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Valkyrae Cut From Minecraft Movie After Calling Out Jason Momoa’s Behavior – Full Story

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YouTube star Rachell “Valkyrae” Hofstetter has confirmed her removal from the upcoming live-action film, “A Minecraft Movie,” following her public criticism of lead actor Jason Momoa’s on-set behavior. Valkyrae, known for her extensive streaming career, was initially slated for a cameo in the film but was cut after she accused Momoa of mistreating crew members during production.

In a candid discussion with fellow streamer JasonTheWeen on September 13, 2024, Valkyrae recounted her experience on the film’s set. She described witnessing Momoa yelling at crew members after an intense, emotional scene, creating what she perceived as a negative work environment. She expressed disappointment, noting that while the scene was demanding, the actor’s reaction was unexpected and unsettling.

The repercussions of her statements were swift. Valkyrae revealed that her cameo was removed from the film, stating, “I would much rather not have that 30 seconds than be sued.” This decision underscores the potential consequences of speaking out against prominent figures in the entertainment industry.

This incident isn’t the first time Momoa’s on-set behavior has been questioned. Reports have previously surfaced alleging that he arrived intoxicated and dressed as Johnny Depp during the filming of “Aquaman 2,” leading to tensions on set.

“A Minecraft Movie,” directed by Jared Hess, features a star-studded cast including Jack Black as Steve, Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers, Matt Berry, and Jennifer Coolidge. The film is scheduled for release on April 4, 2025.

As of now, representatives for Momoa have not responded to Valkyrae’s allegations. The situation highlights the complexities and potential risks individuals face when addressing concerns about workplace behavior in the entertainment industry.

BGIS 2025 Grand Finals: Complete Schedule, Teams & ₹2 Crore Prize Pool (April 25-27)

The Battlegrounds Mobile India Series (BGIS) 2025 Grand Finals are set to take place from April 25 to 27 in Kolkata. This highly anticipated event will feature the top 16 teams competing in a LAN setting to claim the championship title.

Schedule and Format

The Grand Finals will span three days, during which the 16 qualifying teams will engage in a total of 18 matches. These matches will determine the ultimate champion of BGIS 2025.

Qualified Teams

The teams that have secured their spots in the Grand Finals are:

  1. Cincinnati Kids
  2. Godlike Esports
  3. FS Esports
  4. Rivalry x NRI
  5. Reckoning Esports
  6. TrueRippers x Jelly
  7. SOA Esports
  8. Team Versatile
  9. Medal Esports
  10. THWXN0NX Esports
  11. iQOO Orangutan
  12. 4EverxRedxRoss
  13. Genesis Esports
  14. iQOO Soul
  15. Team Hades x H4K
  16. Botarmy Esports

Venue Details

The event will be hosted at the Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan in Kolkata. This venue offers both indoor and outdoor spaces and is expected to accommodate approximately 3,000 to 5,000 spectators.

Prize Pool Distribution

The total prize pool for BGIS 2025 is ₹2,00,00,000, allocated as follows:

  • 1st Place: ₹60,00,000
  • 2nd Place: ₹30,00,000
  • 3rd Place: ₹20,00,000
  • 4th Place: ₹15,00,000
  • 5th Place: ₹12,50,000
  • 6th Place: ₹9,00,000
  • 7th-8th Places: ₹7,50,000 each
  • 9th-10th Places: ₹5,00,000 each
  • 11th-12th Places: ₹4,00,000 each
  • 13th-14th Places: ₹3,00,000 each
  • 15th-16th Places: ₹2,50,000 each

Teams Ranked 17th to 32nd

The teams that secured positions from 17th to 32nd are:

  • Phoenix Esports
  • Vasista Esports
  • Rider Esports
  • Wobble Gaming
  • Hail Inferno Squad
  • Altitude
  • Likitha Esports
  • Revenant XSpark
  • 8Bit
  • Hyderabad Hydras
  • Team Tamilas
  • GlitchXReborn
  • TWOB
  • Diesel Esports
  • Troy Tamilans Esports
  • Mastermind Mavericks

Fans and enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting this grand event, where the best teams will battle for supremacy in BGIS 2025.

Falcons Survives paiN in PGL Bucharest

Falcons have defeated paiN and avoided elimination from PGL Bucharest for the time being. With no room for error left, the Falcons need to win all their remaining matches if they are to qualify for the playoffs. While m0NESY’s arrival is almost confirmed, the Falcons’ current roster can play with less pressure on their shoulders.

VETO

  • paiN removed Ancient
  • Falcons removed Anubis
  • paiN picked Nuke
  • Falcons picked Train
  • Falcons removed Dust2
  • paiN removed Mirage
  • Inferno was left over

Map 1: Nuke; Pick: paiN; Winner: paiN

PaiN starting strong on the offence, did not let the Falcons find any momentum. Falcons failed to get going on their defence as paiN managed to individually pick the defence apart, despite NiKo‘s masterclass in outer. The second half started with G2 winning a few rounds, but that was far from enough to mount a comeback as paiN shut the game down with a dominant scoreline of 13-6.

Map 2: Train; Pick: Falcons; Winner: Falcons

Starting on the offence, Falcons managed to brush off their domination in the earlier map. Much better showing from the previous map, Falcons won 8 rounds of the offence as paiN could not stop a well-structured offence. While paiN had a better start to the offence, Falcons managed to trade rounds and close the game with a 13-8 scoreline.

Map 3: Inferno; Pick: Falcons; Winner: Falcons

Despite the difficult start, the Falcons managed to end the first half with a narrow lead, moving into the second half. While Falcons managed to get a few rounds into the second half, second half paiN threatened to take it all away by the middle of the half, but Falcons managed to close the game by the end of the half, eliminating paiN from PGL Bucharest.

Playing with a stand-in, paiN has taken some of the big names to the extreme but failed to secure a single win. While they have been a good side, paiN could have performed better with their full roster, or so suggested by their past performances. As they head out, they have proved that teams should watch out for them in the upcoming matches.

How To Play Schedule 1 Beta?

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few days, chances are you’ve already heard of Schedule 1—the newest talk of the town.

The popular drug dealer simulator has sent waves throughout the gaming community over the past week, dominating the Steam charts alongside juggernauts like Monster Hunter Wilds and Path of Exile 2.

Image via SteamDB

Fans from throughout the world have tuned into Schedule 1 to experience the thrills that the game has to offer. If you’re a Schedule 1 player who’s looking for new features and additional content, you might want to tune into the beta version of the game to get ahead of the curve.

How To Get Schedule 1 Beta

While the live version of Schedule 1 is certainly a great experience in itself, hardcore players often look to opt into the game’s beta version to get extra features and additional content ahead of their official launch.

Getting access to the Schedule 1 beta is extremely easy, and you can do it as well by following this guide.

Here’s how you can opt into the Schedule 1 beta and get a sneak peek at the game’s new features:

  • Launch Steam
  • Go to your Steam Library.
  • Right-click ‘Schedule 1’ and click on ‘Properties’.
  • Under the ‘Betas’ tab, open the dropdown beside Beta Participation.
  • Choose your preferred Schedule 1 beta version.
  • Restart Steam.

Congratulations! You have successfully opted into the beta branch for Schedule 1.

Now all you need to do is wait for the download to finish, and you’ll be able to play the Schedule 1 beta and test out new features before they are officially released.

G2 Secures PGL Bucharest Playoffs

G2 has booked their spot in the playoffs of PGL Bucharest by beating Complexity in the match of teams with a 2-0 scoreline. In what will certainly be his last tournament in G2 colours, m0NESY is delivering in the big time for his team.

VETO

  • G2 removed Train
  • Complexity removed Mirage
  • G2 picked Dust2
  • Complexity picked Anubis
  • Complexity removed Inferno
  • G2 removed Nuke
  • Ancient was left over

Map 1: Dust2; Pick: G2; Winner: G2

Starting off at a blistering pace, the G2 offence wiped the floor with Complexity‘s defence. Giving little room for them to get going, G2 swapped halves with a 10-2 scoreline. The massive lead was blown in typical G2 fashion as the North American side made a comeback, pushing the game into overtime. While G2 lost their momentum on the defence, the overtime saw them find their mojo as CoL failed to secure a single round, closing the map with a 16-12 scoreline.

Map 2: Anubis; Pick: CoL; Winner: CoL

Starting on the offence, both teams were equally matched in the first half as neither G2 nor CoL managed to edge out a lead by the end of the first half. CoL started the second half strong, thus putting G2 on the back foot that they couldn’t recover from for the rest of the half. While they managed to win rounds in between, CoL were quick to close out the game, thus winning the series with a 13-10 scoreline. With 27 kills and 1.79 IR, Grim led this team from the front as CoL levelled the series.

Map 3: Ancient; Pick: Decider; Winner: G2

Starting off strong, G2 managed to get outplayed as CoL started strong in their defence. Winning 5 rounds in a row, G2 took charge of the game as they won all the remaining rounds to edge out a 2-round lead by the end of the first half. G2 continued their momentum on the defence as they speed-ran to a series point without dropping rounds, before CoL started to mount a comeback. While CoL won a few rounds, G2 did not let them cross 10 rounds as they closed the map with a 13-10 scoreline.

CoL losing the map requires one more win if they want to make it to the playoffs. Considering their current form, CoL will have a good chance of securing a win in the upcoming matches against the remaining teams.

Marvel Rivals Giving Away Free ‘The Thing’ Skin To Players: How To Redeem

NetEase has officially unveiled a new ‘The Thing’ skin coming to Marvel Rivals with the game’s Season 2 update, and players will be able to claim it for free!

Unlike the regular free skins in Marvel Rivals that the devs give out via redeem codes or Twitch drops, this new ‘The Thing’ skin will be exclusive to Marvel Unlimited subscribers. If you’re not a Marvel Unlimited subscriber right now, don’t worry, there’s still a way for you to get this skin for free.

But be warned—the new free ‘The Thing’ skin is a limited-time cosmetic. So if you’re not quick enough, you won’t be able to get it in the future.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about how to get a free ‘The Thing’ skin in Marvel Rivals.

How To Get Free The Thing Skin in Marvel Rivals: Marvel Unlimited Subscription Code

As mentioned earlier, all Marvel Unlimited subscribers will be able to get ‘The Thing’ skin for free in Marvel Rivals.

For the uninitiated, Marvel Unlimited is a subscription-based service that lets users read Marvel comics digitally. If you’re already a Marvel Unlimited subscriber, all you need to do is claim the skin once it drops in the game. If you’re not already subscribed to Marvel Unlimited, we have you covered.

In celebration of the Marvel Rivals Season 2 update, Marvel Unlimited is giving away a free month of subscription to anyone looking to try out the service. Here’s how you claim it:

  • Finish the sign-up process.
  • When you reach the payment page, click the ‘Have a Promo Code?‘ button.
  • Type in the ‘HEREISTHETHING’ code and hit ‘Apply’.

And that’s it! You have now successfully signed up to Marvel Unlimited for free.

Note that the ‘HEREISTHETHING’ redeem code for Marvel Unlimited expires on April 17, 2025, so be sure to finish the sign-up process before that date.

Now that you’re a Marvel Unlimited subscriber, you are eligible to receive ‘The Thing’ Marvel Rivals skin for free. The code for the free skin will be handed out to Marvel Unlimited users via the app on April 25, 2025.

Once you have the code, all that’s left for you to do is launch Marvel Rivals and redeem this code via the code redemption section from the main menu. If you’re confused about how to redeem codes in Marvel Rivals, feel free to go through our guide, which explains the process in finer detail.

All Skins You Can Get in Valorant S25 Act 2 Night Market

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The highly anticipated Valorant S25 Act 2 Night Market is only a few days away, and if you’re a Valorant player, now might be a good time to start saving up for your favorite skins.

For the uninitiated, Valorant Night Market is an in-game event that offers players up to six weapon or knife skins at hefty discounts compared to their regular store prices. These discounts range between 10 and 49 percent, making this an ideal choice for players looking to add Valorant cosmetics to their arsenal without breaking the bank.

But there’s a catch—not every Valorant skin is eligible to appear in the Night Market. If you’re hoping to see a specific skin show up, it needs to meet four key criteria. If a skin fails to meet any of the four requirements, you won’t be able to get it in your Night Market this time around.

Which Skins Can Appear in Your Valorant Night Market?

Here are the key requirements that Valorant skins need to meet to be eligible to appear in your Night Market:

  • The skin must not be Agent Gear.
  • The skin must not be from a Battle Pass.
  • The skin must not be Exclusive or Ultra Edition.
  • If it’s a melee skin, it should be priced at 3,550 Valorant Points or below.

If you have a favorite skin in mind, and it meets all of these conditions, then there’s a chance for you to get it in the upcoming Valorant Night Market.

Valorant S25 Act 2 Night Market: All Eligible Skin Bundles

Here’s a list of all the skin bundles in Valorant that are eligible to appear in your S25 Act 2 Night Market:

Select Edition  

• Convex

• Daydreams

• Endeavour

• Fortune’s Hand

• Galleria

• Infantry

• Intergrade

• Luxe

• Prism II

• Reverie

• Rush 

• Sensation

• Smite

• Switchback

• Wonderstallion

Deluxe Edition

• Abyssal

• Altitude

• Aperture

• Aristocrat

• Avalanche

• Chromedek

• Combat Crafts

• Emberclad

• Holomoku

• Horizon

• Kohaku & Matsuba

• Luna

• Minima

• MK.VII Liberty

• NO LIMITS

• Nunca Olvidados

• Orion

• Prism (EP1)

• Prism (Reloaded Outlaw)

• Sakura

• Sarmad

• Silvanus

• Snowfall

• Team Ace

• Tigris

• Titanmail

• Wasteland

• Winterwunderland

Premium Edition

• Aemondir

• Black Market

• Celestial

• Crimsonbeast

• Cryostasis

• Doodle Buds

• Ego (EP1)

• Ego (Outlaw)

• Forsaken

• Gaia’s Vengeance (EP4)

• Gaia’s Vengeance (EP7)

• Gravitational Uranium Neuroblaster

• Ion (EP1)

• Ion (EP5)

• Magepunk (EP2)

• Magepunk (EP3)

• Magepunk (EP6)

• Nebula

• Neptune

• Oni (EP1)

• Oni (EP6)

• Origin

• Prime

• Prime//2.0

• Radiant Crisis 001

• Reaver (EP1)

• Reaver (EP5)

• Recon

• Soulstrife

• Sovereign (EP1)

• Sovereign (EP8)

• Spline

• Tethered Realms

• Undercity

• Valiant Hero

• VALORANT Go! Vol. 1

• VALORANT Go! Vol. 2

• Xenohunter

• XERØFANG

With so many bundles being eligible to appear in your Valorant S25 Act 2 Night Market, the chance of you obtaining a specific skin of your choice is extremely slim. However, you won’t receive duplicates, which means if you already own a skin in the game, it won’t appear in your Night Market.

That said, part of the excitement lies in the mystery. Whether you land your dream Phantom skin or get the Smite knife for the sixth time, there’s always a thrill in flipping those cards. Remember to keep your fingers crossed!

BGMI Pro Prince Accused of Deceiving Minor and Engaging in Inappropriate Physical Conduct

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In a shocking turn of events, Meet “Prince” Brahmbhatt, a prominent Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) player currently associated with Medal Esports, has been accused of serious misconduct involving a minor. The allegations, brought to light by an Instagram user, claim that Prince misrepresented his age and engaged in inappropriate behavior with a 15-year-old girl.

Details of Accusations Against BGMI Pro Prince 

According to the claims, the victim shared her story through a voice note, alleging that Prince, believed to be 26 or 27 years old, initiated contact with her in November 2024 via Instagram. The girl reportedly responded to his messages after noticing his verified account, substantial follower count, and realizing that Prince was a BGMI Pro player. Over the course of a few days, the two exchanged messages, during which Prince allegedly misled her by claiming he was 18 years old, despite being fully aware of her actual age.

Disclaimer: The voice note contains explicit wordings.

The situation escalated when Prince reportedly asked the girl out on a date. Prior to the meeting, he is accused of obtaining her Aadhaar card and editing it, changing her name to “Prerna”—and possibly her age, as speculated—to conceal her identity or minor status. On the day of the date, the allegations state that Prince took her to a hotel, where they were intimate without protection, leading to the girl contracting an infection. The voice note further claims that, following the encounter, Prince persistently pressured her for compromising photos and insisted on meeting her daily.

Supporting the voice note, the Instagram post included alleged screenshots of conversations between Prince and the girl. These chats reportedly show him making inappropriate remarks, even after confirming her age to be 15, further intensifying the gravity of the accusations.

The esports community has reacted strongly to the allegations, with several prominent figures weighing in on the matter, sparking widespread discussion across social platforms. The claims have cast a shadow over Prince’s reputation and raised questions about accountability.

Medal Esports Responds to Allegations Against Prince

Medal Esports has responded to the situation with an official statement on their Instagram handle, acknowledging the allegations and announcing Prince’s suspension pending a thorough investigation. The statement reads:

“Dear Fans & Supporters, We have been made aware of the recent situation involving PrinceOG that has come to light, and we have taken the decision to suspend him until further notice. Please be assured that we are thoroughly investigating the matter from our end, and appropriate actions will surely be taken according to the findings of the investigation. Thank you for your continued support and understanding.” 

TalkEsport has reached out to Prince for his statement on this matter. As of writing this article, we have not received a response. We will update the story as soon as an official statement is provided. Stay tuned to TalkEsport for more exclusive updates as the story unfolds.

Krafton Responds to Data Leak Allegations Amid Lawsuit

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In a significant recent development, Krafton India, the developer of renowned mobile game Battlegrounds Mobile India, has issued its first public official statement in response to allegations of unauthorized user data sales via Telegram. The statement comes as the company faces mounting legal pressure over an FIR filed in Maharashtra, which accuses the developer and its executives of breaching contractual obligations and monetizing personal user data.

Krafton India Issues Official Statement on Data Leak Allegations Lawsuit

Krafton has addressed the allegations by sending us an email. In their statement, the company discusses the ongoing investigation, clarifies its position, and provides explanations regarding the data handling concerns mentioned in the FIR.

At KRAFTON, the protection of personal data is of utmost importance to us, and we are committed to upholding the highest standards of data security. As the matter is currently sub judice, we believe it is best to wait for the legal process to conclude, after which we will provide any necessary clarifications.

With the next court hearing just days away, Krafton’s statement will likely play a key role in shaping public opinion and legal strategy moving forward. The outcome of this case could have far-reaching consequences for not just Krafton, but the broader conversation around data privacy, user rights, and corporate accountability in India’s fast-evolving tech ecosystem.

Stay with TalkEsport for exclusive updates as the story continues to unfold.

Indian Government Plans PMLA Compliance for Gaming Firms: Stricter KYC, Transaction Monitoring Coming

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The Indian government is finalizing a proposal to designate online real-money gaming companies, such as Dream11, Games24x7, and Winzo, as “reporting entities” under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. This move aims to enforce stricter compliance measures, including know-your-customer (KYC) protocols and the monitoring and reporting of suspicious transactions.​

Implications of the PMLA Classification

By being designated as reporting entities, these gaming firms would be mandated to:​

  • Maintain comprehensive records of all transactions.​
  • Document the identities of clients and beneficial owners.​
  • Preserve account files and business correspondences related to their clients.​

Additionally, they would need to adhere to anti-money laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) obligations, aligning with the standards set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).​

Context and Rationale Behind the Proposal

In 2023, the Finance Ministry took a similar step by notifying virtual digital assets (VDAs), targeting cryptocurrency firms, as reporting entities under PMLA. This current proposal concerning online gaming companies represents the second significant regulatory action in this sector, following the imposition of a 28% Goods and Services Tax (GST) on full user deposits in 2023.​

A senior government official highlighted concerns about substantial unaccounted funds circulating within online gaming platforms, emphasizing the necessity of curbing such activities through enhanced compliance measures.​

Industry Impact and Concerns

According to a March 2025 report by FICCI and EY, India’s online gaming companies collectively generated approximately $2.7 billion in revenue in 2024. The report also noted that over 155 million Indians engaged in real-money gaming segments like fantasy sports, rummy, and poker, marking a 10% increase from the previous year.​

Industry insiders have expressed concerns that while domestic companies are prepared to comply with PMLA requirements, offshore betting and gambling platforms may not adhere to these regulations. Estimates suggest that these offshore platforms handle between $25 billion to $30 billion, much of which remains unaccounted for due to the lack of effective regulatory mechanisms.​

Regulatory Challenges and Enforcement

The government has been proactive in addressing compliance violations within the online gaming industry. Between 2022 and February 2025, the IT Ministry issued over 1,400 blocking directives related to online betting, gambling, and gaming websites. Additionally, the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) has blocked more than 350 links associated with illegal and non-compliant offshore online money gaming platforms.​

However, industry executives point out that merely blocking these domains has proven ineffective, as new landing pages can be created swiftly after takedowns. Complicating matters further, efforts by the IT Ministry to regulate the sector through amendments to the Information Technology (IT) Rules have stalled due to procedural challenges, rendering certain provisions unenforceable.​

The government’s initiative to bring online real-money gaming companies under the PMLA framework underscores its commitment to enhancing financial transparency and curbing unaccounted funds within the digital gaming sector. While domestic firms may face increased compliance obligations, the effectiveness of these measures will depend on addressing the challenges posed by offshore platforms and ensuring robust enforcement of the proposed regulations.