Friday, March 20, 2026
Home Blog Page 19

HEROIC Eliminates PARIVISION from ESL Pro League Season 23

Sarjyo Mukherjee
-
0
HEROIC Eliminates PARIVISION from ESL Pro League Season 23

HEROIC has pulled off the upset of the event by eliminating PARIVISION from ESL Pro League Season 23 after beating them in the final round of Stage 1 with a 2-0 scoreline. Despite being one of the shakiest teams of the event, they go through over an in-form PARIVISION, shocking fans and critics alike.

VETO

  • HEROIC removed Anubis
  • PARIVISION removed Nuke
  • HEROIC picked Inferno
  • PARIVISION picked Dust2
  • HEROIC removed Ancient
  • PARIVISION removed Overpass
  • Mirage was left over

Map 1: Inferno; Pick: HEROIC; Winner: HEROIC

3-0 start for HEROIC before PARIVISION hit the board. The solid start of the map was further extended with Heroic racing up to 7 rounds before PARIVISION started putting together rounds by the end of the half. Winning 4 rounds in a row by the end of the half, PARIVISION gave away the final round before switching sides with a 5-7 deficit. Moving over to the defence, HEROIC stunned the CIS side by dominating on the pistol round, which they built up on in the following rounds with a flawless performance. Winning 6 in a row, HEROIC closed the map with a 13-5 scoreline and a statement win on their own map pick. Chr1zN topped the board in terms of impact, but a performance like this can only be attributed to a shockingly good team performance, which has been a rare sight for this team as of late.

Map 2: Dust2; Pick: PARIVISION; Winner: HEROIC

Following a crushing defeat, PARIVISION got off to a hot start, winning 4 in a row before HEROIC could hit the board. Despite the poor start, HEROIC recovered, winning 5 in a row to close out the half as PARIVISION only had 5 rounds to start their defence with. Moving to the T side with a lead, HEROIC extended it further by winning the pistol and securing 4 rounds off the back of it before PARIVISION hit the board. Getting their first round on the defence, PARIVISION failed to convert a single round as HEROIC quickly grabbed the following round to close out the game, handing PARIVISION their hardest defeat in recent memory in the process. 24 kills from xfl0ud rounded off a solid team performance and secured an impressive qualification to the next round of play.

With critics piling all over this young HEROIC side, they have done what most couldn’t. It goes without saying that they were the second favourites coming into the game, and to eliminate PARIVISION speaks to the underlying potential this team has, and for it to come out in such a crucial moment may give this side the momentum they needed for the rest of the season.

New CS2 Update Lets You Play With Skins Listed on the Market

Sonu Banerjee
-
0
New CS2 Update Lets You Play With Skins Listed on the Market

Alongside bringing in some changes to the map Inferno and improvements to map scripting, the latest Counter-Strike 2 update has introduced one of the most requested quality-of-life features in the Valve shooter — the ability for players to continue using their CS2 skins even after listing them on the Steam Market.

Prior to the March 4 CS2 update, any skins listed on the Steam Community Market would immediately be taken off your inventory as soon as you confirmed the listing from your mobile authenticator app. While most players weren’t affected majorly by this, it posed a problem for those trading high-tier items, where listings can take longer to sell, thereby preventing them from using skins that technically hadn’t been sold yet.

Moving forward, skins you list in the Steam Market will remain in your CS2 inventory until someone actually buys them.

In fact, players will also be free to use the listed skins in-game, with an “On Market” tag indicating that the skin is currently listed for sale in the Community Market.

While players are free to use the listed skins in-game, they won’t be able to modify them in any way. This means you won’t be able to add or remove stickers, charms, or even place a nametag while the skin is listed on the market.

With this move, Valve once again aims to make trading on the Steam Community Market more convenient for players, provided you can look past the ~15% tax, of course.

How to Get Free Pickle Rick Skin in Fortnite

Aritra Patra
-
0
How to Get Free Pickle Rick Skin in Fortnite

The Pickle Rick skin has been officially confirmed by Epic Games in the latest Wave 3 of Fortnite‘s Rick and Morty collaboration. It is available for free by achieving top positions in the upcoming Pickle Rick Cup tournament.

Pickle Rick Cup Details

This is a solo tournament that will take place on March 6, 2026, from 2 PM ET to 5 PM ET in Battle Royale mode, and players must be 13+ and eligible under Epic’s eligibility requirements, such as complying with Terms of Service, etc. The points are awarded on the basis of positions and eliminations, where each elimination is worth 2 points, and rewards are region-dependent.

Top performers earn the Pickle Rick skin and extras:

RegionSkin PlacementOther Rewards
EUTop 2,350Pickle Rick Pack Back Bling
NA CentralTop 900Pickle Rick! Spray (8 pts)
NA WestTop 400Pickle Rick Pack Back Bling
BrazilTop 400Pickle Rick Pack Back Bling
AsiaTop 250Pickle Rick Pack Back Bling
OceaniaTop 250Pickle Rick Pack Back Bling
Middle EastTop 250Pickle Rick Pack Back Bling

Queue into the playlist tomorrow, focusing on high kill solo plays, and check your region leaderboard in-game. If you don’t catch it, it’ll be available in the Item Shop shortly after with Rick Prime.

White House uses Call of Duty Video to Show Off Iranian Strikes

Aritra Patra
-
0
White House uses Call of Duty Video to Show Off Iranian Strikes

The White House has posted an official video on its X account featuring a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 animation spliced into a real-life video of bombings carried out by the US military on Iranian soil.

The video titled “Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue” does not start with a satellite image or a map presented by a military spokesperson, but rather with a character playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and activating a secret killstreak reward, MGB or Mass Guided Bombs, which is awarded after a clean 30-kill streak in multiplayer mode. The Call of Duty interface and explosions then cut into a real-life video of bombings carried out by the US military on Iranian soil.

Several CoD gamers have pointed out how seamlessly it has been integrated into the visuals, comparing it to trailers for the military franchise. It has been termed ‘creative messaging’ by several social media users and gamers, with some even calling it a ‘highlight reel’ of military operations.

When Is the Next Fortnite Update? Chapter 7 Season 1 Update Schedule (March 2026)

Yash More
-
0
When Is the Next Fortnite Update? Chapter 7 Season 1 Update Schedule (March 2026)

Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 1, also known as Pacific Break, has been live since late November 2025. Over the past three months, Epic Games has rolled out several major patches filled with new skins, collaborations, weapons, quests, and gameplay changes. With the season now in its final stretch, players are wondering when the next Fortnite update will arrive and what it will include.

Here is everything we know about the upcoming Fortnite update schedule and the end date for Chapter 7 Season 1.

When Is the Next Fortnite Update?

The next Fortnite update is the v40.00 patch, which is expected to arrive on March 19, 2026. This will not be a regular mid-season patch. Instead, v40.00 will mark the launch of Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 2, bringing a full seasonal transition with a new Battle Pass, map changes, and fresh content.

It is worth noting that Epic Games delayed the end of Chapter 7 Season 1 by roughly two weeks from its originally expected end date. The v39.50 update, which went live on February 19, 2026, was the final major patch for Pacific Break.

That update introduced the Fortnite Lantern Fest 2026 event along with a Solo Leveling collaboration featuring skins for Sung Jin-woo and Cha Hae-In. The most recent content update on February 23 added the Grace Ashcroft skin as part of a Resident Evil Requiem crossover.

Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 1 Full Update Schedule

Pacific Break followed a structured update cycle with major patches arriving roughly every two weeks. Here is the complete list of confirmed update dates for Chapter 7 Season 1:

  • v39.40 on February 5, 2026
  • v39.50 on February 19, 2026

During the v39.40 window, the South Park: Born in Chaos Mini Pass was removed from the game. The limited-time mode Crown Jam was also taken out shortly after that patch. Loot pool adjustments and bug fixes accompanied each update, as is standard for Fortnite patches.

What Could Come in the v40.00 Update?

Epic Games has not officially confirmed what Chapter 7 Season 2 will include. However, there is widespread speculation among leakers and the community that the next season could carry a Norse mythology theme. If true, players can expect new themed locations on the island along with a completely fresh Battle Pass lineup.

A Honkai: Star Rail crossover has also been speculated, with characters Blade and Kafka potentially being added to the game. A teaser for this collaboration was reportedly spotted earlier, though Epic has not confirmed anything yet.

As with every new season, players should expect a refreshed loot pool, new weapons, map changes, and a full set of weekly quests and story challenges.

When Does Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 1 End?

Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 1: Pacific Break is set to end on March 19, 2026. The season will have lasted around three and a half months in total, which is close to the standard duration for regular Fortnite seasons. This is notably longer than the shorter Simpsons-themed mini season that preceded it.

Epic Games typically begins releasing official teasers for the next season during the final two weeks of the current one. Players should keep an eye on Fortnite’s official social media channels for any hints about what Chapter 7 Season 2 will bring.

Until then, there is still time to finish any remaining Battle Pass tiers, complete weekly challenges, and earn rewards before the seasonal reset.

Hotfixes Between Major Updates

Epic Games regularly pushes smaller hotfix updates between major patches. These hotfixes can add new game files to the API, adjust weapon balance, fix bugs, or rotate limited-time modes. These do not require full game downloads and are applied during brief server-side maintenance windows.

Players who want to stay on top of every change should check official Fortnite channels and community Trello boards for real-time patch notes and status updates.

Riot Games Drops “Night Queue: After Hours” Event

Aritra Patra
-
0
Riot Games Drops “Night Queue: After Hours” Event

A new challenge for Valorant has been added by Riot Games in its usual stealthy manner. The challenge, named “Night Queue: After Hours,” will be available for a limited time from March 4 at 12 PM GMT to March 23 at 12 PM GMT. The challenge follows the usual milestone-based progression system. The challenge has been added to Riot’s FTW platform, which features various Valorant-themed events based on in-game updates and promotions.

According to Riot Games, Night Queue is an in-game event for Valorant that “was built for those late sessions that hit different.” Riot Games encourages players to “get in games, squad up with your friends, and try out some new comps to work towards some shared goals.” The challenge will be available for the entire duration in all regions.

Night Queue follows the structure of an FTW challenge, with the progression system based on reaching various in-game milestones rather than a battle pass. Like in prior FTW events, such as the Alpha vs. Omega war, participants will be rewarded with points that contribute to a leaderboard system. The better they perform in the challenge, the higher they will be rewarded. Although Riot has not specified all the cosmetic items that can be earned in Night Queue, in prior events, FTW challenges have been based on digital rewards.

Queues in the late hours of the night have always had a reputation that’s different from the daytime-ranked queues, which may be chaotic, full of smurfs, or all about the vibe, according to anecdotal evidence from high-rank players on the community forums.

For Riot, this is another part of their larger move to create time-limited game modes such as Night Market and FTW challenges, which are all built on top of their core 5v5 tactical shooter game.

New Valorant Skin Bundle “SilkLeaf” Revealed: All Skins, Price, Release Date, and More

US Government Considers Forcing Tencent to Divest Riot and Epic Games

Aritra Patra
-
0
US Government Considers Forcing Tencent to Divest Riot and Epic Games

US officials are currently debating whether to force the Chinese company to divest some of its largest gaming investments, such as Riot Games and Epic Games.

According to a Financial Times report, which has been picked up by regional tech media outlets such as GameDeveloper, senior officials in the Trump administration are currently divided over the possibility of allowing the Chinese company to hold its stakes in some of the biggest gaming firms in the US and Finland, with the meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled to take place shortly, with the gaming portfolio of the Chinese company to be discussed.

Apparently, the officials are concerned with the full ownership of Riot Games, the Los Angeles-based game development studio responsible for League of Legends and Valorant, and its 40 percent stake in Epic Games, the maker of the popular Fortnite game and Unreal Engine game development software. Discord has similarly been identified as part of the U.S. assets that could be subject to the forced sale drive.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) has been scrutinizing the stakes that Tencent owns in Riot Games, Epic Games, and Supercell, with concerns that Chinese national security laws could give the government leverage over the data of millions of Western gamers, according to previous reports. The company has been in negotiations to arrange “risk mitigation” measures to retain its stakes in the gaming firms.

CFIUS can demand structural changes or force foreign investors to unwind U.S. deals entirely, and it is using these powers more aggressively under the Biden and Trump administrations. In fact, Tencent Holdings recently chose to exit its planned role in Paramount Skydance’s bid for Warner Bros. Discovery precisely because it did not want to invite a review by CFIUS.

If policymakers take a hard stance against Tencent, it could force it to sell its stakes in Riot Games, Epic Games, and Supercell to new owners in the United States and its allies, or force it to live with far more draconian data and governance restrictions around its gaming subsidiaries. Changes to ownership structures at Riot Games, Epic Games, and Supercell would have significant implications for live service games like League of Legends and Fortnite, and Unreal Engine, which is used for thousands of games globally, even if day-to-day operations continue unaffected in the near term.

Astralis Qualifies for ESL Pro League Season 23 Stage 2

Sarjyo Mukherjee
-
0
Astralis Qualifies for ESL Pro League Season 23 Stage 2

Astralis are through to Stage 2 of ESL Pro League Season 23, dominating 3DMAX with a 2-0 scoreline. Returning to form after an unfortunate defeat, the Danish side’s convincing performance in a crucial match has earned them another milestone after losing big names from the squad before the start of the season.

VETO

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

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

Dominating the pistol round, Astralis stopped a fast-paced offence from the French side to kick off the series. Winning the majority of the rounds by the end of the first half, Astralis did not let 3DMAX win more than 3 rounds, leading to them swapping sides with a 9-3 scoreline. Winning the pistol round, 3DMAX narrowed the lead before Astralis caught momentum with the first gun round on their offence and from that point onwards, the French side was not allowed to win more than 1 round, leading to a quick conclusion of the first map. Taking a solid 13-6 win, the Danes put their side halfway into Stage 2 with Staehr topping the board with 19 kills and 1.67 IR.

Map 2: Overpass; Pick: Astralis; Winner: Astralis

Yet another pistol conversion to open the map gave Astralis an early lead on the T side to start their pick. While 3DMAX did pick up the first gun round, Astralis went on to put together a streak of 9 rounds before 3DMAX could return to the board before the end of the first half to switch sides with the same scoreline from map 1. Losing out on the pistol round and the force buy, Astralis converted the first gun round with their lead cut in half. Maintaining their lead, Astralis did not give up for a comeback to 3DMAX, leading to a perfect close of the second map and a statement win to qualify for the next round of play. The freshman Ryu stood out as the best player for Astralis with crucial clutches and 18 kills against a seasoned opposition.

3DMAX will have their back against the wall as the next loss would see them crash out of the ESL Pro League despite being one of the favorites to make it to the next stage. Judging by their recent performances, the gaps in their teamplay are yet to be addressed, as the teams are finding gaps, especially in their defence, far too easily, and unless they can address them by the next game, their next showing will be at a later event.

New Valorant Skin Bundle “SilkLeaf” Revealed: All Skins, Price, Release Date, and More

Sonu Banerjee
-
0
New Valorant Skin Bundle “SilkLeaf” Revealed: All Skins, Price, Release Date, and More

The Valorant “SilkLeaf” bundle is set to be the next skin bundle coming to the competitive shooter. While Riot Games has yet to officially reveal this new skin bundle, details surrounding the upcoming Silkleaf Collection have already surfaced online through various leaks, giving players the first look at what could be arriving in the in-game store soon.

In this article, we’ll take a look at everything you need to know about the new Valorant SilkLeaf bundle, including a list of its contents, its price, release date, and more.

Valorant SilkLeaf Bundle: All Skins

The Valorant SilkLeaf bundle will include skins for the following weapons:

  • Vandal
  • Marshal
  • Stinger
  • Bandit
  • Melee (Fan)

Images of the new Valorant SilkLeaf skins have already leaked online. Fans can check them out below.

Valorant SilkLeaf Bundle Price

The Valorant SilkLeaf bundle will be a Deluxe-tier Collection, which means it will likely be priced around 5,100 VP. Note that this is the expected price of the entire bundle.

The individual skins included in the SilkLeaf bundle are likely to have a price tag of 1,275 VP each, while the melee might cost you roughly 2,550 VP.

Note that these prices aren’t confirmed as of yet, and we’re estimating these based on similar bundles we’ve seen in the past.

Valorant SilkLeaf Bundle Release Date

Riot Games has yet to officially reveal the release date of the SilkLeaf skin bundle in Valorant. Fans can expect this new bundle to hit the game store within the next few days.

1...181920...2,020Page 19 of 2,020

EDITOR PICKS

Opinions

POPULAR CATEGORY

ABOUT US

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

Contact us: [email protected]

FOLLOW US

© TalkEsport Media & Broadcasting (P) Ltd. All Rights Reserved 2009-2026.