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How to Get the Axe in Silent Hill Townfall: Both Locations Explained

Satyam Kumar
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How to Get the Axe in Silent Hill Townfall: Both Locations Explained

The Axe is a melee weapon in Silent Hill Townfall that kills standard enemies in one hit and never breaks. You cannot find it on a first playthrough. It unlocks after you finish the game once, and it only appears once you start New Game Plus.

There are two places to pick it up. This guide covers the unlock requirement, both Axe locations, how it compares to the other weapons in St. Amelia, and what to keep in mind if you are using it during an endings run.

Silent Hill Townfall Axe: quick answer

DetailAnswer
Unlock requirementFinish the game once (any ending)
Game modeNew Game Plus (“New Game +” on the main menu)
First locationGarage east of Shore Wynd, Shorefront District (South), Part 1: Arrival
Second locationBack garden next to Mister Stewart’s house, Part 2: Zoe
DurabilityInfinite
DamageKills standard enemies in one hit
TrophyHere’s Simon (on pickup)

How to unlock the Axe in Silent Hill Townfall

The only requirement is a completed save. Your ending does not matter. Justice, Forever and Abandoned all unlock the Axe.

Most players see the Abandoned ending first. The game gives it when your kill count is higher than your Discoveries, and that is what usually happens on a blind run.

After the credits, a screen tells you the Axe is unlocked. It does not go straight into your inventory, though. You have to go and collect it in the world.

  1. Finish Silent Hill Townfall once.
  2. Go back to the main menu and select New Game +.
  3. Start the new run. The first Axe is available within minutes, during Part 1: Arrival.

If you are new to the idea of carrying progress into a second run, the New Game Plus mode works here much like it does in other survival horror games: you replay the story with extra unlocks available.

Axe location 1: Shore Wynd garage (Part 1: Arrival)

This is the fastest way to get the Axe.

  1. From the starting area, head to St. Amelia’s Shorefront District (South).
  2. Open your map and go to Shore Wynd.
  3. Go through the white gate.
  4. Look for the garage door on your right, on the east side of Shore Wynd.
  5. The door is usually open. If it is closed, walk up to it and use the prompt to open it.
  6. Inside, the room is lit red. The Axe sits on a small table under the light, with a garden gnome next to it.

Picking it up unlocks the Here’s Simon trophy.

This garage has a second use. Once you complete the Sci-Fi ending, a green-lit room opens up in the same spot with a futuristic sidearm inside. Our guide on where to find the Pistol-3000 in Silent Hill Townfall explains the full three-playthrough route. If you only see the Axe in the garage, you have not met the Sci-Fi requirement yet.

Axe location 2: next to Mister Stewart’s house (Part 2: Zoe)

If you skipped the garage, a second Axe appears later in the same New Game Plus run.

  1. Continue the story until you take control of Zoe.
  2. Make your way to Mister Stewart’s house.
  3. Go to the house directly to its right.
  4. Enter the back garden. The Axe is leaning against a wooden shed near the fence.

This one is worth grabbing even if you already have the first. Zoe does not get access to a gun, so the Axe is her strongest option in combat. Both Axes work the same way.

Axe vs other melee weapons

Most melee weapons in St. Amelia are temporary. You pick them up from the environment, and they break after a few swings or blocks.

WeaponHow to get itDurabilityDamage
PlankFound around St. AmeliaBreaks after several hitsLow
PipeFound around St. AmeliaBreaks after several hitsLow
Brick / BottleFound around St. AmeliaSingle use (thrown)Used to hit or distract enemies
AxeNew Game Plus onlyNever breaksOne hit kill on standard enemies

Blocking wears down a plank or pipe. With the Axe, blocking costs you nothing, since the weapon has no durability to lose.

The one hit kill does not apply to every enemy. Larger enemies take more than one hit.

All weapons in Silent Hill Townfall

The Axe is one of five main weapons. Three are available on a first playthrough and two are New Game Plus unlocks.

WeaponWhen you get itRequirement
PistolPart 2, Richard’s Gift box in Town Square (as Simon)None
Flare GunCEG Lockers, Locker 75 (code 184)CEG Lockers Barcode
ShotgunPart 5, on entering CEG TowerNone (automatic)
AxePart 1 garage or Part 2 gardenNew Game Plus
Pistol-3000Shore Wynd garage or Floor 5 BoardroomNew Game Plus after the Sci-Fi ending

The Pistol takes two shots to kill a standard enemy. The Shotgun can do it in one, which makes it the strongest option on a first run.

Using the Axe during an endings run

Silent Hill Townfall has five endings. Justice, Forever and Abandoned are the main three. Dog and Sci-Fi are joke endings, and you can only reach them in New Game Plus.

The main three depend on two numbers: how many enemies you kill and how many Discoveries you collect. Only Clues and Documents count as Discoveries. To get Justice, your Discoveries need to stay ahead of your kills.

This matters because the Axe makes killing easy. If you are going for Justice, you can still carry it for blocking and just avoid finishing off enemies where you can. Run, hide or distract instead. Your current totals are shown in the Statistics tab on the main menu.

For the full requirements, including the New Game Plus steps for Dog and Sci-Fi, see this Silent Hill Townfall endings guide from PowerPyx.

About Silent Hill Townfall

Silent Hill: Townfall is a first-person spin-off in Konami’s horror series. Screen Burn Interactive developed it, and Konami and Annapurna Interactive published it. It released on September 24, 2026, for PS5 and PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store. Deluxe Edition owners got in 48 hours early, on September 22.

The game takes place in 1996 on St. Amelia, a fictional Scottish island. You play as Simon Ordell, who keeps waking up in the water by the town’s docks.

For more help with the game, browse our Silent Hill Townfall coverage or the full TalkEsport gaming guides section.

FAQ

Can you get the Axe on your first playthrough of Silent Hill Townfall?
No. The Axe only appears in New Game Plus.

Does your ending affect whether you get the Axe?
No. Any ending unlocks it.

Does the Axe break in Silent Hill Townfall?
No. It has infinite durability.

Can the Axe kill every enemy in one hit?
No. It kills standard enemies in one hit. Larger enemies take more.

What trophy do you get for picking up the Axe?
You get the Here’s Simon trophy.

Where is the second Axe?
During Part 2 as Zoe, in the back garden of the house to the right of Mister Stewart’s home. It is leaning against a wooden shed.

GTA Online weekly challenge (September 24 to 30, 2026): How to get GTA$1 million and the Retro Fruit Tracksuit

Satyam Kumar
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GTA Online weekly challenge (September 24 to 30, 2026): How to get GTA$1 million and the Retro Fruit Tracksuit

The last GTA Online weekly challenge of the Business Rivalries event is now live. Between September 24 and September 30, 2026, any player who sells GTA$1,000,000 worth of product across their businesses gets an extra GTA$1,000,000 and the Retro Fruit Tracksuit.

It’s the fourth GTA$1 million challenge this month. For all of September, Rockstar Games paid 10 times the normal Weekly Challenge prize, according to the official Rockstar Newswire post on the Business Rivalries event. Some outlets describe the tracksuit as a retro Apple-themed outfit.

Below: what the challenge asks for, which businesses count, and everything else in this week’s update.

Retro Fruit Tracksuit challenge at a glance

DetailInformation
ChallengeSell GTA$1,000,000 across all businesses
RewardGTA$1,000,000 plus the Retro Fruit Tracksuit
StartsThursday, September 24, 2026
EndsWednesday, September 30, 2026 (weekly reset on Thursday, October 1)
EventBusiness Rivalries, week 4 (Nightclub Owners)
Where to track progressInteraction Menu

How to complete the GTA Online weekly challenge

The goal is a total sale value, not a set number of missions. Rockstar’s wording is “across all businesses,” so sales from different businesses add up toward the same GTA$1,000,000.

  1. Build up stock in one or more businesses before you start a sale.
  2. Start the sell mission from that business’s computer or laptop.
  3. Finish the delivery. Only completed sales count.
  4. Open the Interaction Menu to check how much of the GTA$1,000,000 you have covered.
  5. Once you pass the target, the Retro Fruit Tracksuit unlocks in your wardrobe. The cash reward is not always instant and can take some time to show up in your account.

Rockstar has not said whether this week’s 2X bonuses count at their boosted value toward the target. Plan around the base value of your sales and use the Interaction Menu to confirm your progress.

Which businesses count toward the GTA$1,000,000

BusinessHow stock buildsWhere the sale starts
NightclubTechnicians collect goods from your linked businessesNightclub office computer
CEO Special CargoBuy and source cratesWarehouse laptop
BunkerSupplies turn into weapons stockBunker laptop
MC businessesSupplies turn into productBusiness laptop
Acid LabSupplies turn into acidAcid Lab (Brickade 6×6)

Players with a full Nightclub warehouse or a stocked Bunker may finish in a single sale. Players starting from zero will need to restock first, which takes more time than the sale itself.

Free Nightclub this week

The Elysian Island Nightclub is free from Maze Bank Foreclosures until September 30. One thing to know before you claim it: a Nightclub warehouse fills with goods from other businesses you own. A new Nightclub with no linked businesses will not produce stock, so on its own it will not help you finish this week’s challenge.

Other rewards available this week

RewardHow to get it
Penaud La Coureuse plus HSW upgradeComplete at least one Weekly Challenge between September 3 and 23, then claim it at Legendary Motorsport this week. The HSW upgrade applies on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC (Enhanced).
Business Battle apparelDeliver Business Battle crates for one of these: Six Figure Tee, Ride or Die Tee, Red and White Ammu-Nation Cap or Bourgeoix Tee
Kortz Center Heist bonusNew Primary Targets, a reset first-completion bonus and an extra GTA$400,000 for finishing without dying

The Kortz Center Heist Primary Targets this week are The Outcome of Endeavour, What are Melons?, In Excess of Success and The Girl With the Pearl Necklace.

GTA Online weekly update bonuses and discounts (September 24 to 30)

2X bonuses:

ActivityBonus
Featured Series2X GTA$ and RP
Community Combat Series2X GTA$ and RP
QuickiePharm Deliveries2X GTA$ and RP
Nightclub Goods Missions (via Yohan)2X GTA$ and RP
Nightclub Management Missions2X Popularity

Vehicles and weekly content:

CategoryThis week
Podium VehicleOcelot Penetrator
Prize RidePegassi Zorrusso (win an LS Car Meet race four days in a row)
Premium Test RideImponte Arbiter GT
Salvage Yard RobberiesPfister Comet S2 Cabrio, Mammoth Patriot Mil-Spec, Karin Boor
FIB Priority FileThe Fine Art File (pays double)
70% offImponte Arbiter GT

The 30% discount list includes the Benefactor Turreted Limo, Declasse Drift Yosemite, Dewbauchee JB 700W, Dinka Jester Classic, Enus Stafford, Grotti Stinger GT, HVY Menacer, Nagasaki Blazer Aqua, Nagasaki Outlaw, Pfister Comet SR, Truffade Nero, Vapid Caracara 4×4, Vapid GB200, Vapid Retinue Mk II and Vysser Neo.

All Business Rivalries weekly challenges

WeekChallengeClothing reward
September 3 to 9Sell GTA$1,000,000 of Special CargoYeti x LS Customs Tracksuit
September 10 to 16Sell GTA$1,000,000 of MC Business or Acid Lab productJunk Tracksuit
September 17 to 23Complete three Bunker Research MissionsCamo Ammu-Nation Sweatsuit
September 24 to 30Sell GTA$1,000,000 across all businessesRetro Fruit Tracksuit

The first three challenges have ended. The Retro Fruit Tracksuit is the only one still available.

What comes after Business Rivalries

The event wraps up at the weekly reset on October 1. After that, most of the attention shifts to Grand Theft Auto VI, which launches on November 19, 2026. GTA 6 will ship without an online mode at launch, and one leak points to a possible December 2026 window for GTA 6 Online. Rockstar has not confirmed that date. You can check the official GTA Online page for Rockstar’s own announcements, and our GTA Online news and guides for coverage of each week’s update.

FAQ

What is the Retro Fruit Tracksuit in GTA Online? It is a clothing reward from the final Business Rivalries weekly challenge. You unlock it by selling GTA$1,000,000 across your businesses between September 24 and 30, 2026.

Do sales from different businesses count together? Yes. The challenge says “across all businesses,” so sales from your Nightclub, Bunker, Special Cargo warehouse and other businesses all add up to the same total.

When does the GTA Online weekly challenge end? It ends on Wednesday, September 30, 2026. The next weekly update starts on Thursday, October 1.

Can I still get the free Penaud La Coureuse? Only if you completed at least one Weekly Challenge between September 3 and 23. Those players can claim it at Legendary Motorsport before September 30.

How to Get the Pistol-3000 in Silent Hill Townfall

Satyam Kumar
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How to Get the Pistol-3000 in Silent Hill Townfall

The Pistol-3000 is the secret endgame weapon in Silent Hill Townfall. It is a futuristic energy weapon with unlimited ammunition that vaporizes enemies with a single shot. You will not find it on a first run. You must first complete the secret Sci-Fi ending and then begin another New Game Plus run to obtain the weapon and unlock the Future Hardware trophy.

This guide covers every step: the unlock requirements, all three Strange Books, the Strange Access Card puzzle, and both Pistol-3000 locations.

What is the Pistol-3000 in Silent Hill Townfall?

The Pistol-3000 is a ray gun that sits outside the game’s normal arsenal. A standard playthrough gives you access to only 3 firearms, not counting Planks and Pipes for melee combat, as well as Bricks and Bottles that can be used against enemies or thrown to distract them. Ammo is scarce in those runs. The Pistol-3000 removes that limit, which is why players use it for speedruns and cleanup playthroughs.

Silent Hill Townfall is a first-person spin-off in the series. It was developed by Screen Burn Interactive and published by Konami Digital Entertainment and Annapurna Interactive. It launched September 24, 2026 on PS5, Steam, and the Epic Games Store. You can find the full game overview on the Silent Hill: Townfall Wikipedia page and more of our Silent Hill Townfall coverage here on TalkEsport.

Pistol-3000 unlock requirements

The Pistol-3000 needs three separate playthroughs. The Sci-Fi ending can only be reached in New Game Plus, and after that, the Pistol-3000 becomes available in subsequent NG+ playthroughs.

StepPlaythroughWhat you need to do
1First runFinish the game with any ending to unlock New Game Plus
2New Game Plus run 1Collect 3 Strange Books and the Strange Access Card, then get the Sci-Fi ending
3New Game Plus run 2Pick up the Pistol-3000 in Part 1 or Part 5

How to get the Sci-Fi ending in Silent Hill Townfall

You’ll need to find 3 Strange Books and one Strange Access Card, then use the card in the correct place near the end of the story. One rule applies to every book: examine it on the spot. Picking it up without examining it will not count.

Strange Book 1: Zoe’s House (Part 1)

After returning from the Otherworld, head to Zoe’s House opposite the newsstand and go upstairs. In the bedroom, you’ll find the book underneath the bedside table. Make sure to examine it on the spot rather than simply picking it up, otherwise it will not count toward the ending. The book is titled The History of Space Flight.

Strange Access Card: Hotel door puzzle (Part 2)

Silent Hill Townfall hotel door symbol puzzle solution for the Strange Access Card

Once control returns to Simon, pick up Richard’s Gift to gain access to Shorefront District, Different. As soon as the surroundings turn red, head to the Hotel and go upstairs. There is a door with 25 symbol buttons.

Press the symbols in this order:

OrderSymbolOrderSymbol
1Bird7Satellite
2Tree8Fish
3Planet9Rocket
4Bird10Planet
5Trinity11Dog
6Satellite12Monument

If you enter the sequence correctly, the door will open. Inside, pick up the Strange Access Card near the elephant statue. Once you have it, simply continue through the story as normal until Part 4.

Strange Book 2: Stenhouse Hospice (Part 4)

The second Strange Book is found in Part 4 at Clara Woods, inside Stenhouse End of Life Hospice Care. The building is already accessible as part of the story and stands opposite the phone booth in Atlas Square. Go inside and immediately turn left. The book is on a bookshelf. Examine it before moving on.

Strange Book 3: SWDP Different (Part 6)

The third Strange Book is hidden in Part 6 while playing as Simon, inside SWDP (Different). First, complete the Remote Systems Control puzzle. After that, you’ll be able to freely use the console to unlock doors. Unlock Room 621 if it is still closed, then head downstairs and enter. The room is opposite the one containing Valve F, and the third book can be found on a shelf inside.

Use the Strange Access Card

After solving the Clamps puzzle, turn the red valve to release the container. A shutter door will then open, allowing you to continue. Follow the corridor as usual, but before going through the door at the end, stop at the keycard reader on the left wall. Use the Strange Access Card there.

The reader will turn green, and a message will appear saying that the character feels sluggish, like he needs to wake up. Go through the door afterward. The story scene will begin as normal, but it will unexpectedly transition into the alternate ending.

Pistol-3000 locations in New Game Plus

Start a new New Game Plus run after the Sci-Fi ending plays. The weapon appears in two places, so you can grab it early or pick it up later on the main story route.

[Image: Green-lit room behind the garage door at Shore Wynd | Alt text: Pistol-3000 location Shore Wynd garage Silent Hill Townfall]

LocationPartCharacterHow to reach it
Shore Wynd garage, Shorefront District SouthPart 1SimonFrom the start, go to Shore Wynd, open the white gate, and enter the garage door on the right
CEG Tower Boardroom, Floor 5Part 5RichardEnter the Boardroom and check the table by the save phone

For the first location, this is the same spot where you can pick up the Axe in New Game+. After completing the Sci-Fi Ending, a room glowing green will become accessible here, with the Pistol-3000 inside. Picking up the weapon unlocks the Future Hardware trophy.

For the second location, the weapon is lying directly in front of the phone used to save the game. This option is convenient because you do not have to rush back to the starting area.

All weapons in Silent Hill Townfall

Here is how the Pistol-3000 compares with the rest of the arsenal.

WeaponWhere to get itUnlock conditionDamage vs standard enemy
PistolRichard’s Gift box, Town Square (Part 2)StoryTwo shots
Flare GunLocker 75, CEG Lockers, Clara Woods (Part 4), code 184StoryOne direct hit, limited ammo
ShotgunGiven automatically in CEG Tower (Part 5, Richard)StoryOne shot
AxeShore Wynd garage (Part 1) or shed near Mister Stewart’s house (Part 2)New Game Plus, any endingOne hit
Pistol-3000Shore Wynd garage (Part 1) or CEG Tower Boardroom (Part 5)New Game Plus after Sci-Fi endingOne shot, infinite ammo

The Pistol becomes available in Part 2 while playing as Zoe. Once control returns to Simon, head to the Town Square and open the box labeled Richard’s Gift. It deals enough damage to kill a standard enemy in two shots. The Shotgun is given to you automatically in Part 5 while playing as Richard, immediately after he enters the CEG Tower.

Silent Hill Townfall endings and where Sci-Fi fits

On a first playthrough there are three possible endings: Abandoned, Justice and Forever. With a New Game Plus save, there are two bonus endings: Dog and Sci Fi. The Sci-Fi ending is the only one tied to the Pistol-3000.

Konami lists the game’s official details on its Silent Hill Townfall page.

Frequently asked questions

Can you get the Pistol-3000 on your first playthrough? No. It requires the Sci-Fi ending, which is only available in New Game Plus, and then a second New Game Plus run.

What trophy does the Pistol-3000 unlock? Picking it up unlocks the Future Hardware trophy.

Does the Axe also need the Sci-Fi ending? No. The Axe is available in New Game Plus regardless of which ending you completed previously.

What happens if I pick up a Strange Book without examining it? It will not count toward the Sci-Fi ending. Examine each book where you find it.

Does the Pistol-3000 run out of ammo? No. Its ammo is infinite.

Genshin Impact 7.2 Banners Leaked: Mitya, Furina, Zibai and Linnea Reruns Expected

Satyam Kumar
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Genshin Impact 7.2 Banners Leaked: Mitya, Furina, Zibai and Linnea Reruns Expected

New leaks have revealed the likely Genshin Impact 7.2 banners. They include one new 5-star, one new 4-star, and three 5-star reruns. The next version is expected to release two new playable characters, Mitya and Valeriy. One of them is a 5-star and the other is a 4-star. The leaked reruns are Furina, Zibai and Linnea.

None of this is official yet. HoYoverse normally confirms banners during the version Special Program, so treat every detail below as a leak until then.

Genshin Impact 7.2 banners leak showing Mitya and Furina

Genshin Impact 7.2 banner lineup (leaked)

The leak, shared via Kasssperskaya, lists Mitya with Furina and Zibai with Linnea for 7.2. The leaker did not share the banner order, but Mitya is likely to run with Furina in the first half, and Linnea and Zibai in the second half.

Phase (expected)5-star charactersStatus
Phase 1MityaNew
Phase 1FurinaRerun
Phase 2ZibaiRerun
Phase 2LinneaRerun
Either phaseValeriy (4-star)New

The four names match the Snezhnaya character roadmap for versions 7.1 to 7.3 that leaked earlier this year.

How reliable is the Genshin 7.2 leak?

Kasssperskaya is not an established leaker. The account does not have a proper track record, though it did leak the Traveler’s new outfit several months ago. Spiral Abyss leaks also suggest that Floor 12 will buff Lunar-Crystallize DMG, which fits a Linnea and Zibai rerun.

Separate evidence points the same way. Most community predictions for 7.2 come from the rumored Stygian Onslaught boss lineup, since each boss has an element-specific shield that favors a small set of characters.

Leaked bossShieldCharacters it favors
New bossStellar or ElectroMitya
Emperor of Fire and IronPyroNeuvillette, Furina
Radiant Moon GeckoLayered GeoZibai, Linnea

The Emperor of Fire and Iron is the Fontaine giant crab, and Hydro breaks its Pyro shield fastest. That put Neuvillette and Furina in the prediction pool, with Furina seen as more likely.

Genshin Impact 7.2 release date and banner schedule

Version 7.1 is currently live. It launched on September 23, 2026, with Vesna and Vodyanitsa in the first phase, while Skirk and Escoffier return in the second half. If you missed the patch day details, our guide to Genshin Impact 7.1 maintenance times and compensation covers them.

Genshin updates follow a six-week cycle, which gives the following estimated dates for 7.2:

MilestoneExpected date
7.2 Special ProgramLate October 2026
7.2 Phase 1 bannersNovember 4, 2026
7.2 Phase 2 bannersAround November 25, 2026
Version 7.3 launchAround December 16, 2026

All of these dates are estimates until HoYoverse publishes the calendar. The full lineup is usually revealed in the Special Program about one to two weeks before a patch goes live. Official announcements appear on the Genshin Impact official website.

New 7.2 characters: Mitya and Valeriy

Mitya (5-star Electro Catalyst)

Mitya is the only new 5-star in Genshin Impact 7.2. He is an Electro unit who uses a Catalyst. Beta leaks suggest he can work as a main DPS or as an off-field sub-DPS, and he also buffs the team’s Elemental Mastery.

His damage reportedly scales with Elemental Mastery instead of ATK, and his whole kit is built around the Stellar Conduct system. His Elemental Skill is said to have tap and hold versions. The tap focuses on on-field damage, while the hold lets him deal damage from the bench.

Valeriy (4-star Electro Sword)

Valeriy is described as an Electro sword user who supports a reaction team rather than dealing damage himself. Leaks say he gives a team-wide shield in Stellar Conduct lineups, boosts Stellar Conduct damage by 20%, and gives Mitya 120 Elemental Mastery. Reports differ on whether these values are present at base or require constellations, and his 4-star rarity is not fully confirmed.

CharacterRarityElementWeaponLeaked role
Mitya5-starElectroCatalystMain DPS or off-field DPS
Valeriy4-starElectroSwordShielder and Stellar Conduct buffer

Genshin 7.2 rerun characters: Furina, Zibai and Linnea

Furina is a 5-star Hydro sword user. She buffs the damage of the whole party as long as a healer is present. Her Ousia form deals off-field damage through her skill, and her Pneuma form heals the party.

Zibai is a 5-star Geo sword user and the main DPS behind the Lunar-Crystallize team. She first released in Version 6.3. Linnea is a 5-star Geo bow user who scales with DEF, heals, converts Hydro-Crystallize into Lunar-Crystallize, and shreds Geo resistance. She first released in Version 6.5. For a full breakdown of her abilities, see our Linnea kit and constellation guide.

Both Geo characters were first rumored for Version 7.1, but the official 7.1 second phase went to Skirk and Escoffier instead.

What the leak says about Genshin Impact 7.3

The same leak also covers the next update. It lists Tsaritsa with Danica for 7.3, followed by Odette with either Lohen or Sandrone. The Tsaritsa is the Cryo Archon, so 7.3 is expected to draw heavy Primogem spending. Players saving for her may choose to skip part of 7.2.

How many Primogems you need for 7.2

Genshin Impact’s gacha system has a hard pity of 90 wishes, and a lost 50/50 means the next 5-star is guaranteed.

GoalWishesPrimogems
One 5-star at hard pity9014,400
Guaranteed Mitya (worst case)18028,800

Mitya and Valeriy both use Vajrada Amethyst as their Electro ascension gem, so players can start farming it now.

Genshin Impact 7.2 banners FAQ

Who is the new 5-star in Genshin Impact 7.2? Mitya, a 5-star Electro Catalyst user, according to leaks.

Which characters are getting reruns in 7.2? Furina, Zibai and Linnea, based on the Kasssperskaya leak.

When will Genshin Impact 7.2 release? Around November 4, 2026, based on the six-week update cycle.

Are the 7.2 banners confirmed? No. HoYoverse is expected to confirm them in the 7.2 Special Program in late October.

IESF World Esports Championship 2026: Indonesia to host WEC26 from December 15 to 20

Divyesh Moghe
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IESF World Esports Championship 2026: Indonesia to host WEC26 from December 15 to 20

The IESF World Esports Championship 2026 (WEC26) will take place in Indonesia from December 15 to 20, 2026. The International Esports Federation announced the host in Nagoya, Japan, and confirmed that Indonesia will host the event for the third time. More than 500 athletes from over 110 member national federations are expected, and they will compete under their national flags.

This will be the 18th edition of the World Esports Championship. Indonesia previously hosted in Jakarta in 2016 and in Bali in 2022.

WEC26 at a glance

DetailInformation
EventIESF World Esports Championship 2026 (WEC26)
Edition18th
Host countryIndonesia
DatesDecember 15 to 20, 2026
GamesCounter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, PUBG Mobile, eFootball
Official events7
Expected athletes500+
Member federations110+
Host city and venueNot announced
Prize poolNot announced
2027 hostAstana, Kazakhstan

WEC26 games and official events

The confirmed game lineup is Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, PUBG Mobile and eFootball. Some games have separate open and women’s events. Ligagame reports seven official events in total, with Counter-Strike 2 and MLBB each running an open and a women’s tournament.

EventPlatformHow nations get in
Counter-Strike 2 OpenPCWEC25 qualifiers
Counter-Strike 2 WomenPCWEC25 qualifiers
Dota 2PCWEC25 qualifiers
PUBG MobileMobileWEC25 qualifiers
eFootballMobileWEC24 qualifiers
MLBB OpenMobileInvitation via IESF Official Ranking System
MLBB WomenMobileInvitation via IESF Official Ranking System

IESF also plans invitational tournaments alongside the main competition.

How WEC26 qualification works

Not every event uses the same route. Nations in eFootball are drawn from those that came through WEC24 qualifying. The two Counter-Strike 2 events, Dota 2 and PUBG Mobile use nations that qualified in the WEC25 cycle. Both MLBB events are filled by invitation, based on the IESF Official Ranking System.

This setup links back to 2025. In October 2025, IESF held only the MLBB events at WEC25 in Kuala Lumpur and said its other official competitions would move to 2026.

Federation eligibility and the September 30 deadline

Every member federation must pass an eligibility check before its entry is confirmed. Federations in good standing receive flight and hotel support. Federations that are not in good standing can still compete but must cover their own travel and accommodation. Suspended federations cannot take part.

IESF has set September 30, 2026 as the final date for federations to fix or complete their eligibility status. No further submissions or corrections will be accepted after that.

The IESF Ordinary General Meeting 2026 (OGM26) will also be held in Indonesia during the championship week. JAMMA reports that 152 member federations will take part in the general assembly. IESF will publish the meeting’s date, venue and agenda separately.

Why Indonesia is hosting again

Indonesia has a track record with this event. The 2022 championship ran in Bali from December 2 to 11, featured six games and carried a total prize pool of $500,000. You can look back at our preview of the IESF World Esports Championship in Bali for how that edition was set up.

Indonesia finished that year as overall champion, winning Dota 2, MLBB and eFootball.

IESF President Vlad Marinescu thanked Indonesian organizers and referred to “organizing the biggest esports event on a beach, in Bali 2022” as a shared achievement.

Recent World Esports Championship results

WEC25 was limited to Mobile Legends. It ran from December 3 to 7, 2025, in Malaysia with a $65,000 prize pool. According to IESF’s official WEC25 results, Malaysia won gold in MLBB Open, Cambodia took silver and Tรผrkiye took bronze, while Indonesia won the MLBB Women’s title for the second year in a row.

WEC24 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, had a wider lineup:

WEC24 eventGoldSilverBronze
Counter-Strike 2RomaniaPortugalSerbia
Counter-Strike 2 WomenPolandFrancePortugal
Dota 2GreeceSwedenTรผrkiye
PUBG MobileTurkeyUkraineBrazil

Romania beat Portugal in the Counter-Strike 2 final and received $100,000. In PUBG Mobile, Turkey finished with 213 points and won $40,000. Our full report covers how Turkey won the IESF PUBG Mobile title.

For older editions, Liquipedia keeps a record of the history of the World Esports Championships, which began in 2009 as the IESF Challenge.

WEC26 and the national team calendar

WEC26 is currently the main national team event at the end of 2026. Dot Esports noted that it fills a similar slot to the one left empty after the first Esports Nations Cup was pushed to November 2027. The Esports Nations Cup was postponed to November 2027 because of regional uncertainty, and it will stay in Riyadh.

IESF has already named Astana, Kazakhstan, as the host of the 2027 World Esports Championship.

What IESF has not announced yet

IESF has not yet published the tournament formats, full qualification details, prize pool or match schedule for each title. The host city, venue and final list of nations are also still pending. These details are expected before the event starts in December.

WEC26 FAQ

When is the IESF World Esports Championship 2026? It runs from December 15 to 20, 2026, in Indonesia.

Which games are in WEC26? Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, PUBG Mobile and eFootball, across seven events.

How many countries will take part? More than 110 member national federations are expected to send athletes.

Who hosts the World Esports Championship in 2027? Astana, Kazakhstan.

What Is Puyo Puyo Champions? Rules, Format and Results at the Asian Games 2026

Divyesh Moghe
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What Is Puyo Puyo Champions? Rules, Format and Results at the Asian Games 2026

Most of the esports lineup at Aichi-Nagoya 2026 is familiar to regular viewers: League of Legends, PUBG Mobile, eFootball. One title is new to many fans. Puyo Puyo Champions, a falling-block puzzle game from SEGA, is making its Asian Games debut as a medal event, and its group stage wrapped up on Thursday, September 24.

This guide covers what Puyo Puyo Champions is, how a match works, the tournament format, the group stage results, and how to watch the medal rounds.

Puyo Puyo Champions at the Asian Games 2026: quick facts

DetailInformation
GamePuyo Puyo Champions (Puyo Puyo eSports in Japan)
Developer and publisherSEGA
Platform at the GamesPC
Event typeIndividual (1 player per nation)
VenueAichi Sky Expo (Aichi International Exhibition Center), Tokoname
Match lengthBest of five (first to three wins)
Group stageSeptember 24
Knockout rounds and medalsSeptember 26

The wider esports program runs from 23 September to 2 October 2026 at the Aichi International Exhibition Center, with 13 video game titles spread across 11 events. Puyo Puyo Champions is played on PC with one player per entry. You can see the full list of titles in our [INTERNAL LINK: Asian Games 2026 esports schedule and titles guide].

What is Puyo Puyo Champions?

Puyo Puyo Champions is a competitive puzzle game built around the long-running Puyo Puyo series. The series was created by Compile, and SEGA has owned the franchise since 1998. The first game came out in 1991 on the MSX2 and the Family Computer Disk System.

Champions itself is built for tournament play. It launched in Japan as Puyo Puyo eSports on October 25, 2018, for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4, and reached a worldwide audience on May 7, 2019, with a Windows version on Steam also released in 2019. The game is still available on the Puyo Puyo Champions Steam page.

Puyo Puyo Champions Steam cover art by SEGA

How Puyo Puyo Champions is played

Two players face off on separate boards. Pairs of coloured blobs, called Puyo, fall from the top. When four or more Puyo of the same colour touch, they pop and disappear.

The real skill is in chains. When one group pops, the Puyo above it drop down and can form new groups that pop in turn. Each step in the chain adds to the attack.

Attacks come in the form of Nuisance Puyo. These clear, grey pieces are sent to the opponent’s board, and the number sent grows with the length of the chain. Players can also use their own chains to cancel out incoming Nuisance Puyo, which is called offsetting. A player loses when a piece lands in the third column from the left in the top row.

TermWhat it means
PuyoThe coloured blobs that fall in pairs
PopFour or more same-colour Puyo connecting and clearing
ChainA series of pops triggered one after another
Nuisance PuyoGarbage blocks sent to the opponent’s board
OffsetCancelling incoming Nuisance Puyo with your own chain

The game has two competitive rulesets. SEGA’s multiplayer modes use rules taken from Puyo Puyo 2 and Puyo Puyo Fever. In the Fever ruleset, a player who offsets seven times enters Fever mode and has to clear preset chains.

Asian Games 2026 Puyo Puyo Champions format

The preliminary round is a round robin with players split into two groups. Each match is best of five, so the first player to three game wins takes it. The finals are set for September 26 at Aichi Sky Expo and use a single-elimination bracket.

After the group stage, the event moves through a first round, quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final.

Group stage results

Group A was led by Japan’s Yuki Kurihara. He won all four of his matches to finish top, closing his morning with a 3-0 win over Hong Kong’s Yu Wing Lim.

The Philippines’ Karl Gonzalvo placed third in the same group. He lost 0-3 to Kurihara, beat Lim 3-2 and Kazakhstan’s Alexandr Pivovarov 3-0, then fell 2-3 to South Korea’s Kang Dongshin. He meets the second-placed player from Group B in the quarter-finals on Saturday at 9 a.m.

India’s Paritosh also went through from Group B. He finished third with two wins and two losses, beating Mongolia’s Munkhzorig Ganbold 3-0 and Singapore’s Mun June Justin Koh 3-2, then losing 3-0 to Chinese Taipei’s Tzu-ang Kuo and 3-2 to Thailand’s Tanarak Wongkitikun.

PlayerNationGroupRecordResult
Yuki KuriharaJapanA4-01st, advanced
Karl GonzalvoPhilippinesA2-23rd, advanced to quarter-finals
ParitoshIndiaB2-23rd, advanced

Full standings for every player had not been published at the time of writing. This table will be updated after the knockout draw.

Yuki Kurihara: Japan’s 11-year-old contender

Kurihara is the name most viewers will know by the end of the week. He is an 11-year-old fifth-grader and the youngest athlete Japan has ever selected for the Asian Games.

He earned his spot against adult professionals. In February this year, he won a tournament by beating professional player Tomo-kun, someone he looked up to. He got his pro licence in April and has said he wants to beat the record of Indonesia’s Bunga Nyimas, who won skateboarding bronze at the 2018 Games aged 12.

Yuki Kurihara representing Japan in Puyo Puyo Champions at the Asian Games 2026

India at the Puyo Puyo Champions event

India sent a 15-member esports squad to Aichi-Nagoya, entering eFootball, Puyo Puyo Champions, Pokรฉmon UNITE and League of Legends. Paritosh is the country’s only player in the Puyo Puyo event. For India’s other esports fixtures, see our [INTERNAL LINK: India esports squad at Asian Games 2026] coverage.

Where to watch Puyo Puyo Champions at the Asian Games 2026

An English stream is available through Asian Games TV, and a Japanese broadcast runs on TBS Sports’ YouTube channel. Viewers in India can watch on the Sony LIV app and Sony Sports channels.

RegionPlatformLanguage
InternationalAsian Games TVEnglish
JapanTBS Sports (YouTube)Japanese
IndiaSony LIV, Sony Sports NetworkEnglish/Hindi

The live medal table for esports is on the Olympics.com Asian Games esports results page.

Why Puyo Puyo Champions is at the Asian Games

Esports first appeared at the Asian Games as a demonstration sport in Jakarta in 2018 and became a medal sport at Hangzhou 2023. Eleven of the 13 titles at Aichi-Nagoya are new to the Games, and several come from Japanese publishers, including Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, Gran Turismo 7 and Pokรฉmon Unite. The Olympic Council of Asia’s title announcement lists the final lineup.

Frequently asked questions

What is Puyo Puyo Champions? It is a competitive puzzle game from SEGA where players pop groups of four or more same-coloured blobs to build chains and send garbage blocks to their opponent.

Is Puyo Puyo Champions a medal event at the Asian Games 2026? Yes. It is one of 11 esports medal events at Aichi-Nagoya 2026 and is played as an individual event.

When is the Puyo Puyo Champions final? The knockout rounds and gold medal match take place on Saturday, September 26, at Aichi Sky Expo.

Who is Yuki Kurihara? He is an 11-year-old Japanese player and the youngest athlete Japan has ever sent to the Asian Games. He won all four of his group stage matches.

Asian Games organisers were strict about the clock except when it came to their own

Pranav Nalawade
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Asian Games organisers were strict about the clock except when it came to their own

Three minutes. That is how late Mongolia’s team leader was for eFootball check-in at the Aichi Sky Expo on September 22. It was enough for Asian Games officials to cancel the match, hand India a 0-0 forfeit win, and end Danial Patel and Chinmay Sahoo’s medal hopes on goal difference.

On that same day, the tournament’s own eFootball schedule did not keep time. A morning notice said the India vs Uzbekistan match was delayed by technical issues. A midday notice moved five group matches from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM and warned that more delays could follow. That is a 90-minute push from the people who would not give a team three minutes.

Rules need to be enforced. But a rule applied with that kind of precision, by an organiser that could not match it, deserves a hard look.

A win that worked like a loss

The facts of Group F are simple, and that is what makes them hard to accept.

India drew 0-0 with Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan then beat Mongolia 6-3 on mobile and 12-0 on console. India needed goals against Mongolia to stay alive. Instead, the match was never played.

TeamResultsPointsGoal differenceOutcome
UzbekistanDrew India 0-0, beat Mongolia 6-3 and 12-04+15Advanced as group winner
IndiaDrew Uzbekistan 0-0, 0-0 forfeit win over Mongolia40Eliminated
MongoliaLost to Uzbekistan, forfeited against India0-15Eliminated

Mongolia’s points and goal difference are calculated from the reported results.

India also missed the best second-placed route. Thailand went through on +3 and Saudi Arabia on +2. Sahoo said a walkover would only have helped if it had been recorded as 3-0 in both games. Our full breakdown of India’s eFootball exit walks through the group maths.

So the only team in that fixture that followed the rules was the one that paid for someone else breaking them. That is the part I keep coming back to. India did nothing wrong, and the outcome was the same as if they had lost.

The clock that only ran one way

Here is how September 22 looked, based on the official notices reported by Inven Global.

TimeWhat happened
9:34 AMOrganisers delay India vs Uzbekistan due to technical issues
NoonFive group matches pushed from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM, more delays possible
Not publishedMongolia misses check-in by three minutes, India handed a 0-0 forfeit
Not publishedQatar recorded as “Did Not Start” against South Korea

To be fair, the notices do not say whether India vs Mongolia was one of the rescheduled matches. No report suggests officials broke their own rulebook, either. The late-arrival rule was written down and it was applied.

But look at what that table says about priorities. When the tournament ran into technical issues or fell behind schedule, teams waited. When a team leader was three minutes behind, the match was gone. A schedule that can move five matches by an hour and a half has room for a few minutes of grace. Organisers chose not to find it, even when India asked to play.

Qatar says the venue made it late

Then there is Qatar. Its Group A opener against South Korea was officially recorded as DNS, with the win going to South Korea.

Taiwan’s UDN, citing a Weibo post, reported Qatar’s claim that staff pointed its players to the wrong waiting room, making them late for player check-in. That claim is unconfirmed. The organising committee has not said a staff error caused it, and the result stands. You can read more in our report on Qatar’s default loss to South Korea.

Even as an unproven claim, it should worry the organisers. A strict check-in rule only feels fair if the venue around it is well run. If a team can be sent the wrong way by the people enforcing the deadline, the deadline stops being a measure of the team’s discipline.

The walkover did not decide Group A in the end. South Korea lost to Iran and Saudi Arabia and went out with Qatar. That does not make the process any cleaner.

Paying $500 to question a three-minute call

India did protest. The players asked to play Mongolia instead of taking the forfeit and were told the rules said otherwise. They were then offered a judge panel review, for $500.

Sahoo told The Bridge that “$500 is kind of a waste of money”, since the rule on late arrival was already clear. He is right. Why pay to appeal a decision when the rulebook has already told you the answer?

Protest fees exist to stop teams from challenging every call. Fine. But this is a case where the affected team was blameless and the rule was never going to bend. A paid review with no realistic chance of success is not much of a remedy.

What a fairer rule would look like

None of this needs a rewrite of the rulebook. A few changes would have covered it.

The first is the forfeit score. Football’s world governing body already solved this problem. Under the FIFA Disciplinary Code, a team that forfeits is treated as having lost 3-0, and if the on-field margin was already three goals or more, that result stands instead. The point is to make sure the team that did nothing wrong is not hurt on goal difference. The Asian Games eFootball rule did the opposite. A default score that reflects a normal win, or letting the match go ahead when the waiting team asks, would stop the innocent side from losing out.

The second is a grace window tied to the organiser’s own timing. If the schedule is already running late, a few minutes of flexibility at check-in costs nothing.

The third is transparency. Qatar’s claim should get a public answer. So should the question of how long each disrupted match was actually delayed that day.

India’s medal hopes move on

India’s remaining esports chances now sit with three events. Paritosh has already moved through the Puyo Puyo Champions group stage, finishing third in Group B with two wins and two losses, and the Puyo Puyo finals are on September 26. The Pokรฉmon UNITE squad plays from September 25 to 27. The League of Legends team is in a group with South Korea, Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong, starting September 29.

All of them are part of India’s 15-member esports squad for Aichi-Nagoya, and results are on the official Asian Games 2026 esports results and schedule page.

Patel came into these Games as the reigning eFootball Asian champion. He leaves Aichi-Nagoya without losing a fixture, and without playing the one that decided his tournament. Esports at the Asian Games is still young, and organisers will make mistakes. The ones worth fixing first are the ones where the rules end up punishing the players who kept to them.

YouTube Will Let Creators A/B Test Entire Videos, And That Could Change What You Watch

Deepak Ojha
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YouTube Will Let Creators A/B Test Entire Videos, And That Could Change What You Watch

YouTube is taking A/B testing far beyond thumbnails and titles. The platform is preparing a new tool that will allow creators to upload multiple cuts of the same video and test which version performs best with viewers.

Announced as part of Made on YouTube 2026, the upcoming video A/B testing feature will let creators experiment with as many as three different cuts. That means the opening hook, pacing, length and potentially the way a story is presented could differ depending on which version YouTube serves to a viewer.

YouTube describes the feature as another way for creators to understand which edit holds audience attention most effectively. But extending experimentation from the packaging around a video to the video itself raises a much more complicated question: what happens when two people click the same YouTube video and potentially watch meaningfully different versions?

YouTube is bringing A/B testing inside the video

A/B testing itself is nothing new on YouTube. Creators can already test as many as three titles and thumbnails, with YouTube distributing the alternatives concurrently and measuring which version produces the strongest watch time.

According to YouTube’s official documentation, the platform deliberately uses watch time rather than click-through rate to determine a winning title or thumbnail. YouTube argues that a successful thumbnail should not merely persuade someone to click; it should accurately set expectations for content they subsequently want to watch.

The system has become enormously popular. Google says creators have conducted more than 40 million title and thumbnail experiments since YouTube officially introduced its native A/B testing tools in 2024. Now YouTube wants to apply a similar philosophy to the actual edit.

In its Made on YouTube 2026 announcement, the company said creators will be able to test up to three different cuts to determine which version holds audience attention best. Google separately described the feature as a way of testing different hooks, making the opening seconds of a video an obvious area where creators could experiment.

This is very different from changing a thumbnail

Testing three thumbnails changes how a video is marketed. Testing three edits can change the experience itself. A creator could theoretically produce one version with a shorter introduction, another that gets immediately to the central argument and a third that provides more context before reaching the same conclusion. Used that way, video A/B testing is essentially an editing optimization tool, giving creators real audience data instead of forcing them to guess which cut works best.

For gaming creators, the applications are obvious. A review could test whether viewers respond better to gameplay immediately or a conventional introduction. An esports documentary could compare different opening sequences, while a guide creator could discover whether removing a lengthy setup significantly improves retention. That could be genuinely useful. The more interesting problem begins when the differences between those edits become editorial rather than structural.

Could creators test positivity against negativity?

The announcement has already prompted concerns over how far creators might take the concept. IGN highlighted one of the more provocative possibilities: creators could theoretically experiment with substantially different treatments of the same subject, including versions that lean more positively or negatively towards it.

There is an important distinction here. YouTube has announced the ability to test different cuts; it has not announced a feature specifically designed to let creators publish contradictory opinions to different audiences. Whether the eventual implementation permits edits to diverge that dramatically will depend on the technical limits and policies YouTube applies when the feature becomes available.

But the concern illustrates why video A/B testing is fundamentally different from thumbnail testing. If one version of a review emphasises everything wrong with a game while another spends considerably more time on its strengths, optimisation begins to overlap with editorial judgement.

Imagine two players opening the same review of the next Call of Duty. One receives an edit whose opening focuses on disappointing multiplayer changes, while another sees an edit beginning with praise for the campaign. Even if both eventually contain the same underlying reporting, the framing can meaningfully alter how the viewer interprets it.

The algorithm could influence editing before a video is even finished

There is another consequence that may prove more important than deliberately provocative A/B tests. YouTube creators have spent years optimising titles and thumbnails around performance data. Video A/B testing introduces the possibility of applying the same optimization pressure to storytelling itself.

If creators repeatedly discover that anger holds attention longer than nuance, or that controversy outperforms explanation during the first minute, those findings could eventually influence how future videos are edited. Conversely, the data could show that exaggerated openings cause viewers to abandon videos and reward creators for getting to the point more quickly. That is why it is too early to assume video A/B testing will automatically make YouTube more negative. The system is designed around audience retention rather than simply rewarding clicks, and YouTube already uses watch time rather than raw CTR when selecting winners in its existing title and thumbnail experiments.

What changes is the amount of the creative process that can now be optimised through platform data.

YouTube Studio is becoming much more involved in making videos

Video A/B testing is only one part of a much larger expansion of YouTube Studio announced this week.

YouTube is introducing tools that can provide feedback on unpublished drafts, examining areas such as pacing, structure and storytelling. Studio will also be able to generate thumbnails designed around a creator’s existing channel style, while a new dynamic thumbnail system can recommend different images to different audience segments.

Ask Studio is becoming more capable as well, using channel analytics and audience information to help creators understand performance and make decisions about future content. YouTube is even developing systems capable of revisiting older uploads and suggesting new thumbnail experiments to give existing videos another opportunity to find viewers.

Taken together, these changes move YouTube Studio closer to becoming an active optimisation layer between a creator and the audience, rather than simply the dashboard where a finished video gets uploaded.

Are we still watching the same video?

There is a strong argument in favour of the feature. Editors have always produced multiple cuts, screened unfinished work and changed films or videos after receiving feedback. YouTube is effectively turning part of that process into a live experiment conducted at enormous scale. For creators, that could remove a significant amount of guesswork. Instead of wondering whether a 40-second introduction is losing viewers, they could test a tighter version against it and allow actual audience behaviour to provide the answer.

For viewers, however, video A/B testing introduces something genuinely new. A title and thumbnail can change without altering the work behind them. Once the edit changes, different viewers can potentially experience different versions of what appears to be the same upload.

That does not necessarily make the feature harmful, and much will depend on the safeguards and limitations YouTube introduces before launch. But it does make video A/B testing considerably more consequential than another creator analytics tool!

Another Asian Games eFootball Match Ends in Forfeit as Qatar Blames On-Site Guidance Error

Ritambhara Tripathi
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Another Asian Games eFootball Match Ends in Forfeit as Qatar Blames On-Site Guidance Error

The Asian Games 2026 eFootball competition is facing another unusual forfeit controversy, barely a day after India’s medal hopes ended following a separate check-in incident involving Mongolia.

This time, Qatar was handed a default loss against South Korea after failing to complete the required pre-match procedures in time. Official Asian Games results list Qatar as “DNS” โ€” Did Not Start โ€” while South Korea was awarded the victory without the match being played.

But Qatar has reportedly disputed the circumstances behind its absence. According to reports from the venue, the Qatari delegation claimed that on-site staff directed its players to the wrong waiting room, contributing to them missing the required player verification process.

That explanation remains a claim from the Qatari side rather than an established finding. The Asian Games organising committee has not publicly confirmed that incorrect guidance caused Qatar to miss the match, and the official result continues to show South Korea as the winner.

What happened between South Korea and Qatar?

The Group A fixture between South Korea and Qatar was scheduled for September 22 at the Aichi Sky Expo. According to the official result recorded by the Asian Games, Qatar did not start the match and South Korea consequently received the victory.

Inven Global reported that Qatar’s explanation subsequently emerged through Asian media reports citing accounts from the venue. Qatar reportedly maintained that its players were directed towards the wrong waiting area by an on-site staff member, which delayed the team’s player verification procedure.

South Korea’s position was considerably simpler: its opponent had not completed the necessary procedures and was not ready for the scheduled match. Reports from the venue indicate that the Korean side sought enforcement of the competition rules, while Qatar challenged the circumstances surrounding its absence.

There were also reported attempts to establish what happened through venue footage. However, the available reporting indicates that the dispute did not result in the decision being reversed, and South Korea’s walkover victory remained in place.

The Qatar dispute comes immediately after India’s bizarre exit

The timing makes the incident particularly significant because eFootball had already produced another contentious forfeit involving India and Mongolia.

As TalkEsport reported, India’s Danial Patel and Chinmay Sahoo were awarded a 0-0 victory after Mongolia reportedly missed the mandatory check-in deadline by three minutes. India had arrived on time and even asked officials to allow the match to be played, but the competition rules resulted in a forfeit instead.

That decision had an extraordinary competitive consequence. India received the points for defeating Mongolia but no improvement to its goal difference. Uzbekistan, which had already been able to play Mongolia and score heavily, consequently held a decisive goal-difference advantage over India.

India and Uzbekistan finished level on four points, but Uzbekistan advanced as the group winner. India also missed the route available to the best second-placed teams because its zero goal difference remained behind Thailand and Saudi Arabia.

Two forfeits, but two very different disputes

The Qatar and India cases should not be treated as identical.

In India’s case, it was India’s opponent that reportedly missed the check-in deadline. India therefore complied with the tournament procedure but was indirectly disadvantaged by the 0-0 score attached to the walkover victory because it needed goals to advance.

Qatar, by contrast, was itself recorded as DNS. Its argument concerns why the required procedure was not completed, with the delegation reportedly claiming that incorrect directions from venue personnel contributed to the situation.

There is currently no official confirmation that an organiser or venue staff member was responsible for Qatar’s delay. That distinction matters: the official record confirms the DNS and South Korea’s victory, while the explanation involving incorrect guidance remains disputed and requires further clarification from the organisers.

eFootball’s opening day was already hit by delays

The two controversies have also emerged against the backdrop of wider scheduling disruption during the opening stages of the Asian Games eFootball competition.

Official tournament notices confirmed that matches were delayed on September 22. The Indiaโ€“Uzbekistan fixture was affected by technical issues, while five group-stage matches scheduled for 11:30 AM were subsequently moved to 1:00 PM, with organisers warning that later fixtures could also be delayed.

Those notices do not establish that tournament delays caused Qatar’s DNS, nor do they confirm Qatar’s allegation regarding the waiting room. They do, however, establish that the eFootball schedule was experiencing operational disruption on the same day.

South Korea’s walkover ultimately did not save its campaign

Unlike India’s situation, the disputed walkover did not ultimately determine South Korea’s qualification.

South Korea subsequently lost its remaining Group A matches against Iran and Saudi Arabia and failed to progress from the group. Qatar was also eliminated, while Saudi Arabia and Iran advanced to the knockout stage.

The larger question is therefore no longer simply whether either team benefited from a forfeit. Within the opening stages of the same Asian Games eFootball tournament, two separate matches involving teams that were ready to compete ended without being played because of check-in or pre-match procedural issues.

India’s case exposed how a 0-0 walkover can unexpectedly affect a goal-difference tiebreaker. Qatar’s case raises a different question: what happens when a team claims its failure to complete the procedure was caused by the guidance it received inside the venue?

Until the organising committee provides a detailed explanation of the South Koreaโ€“Qatar incident, Qatar’s allegation cannot be treated as established fact. But after two unusual forfeits in the opening eFootball group stage, the procedures surrounding player check-in and match readiness are likely to face considerably more scrutiny.

Valorant x Balenciaga: Viper Becomes Balenciaga’s First Digital Brand Ambassador

Aritra Patra
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Valorant x Balenciaga: Viper Becomes Balenciaga’s First Digital Brand Ambassador

Riot Games has announced a partnership between Valorant and luxury fashion house Balenciaga. The controller agent Viper is now Balenciaga’s first digital brand ambassador, and the deal is tied directly to Valorant Champions Shanghai 2026.

Riot broke the news on its Chinese Valorant channels on September 23, 2026, one day before Champions began. The Valorant Balenciaga collaboration has two main parts. A limited-time concept gaming cafรฉ in Shanghai and Balenciaga’s first pair of gaming glasses, the NEO FOCUS. No in-game skins or clothing line have been announced.

What Is the Valorant Balenciaga Partnership?

Brand ambassador roles normally go to actors, athletes, and musicians. This time, Balenciaga gave the title to a playable character. Viper is the first digital figure to hold it.

Riot Games China made the announcement and released a short trailer showing the cafรฉ and the glasses. Balenciaga is a Paris-based house founded by Spanish designer Cristรณbal Balenciaga, and this is its first partnership with Riot.

Valorant Balenciaga Cafรฉ in Shanghai: Dates and Location

The concept gaming cafรฉ is on Yongyuan Road in Shanghai. It opens on September 24 and closes on October 18, 2026. Those dates cover the full run of Champions, from the first group stage match to the grand final.

Early reports describe the space as both a gaming cafรฉ and a Balenciaga concept store. Riot has not yet shared opening hours, ticket details, or whether visitors need to book ahead.

The NEO FOCUS is a pair of blue light glasses made for gaming. It is the first time Balenciaga has released eyewear built for gamers.

The glasses are only available during the collaboration period. Balenciaga has not confirmed the price, stock levels, or sales outside China.

VCT 2026: Top 5 Players and Teams to Watch
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