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LoL Patch 26.20 Notes: Worlds 2026 Buffs, Nerfs, Rocketbelt, and More

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October 7, 2026

LoL Patch 26.20 Notes: Worlds 2026 Buffs, Nerfs, Rocketbelt, and More

LoL Patch 26.20 goes live on October 7, 2026, and it will be the version used for the 2026 World Championship. Riot Games published the notes on October 6. The update buffs 11 champions, nerfs 5 champions and 2 items, and changes Hextech Rocketbelt again. Varus and Sylas were pulled from the patch. Riot Games says the patch adjusts pro-play staples and buffs weaker champions.

This article covers the LoL 26.20 patch notes, including the Rocketbelt changes, Lillia buffs, Classic updates, and Mayhem tuning.

LoL Patch 26.20 Release Date

Riot Games released the LoL Patch 26.20 for live servers on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. Worlds 2026 will be played on this version, so the changes apply to the biggest event of the season.

It nerfs Ambessa, Ashe, Cassiopeia, K’Sante, and Yunara. Runaan’s Hurricane and Experimental Hexplate also receive nerfs. Hextech Rocketbelt gets an adjustment.

Let’s take a look at the full patch notes.

LoL Patch 26.20 Patch Notes

Here are the official patch notes:

Private Replays

Starting with this patch, you will only be able to access replays from matches you played in. Other players will no longer be able to download your replays, and third-party apps & sites will lose access to replay downloads entirely.

We are making this change, alongside some restrictions on third party access to game memory, to close some security vulnerabilities that have recently been exploited by cheat developers and other bad actors to build unauthorized tools around League game data. You can read more about the full context in our Game Memory Removed for Third Party Apps Player Support article.

Rest assured that this change will not impact your ability to VOD review your own matches by downloading and watching your replays directly in the League client!

Champions

Ambessa

Ambessa has been too reliable in her late game output for players with high mastery in all brackets, but especially pro-play.

Passive – Drakehound’s Step

Damage: 5 – 30 (+25% bonus AD) ⇒ 5 – 25 (+20% bonus AD)

Ashe

Ashe is one of the premier marksmen in pro play at the moment, and we’re seeing her output too much raw damage given her position as the highest utility marksman in the game.

Base Stats

Attack Damage per Level: 3.5 ⇒ 3

Cassiopeia

Our changes two patches ago to Cassiopeia have been pretty good directionally, with most players being proportionally less impacted from those adjustments than pros. We’re taking another swing at her early resources because of how dominant she still is in early laning, making her work a little harder to create an advantage.

Base Stats

Base Health: 630 ⇒ 610
Base Mana: 480 ⇒ 450

Diana

While Diana’s assassin build shines, her bruiser builds tend to be lagging a good bit behind. We want to inject a bit more power into that playstyle.

W – Pale Cascade

Shield Bonus Health Ratio: 11% ⇒ 14%

Kennen

Stacking the odds a bit more in his favor with his signature spell (in Riftbound) and offsetting Rocketbelt changes that he’ll be a bit less excited about.

E – Lightning Rush

Bonus Attack Speed: 40 / 50 / 60 / 70 / 80% ⇒ 50 / 60 / 70 / 80 / 90%

Kindred

Kindred is currently a bit weak, so we’re giving them buffs in areas that won’t make them much more overwhelming in early invades. Optimistically, they’d also make a pretty unique addition to the meta.

W – Wolf’s Frenzy

Monster Mod: 150% ⇒ 165%

E – Mounting Dread

Slow Duration: 1s ⇒ 1.5s
Small Monster Targeting: Enabled ⇒ Removed

K’Sante

Warding off this warden from being as reliable as a blind pick in coordinated play – hurting early mana and consistent W damage reduction, which should be skewed for elite audiences.

W – Path Maker

Mana Cost: 40 / 45 / 50 / 55 / 60 ⇒ 45 / 50 / 55 / 60 / 65
W Base/All-Out Damage Reduction: 30 / 75% ⇒ 25 / 70%

Lillia

Last patch we looked to inject a bit more power into the deer, but didn’t quite see the movement we were looking for. We believe there is a bit more room for her to really prance around various levels of play so we are following up with another buff that’ll really help her shine.

R – Lilting Lullaby

Duration: 2.5s ⇒ 2.5 / 2.75 / 3s

Lucian

Last patch’s adjustment to help normalize mid and bot performance ended up landing as a nerf for bot lane, so we’re following up with a buff to make up for the lost power.

Base Stats

Attack Damage: 60 + 2.5/Level ⇒ 60 + 2.9/Level

Mordekaiser

Windows between Mordekaiser’s ultimates make it hard to keep up with the pace of much of his opposition. His bread and butter (Q) can also feel less impactful as the pace of the game increases, so we think it can do more damage later on.

Q – Obliterate

Scaling Level 10-20: (+5/lvl) ⇒ (+7/lvl)

R – Realm of Death

Cooldown: 140 / 120 / 100s ⇒ 120 / 110 / 100s

Neeko

Rocketbelt’s adjustment this patch will probably land as a small nerf for Neeko, so we’re giving her some minor compensation

E – Tangle-Barbs

Base Damage: 70 / 105 / 140 / 175 / 210 (+65% AP) ⇒ 80 / 115 / 150 / 185 / 220 (+65% AP)
Empowered Root Duration: 1.8 / 2.1 / 2.4 / 2.7 / 3s ⇒ 2 / 2.25 / 2.5 / 2.75 / 3s

Smolder

Smolder has lost quite a bit of power over the last few patches, with the Cleaver ranged nerf and bot lane meta changes disfavoring him significantly. We’re further encouraging crit builds to bring his bruiser and full crit builds closer in power.

Passive – Dragon Practice

Super Scorcher Bonus Magic Damage: 25 – 55% (+0-9% with IE) of Dragon Practice Stacks, scaling with Crit Chance ⇒ 25 – 60% (+0-10.5% with IE) of Dragon Practice Stacks, scaling with Crit Chance
Flap Flap Flap Bonus Magic Damage: 8 – 12.8% (+0-1.44% with IE) of Dragon Practice Stacks, scaling with Crit Chance ⇒ 8 – 14% (+0-1.8% with IE) of Dragon Practice Stacks, scaling with Crit Chance

R – Mmooommmm!

Self Heal: 100 / 135 / 170 (+50% bonus AD) (+75% AP) ⇒ 100 / 175 / 250 (+75% bonus AD) (+75% AP)

Swain

We’re giving Swain mid a moderate buff this patch while also making an adjustment that should help normalize his mid and bot lane performance.

Base Stats

Base Magic Resistance: 31 ⇒ 34
Base Armor: 25 ⇒ 23

W – Vision of Empire

Damage: 70 / 105 / 140 / 175 / 210 (+60%) ⇒ 70 / 115 / 160 / 205 / 250 (+60%)
Cooldown: 22 / 21 / 20 / 19 / 18s ⇒ 20 / 19 / 18 / 17 / 16s

Tahm Kench

As one of the tank supports with the lowest health regen, and many health scaling values on his abilities, Tahm Kench lost out on the recent adjustments to the support item. We’re giving him compensation for that.

Q – Tongue Lash

Base Healing: 10 / 13.75 / 17.5 / 21.25 / 25 ⇒ 10 / 20 / 30 / 40 / 50

Vayne

Vayne has settled into a fairly weak spot, and while we still aren’t totally happy with her top vs bot skew, we’re getting closer. We’re adjusting her base stats to help in bot where she needs to weather harass, and reverting a mana cost to her Q that simply felt way too bad.

Base Stats

Health per 5: 4 + .5/Level ⇒ 5.5 +.4/Level

Q – Tumble

Mana Cost: 46 / 42 / 38 / 34 / 30 ⇒ 30

Yunara

Yunara is the leading candidate for “handshake hyperscaler do nothing” and we want to avoid that becoming the dominant meta, especially heading into worlds.

Q – Cultivation of Spirit

Passive On Hit Damage: 5 / 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 (+20% AP) ⇒ 3 / 8 / 13 / 18 / 23 (+20% AP)
Active On Hit Damage: 5 / 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 (+20% AP) ⇒ 3 / 8 / 13 / 18 / 23 (+20% AP)

W – Arc of Judgement

Slow Stacking: Stacks with other slows ⇒ No longer stacks with other slows

Items

Experimental Hexplate

We’ve been fairly unhappy with how this item has played out for ranged users, especially as a first rush in top lane where it makes them too resilient to burst and too lethal during all ins.

Ranged Mod: 70% of Value (35% Attack Speed, 14% Move Speed) ⇒ 50% of Value (25% Attack Speed, 10% Move Speed)

Hextech Rocketbelt

Rocketbelt continues to be used a bit too much as an escape compared to a risky engage tool, so we are pulling back on its generic value in favor of emphasizing aggressive action with it, especially for AP Bruisers who rely on it for all ins.

Ability Haste: 20 ⇒ 10
Active Damage: 100 (+10% AP) ⇒ 135 (+15% AP)

Runaan’s Hurricane

This item was slightly overbuffed, so pulling back on that a bit.

Attack Damage per Bolt: 65% ⇒ 60%

Scoreboard Cleanup

Our recent systemic buff-bar clarity work moved a lot of numbers from buffs onto items. These numbers began terrorizing your scoreboards (thanks, Death’s Dance). The scoreboard should show strategically relevant information, not noisy in-the-moment combat state, and we’re hiding most item numbers on the scoreboard to reflect this principle. Strategically relevant item numbers, like Tear of the Goddess items and Mejai’s Soulstealer, remain on the scoreboard icons.

The following items’ icon counters are now hidden on the scoreboard:

Death’s Dance
Haunting Guise
Liandry’s Torment
Riftmaker
Kraken Slayer
Terminus
Guinsoo’s Rageblade
Fiendhunter Bolts
Echoes of Helia
Dead Man’s Plate
Spear of Shojin
Overlord’s Bloodmail
Hullbreaker
Jak’sho the Protean
Force of Nature

Classic

Are you ready for MORE new old champions?! Because we are! This time around we’ve got an eclectic crew who have no business forming a band together. Everyone please welcome Aatrox, Caitlyn, Irelia, Karma, and Quinn to the Fields of Justice.

As a note, the Act II Battle Pass will be arriving with Patch 26.21

Champions

NEW Aatrox

Aatrox was just a baby, 3 patches old, when we chose to snapshot him for League Classic. He only ever had four balance changes before his rework in 2017 and subsequent rework in 2018, and we’re excited to see how he’ll perform again. He’s an attack-focused fighter, damaging himself to gain attack speed and revive when he would be killed

Passive – Blood Well: Aatrox’s basic abilities damage himself to fill his Blood Well, which gives him bonus attack speed. If he’s killed, he empties his Blood Well to revive on the spot.
Q – Dark Flight: Aatrox flies up and crashes down, damaging and knocking up enemies in the area.
W – Blood Thirst / Blood Price: Toggle between Blood Thirst and Blood Price, each of which have bonus effects every three attacks. Blood Thirst heals Aatrox, increased when he’s low on health. Blood Price deals bonus damage and self-damages.
E – Blades of Torment: Aatrox fires out two projectiles that damage and slow all enemies they touch.
R – Massacre: Aatrox damages all nearby enemy champions and gains bonus attack speed and attack range for several seconds.

NEW Caitlyn

Classic’s version of Caitlyn was live from 2011-2015. Did you know when she first came out, some players were upset that she was too similar to Miss Fortune?

Passive – Headshot: Every few attacks, Caitlyn fires a headshot, dealing bonus damage. Headshot charges up faster while attacking from brush.
Q – Piltover Peacemaker: Catilyn fires a piercing shot that deals less damage to each subsequent target.
W – Yordle Snap Trap: Caitlyn puts a trap on the ground that roots and damages the first enemy champion to walk over it. She can have up to 2 traps down at a time.
E – 90 Caliber Net: Caitlyn fires out a massive net, knocking herself back in the process. The net damages and slows the first enemy it hits.
R – Ace in the Hole: Caitlyn channels then fires a single bullet at an enemy champion, which deals tons of damage, but can be intercepted by other enemy champions.

NEW Irelia

Welcome back the 2010-2018 version of Irelia! The original Trinity Force poster child is here to even the odds no matter how bad they look. She’s been Q-max, W-max, and E-max at various points in time, so see what build order works for you! She’s a fast but deceptively durable fighter who loves to be the underdog.

Passive – Ionian Fervor: Irelia gains bonus Tenacity based on how many visible enemy champions are nearby.
Q – Bladesurge: Irelia dashes to an enemy, dealing damage and applying on-hit effects. If it kills the target, Bladesurge’s full cooldown and some of its mana cost are refunded.
W – Hiten Style: Passively, Irelia restores some health with every attack. While active, her attacks deal bonus true damage and restore even more health.
E – Equilibrium Strike: Irelia damages and slows a nearby enemy. If they have higher %HP than her, she stuns them instead..
R – Transcendent Blades: Irelia sequentially fires out four blades in a line, each damaging all enemies they hit and restoring some health to Irelia. This is definitely not just a wave clear tool.

NEW Karma

Karma came out just two patches after Caitlyn and was only live for just over two years before being reworked in early 2013. Karma is arguably League’s first battlemage, rewarding her for getting in the thick of it and making her stronger the more health she’s missing.

Passive – Inner Flame: Karma gains bonus AP based on her missing health.
Q – Heavenly Wave: Karma fires out blades in a fan, err, cone in front of her, damaging all enemies it hits. If empowered with Mantra, it also heals all allies (herself included), scaling with their missing health.
W – Spirit Bond: Karma bonds with another target, giving allies (herself included) move speed, slowing enemies, and creating a tether between the two. Any champion caught in the clothesline is hasted or slowed as if they were the initial target. Enemies who get caught in the clothesline are damaged. If empowered with Mantra, all move speed effects are doubled.
E – Soul Shield: Karma shields a target. If empowered with Mantra, it also damages all enemies around her target.
R – Mantra: Mantra is available at level 1 and can hold up to two charges. She can cast it to empower her next basic ability.

NEW Quinn and Valor

Quinn and Valor have returned, having only existed in this form for just over two years, from 2013-2015. Quinn is a ranged and evasive auto-attacker, while her ultimate calls in Valor to fight as a blistering-fast melee skirmisher instead.

Passive – Harrier: Valor periodically marks nearby enemies, whom Quinn can attack to deal bonus damage.
Q – Blinding Assault: Valor flies out to damage and blind enemies in an area.
W – Heightened Senses: Passively gives Quinn bonus attack and move speed whenever she triggers Harrier. Activate to briefly reveal a large area around her.
E – Vault: Quinn dashes to and then vaults off an enemy, damaging, knocking back, and slowing them. Valor then marks the target with Harrier.
R – Tag Team: Quinn retreats from the battlefield, sending Valor in her place. Valor has substantial bonus move speed, permanently has an empowered version of Heightened Senses’ attack speed buff, and casts modified versions of Blinding Assault and Vault. Re-casting (R) casts Skystrike, damaging all nearby enemies and returning Quinn to the battlefield.

Fiora

Fiora is still the game’s most dominant top laner even after her last set of nerfs, so we’re back for one more round. We don’t want to take down her explosive ultimate any further, so we’re just going for a generic damage nerf.

W – Riposte

Bonus Attack Damage: 15 / 20 / 25 / 30 / 35 ⇒ 10 / 15 / 20 / 25 / 30

Graves

Graves came out swinging, being both wildly popular and arguably the game’s strongest champion. We’ve got some feel-good changes to his animations, especially his critical strike one, and some less-feel-good nerfs as he desperately needs them. We’re looking to preserve his bursty shotgunning and unique aspects as a tanky ADC, so that means we simply have to reduce his sustained damage.

Base Stats

Basic Attack and Critical Attack Animations: Sped up
Base Attack Damage: 54.1 ⇒ 50
Attack Damage per Level: 3.1 ⇒ 2.5
Attack Speed per Level: 2.9% ⇒ 2.5%

R – Collateral Damage

Cone Damage: 140 / 250 / 360 + 120% bonus AD ⇒ 140 / 230 / 320 + 100% bonus AD
Projectile Damage: Unchanged

Fizz

Fizz came out right behind Graves as a super strong performer, but mostly as an AP assassin in mid lane. We want to preserve both his assassin and fighter playstyles, so we’re skewing our nerfs toward his higher-AP builds. We’re pulling in lighter versions of a couple of nerfs from 2013 and 2015, aimed at bringing his guaranteed burst down to size, since he has so much reliable damage already with Deathfire Grasp and 75% AP ratio Lich Bane.

Q – Urchin Strike

Ability Power Ratio: 60% ⇒ 40%

W – Seastone Trident

Active Ability Power Ratio: 35% ⇒ 20%

Kennen

Kennen hasn’t quite reached the same heights as his other ninja compatriots and we’re confident he isn’t performing as well as he should. AD Kennen needs substantially more help than his other builds, so we’re skewing his buffs in ways to help those players out most of all

W – Electrical Surge

Passive Damage: 40 / 50 / 60 / 70 / 80% total AD ⇒ 25 / 40 / 55 / 70 / 85 + 100% bonus AD

Nautilus

Unlike his other water-themed friends, Nautilus didn’t come out swinging. Sometimes that anchor just weighs him down… Ultimately, he’s weak in all three of his main roles (Support, Jungle, Top) and we’d like to help those latter two most of all. So we’re fixing one major bug while pulling in buffs and reverting nerfs from early in his lifetime, giving him more reason to soak up experience and wade into the thick of the fight.

Passive – Staggering Blow

Bug Fix: Fixed a bug where the empowered attack was critting for too much damage.

W – Titan’s Wrath

Bug Fix: Fixed a bug where the shield wasn’t factoring in armor or magic resistance.
Damage over Time: 40 / 55 / 70 / 85 / 100 + 40% AP ⇒ 40 / 65 / 90 / 115 / 140 + 40% AP
Shield Bonus Health Ratio: 10% ⇒ 15%
Shield Duration: 9.75 ⇒ 10

Items

Several of our tank items are underperforming. It turns out, they’ve got too little health regen, so they’re being increased. And we have a shop display bugfix for Banshee’s Veil so you can find it when searching for health items.

Spirit Visage

Health per 5: 4 ⇒ 20

Force of Nature

Health per 5: 20 ⇒ 40

Warmog’s Armor

Health per 5: 10 ⇒ 30

Banshee’s Veil

Stat Filter Filters: Ability Power ⇒ Health

Bugfixes

Fixed a bug where an incorrect translation was displayed in Fizz’s (E) ability description in a Classic match.
Fixed a bug where Shyvana’s Burnout (W) could be cast while it was still active.
Fixed a bug where Miss Fortune’s Splash Art used the Classic one for the Base.
Fixed a bug where Shyvana’s Dragon’s Descent (R) did not cancel channels.
Fixed a bug where Kayle’s Reckoning (Q) applied on-hit effects.
Fixed a bug where Graves’ Classic splash art was not displayed in the Collection tab, Loading Screen, Honor Screen, Progression Screen, or End of Game Scoreboard.
Fixed a bug where Champions Overview Role Icons did not match the listed Champions’ Roles in the Classic Collection Menu.
Fixed a bug where Teemo did not regain the movement speed bonus from Move Quick (W) after death.
Fixed a bug where Graves’ overview page did not display text under “Classic Changes.”
Fixed a bug where Nautilus’ title “The Titan of the Depths” was not displayed under the champion’s name.
Fixed a bug where Sion could lifesteal when attacking enemy Inhibitors.
Fixed a bug where Pantheon’s Aegis Protection (P) text description contained an unlocalized string of text in the Classic Collection.
Fixed a bug where Quicksilver Sash, Mercurial Scimitar, or Gangplank’s Remove Scurvy (W) could grant temporary vision while affected by Graves’ Smoke Screen (W) Near Sighted Debuff.
Fixed a bug where owned Rune Pages could overflow the available content area and clip the Rune Editor or Statistics panel.
Fixed a bug where Classic Summoner’s Spells played incorrect sound effects when cast.
Fixed grammatical and text formatting errors in Fiora’s Classic Changes Overview and Abilities Preview tabs.

ARAM: Mayhem

Hello Mayhemers!

This patch, we’re giving some champions and Augments that need a little love some extra attention. For champions, we’re introducing champion-specific buffs that strengthen their core play patterns while also making them more accessible and satisfying to play in Mayhem. For Augments, we’re continuing to focus on usability improvements.

For example, Missile Split will now split when the missile reaches its end or is recast, rather than on the first target hit. We also lowered the cooldown on Triggered Inferno to show the real Samira fantasy. Let us know how these changes feel, and thank you for playing.

See you on the Bridge!

Champions

Bard

Meep Ability Power Ratio: 50% ⇒ 67%
Meep Recharge: 8s ⇒ 5s
Meep Auto Damage per Chime Breakpoint: 6 per 3 chimes ⇒ 10 per 3 chimes

Garen

Passive Regen: 1.5%–1.01% ⇒ 2%–12%
W Cooldown: 22–12 ⇒ 18–12
W Shield Strength: 18% Bonus Health ⇒ 20% Bonus Health
W Passive Stacks: 0.4 per minion kill ⇒ 0.75 per minion kill

K’Sante

W Cooldown: 14–10 ⇒ 10
W Damage Reduction: 30% ⇒ 45%
E Shield Strength: 13.5% bonus health ⇒ 15% bonus health

Lee Sin

Passive Attack Speed: 40% bonus Attack Speed ⇒ 50% bonus Attack Speed
Passive Energy Restore: 20 / 30 / 40 ⇒ 30 / 40 / 50
W Shield: 60–240 ⇒ 80–320
Q2 Damage: 60–180 ⇒ 80–240

Swain

Damage Taken: 105% ⇒ 100%
Healing: 95% ⇒ 100%
Soul Fragments Restore: 6% flat ⇒ 3%–6% scaling with level

Thresh

Passive Soul Drop: 2 ⇒ 3
W Cooldown: 21 / 20 / 19 / 18 / 17s ⇒ 19 / 18 / 17 / 16 / 15s

Augments

Juiced

REMOVED Mana Drain: Removed
Damage-to-Mana Ratio: 4.5% ⇒ 7%
NEW Ranged Mod: 80% of the 7%

Leg Day

Slow Resist: 40% ⇒ 50%

Missile Split

Split Trigger: On first unit hit ⇒ On end or recast

Shark Tempest

Slow: 30% for 3s ⇒ 40% for 3s
Base Area of Effect Damage: 50–100 ⇒ 100–200
Attached Damage over 3s: 75–225 + 0.6 bonus AD + 0.36 AP ⇒ 90–270 + 0.75 bonus AD + 0.45 AP

Squishy Slappy Grab

Cooldown: 35s ⇒ 30s
Damage: 30–100 + 10% bonus Health ⇒ 50–150 + 15% bonus Health
Shield per Target: 35–150 + 50% bonus Armor + 50% bonus Magic Resistance ⇒ 50–200 + 50% bonus Armor + 50% bonus Magic Resistance

Triggered Inferno

Cooldown: 15s ⇒ 5s

Bugfixes

Fixed a bug where Infernal Soul and Jeweled Gauntlet tracked damage dealt to minions.
Fixed a bug where King Me persisted in the slot after completing the quest.
Fixed a bug where King Me transmute to Overloaded causes Overloaded to be non-functional.
Fixed a bug where Shark Bait displayed an empty buff bar.
Fixed a bug where Aurora (Q) does not gain ability cooldown from the Skilled Sniper Augment.
Fixed a bug where Shen’s Echo Cast Shadow Dash (E) fails to Dash when Shen flashed or queued another spell.
Fixed a bug where a move command can change Echo Cast’s Clone direction.
Fixed a bug where Lucian’s (W) missile fails to split with Spell Split augment when casting (E) during the spell cast.
Fixed a bug where Spell Split missiles do not split when casting a Summoner Spell during the ability’s cast time.
Fixed a bug where champions are unable to queue other spells when casting an Ability enhanced by the Spell Split Augment.
Fixed a bug where Prom Queen’s cooldown icon disappears upon death.
Fixed a bug where Urgot (W) missile would destroy Rite of Ascension’s Soul.
Fixed a bug where Minion Mancer’s damage amplification did not work on Shaco (R) Explosion and Ivern R’s knockup.
Fixed a bug where Ultra Hydra’s quest and card icon did not match up.

ARAM

Champions

Bel’Veth

Damage Dealt: 105% ⇒ 100%
Damage Taken: 95% ⇒ 100%
Tenacity: 20% ⇒ 0%

Locke

Damage Dealt: 105% ⇒ 115%

Ranked 5s

In case you missed it, we’ve extended the queue windows for Ranked 5s from the previous 4pm-2am to 4pm-4am server time. We noticed

Bugfixes & QoL Changes

Fixed a bug where Orianna’s (R) VFX and actual hitbox become misplaced if she casts (R) before the ball reaches a fast-moving ally like Nocturne.
Fixed a bug where a Sylas-stolen Depth Charge (R) from Nautilus could fizzle after Sylas lost vision of the target.
Fixed a bug where Xin Zhao’s Three Talon Strike (Q) went completely on cooldown if the first attack was dodged by spells like Shen’s Shadow Dash (E) or Jax’s Counterstrike (E).
Fixed a bug where Shyvana’s Dragon’s Descent (R) ability fails to cancel enemy teleports.
Fixed a bug where Kayle’s Reckoning (Q) applies the on-hit Spellblade effect from Sheen, Lich Bane, Trinity Force, and Iceborne Gauntlet.
Fixed a bug where large melee champions could auto large enemy champions and not be in immolate radius.
Fixed a bug where Rune page tabs overflow and clip the editor when owning more than 20 pages.
Fixed a bug where Sivir’s Spell Shield (E) does not block Leona’s Zenith Blade (E).
Fixed a bug where the tab buttons in the champion overview window are misaligned and unusable.
Fixed a bug where multiple Classic Spells icons fail to fill their entire square area.
Fixed a bug where Malphite’s Flash summoner spell is disabled after using Unstoppable Force (R).
Fixed a bug where purchasing Royal Guard Fiora skin does not grant the Royal Guard Classic Chroma.
Fixed a bug where images from the Classic Mode Homepage loaded when logging into a non-Classic Mode tab.
Fixed a bug where the sorting effect is the same for the “Release Date ↑” and “Release Date ↓” selection buttons in the Collection – Portrait tab in Classic Mode.
Fixed a bug where the Recommended Sort Option is missing in Classic Store – Runes.
Fixed a bug where the Release Date Sort Option fails to sort Runes in a certain order in Classic Store – Runes.
Fixed a bug where rapidly pressing Recall gains Guinsoo’s Rageblade stacks.
Fixed a bug where the Imperial Classic Chroma is missing its name in Champion Select’s chroma selection for Xin Zhao.
Fixed a bug where Runaan’s Hurricane Volley (P) triggers Minions’ Call for Help.
Fixed a bug where Sivir’s Spell Shield does not block damage from Miss Fortune’s Q.
Fixed a bug where Sona’s (E) ability description incorrectly states that its effect applies only to champions.
Fixed a bug where multiple Classic Items icons fail to fill their entire square area.

Justin Leads BMSD 2026 MVP Race Ahead of Semi Finals

Esports

Aditya Parsutkar

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October 7, 2026

0

Justin Leads BMSD 2026 MVP Race Ahead of Semi Finals

The BMSD 2026 Semi Finals are set to begin on October 8, and alongside the race for Grand Finals qualification, the battle for the tournament MVP title is also getting interesting.

Justin currently sits at the top of the BMSD 2026 MVP rankings with a 0.95 rating, followed closely by Sarang and Shubh. With the Semi Finals, Last Chance and Grand Finals still remaining, these rankings can change significantly before the tournament ends.

BMSD 2026 MVP Rankings Before Semi Finals

According to the current player statistics, Justin leads despite not having the highest number of finishes among the top five players.

Rank	Player	Rating	Finishes	Damage	Avg. Survival	Knocks
1	Justin	0.95	37	8,413	24:17	37
2	Sarang	0.91	41	7,063	21:11	31
3	Shubh	0.88	34	7,936	21:33	34
4	SarwarOG	0.85	37	6,756	20:52	28
5	DhruvOG	0.85	33	7,530	23:06	29

Justin’s biggest advantage has been his overall performance. He has recorded 8,413 damage, the highest among the current top five, while also averaging an impressive 24 minutes and 17 seconds of survival time. He has 37 finishes and an equal number of knocks.

Sarang Has the Most Finishes Among Top Five

Sarang is not far behind Justin.

He currently holds a 0.91 MVP rating and has collected 41 finishes, the highest among the five players on the MVP leaderboard. He has also registered 7,063 damage and 31 knocks.

Shubh sits third with a rating of 0.88. His 7,936 damage is second only to Justin among the current top five, while he has 34 finishes and 34 knocks.

SarwarOG and DhruvOG complete the top five with identical 0.85 ratings. SarwarOG has 37 finishes, while DhruvOG has 33.

How Is the BMSD 2026 MVP Decided?

The BMSD MVP ranking is not based only on finishes.

According to the published tournament statistics, finishes carry 40% weight, while damage accounts for 30%. Survival time contributes another 20%, and knockouts make up the final 10%.

This explains why Justin is currently ahead of Sarang despite having four fewer finishes. His higher damage and much better average survival time are helping him maintain the number one position.

MVP Race Could Change During Semi Finals

The BMSD 2026 Semi Finals will take place from October 8 to 11, featuring 24 teams. Each team will play 16 matches, with only the top eight directly qualifying for the Grand Finals. Teams finishing ninth to 24th will have another opportunity through the Last Chance stage.

That also means the MVP race is far from decided.

Players whose teams continue deeper into the tournament will get more opportunities to add finishes, damage, survival time and knocks. The BMSD Grand Finals will eventually take place from October 16 to 18 in Hyderabad.

For now, Justin enters the Semi Finals as the player to beat, but Sarang, Shubh, SarwarOG and DhruvOG remain close behind as BMSD 2026 enters its most important stages.

PUBG Mobile Flash Download: Release Date, Pre-Registration and More

PUBGM

Aditya Parsutkar

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October 7, 2026

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PUBG Mobile Flash Download: Release Date, Pre-Registration and More

PUBG Mobile is getting a new lighter version called PUBG Mobile Flash. The game is designed for players who want the original PUBG Mobile experience but with a smaller initial download and better support across more devices.

PUBG Mobile Flash was previously announced as PUBG Mobile Light, but the name was changed to PUBG Mobile Flash in September 2026. The important thing is that the game itself has not changed because of the new name.

PUBG Mobile has officially confirmed that Flash will launch in November 2026. Pre-registration is already available for Android and iOS.

PUBG Mobile Flash Download

As of October 2026, PUBG Mobile Flash is not yet available for a full public download. Players can currently pre-register and wait for the official launch in November.

Android users can find PUBG Mobile Flash on Google Play, where the game is published by Level Infinite.

Players can also use the official PUBG Mobile Flash pre-registration page, which provides options for both Google Play and the App Store.

iPhone and iPad users can also find the game on Apple’s App Store. The current App Store listing shows an expected date of November 12, 2026, although players should remember that an App Store expected date can change before launch.

How to Download PUBG Mobile Flash

Once the game officially launches, downloading it should be simple. Android users can open its official Google Play page and install the game, while iPhone and iPad users can use the App Store.

For now, players can simply pre-register. PUBG Mobile says rewards will be provided when the game officially launches, although the exact rewards can vary depending on the region.

Players who had already pre-registered when the game was called PUBG Mobile Light do not need to register again.

What Is Different About PUBG Mobile Flash?

The biggest advantage of PUBG Mobile Flash is its lighter installation.

According to the official store listing, Erangel will come pre-installed, meaning players can enter their first battle without downloading an additional map. Other maps and modes can then be downloaded separately whenever the player wants them.

PUBG Mobile also says Flash will remain part of the same PUBG Mobile world. Players will get the same battle royale experience, friends and updates while starting with a lighter download.

This makes PUBG Mobile Flash different from the old PUBG Mobile Lite. Flash is designed as a lighter way to access the current PUBG Mobile ecosystem rather than being a separate older version of the game.

Is PUBG Mobile Flash APK Available?

Players searching for PUBG Mobile Flash download APK should be careful.

There is currently no need to download random APK files from third-party websites. The official Google Play and App Store listings are already available for pre-registration, while the full game is scheduled to launch in November.

Using the official stores is the safest option and also ensures players receive the correct version when it becomes available.

PUBG Mobile Flash Release Date

PUBG Mobile has officially confirmed a November 2026 launch window for Flash.

The App Store currently displays November 12, 2026 as the expected release date. However, PUBG Mobile’s own pre-registration website only confirms November, so November 12 should not yet be treated as a final global launch date.

Until the full release, players can pre-register through the official stores and wait for PUBG Mobile to announce further launch details.

Best Free Fire MAX Pet Combinations for Ranked Matches

Hoax

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October 7, 2026

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Best Free Fire MAX Pet Combinations can give ranked players useful advantages in healing, Gloo Wall management, cooldown reduction, and team fights. Choosing the right pet skill depends on your character, playstyle, and the ranked mode you prefer. Some pets work better for aggressive players, while others suit defensive or support-focused players. In this guide, we look at the best Free Fire MAX pet combinations for ranked matches and explain when to use each one. We also cover the best choices for Battle Royale and Clash Squad.

Best Free Fire MAX Pet Combinations for Ranked Matches

The best Free Fire MAX pet combinations are Rockie + Alok, Mr. Waggor + Skyler, Ottero + healing characters, Fang + aggressive squad builds, and Hoot + scanning characters.

Free Fire allows players to customize their pet skills separately from the pet itself. This means you can choose a pet for its appearance while using a skill that fits your battle strategy. Garena has also continued to adjust the pet system and its interaction with Battle Royale gameplay.

The current ranked environment also gives players more tactical options. The latest OB55 update added new devices and tactical items to Battle Royale, while Clash Squad received new throwables. This makes utility-focused pet skills more useful in different situations.

Here are the best Free Fire MAX pet combinations to try in ranked matches.

1. Rockie + Alok

Best for: Aggressive players and rushers

Rockie is one of the best choices for players who depend on active character skills. Its Stay Chill ability reduces the cooldown of the owner’s active skill.

This makes Rockie a strong partner for Alok. Alok provides movement speed and HP recovery through his active ability, while Rockie helps the skill become available sooner.

This setup works well for players who like to take early fights. You can activate Alok’s ability before pushing an enemy squad and have access to it again sooner during another fight.

Free Fire MAX Pet Combinations Alok and Rockie

Recommended for:

Rush gameplay
Squad ranked matches
Close-range fights
Players who use Alok frequently

2. Mr. Waggor + Skyler

Best for: Gloo Wall-heavy gameplay

Mr. Waggor is a strong choice for players who rely on Gloo Walls. Its Smooth Gloo skill provides Gloo-related utility, with the current Battle Royale system also tying the pet to Gloo Maker EXP.

Skyler is another natural fit for this setup because his ability focuses on dealing with Gloo Walls.

The combination works especially well when fights turn into long cover battles. Extra Gloo Wall utility gives you more options for healing, repositioning, or pushing.

Free Fire MAX Pet Combinations Skyler and Mr Waggor

Recommended for:

Defensive players
Squad ranked matches
Gloo Wall users
Players who prefer controlled fights

3. Ottero + Healing Characters

Best for: Survival and sustained fights

Ottero is a useful pet for players who regularly use healing items. Its Double Blubber ability gives the healing target EP when using a Treatment Pistol or Med Kit.

This can help players maintain their resources during longer matches.

Ottero fits well with healing-focused characters and support builds. It is also useful for players who prefer to disengage after taking damage instead of immediately pushing the enemy.

Free Fire MAX Pet Combinations Ottero with Healing Characters

Recommended for:

Passive ranked players
Solo ranked matches
Support players
Long Battle Royale games

4. Fang + Squad Support Builds

Best for: Squad ranked matches

Fang is designed around team fights. Its Wolf Pact ability provides EP or HP when a teammate is knocked down by an enemy.

This makes Fang particularly useful in squad matches.

A teammate getting knocked down usually creates a difficult situation. Fang can provide extra recovery resources during that moment. This gives the surviving players more room to fight back or rescue their teammate.

Fang is less useful for players who only play passive solo matches. Its value increases when teammates are involved in frequent fights.

Recommended for:

Squad ranked
Support players
Revival-focused teams
Aggressive squad fights

5. Hoot + Scanning Abilities

Best for: Information and enemy tracking

Hoot is a strong option for players who like to gather information before taking a fight. Its Far-sighted ability increases the range and duration of scanning items and skills. Garena also states that the skill has no cooldown.

This can work well with characters or equipment that reveal enemy positions.

Information is especially useful in the late game. Knowing where opponents are hiding can help your squad choose the better angle instead of walking into an ambush.

Recommended for:

Tactical players
Squad ranked
Late-game rotations
Players who rely on enemy scans

6. Falco + Early Rotation Builds

Best for: Players who prioritize landing and rotations

Falco’s current Skyline Spree ability is different from its older role. Garena changed Falco so that standard parachute speeds were unified. Its current skill disables enemy auto-aim while the owner is parachuting.

That makes Falco less of a must-pick than it was in older versions.

It can still be useful for players who value safer parachute phases and want another layer of protection after revival.

Recommended for:

Rotation-focused players
Players who frequently contest landing areas
Players who want safer parachuting

Best Free Fire MAX Pet Combinations at a Glance

Pet Combination	Best For	Main Benefit
Rockie + Alok	Rushers	Faster active-skill availability
Mr. Waggor + Skyler	Gloo Wall users	Better Gloo Wall utility
Ottero + Healing Builds	Survival	Extra EP from healing
Fang + Squad Builds	Team fights	Recovery after teammate knock
Hoot + Scan Builds	Information	Better scan range and duration
Falco + Rotation Builds	Landing	Safer parachuting

How to Choose the Best Pet for Ranked Matches

Your pet should match your character and playstyle.

If you play aggressively, Rockie is a strong choice because cooldown reduction can help you use your active skill more often.

If you frequently fight around Gloo Walls, Mr. Waggor is worth considering. Garena has also linked Mr. Waggor to Gloo Maker progression in Battle Royale.

For support players, Ottero and Fang are better options. Their abilities provide value when healing or helping teammates survive fights.

Players who prefer information gathering can choose Hoot. Its scanning boost can help a squad locate enemies before committing to a fight.

Best Pet Combination for Free Fire MAX BR Ranked

For BR Ranked, Rockie is one of the safest general-purpose choices for active-skill users.

Mr. Waggor is better if your strategy revolves around Gloo Walls. Ottero is useful for players who spend more time surviving and rotating than taking constant fights.

The right choice also depends on your character. There is no single pet that is best for every player.

Best Pet Combination for Free Fire MAX CS Ranked

For CS Ranked, Rockie and Mr. Waggor are strong options.

Rockie works well with characters that have valuable active abilities. Mr. Waggor fits players who depend heavily on Gloo Walls during short rounds.

The latest OB55 update has also added Flame Grenades and Sonar Grenades to Clash Squad. This gives players more ways to attack, gather information, and control areas.

The best Free Fire MAX pet combinations depend on how you play ranked matches. Rockie + Alok is a strong choice for aggressive players. Mr. Waggor + Skyler suits Gloo Wall-focused players. Ottero works well for healing builds, while Fang is better for squad support. Hoot is a useful option for players who depend on scanning.

Instead of choosing a pet only because it is popular, match its skill with your character and playstyle. That will give you more value during ranked matches.

GTA 6 Will Stream on PC at Launch Only Through Xbox Cloud Gaming, Report Says

GTA 6
News

Satyam Kumar

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October 7, 2026

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GTA 6 Will Stream on PC at Launch Only Through Xbox Cloud Gaming, Report Says

Can you play GTA 6 on PC at launch? Yes, but only by streaming it. Xbox has reportedly secured exclusive cloud streaming rights for GTA 6, so PC players can stream it through Xbox Cloud Gaming from November 19, 2026. You still need to buy the game, and new monthly cloud hour limits apply.

The report comes from The Verge’s Tom Warren. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma reportedly told staff in an all-hands meeting that the deal is “something no other platform holder is doing.” Microsoft, Rockstar Games and Take-Two have not confirmed it publicly. Kotaku’s report on the GTA 6 streaming deal has the full background.

GTA 6 Xbox Cloud Gaming Deal: What We Know

Here is the reported deal in short form.

Detail	Status
Who has streaming rights	Xbox Cloud Gaming (reported)
When	At launch, November 19, 2026
How long the exclusivity lasts	Not disclosed
Other cloud services (PS Plus, GeForce Now)	Not expected during the exclusive window
Native PC version	Not announced
Official confirmation	None yet from Microsoft, Rockstar or Take-Two

Xbox only has exclusive streaming rights. GTA 6 itself still launches on both PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. You can check the official platform list on Rockstar’s GTA VI page.

Can You Play GTA 6 on PC at Launch?

Yes, if the report holds, but only by streaming. You will not download a PC port or run the game on your own hardware. The game runs on Microsoft’s servers and streams to your screen over the internet.

That brings some trade-offs:

Image quality and input delay depend on your connection.
Mods, custom graphics settings and high frame rates will not be available.
A weak or unstable network means a worse experience.

For players who only own a PC, it is still the only reported way to play GTA 6 at launch.

Do You Need to Buy GTA 6 to Stream It?

Yes. Reports say you still need to buy GTA 6 at full price. GTA 6 is not part of Game Pass. Xbox Cloud Gaming will let you stream games you already own, so the copy you stream would be the one you bought on the Xbox store.

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has said the game will cost “70 or 80 bucks.” Our GTA 6 price and release date breakdown covers what has been confirmed so far.

A PS5 copy is not expected to work on Xbox Cloud Gaming, since the service streams Xbox versions of games.

The 15-Hour Cloud Gaming Limit Matters

This is the part most players will feel. Microsoft announced on Xbox Wire on September 3, 2026, that cloud gaming will get monthly hour caps from November. That is the same month GTA 6 launches.

Plan	Monthly cloud gaming hours
Game Pass Ultimate	15 hours
Game Pass Premium	10 hours
Game Pass Essential	5 hours
No subscription	Buy playtime hours (pay-as-you-go)

GTA games usually take dozens of hours to finish, so 15 hours a month will run out quickly. After that, you will need to buy extra playtime through the Xbox store. Microsoft has not shared that pricing yet. It says the caps will affect about 4 percent of Game Pass subscribers. That estimate came out before a game like GTA 6 entered the picture.

Xbox is also opening cloud gaming to people without Game Pass for the first time. They will be able to buy playtime and stream games they own.

Console players planning a long weekend can read how GTA 6 leave rules work in Australia, the UK and the US.

How Long It Takes to Finish GTA 6 on 15 Cloud Hours a Month

Rockstar has not shared how long GTA 6 takes to beat. This table shows how far the Game Pass Ultimate allowance stretches at different playtimes, before you buy any extra hours.

Total time you play	Months on Ultimate (15 hrs)	Months on Premium (10 hrs)	Months on Essential (5 hrs)
20 hours	2	2	4
40 hours	3	4	8
60 hours	4	6	12

If you want to play faster than that, you will need to buy extra cloud hours. Microsoft has not announced the price yet. We will update this table when it does.

What You Need to Stream GTA 6 on PC

If the deal is confirmed, the setup should match any other Xbox Cloud Gaming title.

Requirement	What to have ready
Device	Windows PC, Mac, or a laptop with a modern browser
App or browser	Xbox app on Windows, or xbox.com/play in Edge or Chrome
Internet	A stable connection, ideally wired or on 5GHz Wi-Fi
Controller	Xbox controller or a compatible Bluetooth pad is recommended
Account	Microsoft account that owns GTA 6 on Xbox
Playtime	Game Pass hours or purchased cloud hours

Reports also say Xbox One owners could stream GTA 6 to their older consoles this way. GTA 6 has no native release on PS4 or Xbox One.

Why Xbox Wants This Deal

PS5 has a much larger install base than Xbox Series X|S this generation. A streaming exclusive gives Xbox something PlayStation does not have for the year’s biggest release. It reaches PC players, Xbox One owners and anyone with a browser.

The timing also fits Microsoft’s wider cloud plans. Paid hours, a no-subscription option and a free ad-supported version in testing all point to cloud gaming running as a paid service of its own. GTA 6 could bring a big wave of new users to it.

Under Sharma, Xbox has also been testing ways to make Game Pass cheaper. Our story on Xbox’s new CEO and her Game Pass pricing plans explains that shift.

When Is the GTA 6 PC Release Date?

Rockstar has not announced a GTA 6 PC release date. Rockstar’s history points to a later PC launch. GTA 5 reached PC about 19 months after its console debut, and Red Dead Redemption 2 took about a year. Until Rockstar says otherwise, streaming is the only reported way to play GTA 6 on PC.

For more on what Rockstar has already shown, read our coverage of the GTA 6 Extended Look on Netflix.

FAQ

Is GTA 6 coming to PC at launch?
No native PC version has been announced. PC players can reportedly stream it through Xbox Cloud Gaming from November 19, 2026.

Is GTA 6 on Game Pass?
No. You need to buy the game. Game Pass only gives you cloud gaming hours to stream it.

Can I stream GTA 6 on PlayStation Plus or GeForce Now?
Not during the reported exclusive window. Xbox reportedly holds exclusive streaming rights at launch. How long that lasts has not been shared.

How many hours can I stream GTA 6 per month?
Game Pass Ultimate gives 15 hours a month from November 2026. Premium gives 10 and Essential gives 5. You can buy more hours after that.

Has Rockstar confirmed the Xbox streaming deal?
No. The deal is based on a report from The Verge. Microsoft, Rockstar and Take-Two have not commented.

Is a Used PS5 Pro Worth $1,400 for GTA 6? Prices, Performance and Cheaper Options

GTA 6

Satyam Kumar

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October 7, 2026

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Is a Used PS5 Pro Worth $1,400 for GTA 6? Prices, Performance and Cheaper Options

A used PS5 Pro now costs $1,399.99 at GameStop, $500 more than Sony’s $899.99 retail price. For most players waiting on GTA 6, that price is hard to justify. Rockstar has said the game targets 30fps on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and nobody has explained what the PS5 Pro version adds.

GameStop’s new pricing came out after an internal memo leaked on Reddit on October 5, 2026. Kotaku reported the new listings the next day. Former GameStop employees told Kotaku the retailer can price used consoles freely, which explains the gap with new units. New PS5 Pro stock has been gone from most US stores since September.

How Much Does a Used PS5 Pro Cost Right Now?

GameStop lists a pre-owned PS5 Pro at $1,399.99, and $1,499.99 with a disc drive attached. Those prices sit far above Sony’s own.

Option	Price	Status
GameStop pre-owned PS5 Pro	$1,399.99	Listed, stock changes often
GameStop pre-owned PS5 Pro with disc drive	$1,499.99	Listed, stock changes often
GameStop refurbished PS5 Pro (reported)	$1,329.99	Reported by Dexerto
New PS5 Pro (Sony MSRP)	$899.99	Sold out at major US retailers
Third-party sellers on Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy	$1,400 and up	Marketplace sellers, not the retailers
Sony Store Japan (lottery)	¥137,980 (about $877)	Applications closed October 7

The used price is about 56% higher than the official one. Notebookcheck, citing deal tracker Nintendeal, reported that GameStop pays $800 to $850 for a PS5 Pro trade-in. That leaves a gap of more than $500 per console.

Why GameStop Raised Used PS5 Pro Prices

The leaked memo calls the pricing intentional. GameStop sets used console prices itself. It does not have to follow Sony’s MSRP, so it matches what scalpers and eBay sellers are charging. Used units on eBay sell for over $1,000, and Tom’s Guide has spotted scalper listings as high as $1,469.

Sony’s own price went up earlier this year too. On April 2, 2026, the PS5 Pro rose from $799.99 to $899.99 in the US. Sony blamed “continued pressures in the global economic landscape.” The standard PS5 rose to $649.99 and the Digital Edition to $599.99 at the same time.

Is the PS5 Pro Sold Out Because of GTA 6?

Yes, by most accounts. Tom’s Guide reported on September 17 that the PS5 Pro was sold out at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Target and PlayStation Direct. It has found no restock since the GTA 6 Extended Look premiered on Netflix in September.

Japan is so short on stock that Sony set a gate. Buyers at the Sony Store needed a Japanese PSN account with at least 60 hours of PS4 or PS5 playtime between September 27, 2024 and September 27, 2026. Applications ran from September 28 to October 7. If demand beats supply, there is a lottery, and sales start October 26.

If you plan to play on day one, check our guide on getting GTA 6 launch day off before you book anything.

What Does GTA 6 Get on PS5 Pro?

Very little is confirmed. The PlayStation Store lists GTA 6 with a “PS5 Pro Enhanced” badge, and Sony said in June that the game “will play best on PS5.” Neither Sony nor Rockstar has said what the Pro enhancements are.

On frame rate, the target is 30fps on every console. In August, Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson said the studio would need to consult its technical team about whether a 60fps option is possible. Digital Foundry’s analysis, reported by TweakTown, found the PS5 Pro’s CPU is only about 7% faster than the base PS5’s. Open-world games like GTA 6 lean heavily on the CPU. So the Pro alone is unlikely to double the frame rate.

GTA 6 feature	Base PS5	PS5 Pro
Launch date	November 19, 2026	November 19, 2026
Frame rate target	30fps	30fps (no 60fps mode confirmed)
Pro Enhanced badge	No	Yes, details unknown
Likely gains	None	Sharper image or better ray tracing (unconfirmed)
Console price (MSRP)	$649.99	$899.99

Should You Buy a Used PS5 Pro for GTA 6?

For most people, no. You would pay $1,399.99 for a machine that runs GTA 6 at the same 30fps target as a $649.99 PS5, based on everything announced so far. That is a $750 gap for upgrades nobody has described yet.

A used unit has other costs too. Sony’s warranty covers the original buyer for one year. Before you pay, check GameStop’s return window and whether its own protection plan is included. Inspect the console in store if you can.

The Pro makes more sense if you own a high-end 4K TV, already play other Pro Enhanced games, and can find one near MSRP. At $1,400, waiting costs you less. Rockstar or Digital Foundry will show the PS5 Pro version before or at launch, and you can decide with real footage.

Cheaper Ways to Play GTA 6 at Launch

The cheapest route is a standard PS5. It costs $649.99 with a disc drive or $599.99 for the Digital Edition, if you can find either at MSRP. GTA 6 also launches on Xbox Series X|S on the same day, according to Rockstar’s official GTA VI page.

If you already own a base PS5, you lose nothing on frame rate based on current information. Keep the money for the game itself, which is among the costliest ever made: TalkEsport looked at whether GTA 6 is the most expensive game ever developed.

Plan for physical media too. The PS5 Pro ships without a disc drive, and the one GameStop bundles adds $100 to the used price. With Sony’s disc warning label pointing to the end of physical games in 2028, buying the digital version of GTA 6 may be the simpler choice.

FAQ

How much is a used PS5 Pro at GameStop?
GameStop lists a pre-owned PS5 Pro at $1,399.99 and a pre-owned PS5 Pro with a disc drive at $1,499.99. Refurbished units have been reported at $1,329.99. Sony’s retail price for a new PS5 Pro is $899.99, so the used price is about $500 higher. Stock changes often, so check the listing before you go.

Why is the PS5 Pro sold out?
Demand rose sharply ahead of GTA 6, which launches November 19, 2026. Tom’s Guide reported the console sold out at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Target and PlayStation Direct by mid-September, with no restocks since the GTA 6 Extended Look aired on Netflix. Sony raised the price to $899.99 in April as well.

Will GTA 6 run at 60fps on PS5 Pro?
Nobody has confirmed it. GTA 6 targets 30fps on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Rockstar North’s Rob Nelson said the team would consult its technical staff about a 60fps option. Digital Foundry’s analysis says the PS5 Pro’s CPU is only about 7% faster than the base PS5’s, which limits frame rate gains.

When does GTA 6 come out?
GTA 6 releases on November 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Rockstar has not announced a PC version. The PS5 version carries a PS5 Pro Enhanced badge on the PlayStation Store, but Sony and Rockstar have not said what those enhancements include.

Will the PS5 Pro restock before GTA 6?
Sony has not announced a restock date. Tom’s Guide found no US restocks through September. In Japan, Sony Store sales for lottery winners start October 26. Signing up for retailer stock alerts and PlayStation Direct notifications is the best way to catch a drop at the $899.99 retail price.

Is There a Casino in GTA 6? Age Ratings Skip the Gambling Label

News

Satyam Kumar

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October 7, 2026

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Is There a Casino in GTA 6? Age Ratings Skip the Gambling Label

GTA 6 does not appear to have a playable casino in its base game, based on every official age rating published so far. The ESRB, PEGI, Australia and New Zealand rating boards all flag violence, drugs and sexual content for Grand Theft Auto 6. None of them list gambling. Rockstar Games has not commented on casinos either way. The game launches on November 19, 2026.

Quick facts	Details
Gambling descriptor on GTA 6	None found on any published rating
ESRB rating	M for Mature 17+
PEGI rating	18 (some stores still show “Provisional”)
Australia	R 18+
New Zealand	R18
Did Rockstar confirm a casino?	No
Release date	November 19, 2026, on PS5 and Xbox Series X\|S

ESRB listing for Grand Theft Auto VI by Rockstar Games showing M for Mature 17+ rating with seven content descriptors and no gambling descriptor

Is There a Casino in GTA 6?

The ratings say probably not, at least in the base game. GTAVice first spotted the gap in its round-up of GTA 6 ratings from around the world. Rockstar’s recent games did carry a PEGI gambling label: GTA 5 on PS5, Red Dead Redemption, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Red Dead Online. GTA 6 does not.

A missing label is a strong hint. It is still a hint, and it does not count as confirmation. Rating boards judge the content a publisher submits. Rockstar can add features later, and there is no GTA 6 Online at launch for anyone to rate yet.

GTA 6 Age Ratings by Region

Six ratings have appeared so far, through official rating sites and store listings. Here is what each one says, and whether gambling is on the list.

Region	Board or store	Rating	Content listed	Gambling?
US and Canada	ESRB	M (Mature 17+)	Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol, plus In-Game Purchases	No
Europe and UK	PEGI (Xbox Store listings)	18	Violence, Sex, Drugs, In-Game Purchases	No
Australia	Classification Board (August 27, 2026)	R 18+	High impact violence, sex scenes and drug use	Not among the listed reasons
New Zealand	Classification Office (October 2, 2026)	R18	Graphic violence, drug use, offensive language, sex scenes, nudity	No
Singapore	PlayStation Store (IARC)	18+	Discriminatory language, extreme violence, nudity, strong language	No
Saudi Arabia	Xbox Store	21+	No detailed breakdown, in-app purchases confirmed	Not stated

You can check the official ESRB listing for Grand Theft Auto VI yourself. It covers PS5 and Xbox Series consoles. For the ESRB descriptors compared with GTA 5 and the sex-scenes debate, read our full GTA 6 age rating breakdown.

Why the Missing Gambling Label Matters

PEGI has been strict about simulated gambling since 2020. Under criteria introduced that year, any new game that teaches or glamorises casino-style games of chance gets a PEGI 18 rating and the gambling descriptor. That covers blackjack, poker, roulette and slot machines played the way they are in real casinos. The UK ratings body explained the change on its AskAboutGames page on the PEGI gambling rule. PEGI revised parts of the rule after the Balatro appeal, but it kept 18 for games that simulate casino and betting-hall gambling.

GTA 6 is already PEGI 18 for violence, sex and drugs, so a casino would not push the age higher. It would add a gambling label, though. That is exactly what happened with Rockstar’s other recent games:

Rockstar game	PEGI gambling label
GTA 5 (PS5 release)	Yes
Red Dead Redemption	Yes
Red Dead Redemption 2	Yes
Red Dead Online	Yes
GTA 6	No (as of October 7, 2026)

GTA 5’s PS5 retail listing shows a “gambling theme” next to violence, drugs and sexual content. GTA 6 has the same heavy list but nothing for gambling.

What the GTA 6 Ratings Do Not Rule Out

The ratings cover only what Rockstar sent for review. Three things could still change the picture.

First, a casino building can exist without playable games. PEGI’s rule does not cover betting that sits in the story as background. A heist inside a casino, or characters talking about a bet, would not need the label.

Second, GTA 6 Online is a separate product. Rockstar has not dated it, and the base game is advertised as single-player. A future online mode could add casino games, much like GTA Online added the Diamond Casino and Resort in July 2019, six years after GTA 5 launched.

Third, Germany’s USK and Japan’s CERO have not published ratings. One of them could still list gambling content.

Why Rockstar Might Skip a Casino in GTA 6

Rockstar has not explained anything, so this part is context, not confirmation.

Casino games have caused Rockstar trouble before. When the Diamond Casino opened in GTA Online in 2019, players in more than 50 countries reportedly found they could not buy chips. Local gambling laws blocked them, because chips could be bought with Shark Card money.

Australia is the newest case. Since September 22, 2024, simulated gambling in a game needs a minimum R18+ rating there. Players reported that every gambling activity inside GTA Online’s casino was switched off in Australia from July 28, 2026, down to the free Lucky Wheel spin. Rockstar has not confirmed why. It has a blockbuster launching worldwide on day one, and leaving casino games out avoids a list of country-by-country restrictions.

Leonida still has plenty to do. Rockstar showed basketball, street racing, jet skiing, scuba diving and fishing among the open-world activities in the Extended Look. Blackjack was not among them.

What Else the GTA 6 Ratings Reveal

PEGI’s detailed listing went up on October 2 and was later removed, so treat these details as reported rather than final. GTAVice saved a copy. According to it:

Violence is bloody and realistic, and some weapons can cause decapitation and dismemberment.
Players can carry cocaine and take it from their hand at any time, and also use drugs from their inventory.
The game has nudity, scenes of intercourse and occasional scenes of sexual fetishes.
In nightclubs, players can pay for private dances.
Animals can be harmed, but with less injury detail than human characters.
Strong language is frequent. Discriminatory language appears on TV shows and radio stations.
In-game purchases exist but are optional.

The same PEGI note also restated the release date as November 19, 2026.

The In-Game Purchases label likely points to the paid Ultimate Edition upgrade, since there is no online mode at launch. Europe’s rules on paid content tightened this year, and our piece on PEGI’s 2026 rules for loot boxes and social casino games explains what changed.

GTA 6 Release Date and Platforms

Detail	Information
Release date	November 19, 2026
Platforms	PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X\|S
PC	Not announced
Setting	Leonida, including Vice City
Protagonists	Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos

GTA 6 arrives on Thursday, November 19, and some fans are already asking whether they can use annual leave for the GTA 6 release.

FAQ

Is there a casino in GTA 6?
Rockstar has not confirmed one. None of the published age ratings for GTA 6 carry a gambling descriptor. That includes the ratings from ESRB, PEGI, Australia and New Zealand. This suggests the base game has no playable casino games such as blackjack, poker or slots. A casino could still be added later through a GTA 6 Online mode.

Can you gamble in GTA 6?
Probably not in the base game. PEGI gives a gambling label to any game that simulates casino-style betting, and GTA 5 on PS5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 both carry it. GTA 6 does not have the label on any rating published so far. Rockstar has not commented.

What is GTA 6 rated?
GTA 6 is rated M for Mature 17+ by the ESRB and 18 by PEGI. It is R 18+ in Australia, R18 in New Zealand, 18+ on Singapore’s PlayStation Store and 21+ on Saudi Arabia’s Xbox Store. All of them cite violence, drugs and sexual content.

Will GTA 6 Online have a casino?
Nobody knows yet. Rockstar has not dated GTA 6 Online or shared its features. GTA Online got the Diamond Casino six years after GTA 5 launched, but it was blocked in dozens of countries. In Australia, its gambling features were reportedly switched off in July 2026.

Why did PEGI remove its GTA 6 page?
PEGI has not explained the removal. The detailed listing first appeared on October 2, 2026, and was later taken down. Some Xbox Store pages in Europe still show “PEGI 18 Provisional”, while others show a final PEGI 18 rating with descriptors.

NBA 2K25 Offline Modes After the Server Shutdown: What Still Works and What You Lose

Gaming

Satyam Kumar

-

October 7, 2026

0

NBA 2K25 Offline Modes After the Server Shutdown: What Still Works and What You Lose

NBA 2K25 servers shut down on December 31, 2026, and the game leaves digital stores on October 30, 2026. From January 1, 2027, MyCareer, MyTEAM and all online play stop working. If you already own the game, Play Now, MyNBA and The W remain playable as NBA 2K25 offline modes.

Status (October 7, 2026): Servers are online. NBA 2K25 is still for sale until October 30.

2K confirmed the dates through its Steam store notice and its Online Services Status page, which lists NBA 2K25 online features as available “until 31 December 2026.” The game launched in September 2024 with Jayson Tatum, A’ja Wilson and Vince Carter on its covers. That gives it a little over two years of online support, which matches the last few NBA 2K games.

NBA 2K25 Steam store notice saying the game will no longer be available for purchase as of 10/30/2026 and servers shut down 12/31/2026

NBA 2K25 shutdown dates at a glance

Date	What happens
October 30, 2026	NBA 2K25 is removed from all digital stores
December 31, 2026	Last day of online features and services
January 1, 2027	MyCareer, MyTEAM and all online modes stop working

What stops working in NBA 2K25 after December 31

Anything that talks to 2K’s servers will stop. In a statement reported by Video Games Chronicle, 2K said: “As of January 1, 2027, you’ll no longer be able to play multiplayer games or access any online game modes.”

Mode or feature	After January 1, 2027
MyCareer	Stops working
MyTEAM	Stops working
Online multiplayer and Online Leagues	Stops working
Earning VC	Stops
Community sharing (custom rosters, draft classes)	Stops (reported)
MyTEAM Mobile 2K25 app	Shuts down (reported)
Play Now (offline)	Still works
MyNBA (offline)	Still works
The W and MyWNBA (offline)	Still work

Why MyCareer stops working even though it is single-player

MyCareer has a story you play alone. But your player’s attribute upgrades and VC balance are stored on 2K’s servers. Once those servers close, the mode has nowhere to save or load your progress, so 2K is switching it off completely.

This catches out a lot of players. Many think of MyCareer as an offline story mode. In NBA 2K25 it depends on the servers as much as MyTEAM does.

NBA 2K25 offline modes that still work in 2027

You keep three areas of the game if it stays installed or you redownload it:

Play Now: quick exhibition games against the CPU or a friend on the same console.
MyNBA: the franchise mode, played with the rosters saved on your system.
The W and MyWNBA: the WNBA career and franchise modes.

Local play on one console still works. Anything involving a second player over the internet does not.

What happens to your NBA 2K25 VC

Any VC left in NBA 2K25 after December 31 can no longer be used. You cannot move it to a newer game either. 2K’s support article on moving VC between NBA 2K years is direct about it: “you cannot move VC between versions of NBA 2K.” VC can only be shared within the same console family, such as PS4 to PS5, for the same game.

If you built up a balance using our guide on how to earn more VC in NBA 2K25, spend it before December 31. Nothing indicates 2K will offer refunds.

Can you still buy or download NBA 2K25 after October 30

You cannot buy NBA 2K25 digitally after October 30, 2026. Players who already own a digital copy can still redownload it from their library after that date. Physical discs keep working for the offline modes. After January 1, 2027, both versions are limited to the offline modes listed above.

Nintendo Switch and PC players: two extra things to know

Switch: The Switch version of NBA 2K25 never had MyNBA or The W, according to Nintendo Life. After the shutdown, that leaves Switch owners with Play Now only.

PC: In April 2026, GameGeeker reported that the PC versions of NBA 2K25 and NBA 2K26 need an online check every 14 days to refresh an offline token. 2K has not said how this will work after the servers close. Until it does, it is unconfirmed whether the PC version will keep launching offline in 2027. We will test it after January 1 and update this article.

NBA 2K server shutdown dates for every recent game

2K now follows a fixed schedule. Each NBA 2K game keeps its online services until December 31 of the year after the next game comes out. These dates come from 2K’s Online Services Status page.

Game	Online services end	Status
NBA 2K22	December 31, 2023	Offline
NBA 2K23	December 31, 2024	Offline
NBA 2K24	December 31, 2025	Offline
NBA 2K25	December 31, 2026	Shutting down
NBA 2K26	December 31, 2027	Scheduled
NBA 2K27	December 31, 2028	Scheduled

NBA 2K23 had content drops like Season 4 in January 2023, and its online features went dark on December 31, 2024. NBA 2K27 came out on September 4, 2026. Following the same schedule, it will get about 28 months online.

What to do before the NBA 2K25 servers go offline

Spend your remaining VC by December 31, 2026. It cannot be moved or refunded.
Download any custom rosters or draft classes you want for MyNBA while community sharing still works.
If you own the game digitally, keep it installed or confirm it shows in your library after October 30.
Finish any MyCareer or MyTEAM goals, rewards or trophies tied to online play before January 1.
On PC, launch the game online shortly before December 31 to refresh the offline token.

FAQ

When do NBA 2K25 servers shut down?
NBA 2K25 online features end on December 31, 2026, per 2K’s Online Services Status page. From January 1, 2027, MyCareer, MyTEAM, Online Leagues and all multiplayer modes stop working. The game also leaves digital stores on October 30, 2026, so new digital copies cannot be bought after that date.

Can you play NBA 2K25 offline after the servers shut down?
Yes, partly. Play Now, MyNBA, The W and MyWNBA stay playable offline on PlayStation and Xbox. Switch owners keep Play Now only. On PC, a reported 14-day online check could affect offline launches, and 2K has not explained how it will work after the shutdown.

Does NBA 2K25 VC transfer to NBA 2K26 or NBA 2K27?
No. 2K’s support page says you cannot move VC between versions of NBA 2K. VC left in NBA 2K25 on December 31, 2026 cannot be used after the shutdown. The only sharing allowed is within the same console family, such as PS4 to PS5, for the same game.

Why is MyCareer shutting down if it is a single-player mode?
MyCareer saves player upgrades and VC on 2K’s servers. When the servers close, the mode cannot load or save progress, so 2K is turning it off along with MyTEAM and online play. The offline franchise and exhibition modes keep working because they save data locally.

Minecraft Snapshot Guide: What’s New in 26.4 Snapshot 3 and How to Play It

Minecraft

Satyam Kumar

-

October 7, 2026

0

Minecraft Snapshot Guide: What’s New in 26.4 Snapshot 3 and How to Play It

The latest Minecraft snapshot is Java Edition 26.4 Snapshot 3, which Mojang released on October 6, 2026. It adds the ice caves biome, icicles, ice crystals, a zombie variant called the Frostbite and a new Freezing effect. Anyone who owns Java Edition can play it for free through the official Minecraft Launcher.

Snapshot status (last checked October 7, 2026): The newest Minecraft snapshot is 26.4 Snapshot 3. Mojang usually ships snapshots on Tuesdays, so this page gets updated when the next one lands.

Latest Minecraft Snapshot at a Glance

Detail	26.4 Snapshot 3
Release date	October 6, 2026
Edition	Java Edition
Final update	Java Edition 26.4 (Fourth Drop 2026)
New biome	Ice caves
New blocks	Icicles, ice crystals
New mob	Frostbite (zombie variant)
New effect	Freezing
Bugs fixed	18 (per the Minecraft Wiki)
Data pack format	123.0
Resource pack format	100.0
Java required	Java 25 (the official launcher sets this up for you)

What Is a Minecraft Snapshot?

A Minecraft snapshot is a test build of Java Edition. Mojang uses it to show features for the next game drop before they are finished, and players report bugs while things can still change. Expect crashes. Features can also be tweaked, delayed or removed before the full release.

Snapshot names changed in December 2025. The old format used the year and week, such as 24w09a. Since then, snapshots carry the target version and a number, like 26.4 Snapshot 3. The new names make it obvious which update you are testing.

Naming style	Example	In use
Old (year + week + letter)	24w09a	Until 2025
New (version + snapshot number)	26.4 Snapshot 3	Since December 2025

Bedrock Edition players get the same kind of early access through Minecraft Preview, which uses its own version numbers.

What’s New in Minecraft 26.4 Snapshot 3

Snapshot 3 is the first 26.4 build with real gameplay content. Mojang showed the frosty theme at Minecraft Live in September 2026, and this snapshot puts it in players’ hands. According to the official Minecraft 26.4 Snapshot 3 changelog, the main additions are below.

Ice Caves Biome

Ice caves are a new underground biome. They generate below cold surface biomes and are built mostly from Packed Ice and Calcite, with patches of snow. Icicles hang from the ceiling and ice crystals grow along the floor and walls. If you want to find one fast, start a new world near a snowy biome and dig down.

Icicles and Ice Crystals

Icicles grow up to 5 blocks long. They hang from ceilings like stalactites, and they can fall and hurt anything below. Icicles near a light source or in the Nether melt.

Ice crystals give off light and can be placed on any side of a block, much like Amethyst Clusters. Builders get a cold-themed light source to use in place of torches.

Frostbite Mob

The Frostbite is a zombie variant that lives in cold and snowy biomes. It swaps between punching up close and throwing Ice Balls from range, and those Ice Balls knock you back. It is immune to Freezing.

Frostbite zombie variant throwing an ice ball in Minecraft 26.4 Snapshot 3

Regular Zombies and Husks can also turn into Frostbites. Beebom reports this happens when they stay in Powder Snow for long enough.

Freezing Effect and Potion of Freezing

Freezing is a new mob effect. It makes the target shake, slows its movement and deals damage over time. Leather armor gives partial protection. Ice Balls dropped by Frostbites can be used in brewing, which leads to the Potion of Freezing along with splash, lingering and arrow versions.

Leather armor is weak on its own, so Protection IV matters if you plan to explore ice caves in survival. Our guide to the best Minecraft enchantments covers the full armor setup.

Smaller Changes

Change	What it does
Snow on Packed Ice	Snow layers can now be placed on Packed Ice
Snowball knockback	Snowballs now knock back players
Friends list	Redesigned with search, sorting by online status or name, and a new Player Options screen

Every 26.4 Snapshot So Far

The first two 26.4 snapshots were mostly technical. This tracker will grow with each new release.

Snapshot	Release date	Main changes	Bugs fixed
26.4 Snapshot 1	September 22, 2026	Vulkan becomes the default renderer	29
26.4 Snapshot 2	September 29, 2026	Render distance fog redesign, reorganized debug screen	53
26.4 Snapshot 3	October 6, 2026	Ice caves, icicles, ice crystals, Frostbite, Freezing, new Friends list	18

Bug counts and early snapshot details come from the Minecraft Wiki’s Java Edition 26.4 page.

How to Play the Minecraft Snapshot on Java Edition

You need a Java Edition copy and the official Minecraft Launcher. The snapshot is free for existing owners.

Back up your worlds. Copy your saves folder from the .minecraft directory to a safe place. A world opened in a snapshot can break, and it may not load properly in older versions.
Open the Minecraft Launcher and select Minecraft: Java Edition.
Go to the Installations tab and tick the Snapshots box.
Click New Installation, choose “26.4 Snapshot 3” from the version list and click Create. You can also pick the built-in “Latest snapshot” profile, which always points to the newest build.
Go back to the Play tab, pick that installation and press Play.

New biomes appear in newly generated chunks. A fresh world is the simplest way to test ice caves. In a creative or cheats-on world, the /locate biome command will point you to the nearest one. Type the command and let autocomplete fill in the ice caves ID. Our Minecraft commands guide explains /locate, /give and /summon if you want to spawn a Frostbite and test it right away.

Can You Play Ice Caves on Bedrock Edition?

Yes, through Minecraft Preview. Bedrock Preview 26.60.29 added ice caves, icicles and the Frostbite on September 30, 2026. On Bedrock, these features sit behind an experimental toggle, so turn on the matching experiment when you create a world. The full drop is listed as Bedrock Edition 26.70.

When Does Minecraft 26.4 Release?

Mojang has not announced a release date. The Minecraft Wiki lists the drop for Q4 2026. Beebom points out that last year’s winter drop, Mounts of Mayhem, arrived in mid-December, and it expects a similar window this year. Treat any exact date as a guess until Mojang confirms it.

Before release, the 26.4 snapshots will move to pre-releases and then a release candidate. This is the fourth game drop of 2026. Tiny Takeover and Chaos Cubed were both shown at Minecraft Live in March 2026, and Wilderness Bound followed as Java Edition 26.3 on September 15.

Who Should Try the 26.4 Snapshot?

Map makers, data pack creators and server owners get the most out of it, since the pack formats change with each build. Casual players can try it in a separate world. Do not load a main survival world into it without a backup.

BMSD 2026 Semi Finals: All 24 Teams and How 8 Reach the LAN

BGMI
Esports

Divyesh Moghe

-

October 7, 2026

0

BMSD 2026 Semi Finals: All 24 Teams and How 8 Reach the LAN

The BMSD 2026 Semi Finals start on October 8 and run until October 11. Twenty-four BGMI teams are fighting for eight direct spots at the LAN Grand Finals in Hyderabad. The other 16 teams get one more chance in the Last Chance stage. Below you’ll find every team, where it qualified from, the format, timings and the points system.

BMSD 2026 Semi Finals at a Glance

Detail	Info
Dates	October 8 to 11, 2026
Teams	24
Matches	24 (6 per day)
Matches per team	16
Maps	Rondo, Erangel, Miramar
Top 8	Qualify for the Grand Finals
Bottom 16	Move to the Last Chance stage (October 12 to 13)
Livestream	KRAFTON India Esports YouTube (Hindi and English)

BMSD 2026 Semi Finals Teams List

The 24 teams came through three routes. Twelve were seeded straight in from the Week 3 qualifiers. Eight came from the Upper Bracket Survival, and four came from the Lower Bracket Survival.

Route	Teams
Direct from Qualifiers (12)	Myth Official, Team Tamilas, Team SouL, Elite Nova Esports, 7Gods Esports, Genesis Esports, Welt Esports, Gladiators Esports, Rapid Chaos Esports, Team Aryan, Wyld Fangs, Cultrex Esports x Zero Ark
Upper Bracket Survival top 8	Nebula Esports, Team Outrage, Version 1 x Blue Army, Orangutan, Learn From Past, GodLike Esports, 4TR Official, Team Apex Gaming
Lower Bracket Survival top 4	K9 Esports, MadKings, HyperCatz, Vasista Esports

Four more teams skipped the Semi Finals completely. Meta Ninza, 8Bit, Revenant XSpark and Blitz Epigrotive Gaming earned direct Grand Finals invites during the qualifiers. You can check full stage-by-stage standings on our BMSD 2026 points table and tournament hub.

BMSD 2026 Semi Finals Groups

The 24 teams will be split into three groups of eight: A, B and C. The group draw was scheduled for October 7. We will add the groups here once KRAFTON India Esports confirms them.

BMSD 2026 Semi Finals Format Explained

The Semi Finals use a round-robin group system. Each match has 16 teams, so two of the three groups play together while the third group sits out. Over four days every team plays 16 of the 24 matches.

Points are added across all four days. There is no reset between days.

Placement	Points
1st	10
2nd	6
3rd	5
4th	4
5th	3
6th	2
7th and 8th	1
Each finish	1

Finishes carry a lot of weight in this system. A team that wins a match with 10 finishes gets 20 points. That is how Team Apex Gaming jumped from 11th to 8th on the final match of the Upper Bracket and got through by one point. Our report on Apex Gaming’s last-match comeback covers that game in full.

What Happens After the BMSD 2026 Semi Finals

Every team is still alive after the Semi Finals. The finishing spot only decides which route a team takes to Hyderabad.

Semi Finals finish	Next stage
1st to 8th	Grand Finals (October 16 to 18)
9th to 24th	Last Chance (October 12 to 13): 16 teams, 12 matches, top 4 reach the Grand Finals

The Grand Finals line-up has 16 teams in total:

Source	Spots
Direct invites from Qualifiers	4
Semi Finals top 8	8
Last Chance top 4	4
Total	16

The LAN Grand Finals take place at Savaaya Convention, Gandipet, Hyderabad, from October 16 to 18. The champion is decided with a Smash Rule format.

BMSD 2026 Semi Finals Timings and Livestream

According to the published schedule, six matches are played each day from 1:30 PM IST, about 40 minutes apart.

Match	Approx. start (IST)
Match 1	1:30 PM
Match 2	2:10 PM
Match 3	2:50 PM
Match 4	3:30 PM
Match 5	4:10 PM
Match 6	4:50 PM

Delays happen, so treat these times as a guide. The stream goes live on the KRAFTON India Esports YouTube channel in Hindi and English. For lobby-by-lobby results, Liquipedia’s BMSD 2026 Semi Finals page is also updated during the event.

What Is at Stake: Prize Pool and BMIC Slots

BMSD 2026 has a prize pool of ₹1 crore.

Place	Prize
1st	₹30,00,000
2nd	₹15,00,000
3rd	₹10,00,000

The prize money is only part of it. As reported by Outlook Respawn, the top six BMSD teams qualify for the BMIC 2026, where they face teams from Japan and South Korea.

BMSD 2026 Semi Finals: Teams to Watch

Nebula Esports: Relegated in Week 1 of the qualifiers. They came back to top the Upper Bracket with 178 points.
Team Outrage: Second in the Upper Bracket with 165 points, and the most consistent team in that stage.
K9 Esports: Led the Lower Bracket from start to finish, according to reports.
Team Apex Gaming: Got in by one point. Jonathan is also close to a personal record. Our earlier report had him 30 finishes away from becoming BGMI’s all-time finish leader, so it could happen during this stage.
Seeded teams: Team SouL, Rapid Chaos and Welt Esports arrive fresh. They did not have to play the Survival stages.

FAQ

When do the BMSD 2026 Semi Finals start?
The BMSD 2026 Semi Finals start on October 8 and end on October 11, 2026. There are six matches every day, starting around 1:30 PM IST. All 24 matches stream live on the KRAFTON India Esports YouTube channel in Hindi and English.

How many teams qualify from the BMSD 2026 Semi Finals?
The top 8 teams after 24 matches qualify straight for the LAN Grand Finals in Hyderabad. The teams placed 9th to 24th move to the Last Chance stage on October 12 and 13. Four more Grand Finals spots are decided there.

Is any team eliminated in the BMSD 2026 Semi Finals?
No. Every Semi Finals team gets at least one more stage. The bottom 16 teams play the Last Chance stage, and 12 of them are eliminated there. Only the top 4 from Last Chance join the Grand Finals.

Where are the BMSD 2026 Grand Finals?
The Grand Finals are a LAN event at Savaaya Convention, Gandipet, Hyderabad, from October 16 to 18, 2026. Sixteen teams play 18 matches, and the champion is decided with a Smash Rule format.

TalkEsport

TALKESPORT

LoL Patch 26.20 Release Date

LoL Patch 26.20 Patch Notes

Private Replays

Champions

Passive – Drakehound’s Step

Base Stats

Base Stats

W – Pale Cascade

E – Lightning Rush

W – Wolf’s Frenzy

E – Mounting Dread

W – Path Maker

R – Lilting Lullaby

Base Stats

Q – Obliterate

R – Realm of Death

E – Tangle-Barbs

Passive – Dragon Practice

R – Mmooommmm!

Base Stats

W – Vision of Empire

Q – Tongue Lash

Base Stats

Q – Tumble

Q – Cultivation of Spirit

W – Arc of Judgement

Items

Scoreboard Cleanup

Classic

Champions

W – Riposte

Base Stats

R – Collateral Damage

Q – Urchin Strike

W – Seastone Trident

W – Electrical Surge

Passive – Staggering Blow

W – Titan’s Wrath

Items

Bugfixes

ARAM: Mayhem

Champions

Augments

Bugfixes

ARAM

Champions

Ranked 5s

Bugfixes & QoL Changes

BMSD 2026 MVP Rankings Before Semi Finals

Sarang Has the Most Finishes Among Top Five

How Is the BMSD 2026 MVP Decided?

MVP Race Could Change During Semi Finals

PUBG Mobile Flash Download

How to Download PUBG Mobile Flash

What Is Different About PUBG Mobile Flash?

Is PUBG Mobile Flash APK Available?

PUBG Mobile Flash Release Date

Best Free Fire MAX Pet Combinations for Ranked Matches

1. Rockie + Alok

2. Mr. Waggor + Skyler

3. Ottero + Healing Characters

4. Fang + Squad Support Builds

5. Hoot + Scanning Abilities

6. Falco + Early Rotation Builds

Best Free Fire MAX Pet Combinations at a Glance

How to Choose the Best Pet for Ranked Matches

Best Pet Combination for Free Fire MAX BR Ranked

Best Pet Combination for Free Fire MAX CS Ranked

GTA 6 Xbox Cloud Gaming Deal: What We Know

Can You Play GTA 6 on PC at Launch?

Do You Need to Buy GTA 6 to Stream It?

The 15-Hour Cloud Gaming Limit Matters

How Long It Takes to Finish GTA 6 on 15 Cloud Hours a Month

What You Need to Stream GTA 6 on PC

Why Xbox Wants This Deal

When Is the GTA 6 PC Release Date?

FAQ

How Much Does a Used PS5 Pro Cost Right Now?