.

It’s a transparency play as much as a fan-engagement hook. Deputy CEO and COO of the Esports Foundation Mike McCabe said the dual launch is about giving players a clear understanding of what it takes to qualify, while letting communities engage with the qualification race in a more hands-on way.

In practical terms, it means anyone can simulate whether their country’s best PUBG, Valorant, or Dota 2 players actually stack up against the global field — using the same point math the foundation uses for its real invitations.

A Tournament Built Around 16 Titles

The ENC 2026 will run in Riyadh from November 2 to November 29, 2026, and feature 16 game titles spanning shooters, MOBAs, fighters, racing, sports, and chess. The confirmed lineup includes Counter-Strike 2, Valorant, League of Legends, Dota 2, PUBG: Battlegrounds, PUBG Mobile, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, Honor of Kings, Apex Legends, EA Sports FC, Rainbow Six Siege, Rocket League, Street Fighter 6, Fatal Fury, Trackmania, and Chess.

Each title carries its own qualification timeline. The PUBG: Battlegrounds cut-off date is locked for June 7, 2026, with 12 direct invitations allocated through ENC Ranking standings. League of Legends will hand out 16 direct invites with a June 14, 2026 cut-off, while Valorant also gets 16 direct slots before its own deadline.

Once a title hits its cut-off, the standings lock and the nations sitting in the qualifying band get their invitations. Anyone else routes through regional qualifiers, wildcards, or solidarity slots.

$45 Million Backing and a Biennial Cadence

The Esports Foundation has committed $45 million to ENC 2026 overall, including a $20 million prize pool distributed directly to players and coaches across all 16 titles. Prize payouts follow a flat structure — $50,000 per player for first place, $30,000 for second, and $15,000 for third — with coaches earning the same amount as players in the same position.

The remaining funds support club release incentives and a development fund aimed at growing local esports ecosystems through national team partners. NODWIN Gaming has been named India’s National Team Partner, handling local qualifiers, coach coordination, and publisher engagement.

The Esports Foundation also confirmed it has approved the first 730 coaches submitted through National Team Partnerships, with player registration now officially open across participating clubs. The tournament will run on a biennial cadence, with the host city rotating in future editions.

What’s Next on the ENC Calendar

With rankings now live and the Team Builder open to the public, the next major checkpoints are the title-specific cut-off dates. Qualifying events accelerate through the summer, with most direct invites finalised by mid-June or shortly after, depending on the title.

The full schedule, bracket structures, and seeding for individual games are expected to roll out in the coming weeks through the Esports Foundation’s official channel. Over 100,000 players across more than 100 markets are expected to chase qualification before November.

For now, the launch of the Esports Nations Cup Rankings transforms a vague promise into a working leaderboard. The race for Riyadh is no longer abstract — it’s measurable, trackable, and very much underway. Keep an eye on Liquipedia’s ENC tracker for the latest standings as cut-off dates approach.

CS Asia Championships Day 2 Recap

Sarjyo Mukherjee
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CS Asia Championships Day 2 Recap

The second day shaped up the CS Asia Championships as we are just a day away from the Group Stage concluding with a few teams positioning themselves for a guaranteed playoffs spot, while others continue to fight to secure their spot.

Group A Upper Bracket

Falcons, having edged out closely tied games throughout the event, will be in the Grand Finals of Group A Upper Bracket, along with Legacy, who brushed off Tyloo and NRG on their way. With the Falcons as the favourites, both teams have secured their playoff spots as the winner will head directly to the semi-finals, while the loser will continue in the event from the quarter-finals.

Group A Lower Bracket

Having lost to Tyloo earlier, MOUZ secured back-to-back wins against NRG and M80, putting them in the Lower Bracket final. Facing MOUZ for a spot in the quarter-finals will be paiN, who took down Tyloo in a long match, which they concluded with a dominant win, securing the Finals of the lower bracket.

Group B Upper Bracket

MIBR secured a stunning 2-0 win over PARIVISION, strengthening their case as the best team in their group as they walk into the Group B Upper Bracket Finals as heavy favourites against B8, who outlasted NiP and MongolZ on their way to the finals. It goes without saying that the winner will head directly to the semi-finals, while the loser will continue in the event from the quarter-finals.

Group B Lower Bracket

Losing to MIBR, PARIVISION will be taking on MongolZ, who dropped the ball against B8 despite a good fight. The winner will advance to the playoffs, while the loser heads home, and given how both teams have exhibited poor form, it would be hard to guess who goes through, but we will see a tough contest.

With the last big event ahead of the Major, the Falcons will be in a prime position to take this home, but no matter who does it, this event will act as a confidence booster ahead of the Cologne Major in the coming month. As the Group Stage concludes and playoffs kick off, there is plenty of time left for intense Counter-Strike 2 action.

Xbox Game Pass Family Plan Cancelled Because of EA

Aritra Patra
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Xbox Game Pass Family Plan Cancelled Because of EA

Microsoft tested a Game Pass Friends and Family plan back in 2022 and 2023. The plan would have let up to four users share access to the Game Pass library at a discounted price. After running several test phases, Microsoft quietly put the program on hold by the end of 2023.

At the time, Phil Spencer said his team needed to find a way to make the Friends and Family offer work for both game creators and players. He also confirmed there was still a roadmap to bring it back in some form. It never came back.

Jez Corden Points the Finger at EA

Now, Windows Central reporter Jez Corden has shared what he heard behind the scenes. Writing in a roundup of the top trending Xbox Player Voice requests, Corden said the cancellation of the Game Pass family plan “wasn’t actually Microsoft’s fault.”

He reported that EA, which has a long-term contract within the Xbox Game Pass ecosystem, “fully hated the idea.”

Here is what Corden wrote directly:

Microsoft was testing a Family Plan for Xbox Game Pass, giving up to four users access to the library in exchange for a discount. I was told EA, who is a long-term contractee within the Xbox Game Pass ecosystem, fully hated the idea.

Jez Corden

Corden did not say EA was the only reason. He framed it as one significant factor among what were likely several. Microsoft still made the final call, as it always does on product decisions.

EA’s Role in Game Pass

EA has a unique position inside the Xbox Game Pass ecosystem. Its games are bundled through a separate EA Play component included in Game Pass Ultimate. This arrangement gives EA a stake in how Microsoft structures and sells its subscription tiers.

A family plan offering four accounts at a discount could, in theory, affect how EA calculates the value of its content being on the service. EA Play on its own costs subscribers separately, so a deeply discounted multi-user bundle may have conflicted with EA’s existing terms or revenue expectations.

Neither Microsoft nor EA has made any public comment confirming or denying Corden’s account.

Microsoft has not announced any plans to revisit the family plan. Xbox head Asha Sharma now oversees a lot of the platform direction, and it remains to be seen whether a family tier gets added to the current Game Pass lineup, which includes Standard, PC Game Pass, Ultimate, and the newer Game Pass Premium tier.

Whether EA’s stance has changed since 2022 and 2023 is also unknown. The company has not commented publicly on the matter.

For now, the family plan stays as one of the most talked-about features that Xbox has never shipped.

How to Claim Arc Raiders Season 4 Twitch Drops

Aritra Patra
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How to Claim Arc Raiders Season 4 Twitch Drops

Arc Raiders has a new Twitch Drops event running right now. Embark Studios launched it alongside the Riven Tides update, and there are two free backpack cosmetics up for grabs. Here is everything you need to know to claim them before the event ends.

What Are the Arc Raiders Twitch Drops for Season 4?

There are two items available during this Twitch Drops event:

  • Spinning Top Backpack Attachment (unlocked after watching 1 hour of eligible streams)
  • Canned Tomatoes Backpack Charm (unlocked after watching 2 hours of eligible streams)

Both are cosmetic backpack items. They do not affect gameplay.

When Do the Arc Raiders Twitch Drops End?

The event started on May 21, 2026, and runs until June 18, 2026. You have nearly a month to watch the required streams, so there is no need to rush.

Before you start watching, you need to connect your Embark account to Twitch. If you skip this step, you will not receive the drops even after watching the required time.

Here is how to do it:

  • Go to id.embark.games and log in using your platform of choice (Steam, for example).
  • Once logged in, open the Connected Platforms tab.
  • Click the Link button next to Twitch.
  • If you are already logged into Twitch in your browser, you will see an authorization prompt. Click Authorize.
  • Your accounts are now linked. You can confirm this in the settings menu.

After the link is active, head to Twitch and find any Arc Raiders stream that has Drops Enabled. Watch it for the required time and the items will appear in your Twitch inventory.

How to Claim the Drops In-Game

Once a drop shows up in your Twitch inventory, launch Arc Raiders. The Spinning Top Backpack Attachment and the Canned Tomatoes Backpack Charm will then be available to equip in your loadout.

The total watch time needed is just two hours, which is less than many other Twitch Drops campaigns in similar games.

On Twitch, search for Arc Raiders in the game directory. Streams that have Drops Enabled will display a small tag near the stream title. Click into any of those streams and let it run. You do not need to keep Twitch as your active tab, but the stream must be playing.

Sony Raises PlayStation Plus Prices for New Customers

Sonu Banerjee
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Sony Raises PlayStation Plus Prices for New Customers

Sony has once again reached into gamers’ wallets, announcing a price increase for PlayStation Plus subscriptions.

Following this change, the 1-month and 3-month subscription prices for the Essential, Extra, and Premium tiers of PlayStation Plus memberships will be raised for new customers across select regions.

As confirmed by Sony, the PlayStation Plus Essential tier will now start at $10.99/month and $27.99 for three months in the US, while existing subscribers will retain their current pricing unless they change tiers, let their subscription lapse, or are based in Turkey or India, where the new rates apply to all users.

What Sony didn’t mention in the aforementioned X post was the fact that all three tiers, Essential, Extra, and Premium, will see price increases across both the 1-month and 3-month subscription plans, not just the base Essential tier.

PlayStation Plus May 2026 Price

Here’s a list of the new PlayStation Plus subscription prices in May 2026 following the changes:

1-Month

  • Premium: $19.99 (Previously $17.99)
  • Extra: $16.99 (Previously $14.99)
  • Essential: $10.99 (Previously $9.99)

3-Months

  • Premium: $54.99 (Previously $49.99)
  • Extra: $43.99 (Previously $39.99)
  • Essential: $27.99 (Previously $24.99)

While the base price for the Essential 1-month subscription has only been raised by $1, users who are looking to grab the 3-month Premium subscription will have to spend an extra $5 for it. Sony attributed the changes to inflation and shifting economic conditions, framing them as a reflection of “ongoing market conditions.”

Needless to say, PlayStation Plus subscribers aren’t happy with this price hike that came seemingly out of nowhere. Gamers have expressed frustration across social media platforms over what they see as Sony squeezing subscribers without offering meaningful new value in return.

New CS2 Update Brings Cache & Ancient Fixes

Sonu Banerjee
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New CS2 Update Brings Cache & Ancient Fixes

While the Counter-Strike 2 community has been eagerly waiting for the fabled Armory update and IEM Cologne 2026 stickers, last night’s CS2 update didn’t deliver either, but instead brought some small improvements to some of the maps.

The May 21 CS2 update isn’t really a major one, but it does include some crucial changes to Cache and Ancient.

Cache has received some important fixes, with player and grenade collisions getting adjusted, material blending being improved for better accuracy of footstep sounds, and several gaps getting removed from the map.

Ancient, on the other hand, got one singular adjustment: a gap in the wall has been sealed.

The total size of the update was approximately 750 MB, which is rather unusual for a patch with so few changes.

This new patch comes only two days following the last CS2 update, which effectively removed 3-stack boosts from the game alongside other changes.

CS2 May 21 Update: Patch Notes Revealed

Below, we’ve listed the detailed patch notes for the May 21 CS2 update, as confirmed by Valve:

[ MAPS ]

Cache

  • Adjusted player and grenade collision.
  • Adjusted material blending to improve accuracy of footstep sounds.
  • Fixed several gaps reported by players.

Ancient

  • Fixed a gap in the wall.

Esports World Cup 2026 Shift to Paris Comes Amid Regional Uncertainty in Middle East

Aditya Parsutkar
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Esports World Cup 2026 Shift to Paris Comes Amid Regional Uncertainty in Middle East

The Esports World Cup 2026 will officially be hosted in Paris from July 6 to August 23, marking the first time the event will take place outside Riyadh since its launch.

While the Esports Foundation described the move as part of its long term global expansion plans, the announcement has also raised discussions within the esports community about whether ongoing regional tensions in the Middle East influenced the decision.

In its official statement, the organization said the move came “in light of the current regional situation,” while also mentioning its goal of accelerating international rotation plans for the tournament.

Regional Uncertainty Could Have Influenced the Decision

Although the Esports Foundation did not directly mention any conflict, the reference to the “current regional situation” has led many fans and analysts to believe that instability and security concerns in the Middle East may have played a role in shifting the Esports World Cup 2026 to Europe.

Saudi Arabia and nearby regions have remained under global attention due to ongoing geopolitical tensions and conflicts across parts of the Middle East over the past year. Large international events often consider travel safety, logistics, sponsorship operations, and audience accessibility before finalizing host locations.

By moving the tournament to Paris, organizers may also be aiming to provide greater stability for teams, players, sponsors, broadcasters, and international fans attending the event.

Read More: KRAFTON India Rolls Out BGMI 4.4 Update Ahead of BGMI 5th Anniversary Celebrations

Paris Offers a Stable Global Stage for Esports World Cup 2026

Paris has increasingly become one of Europe’s biggest destinations for esports and international sporting events. The city successfully hosted several major competitions in recent years and gained worldwide recognition after organizing the 2024 Olympic Games.

The French capital is also home to a large gaming and esports fanbase, making it a strong choice for an event of this scale.

Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation, praised Riyadh’s role in building the tournament but said Paris represents the next chapter for the competition.

He said, “Riyadh helped turn the Esports World Cup into a global phenomenon. This year, we’re excited to bring EWC to Paris for its first edition outside Saudi Arabia.”

The announcement was also highlighted during a meeting between Emmanuel Macron and Ralf Reichert at Palais Elysée in Paris.

EWC 2026 Expected to Be the Biggest Edition Yet

Despite the venue change, the scale of the EWC 2026 remains unchanged. More than 2,000 players and 200 esports clubs from over 100 countries are expected to participate in 24 games across 25 tournaments.

The event will once again feature a massive prize pool worth over $75 million.

Some of the world’s biggest esports titles are expected to return, including League of Legends, Counter Strike 2, VALORANT, PUBG Mobile, and Dota 2.

The 2025 edition reportedly crossed 750 million viewers worldwide and generated over 350 million hours watched, showing the rapid rise of the tournament in global esports.

Esports World Cup 2026 Moves to Paris, France

Aritra Patra
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Esports World Cup 2026 Moves to Paris, France

The Esports World Cup is leaving Saudi Arabia for the first time. The 2026 edition will be held in Paris, France, from July 6 through August 23, the Esports Foundation announced today.

Previously, rumors were going around that the Esports World Cup 2026 could move out of Riyadh due to Middle East conflicts. The decision came out of an extended review process. With the situation in the region in flux, the Foundation decided to move up its plans for rotating the event internationally rather than waiting. The idea was to give players, clubs, publishers, partners, and fans a clear answer sooner rather than later, without dismantling what makes EWC work.

Riyadh helped turn the Esports World Cup into a global phenomenon. Riyadh is the home of EWC and one of the world’s leading hubs for esports, powered by an incredible community of fans and long-term ambition for the future of the sport. This year, we’re excited to bring EWC to Paris for its first edition outside Saudi Arabia. Paris has hosted some of the world’s biggest sporting events and is one of the great global capitals of sport, culture, and entertainment. Together with the passion of French fans and the strong support we’ve received locally, we’re excited to bring the global esports community there for the next chapter of EWC. Paris now becomes the first international chapter in EWC history.

Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation
President Emmanuel Macron (right) and Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation (left) at Palais Elysée in Paris, France

The numbers from the 2025 edition give a sense of the scale they’re working with. The event has over 750 million viewers worldwide, 350 million hours watched, and a peak concurrent viewership of close to 8 million. The broadcast reached 140 countries across 35 languages through nearly 100 partners and over 800 channels.

The 2026 event will follow a similar format, with more than 2,000 players, 200 clubs from over 100 countries, 24 games across 25 tournaments, and a prize pool that tops $75 million. The venue in Paris will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

These Games are Leaving PS Plus in June 2026

Aritra Patra
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These Games are Leaving PS Plus in June 2026

Sony has confirmed five games will be removed from the PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium Game Catalog on June 16, 2026. The titles are now listed under the “Last Chance to Play” section on PS5 consoles. Red Dead Redemption is the biggest name on the list.

Full List of Games Leaving PS Plus on June 16

Here are all five titles leaving the PS Plus Game Catalog next month:

All five are available to play now for active PS Plus Extra and Premium subscribers. Once June 16 arrives, they leave the catalog.

Red Dead Redemption Is Going

Red Dead Redemption joined PS Plus on December 2, 2025. That gives it roughly a six-month run on the service before it gets pulled. Take-Two Interactive decided to remove the game as its sequel joins the catalog. Red Dead Redemption 2 was added to PS Plus Extra and Premium as part of the May 2026 lineup.

Both Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA 5 have previously cycled through subscription services on three- to six-month windows, per Push Square. RDR1’s six-month stint fits that pattern. So the swap looks deliberate rather than coincidental.

If you have not played the original Red Dead Redemption yet, you have until June 15 to do so through the subscription.

Valorant Officially Partners Up With Fan-Made Wiki, Moves It to a New Site

Sonu Banerjee
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Valorant Officially Partners Up With Fan-Made Wiki, Moves It to a New Site

Riot Games has officially partnered up with the fan-made Valorant wiki, moving it to a new website with a new design, better mobile functionality, and making it free from ads.

Prior to this, the fan-made Valorant Wiki database was hosted on Fandom. While it was a great resource for Valorant fans to check up on their favorite Agents, maps, patches, lore, and more, it was also notorious for having a bad interface, an overwhelming number of ads, and various other problems.

As a result, the devs behind the Valorant Wiki reached out to Riot Games, ultimately receiving official support from the company.

“We’ve gone official! We’ve partnered with Valorant to move off of Fandom to a new site hosted by Weird Gloop and supported by Riot,” the Valorant Wiki X handle posted. “No more ads, better mobile functionality, and a fresh design”

Following this partnership, the Valorant Wiki has moved to a new page. This move also sees the website receiving a much more intuitive UI, better navigability, and more quality of life improvements.

Screengrab via VALORANT Wiki

Note that Riot Games’ involvement with the Valorant wiki will be limited to covering operational costs, including server hosting and similar expenses, while staying out of decisions related to the platform’s content. Responsibility for running the site, from moderation and content updates to overall management, will remain entirely with the fan community, giving them complete creative freedom.

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