Friday, March 20, 2026
Home Blog Page 16

jL Stands in for Liquid in Roman Imperium Cup VI

Major-winning MVP Justinas “jL” Lekavicius is set to stand in for Team Liquid at the upcoming Roman Imperium Cup VI, as the former NAVI player will be replacing Guy “NertZ” Iluz, who will be missing the event due to travel issues as specified earlier.

Following a long hiatus, jL will be back in the upper echelons of Counter-Strike under the Liquid banner. Donning the Liquid shirt in Portugal, jL will be standing in for Liquid from March 12 to March 15 in Vila Nova de Gaia. Given how the competition features teams from lower tier-1 and 2, we might see the Lithuanian comeback and win a trophy right away.

NertZ is arguably Liquid’s most potent rifler at the moment, and it goes without saying that his absence is a massive setback for the North American side. However, Liquid has identified a worthy replacement who can deliver just as well on the big stage as the Israeli.

From a role point of view, jL might not be a like-for-like replacement, and while he might be a very adaptable player, NertZ played crucial roles for Liquid on both T and CT sides alike, making it very difficult to fill his shoes as a stand-in with limited time to prepare.

Liquid’s Expected Lineup

At the Roman Imperium Cup VI, Liquid will be:

  • Roland “ultimate” Tomkowiak
  • Keith “NAF” Markovic
  • Kamil “siuhy” Szkaradek
  • Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski
  • Justinas “jL” Lekavicius (stand-in)

One might ask why Liquid is playing in events like the Roman Imperium Cup VI, which all of the big names are skipping, and the answer is simple: Liquid is struggling in VRS standings, and winning this one would ensure a better chance at qualifying for the Major.

Despite not playing the game for quite a long time, jL remains a notable name in the community, and his presence in the Liquid shirt will pull a lot of eyes to their matches in Portugal. Only time can tell if they use him to win a trophy, but as of now, this remains an exciting proposition.

SharkShe’s Gaming Room Gets a Red Bull Makeover

0

GodLike Esports creator Sharkshe recently partnered with Red Bull to completely transform her streaming space. The result is a vibrant, custom setup that perfectly captures her personality and brand. If you’ve been curious about the upgrades, here is a complete breakdown of her new “blue ocean” themed sanctuary.

Inside Sharkshe’s New Red Bull Gaming Room Makeover

Following are few of the highlights from Sharkshe’s New Red Bull Gaming Room Makeover:

The Blue Ocean Theme & Custom Wall

Staying true to her name, Sharkshe’s entire room revolves around a cohesive blue ocean aesthetic. The focal point of the makeover is a massive, custom shark wallpaper that brings the theme to life. This wall serves as the primary backdrop for her upcoming streams and content.

Sharkshe’s New Red Bull Gaming Room Makeover

Exclusive Red Bull Elements

Red Bull outfitted the space with premium branded gear. The room features a dedicated Red Bull mini-fridge fully stocked with drinks. Above it, Sharkshe displays a Red Bull jersey, team cap, and a miniature model of Max Verstappen’s F1 car.

The Upgraded Streaming Station

Her main gaming and streaming desk has been optimized for both performance and comfort. The station is equipped with a massive monitor, professional lighting, a camera, and a tri-mic setup. It even includes a highly convenient built-in cup holder to safely store her drinks during gaming sessions.

Personal Display Shelves
A dedicated display wall showcases Sharkshe’s milestones and hobbies. The shelves hold her YouTube Play Button, gaming awards, and fan gifts, including a fan-gifted katana.

The display is rounded out with her favorite anime figures, model sports cars, a cute shark snow globe, and her personal sneaker collection.

This Sharkshe Red Bull gaming room makeover flawlessly blends top-tier streaming utility with her personal identity, creating the ultimate content creation space.

MongolZ Qualifies for ESL Pro League Playoffs

MongolZ has qualified for the playoffs of the ESL Pro League Season 23, beating 3DMAX with a 2-1 scoreline. Following a slow start to the year, MongolZ will be in another playoff of a premier CS2 event, and it goes without saying that they are rising once again.

VETO

  • 3DMAX removed Mirage
  • The MongolZ removed Anubis
  • 3DMAX picked Dust2
  • The MongolZ picked Ancient
  • 3DMAX removed Nuke
  • The MongolZ removed Overpass
  • Inferno was left over

Map 1: Dust2; Pick: 3DMAX; Winner: MongolZ

A 4-0 start for the MongolZ on their opponents’ map pick gave them a solid lead on the defence, before the French side pulled 3 back to make the map competitive. As 3DMAX fought hard to make the half close, MongolZ maintained their lead for most of the half, but they lost the final two rounds and ended the half with a levelled scoreline. 3DMAX took the lead in the second half by winning the pistol before MongolZ pulled the lead back with a streak of their own to hit double digits. 3DMAX winning two rounds in a row almost levelled the scoreline before a TEKNO4K clutch put MongolZ on map point. Without letting the map slip further, MongolZ finished the map with a fast A hit as map 1 went in favour of the Asian side with a 13:10 scoreline.

Map 2: Ancient; Pick: MongolZ; Winner: 3DMAX

2-0 start from MongolZ, sends them on the winning path after a confident win on the first map. 3DMAX’s hard eco paid off as the full buy round put them on the board, which saw them go 5-2 up before losing another round. MongolZ managed to win two more rounds before switching sides, resulting in an 8-4 lead for 3DMAX. Winning the pistol round and beating the forcebuy, MongolZ had their economy down the drain as the French side, with little to no efforts ran all over them to close out a dominant performance with a 13-4 scoreline. Lucky with 18 kills and 1.71 IR, dropped his best performance of the event to take his side to the final map.

Map 3: Inferno; Pick: Decider; Winner: MongolZ

MongolZ got going with a streak of 3 rounds before trading evenly to start the map. 3DMAX hit the board in the middle of the half and recovered well before MongolZ closed the first half with a 7-5 lead on the less-favored side of Inferno. Following a tight first half, the second half saw MongolZ extend their lead with 3DMAX chasing. Back and forth between the two sides saw MongolZ edge out a hard-fought win over 3DMAX to book their spot in the next round of play. Then the new addition, Cobrazera, topped the charts and came up big in several rounds that saw MongolZ edge out a close win over 3DMAX.

3DMAX will now sit with a 2-2 record, meaning their next match will decide their fate in this event. A win would see them through, and a loss would send them home, but given they have a new man, it is normal for teams to take time to adapt. Unfortunately, they don’t have much time for this event.

jL Might Join Team Liquid: Sources

Team Liquid is reportedly conducting a major roster overhaul in Counter-Strike 2, and rumors suggest that Justinas “jL” Lekavicius will be replacing Guy “NertZ” Iluz on the active roster. This has been based on practice sessions in which jL has been observed playing alongside the team, led by head coach Viktor “flashie” Tamás Bea.

This has been fueled by rumors from a leaker named Gromov, who claimed that jL has recently been observed in the practice room of Liquid. Although no official announcement has been made regarding the rumored signing, the presence of such a talented tier-one rifleman in the practice room has led many Counter-Strike fans to speculate that the team is planning a potential signing.

This will mark jL’s return to the server after about eight months of inactivity. The Lithuanian has been away from the scene ever since he was benched by Natus Vincere, which eventually replaced him with Drin “makazze” Shaqiri. During his inactivity, Lekavicius has remained involved in the scene as a commentator for Counter-Strike events.

For Liquid, it highlights the severity of their situation. The North American organization has struggled in 2026, failing to impress and now in danger of missing out on a spot at the upcoming IEM Cologne Major. It seems like the management is considering a “reset” for the struggling team.

Selecting NertZ as the odd man out is somewhat unexpected, given the overall struggles of the team. While the Israeli in-game leader has been decent enough individually compared to the rest of the team, it appears to be a deeper issue. This move to replace him with jL would be a stylistic move rather than a numbers-driven one.

Ammar Khan “Destro” Clarifies Retirement Confusion and Reveals New Role in Gods Reign

Ammar Khan, popularly known as “Destro“, one of the most respected in-game leaders (IGLs) in BGMI esports, has clarified his recent decision after a video posted on March 8 led many fans to believe he had retired from competitive play. The veteran player confirmed that he is not leaving esports but will instead take on a different role with his team, Gods Reign, following their elimination from BGIS 2026. Check out the full Destro BGMI retirement clarification.

Destro BGMI retirement clarification and new role

During a recent YouTube stream, Destro explained that he will now act as a full-time substitute and mentor for the team rather than playing regularly in the starting lineup.

He said that his main responsibility will be guiding the roster and helping players improve while also being available if the team needs him during tournaments.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVqE9BvEuKP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Destro explained that he will work closely with the team and step in if any issue arises. According to him, he currently wants to focus on mentoring the squad and supporting them as a substitute. However, he also mentioned that this role could change in the future as he is not sure how long this break from the active lineup will last.

The confusion started after Destro uploaded a video on Sunday, March 8. Many fans believed that the legendary IGL was announcing his retirement from BGMI esports.

However, during his stream he clarified that the message was misunderstood. Destro said that before the video went live he had already accepted the situation, but once it was posted, he received a huge response from the community.

He shared that the support and comments from fans were overwhelming and showed how much the community still respects him.

Read More: BGIS 2026 Semi Finals: Full Schedule, Teams, Venue & How to Watch

Working alongside coach Robin

Destro also revealed that he will continue working closely with the team’s coaching staff. He confirmed that he and the team’s coach Robin will work together to guide the squad strategically.

Both of them will focus on shaping the team, helping players improve their gameplay, and preparing the roster for future tournaments in the BGMI esports circuit.

A legendary career in BGMI esports

Destro is widely known as a “trophy magnet” in the BGMI competitive scene. Over the years, he has led several successful teams and won multiple major titles.

Some of his biggest achievements include winning the Battlegrounds Mobile India Series 2021, the Battlegrounds Mobile India Series 2023, and the BGMI Masters Series Season 2. He also lifted the trophy at the ESL Snapdragon Pro Series Season 6 and finished as the runner-up in the BGMI Pro Series 2023.

Because of these achievements, Destro has built a reputation as one of the most successful and experienced IGLs in Indian BGMI esports.

For now, Destro will not be part of the regular playing lineup of Gods Reign. Instead, he will support the team from the sidelines as a mentor and substitute.

His experience and leadership could still play a major role in shaping the team’s performance in future BGMI tournaments. Fans will also be watching closely to see whether the veteran IGL returns to active competition later.

Jailed GTA 6 Leaker Suggests Someone May Already Have the Game’s Source Code

Arion Kurtaj, the hacker behind the infamous 2022 leaks of GTA 6, has reportedly suggested that the game’s source code might already be out there.

Kurtaj was only 17 when he managed to carry out the breach, reportedly using nothing more than a mobile phone and an Amazon Fire TV Stick connected to a TV. He was initially sentenced to an indefinite hospital order when he was deemed unfit to stand trial, but reports suggest he might have been transferred to a conventional prison afterwards.

Despite being behind bars, recent reports claim Kurtaj managed to smuggle a mobile phone inside the prison and communicate with people through private messages, where he allegedly hinted at the source code of GTA 6 being possibly leaked online.

GTA 6 Source Code Possibly Leaked

In the private conversations made on his smuggled phone, Kurtaj reportedly suggested that the source code for GTA 6 may already have leaked on the internet.

Details of these alleged conversations were shared by X user “videotechuk_,” who posted a screenshot purportedly showing a WhatsApp chat between the hacker and some unidentified individuals.

In the leaked WhatsApp chat, Kurtaj seems to express surprise upon finding out that the source code for the upcoming Rockstar Games title has not already leaked.

“Interesting,” he reportedly said, upon finding out the GTA 6 source code has not yet leaked online, before adding, “No further comment on that matter.”

This could potentially hint that the source code for GTA 6 may already be out there and circulating privately, though there is currently no evidence to support the claim.

Note that these claims are based on alleged private messages and are not confirmed leaks.

However, if a full source code leak did happen, it could easily expose Rockstar’s engine technology, make DRM removal a whole lot easier, and even force major security changes, thereby causing GTA 6 release date delays.

Neither Rockstar nor its parent company, Take-Two Interactive have commented on this situation at the time of writing.

PGL Unveils CS2 Tier 1 Program for 2027–2028 With Over $22M Investment

PGL has announced a new Tier 1 program for Counter-Strike 2 with over$22 million USD in funding across 2027 and 2028, promising at least six major events per year.

The Bucharest-based tournament organizer confirmed that all events in the program will be LAN tournaments, aiming to uphold the highest standards of competitive integrity, production quality, and tournament operations.

“This long-term commitment provides stability in an increasingly competitive esports landscape, offering teams clear planning visibility across two full seasons,” PGL said in a statement. “By locking in a structured calendar and guaranteed financial framework, PGL enables organizations to build sustainable rosters, secure partnerships, and invest confidently in long-term development.”

Prize Pool and Revenue Distribution

In the official blog post, PGL states that they will allocate at least $11 million USD annually across prize pools and team incentives, with $6 million distributed to teams and players based on their event performances (with full VRS impact), $2.2 million in VRS invite bonuses, and $2.8 million per year in viewership incentives.

For each calendar year, PGL will guarantee $6 million in player compensation, split evenly between players and clubs. $3 million will be awarded as prize money to players, while the remaining $3 million will be distributed to participating clubs, with payouts determined by each event’s results.

Additionally, PGL will provide separate compensation packages for participating organizations, totaling $5 million USD a year. This includes the $2.2 million in VRS invite bonuses and $2.8 million distributed annually as viewership incentives.

Six Tier-1 Events Per Year

Starting in 2027, PGL will organize at least six major CS2 events per year.

The tournament organizer has already disclosed the event schedule for the 2027 competitive calendar:

  • PGL Event #1: January 17-24 (Schengen)
  • PGL Event #2: February 13-21 (Schengen)
  • PGL Event #3: March 19-28 (TBD)
  • PGL Event #4: April 16-25 (TBD)
  • PGL Event #5: September 3-12 (TBD)
  • PGL Event #6: October 8-17 (TBD)

While the full event schedule for 2028 has yet to be revealed, the first tournament of the year has been announced by the organizers:

  • PGL Event #1: January 14-24 (Schengen)

PGL is expected to reveal further details about the events, as well as any additional tournaments, in the near future.

BGIS 2026 Semi Finals: Full Schedule, Teams, Venue & How to Watch

The BGIS 2026 Semi Finals are almost here. Twenty-four of India’s best BGMI squads will descend on Hyderabad from March 12 to 15, 2026, for four days of intense LAN action that will decide who reaches the Grand Finals.

What Is the BGIS 2026 Semi Finals?

The Semi Finals is the penultimate competitive stage of the Battlegrounds Mobile India Series 2026. It follows the Quarter Finals and the Wildcard stage. Of the 24 teams competing, only the top 8 advance directly to the Grand Finals, while the remaining 16 drop into the Survival Stage scheduled for March 16-17. This structure makes every match critical since no team is completely eliminated at the Semi Finals stage.

​BGIS 2026 Semi Finals Schedule

The BGIS 2026 Semi Finals will be played across four consecutive days:

DayDateMatches Per Group
Day 1March 12, 20264 matches
Day 2March 13, 20264 matches
Day 3March 14, 20264 matches
Day 4March 15, 20264 matches

Each group plays four games per day, meaning a total of 16 matches per team across all four days. Match timings follow the standard BGMI competitive schedule and will be announced officially on the KRAFTON India Esports social channels closer to the event.

Format Explained

The Semi Finals follow a double round-robin format. The 24 teams are split into three groups of eight. Every team within a group plays all other teams twice across the tournament’s four days. At the conclusion of all matches, an overall standings table is compiled. The top 8 teams from the combined standings qualify for the Grand Finals. This format rewards consistency over a single good performance.

All 24 Teams and Groups

The 24-team field consists of 16 teams that qualified directly from the Quarter Finals and 8 teams that advanced from the Wildcard stage. The Quarter Finals ran from February 26 to March 1, 2026, featuring 64 teams across four groups, with the top 16 in the overall standings earning direct Semi Finals berths.

Teams Directly Qualified from Quarter Finals include:

  • EVOX Esports
  • IQOO SOUL
  • Meta Ninza
  • iQOO Orangutan
  • 4 Wolf x DOD
  • Madkings
  • Sinewy Esports
  • Genesis Esports
  • IQOO Team Tamilas
  • Troy Tamilan Esports
  • Vasista Esports
  • HERO XTREME GODLIKE
  • Wyld Fangs
  • IQOO Revenant XSPARK
  • WELT Esports
  • Learn From Past

Teams Qualified from Wildcard:

  • Nebula Esports
  • The Vanguard
  • NONx Esports
  • K9 Esports
  • Victores Sumus
  • Phoenix Esports
  • iQOO Reckoning Esports
  • Myth Official

Venue Details

The BGIS 2026 Semi Finals will take place at the Sandhya Convention Center, Mourya Ranga Prasad Ave, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana 500032. This is a premium indoor venue in the tech and esports hub of Gachibowli. Live audiences are allowed on all match days, making this one of the biggest BGMI LAN events in 2026.

Tickets are available through the Swiggy Scenes App (formerly Dineout). Simply download the app, search for “BGIS 2026,” and select your preferred match day. ​

What Comes After the Semi Finals?

The full BGIS 2026 tournament roadmap after the Semi Finalsis as follows:

  • Survival Stage: March 16-17, 2026, Hyderabad (16 teams not in top 8)
  • Grand Finals (LAN): March 27-29, 2026, Chennai Trade Centre, Chennai

The Grand Finals will be a full offline LAN event in Chennai, where India’s top 16 BGMI teams will compete for the championship title.

How to Watch BGIS 2026 Semi Finals Live

All Semi Finals matches will be live on the KRAFTON India Esports official YouTube channel. The broadcast details are:

The BGIS 2026 Semi Finals is the final filtering stage before the Grand Finals. With 24 squads battling over 64 total matches across four days, only eight will survive with a direct ticket to Chennai. For teams finishing 9th through 24th, the Survival Stage on March 16-17 offers one final lifeline to reach the Grand Finals.

BGIS 2026 Wildcard Final Results: Top 8 Teams That Qualified for Semifinals

The BGIS 2026 Wildcard Final Results are officially out. After four grueling days of competition from March 5 to 8, 2026, the top 8 teams from the overall Wildcard standings have secured their spots in the Semifinals, joining the 16 teams who had already qualified directly from the Quarter Finals.

What Was the BGIS 2026 Wildcard Stage?

The Wildcard Stage was the last lifeline for 32 teams who narrowly missed a direct berth to the Semifinals in the Quarter Finals. Teams ranked 17th to 40th from the Quarter Finals, along with 8 teams from Round 4, competed in a Round Robin format across 4 groups, each playing 12 matches over four days. Only the top 8 teams in the overall standings made the cut, while the remaining 24 were eliminated from BGIS 2026.

Top 8 Qualified Teams

Here are the 8 teams that qualified for the Semifinals through the Wildcard stage, based on final overall standings:

RankTeamPoints
1Nebula Esports149
2The Vanguard112
3NONx Esports108
4K9 Esports107
5Victores Sumus107
6Phoenix Esports106
7iQOO Reckoning Esports105
8Myth Official105

Nebula Esports, led by Aadi, were the standout performers of the entire Wildcard stage, finishing first with a commanding 149 points. Their consistency and clutch performances across all four days set them apart from every other team in the lobby. Going into the Semifinals, Nebula will be one of the most feared squads in the competition.

Who Missed Out

Infinix True Rippers, one of the more hyped names heading into the Wildcard, finished just outside the qualification zone in 9th place with 102 points, missing the Semifinals by a narrow margin. iQOO 8Bit ended in 10th position with 98 points, and Riotnationz came in 11th, also with 98 points. For all three teams, the tournament is now over for this season.

Full BGIS 2026 Wildcard Final Standings

Below are the complete final standings from the Wildcard stage:

RankTeamPoints
9Infinix True Rippers102
10iQOO 8Bit98
11Riotnationz98
12Kalinga Esports91
13Gods For Reason85
14Lastade Esports83
15Team H4K82
16RedForce Esports82
17Higg Boson Esports71
18Tenzen Esports71
19Windgod Esports67
20Inimicals Esports52
21T7 Esports51
22Frostrex Esports44
23ORB Esports44
24Blink Esports42
25Blind Rippers42
267AcesxTRB Esports42
27GENxFM Esports40
28Team Aesthetic40
29M4 x Naqsh Esports40
30Thundergods Esports38
31PCUP Esports29
32TRX Esports29

What’s Next: BGIS 2026 Semifinals

The BGIS 2026 Semifinals are scheduled from March 12 to 15, 2026, and will be held offline in Hyderabad. A total of 24 teams will compete, split into three groups of 8, playing 16 matches each in a double round-robin format. The 16 direct qualifiers from the Quarter Finals include powerhouses like iQOO Soul, Hero Xtreme GODLIKE, iQOO Revenant XSpark, and Wyld Fangs, among others.

Also read: BGIS 2026 Tickets Now Live for Semi Finals and Survival Stage

The overall prize pool for BGIS 2026 stands at ₹4 crore, with the Grand Finals set for March 29, 2026.

Clash of Clans Might Get a New Siege Machine: All We Know

0

Supercell has accidentally leaked a new Clash of Clans siege machine through one of their official YouTube Shorts. We spotted a changed Workshop design in the clip that does not match anything currently in the game, pointing strongly toward a brand new siege machine on the way.

What We Spotted in the Clip

While going through a recent Supercell YouTube Short frame by frame, we noticed that the Workshop building visible in the clip looks distinctly different from the current Workshop model in the game. The difference is hard to miss once you pause at the right moment. The Workshop has a new design that does not correspond to any existing Siege Machine unlock currently in Clash of Clans.

The Workshop is the building that constructs all Siege Machines in Clash of Clans. A visual change to it almost always signals a new Siege Machine coming to the game, just like past additions such as the Log Launcher, Flame Flinger, and the Troop Launcher introduced in February 2025.

When Could This Update Drop?

Based on Supercell’s recent update cadence, the update looks likely to arrive around April 20, 2026. Supercell usually times major updates with the end of Legend League seasons, and April 20 is when the current legend season will most likely wrap up. Last year’s second update of the year also dropped in April, which supports this estimate.​

What Could the New Siege Machine Be?

Supercell has not officially revealed the new Siege Machine yet, but the Workshop redesign is a strong signal that a new one is being unlocked. Currently, the game has eight Siege Machines: the Wall Wrecker, Battle Blimp, Stone Slammer, Siege Barracks, Log Launcher, Flame Flinger, Battle Drill, and the Troop Launcher.

The Troop Launcher, the latest Siege Machine, is an immobile unit available from TH16 that launches barrels of reinforcements toward troops in combat. Given the pattern of each new Siege Machine introducing a distinct playstyle, the next one could cater to TH17 strategies or offer an entirely new deployment mechanic.

How Supercell Leaks Its Own Content

This is not the first time Supercell has inadvertently revealed upcoming content through their own YouTube Shorts. In past instances, new troops, buildings, and update content were spotted frame by frame from official clips well before any sneak peek was published. These unintentional previews have become one of the most reliable early signals for what is landing in the next major update.

Stay tuned to TalkEsport’s Clash of Clans coverage for official sneak peeks and update breakdowns as Supercell confirms more details ahead of the expected April 2026 update.