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Azerbaijan Esports Federation Raises Concerns After ENC Partner Selection, as EF Appoints 100+ Nations

Deepak Ojha
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Azerbaijan Esports Federation Raises Concerns After ENC Partner Selection, as EF Appoints 100+ Nations

The Azerbaijan Esports Federation has raised concerns following its exclusion from the National Team Partner (NTP) and National Team Manager (NTM) selections for the Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026, after the Esports Foundation announced partnerships across more than 100 countries.

In an official statement, the federation confirmed that it was not selected in the recent process, calling the outcome “disappointing” despite its existing relationships with major publishers including Electronic Arts, Tencent Games, and MOONTON Games.

However, it is worth noting that on the International Esports Federation’s website, the mention of Azerbaijan Esports Federation returns a 404.

Federation Flags Transparency Concerns

The Azerbaijan Esports Federation, which is officially recognized by the country’s Ministry of Youth and Sport, stated that it had undertaken structured efforts to build both international and grassroots esports development within the region.

However, it noted that no formal communication had been received at the institutional level regarding the entity selected to represent Azerbaijan. According to the statement, this includes a lack of clarity even through government channels.

The federation also highlighted that it was not given an opportunity to present its case through direct engagement during the selection process, raising broader concerns around transparency and institutional alignment in decisions related to national representation.

ENC Expands Global Footprint

The development comes shortly after the Esports Foundation confirmed National Team Partner appointments across more than 100 nations for the inaugural Esports Nations Cup 2026, set to take place in Riyadh.

The tournament is expected to feature a prize pool of $45 million across titles under the broader Esports World Cup ecosystem, positioning it as one of the largest investments in competitive gaming to date.

In India, NODWIN Gaming was named the official National Team Partner, tasked with leading team formation and national representation for the event.

Uncertainty Around Azerbaijan Representation

At the time of writing, the Esports Foundation has not publicly clarified the selected partner or representative body for Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijan Esports Federation stated that it will continue engaging with stakeholders to ensure that national representation reflects the interests of its players and broader community.

Further updates are expected as additional details emerge regarding the selection process and Azerbaijan’s representation at the Esports Nations Cup 2026.

Regional Game Prices Expected to Shift After Valve’s New Steam Pricing Update

Sonu Banerjee
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Regional Game Prices Expected to Shift After Valve’s New Steam Pricing Update

Earlier today, Valve introduced an update to the pricing conversion tools on Steam, adding two new conversion methods that might impact the regional price tags on games throughout the globe.

Additionally, the pricing conversion data on Steam has also been updated to “better reflect current market conditions around the world.” According to Steam’s official blog post,  these improvements have been made to help game devs on the platform price their titles in 35 currencies and 4 region groups worldwide.

Steam Adds New Pricing Conversion Tools for Game Devs

Following the update, Steam features three different conversion methods for devs to pick from when publishing games on the platform:

  • Exchange Rate Conversion – This method uses simple currency exchange.
  • Purchasing Power Conversion – This method takes into account public data about the average purchasing power of customers in the region. 
  • Multi-variable Conversion – This method uses multiple data sources for each currency, including factors like local purchasing power, expected cost of comparable entertainment goods, and exchange rates.

“These conversion methods are intended to help developers make informed decisions about pricing and to choose the option that best fits their goals,” Steam said in a statement. “Some developers may choose to use a mix of methods for their games or manually set prices for one or more currencies.”

Readers can check out Steam’s regional pricing page to check out how each of these pricing methods converts to all supported currencies for each major USD price point.

Will This Impact Video Game Prices?

Valve has also reassured gamers and game devs that the company won’t be altering the price tags on any games on Steam. Publishers will still set their own prices on the platform, and game prices won’t change unless they manually submit and publish new prices.

Steam also clarified that publishers are under no obligation to follow any of the suggested pricing conversion options if they choose otherwise.

“Your prices are between you and your customers,” Steam stated. “Whether you follow or diverge from any of the provided conversion options doesn’t impact any of our store visibility systems.”

While the new tools aim to make regional pricing more reflective of local markets, the final decision still rests entirely with publishers. This means game prices across different regions could soon see noticeable changes depending on how publishers choose to use these tools.

Needless to say, with the recent surge in PC hardware prices and the ever-increasing price points on AAA titles, gamers will be keeping their fingers crossed for these new changes to help make modern titles more affordable across different regions.

BGIS 2026 Grand Finals Day 2: Overall Standings and Recap

Hoax
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BGIS 2026 Grand Finals Day 2: Overall Standings and Recap

Day 2 of the Battlegrounds Mobile India Series (BGIS 2026) Grand Finals delivered six more action-packed matches at the Chennai Trade Centre on March 28. With 12 of the 18 total matches now behind us, the leaderboard is starting to take real shape, and Team Soul is sitting at the very top heading into the final day.

BGIS 2026 Grand Finals Day 2 Overall Points Table

After two days of competition, here is how the 16 teams stand going into Day 3 of the BGIS 2026 Grand Finals:

RankTeamPlacement PointsFinish PointsTotal Points
1Team Soul3780117
2Genesis Esports2688114
3GodLike Esports286896
4Vasista Esports305989
5Victores Sumus315485
6Orangutan275885
7Revenant XSpark156378
8Wyld Fangs344377
9Learn From Past244064
10Myth Official214364
11Reckoning Esports223961
12K9 Esports233760
13Meta Ninza193756
14Nebula Esports213051
15Team Tamilas123648
16Welt Esports142741

BGIS 2026 Grand Finals Day 2 Matchwise Recap

Here is the matchwise recap of BGIS 2026 Grand Finals Day 2:

Match 7 Recap: Rondo

Day 2 opened on the Rondo map, and it was Orangutan who set the tone immediately by securing their first Chicken Dinner of the Grand Finals with 26 points. Victores Sumus played a solid round to pocket 16 points, while Myth and Vasista Esports collected 14 and 13 points, respectively. Revenant XSpark and Welt each grabbed 11 points in a round that saw multiple teams close the gap.

Match 8 Recap: Erangel

The second game of the day shifted to Erangel, where Wyld Fangs reclaimed some lost ground with a 14-point Chicken Dinner victory. However, it was Genesis Esports that made the biggest noise, playing highly aggressively to rack up 20 points without even winning the match. LEFP also turned heads with a 14-point haul, and Team Tamilas chipped in with 9 points.

Match 9 Recap: Erangel

Meta Ninza stepped up in Match 9 on Erangel, coming away with a well-earned 21-point victory. Team GodLike had one of their stronger games of Day 2, adding 18 points and climbing back into contention. Team Soul continued their consistent run with 15 points, while Genesis contributed another 10 to keep themselves neck-and-neck with Soul at the top of the table.

Match 10 Recap: Erangel

K9 Esports had been quiet throughout the tournament, but Match 10 was their moment. They claimed their first Chicken Dinner of the Grand Finals with 24 points and gave their fanbase something to cheer about. Revenant XSpark followed up with a strong 21-point game, while LEFP and Reckoning each added 7 points to continue building their totals.

Match 11 Recap: Miramar

Match 11 on Miramar produced arguably the most surprising result of the day, as Nebula emerged victorious with 21 points and secured their first Chicken Dinner of the Grand Finals. Vasista Esports and Myth were solid in support, earning 14 and 13 points respectively. Orangutan added 10 useful points to their tally, while Genesis collected 9 more points, continuing their impressive run of consistent finishes.

Match 12 Recap: Miramar

Day 2 closed the way Team Soul would have scripted it. They won Match 12 on Miramar with 19 points, sealing their second Chicken Dinner of the tournament and their grip on first place. LEFP had a productive final game of the day with 16 points. Orangutan and Genesis both added 11 and 10 points respectively, while Vasista Esports managed 9 to stay within striking distance of the top three.

What to Expect on Day 3

Team Soul leads with 117 points and two Chicken Dinners, but Genesis Esports is just 3 points behind in second place, making this one of the tightest title races BGIS has seen in recent memory. GodLike, despite a slightly off Day 2, still sits third with 96 points and two Chicken Dinners, meaning they are very much in the mix for the trophy. With six matches remaining on Day 3, teams ranked 4th through 8th, including Vasista, Victores Sumus, Orangutan, Revenant XSpark, and Wyld Fangs, all have enough points to realistically challenge for the top spots. The Grand Finals conclude on March 29 at the Chennai Trade Centre, and fans should brace for an explosive finish.

FACEIT CS2 Players to Undergo Rank Recalibration in Season 8

Sonu Banerjee
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FACEIT CS2 Players to Undergo Rank Recalibration in Season 8

All FACEIT players will have their ranks recalibrated starting with Season 8, the platform has confirmed.

Through an announcement video on March 26, FACEIT confirmed the launch of Season 8 on April 22, 2026. With the start of the new FACEIT season, all players on the platform will need to complete 10 placement matches to receive their new rank.

FACEIT Season 8 Recalibration Explained

Don’t worry, the rank recalibration coming in the upcoming FACEIT Season 8 isn’t a hard reset. It’s more of a soft reset aimed at fine-tuning player ratings, meaning regular players who are actively playing the game likely won’t see major changes, while those who have been inactive for a while may notice more significant adjustments corresponding to their current skill level.

“The goal is to keep the highest levels competitive and make your Elo reflect how you play today, not how you played months ago,” FACEIT said in its official blog post on the topic.

Your new FACEIT Elo will be determined once you finish your 10 placement matches, and until then, your Elo will remain temporarily hidden. If you’ve been inactive on the platform for a while, you might see a drop in your FACEIT ranking based on how you perform in your recalibration matches.

According to FACEIT, the recalibration was necessary to address uneven matchmaking that was largely driven by inactive players returning after extended breaks and the wide skill disparity between players within the uncapped level 10.

“This soft reset combats the inflation that can naturally happen at this level and ensures that level 10 stays highly competitive,” the statement reads.

For the same reason, players shouldn’t be surprised if the first few recalibration matches feature a noticeable skill disparity between teams, as this would be a direct result of the system effectively re-sorting the ladder for all players in real time.

Until the new season launches, CS2 players looking to secure a higher FACEIT rank at the start of Season 8 may want to keep grinding on the platform, as recent Elo and activity will directly influence their starting point.

Sony Raises PS5, PS5 Pro, and PlayStation Portal Prices Starting April 2

Aritra Patra
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Sony Raises PS5, PS5 Pro, and PlayStation Portal Prices Starting April 2

Sony is raising the prices of the PS5, PS5 Pro, and PlayStation Portal remote player across all major markets. The new prices go into effect on April 2, 2026. This is the second price increase in under a year, following a $50 hike in August 2025.

New PS5 Prices in the US, UK, Europe, and Japan

Here are the updated prices as confirmed by PlayStation:

United States

  • PS5: $649.99 (up from $549.99)
  • PS5 Digital Edition: $599.99 (up from $499.99)
  • PS5 Pro: $899.99 (up from $749.99)
  • PlayStation Portal: $249.99 (up from $199.99)

United Kingdom

  • PS5: £569.99
  • PS5 Digital Edition: £519.99
  • PS5 Pro: £789.99
  • PlayStation Portal: £219.99

Europe

  • PS5: €649.99
  • PS5 Digital Edition: €599.99
  • PS5 Pro: €899.99
  • PlayStation Portal: €249.99

Japan

  • PS5: ¥97,980
  • PS5 Digital Edition: ¥89,980
  • PS5 Pro: ¥137,980
  • PlayStation Portal: ¥39,980

Why Is Sony Raising PS5 Prices Again?

Sony cited “continued pressures in the global economic landscape” as the reason, saying the price change was “a necessary step to ensure we can continue delivering innovative, high-quality gaming experiences to players worldwide.”

The company did not name specific causes, but multiple factors are at play. Sony is now contending with an unprecedented surge in memory prices. Memory is a key component of the PS5, and prices have jumped significantly as memory makers direct their stock to meet heavy demand from AI data centers while supply stays tight.

Other contributing factors include US President Donald Trump’s tariffs and global markets taking a hit from the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran.

Piers Harding-Rolls, research director of games at Ampere Analysis, told CNBC that price rises were inevitable due to the increase in memory prices.

This Is the Second Hike in Less Than a Year

The last price hike raised prices by $50. The latest increase is steeper, at $100 for most products.

At launch, the PS5 cost $499.99/£449.99/€499.99, and the Digital Edition $399.99/£359.99/€399.99. This kind of repeated price hiking is unprecedented within game hardware. In every other console generation, the cost went down over time. For PS5, it has gone the other way.

The PS5 Pro, which launched at $699, now costs $899. That is a $200 total increase from its release price in roughly a year.

Xbox Game Pass “Triton” Leak Points to a First-Party Only Tier

Aritra Patra
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Xbox Game Pass “Triton” Leak Points to a First-Party Only Tier

A new Xbox Game Pass tier with the codename “Triton” has appeared in Microsoft’s backend data. The find comes from X user @redphx, who regularly digs into Game Pass backend updates before they go public.

What Is Triton?

Triton appears to be a new Game Pass tier that would only include first-party games from Xbox Game Studios, unlike existing tiers, which also carry third-party titles.

The games listed under the Triton codename include DOOM Eternal, Dishonored 2, Fable Anniversary, Fallout 4, Fallout 76, Gears 5, Halo 5: Guardians, Halo Wars 2, Hellblade, Ori and the Blind Forest, State of Decay 2, and The Elder Scrolls Online.

It is unclear whether Triton would include all Xbox first-party games or only a selected set. It is also possible that this is an internal experiment that never sees release. Price, timing, and other details are not available.

Why This Matters Now

Asha Sharma became CEO of Microsoft Gaming in February 2026. One of her priorities is making Game Pass more accessible, potentially reversing some of the frustration caused by last year’s price increases.

Microsoft raised Game Pass prices in October 2025, with the Ultimate tier jumping 50% to $30 per month.

The cheapest plan, Game Pass Essential, currently costs $10 a month and covers around 50 games. Ultimate at $30 unlocks over 500 titles, day-one releases, EA Play, and Ubisoft+.

A first-party only tier could sit below Essential, giving Microsoft a lower entry point without renegotiating third-party licensing deals.

Other Changes in the Pipeline

An ad-supported Xbox Cloud Gaming tier is also reported for 2026, letting players stream their own purchased games without needing an active Game Pass subscription.

Netflix CEO Greg Peters confirmed he has met with Sharma multiple times and that the two have discussed potential bundle ideas.

Microsoft has not officially acknowledged Triton or commented on its contents. Cloud gaming is a big part of these plans, and Xbox has reportedly landed a GTA 6 Xbox Cloud Gaming deal for launch.

BGIS 2026 Grand Finals Kick Off in Chennai as Team Soul Leads After Day 1

Arpita Tewari
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BGIS 2026 Grand Finals Kick Off in Chennai as Team Soul Leads After Day 1

The fifth edition of the BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA SERIES (BGIS) 2026 Grand Finals began on March 27 at the Chennai Trade Centre, marking the start of one of India’s biggest BGMI esports events of the year.

Day 1 featured six matches played across Rondo, Erangel, and Miramar, with all 16 qualified teams competing in front of a live audience, alongside viewers tuning in via the KRAFTON India Esports YouTube channel. The Grand Finals bring together eight teams from the Semifinals held in Hyderabad between March 12 and March 15, along with eight additional teams that qualified through the Survival Stage from March 16 to March 17.

Participating teams include iQOO Soul, GodLike Esports, Orangutan, Revenant XSpark, Genesis, Welt Esports, Nebula, Team Tamilas, and Wyld Fangs, among others.

Team Soul Tops Standings After Day 1

Following six matches, Team Soul leads the overall standings with 66 points. GodLike Esports sits in second place with 63 points, while Victores Sumus holds third position with 57 points.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhyQjTQh0Ps

The rest of the standings remain closely contested, with Wyld Fangs and Genesis completing the top five after Day 1.

BGIS 2026 Day 1 Overall Standings

PositionTeamPoints
1Soul66
2GodLike63
3Victores Sumus57
4Wyld Fangs55
5Genesis54
6Velocity Esports48
7Revenant Esports42
8Revenant XSpark35
9Orangutan28
10NinjaboiZ26
11K9 Esports24
12Myth Official24
13Welt Esports21
14Team Tamilas20
15LEFP16
16Nebula14

All matches from BGIS 2026 are being streamed live on the KRAFTON India Esports YouTube channel, with coverage available in multiple languages including English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Mizo, and Malayalam.

Day 2 of the Grand Finals is scheduled to resume on March 28, with matches expected to begin around 1:00 PM IST.

Aurora Reaches BLAST Open Rotterdamn Semi-Finals

Sarjyo Mukherjee
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Aurora Reaches BLAST Open Rotterdamn Semi-Finals

Aurora is finally going to the semi-finals of the BLAST open Rotterdam, beating Asian giants MongolZ with a 2-0 scoreline. Waiting for them is Vitality, setting up for a smashing semi-finals, and will arguably be the toughest challenge for the Turks so far in the event.

VETO

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

Map 1: Inferno; Pick: Aurora; Winner: Aurora

Aurora hit the board by converting their 2nd round force-buy after the MongolZ managed to win the pistol round. Levelled scoreline saw Aurora pull ahead before MongolZ managed to muster up a few rounds by the end of the first half. Winning the final round of the half, MongolZ managed to level the scoreline before switching sides. Having fought back in the first half, Aurora completely dominated MongolZ in the second half as the Asian side failed to win a single round. The 910 AWP, becoming the saving grace in the first half, failed to make much of an impact from the T side, leading to a quick conclusion of the map with a 13-6 scoreline.

Map 2: Mirage; Pick: MongolZ; Winner: Aurora

Following a rock-solid defence, Aurora continued the momentum on Mirage, going 5-0 up before MongolZ could hit the board. As the half progressed, MongolZ roped in 2 more rounds by the end of the half as Aurora won the final round to go to their offense with an 8-4 lead. By winning the pistol, Aurora went 3-0 up before MongolZ hit the board with the first gun round. As MongolZ started winning rounds, Aurora was 2 rounds away from the finish line, and after beating a few rounds, they pushed the game over the line with an effortless close. Wicadia, with 23 kills, proved to be the starman on Mirage that saw Aurora reach the semi-finals against Team Vitality.

MongolZ has fallen off significantly, and failing to replace senzu is the only way to justify this drop in form. Cobrazera’s addition has not yielded the best results, but only time can tell if there is a fix to be found.

How to Get the Fortnite Soft Roller Pickaxe for Free

Sonu Banerjee
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How to Get the Fortnite Soft Roller Pickaxe for Free

Epic Games is giving away various free cosmetics to Fortnite players, including the Soft Roller Pickaxe, as part of the new Victory Royale Rally event, but you may not have much time left to claim it.

The Fortnite Soft Roller Pickaxe is only available to obtain between March 27 and March 30, so you’ll need to be quick if you wish to add this limited-edition item to your locker.

If you’re looking to get the Soft Roller Pickaxe for free in Fortnite, we’ve got you covered.

How To Get the Free Fortnite Soft Roller Pickaxe

To claim the Fortnite Soft Roller Pickaxe for free, all you need to do is log into the game between the aforementioned dates and get a Victory Royale.

Upon getting a win in either the Battle Royale or Zero Build game modes, you’ll automatically get the Soft Roller Pickaxe alongside the new Victory Umbrella.

Note that both items will automatically be added to your Fortnite Locker upon the conclusion of the Victory Royale Rally event on March 30, at 8 am ET.

That’s everything you need to know about how to get the Soft Roller Pickaxe for free in Fortnite.

PUBG MOBILE Global Open 2026 Surpasses 1 Million Registrations Ahead of Jakarta Finals

Arpita Tewari
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PUBG MOBILE Global Open 2026 Surpasses 1 Million Registrations Ahead of Jakarta Finals

PUBG Mobile Esports has announced that the 2026 PUBG MOBILE Global Open (PMGO) Season 1 has surpassed 1 million registered participants worldwide, marking a record for the open-entry tournament.

The milestone coincides with PUBG MOBILE’s eighth anniversary and reflects the scale of participation in its global competitive ecosystem.

Registrations for PMGO Season 1 opened on February 5, with players from more than 200 countries and regions entering the competition. The tournament is currently in its qualification phase, with national and regional qualifiers running through March to May.

Teams are competing for limited qualification spots, with only top-performing squads advancing to the main event.

Jakarta to Host $500,000 Main Event

The PMGO Season 1 Main Event will take place from June 2 to June 7 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Qualified teams will compete for a total prize pool of $500,000.

The event will feature both established professional teams and newly qualified amateur squads, following the open qualification pathway. PMGO Season 1 follows a multi-stage structure beginning with open registrations, followed by regional qualifiers and culminating in the main event.

The tournament forms part of the broader 2026 competitive calendar, which will also include major international events such as the PUBG MOBILE World Cup (PMWC) and the PUBG MOBILE Global Championship (PMGC). The tournament continues to operate on an open-entry format, allowing players across regions to participate in the qualification process.

With registrations exceeding one million, PMGO 2026 Season 1 stands as one of the largest participation-driven tournaments in mobile esports to date.

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