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Valve Release New Tournament Guidelines

Sarjyo Mukherjee
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Valve Release New Tournament Guidelines

Valve has released new tournament guidelines, which lays out expectations for how tournament organizers should conduct themselves going forward and has been one of the most often discussed topics concerning the future of Counter-Strike as 2025 approaches. Significant modifications were made to the regulations regarding who is allowed to attend key events and how teams are invited.

Sub-regional invite segregation will no longer be allowed for Tier-1 events. Regions like SEA will considered under Asia and will no longer get a dedicated spot and invitation in accordance. Since the number of Tier-1 teams is significantly less in said regions, this change will make little to no difference to how top tournaments are organized.

CS2 Ranking System

Good news for tier 2 teams as they will now have a chance to prove themselves at big events without having to deal with a qualifier. Since tier-2 events aren’t intended to target certain teams, organizers will have the liberty to handpick a few teams.

Said changes may look insignificant but they will help lesser-known teams get the stage to prove their worth without having to wait for long periods. Tier 2 has always been instrumental in producing talents and teams and this will bring more opportunity to teams.

G2 CEO Hints at Roster Shuffle Post Major

Sarjyo Mukherjee
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G2 CEO Hints at Roster Shuffle Post Major

NiKo’s departure from G2 Esports is only a matter of time as suggested in a cryptic post by G2 CEO Peca after their dominating victory at the Blast World Finals over Team Spirit.

NiKo for quite a while now has been the star man for G2 and has continued to be an impressive figure after the arrival of m0NESY. Despite his inconsistencies, he is arguably the best rifler in the world but having played 3 Major finals, the big trophy seems to have eluded him in his storied career.

After navigating the turbulent times with G2 Esports, Falcons is teased to be his next destination where he will join some of the legends of the game which means he will be moving on from his dream to play with cousin huNter in the next phase of his career.

G2 has already acquired a replacement in malbs who has adapted to a different role for the time being but is speculated to fill NiKo’s shoes once his move to Falcons materializes. Sources indicated that the move will take place and said rumors are bolstered by Peca’s recent Tweet where he claimed the Shanghai Major will be the “Last Dance” for the roster.

G2’s resurgence in form has once thrust them into the conversation among the favorites to win the Major. With Vitality and NAVI lagging behind, they are in a prime position to capitalize on the opportunity and bring home the most desired trophy.

The MongolZ Becomes the First Asian Team to Reach World Top 5 in Valve Rankings

Sarjyo Mukherjee
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The MongolZ Becomes the First Asian Team to Reach World Top 5 in Valve Rankings

For a long time now, the MongolZ has maintained its position at the top of the Asian standings and has been steadily improving on the Asian scene. They have much-needed momentum heading into the Perfect World Shanghai Major’s RMRs after their recent victory at the Thunderpick World Championship.

The Mongolian side has made it to the top 5 in yesterday’s HLTV update of the Global Valve rankings only behind the titans of the scene like G2, NAVI, Spirit, and Vitality and became the first Asian Counter-Strike team to do so in the process. This update comes right ahead of the Major where they will come in as the dark horses who are on the path to cause a few upsets at the very least.

Their ascension to greatness can be attributed to the efforts that saw them get the better of some of the top sides in the world despite coming from a region that has historically produced great players but never top teams. bLitz has arguably been their best player and performances against top teams have put MongolZ where they are today along with 910.

Despite not having significant silverware to their name, MongolZ will be a team with lots of eyes on them in the upcoming major. Them being the only team from SEA, might put the Chinese crowd behind them which can be instrumental at the Major should they replicate their form from the events they won building upto the Major.

The Mongolz Take Down Heroic To Win Thunderpick World Championship 2024

Sonu Banerjee
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The Mongolz Take Down Heroic To Win Thunderpick World Championship 2024

The Mongolz are your Thunderpick World Championship 2024 winners!

The Mongolian esports organization has taken down Heroic with a dominating score of 3-1 in the grand finals of the Counter-Strike 2 event to take home the championship trophy.

For the uninitiated, the Thunderpick World Championship 2024, which kicked off on October 21st, featured some of the finest CS2 teams from throughout the globe and a total prize pool of a whopping $850,000. The event came to a conclusion on November 3rd, with The Mongolz being crowned as the winners.

With this victory, The Mongolz secured an impressive prize of $500,000 USD, while Heroic received $150,000 USD for their strong second-place finish.

Let’s take a look at the results of each map played in the grand final:

  • Dust 2: Heroic 8:13 Mongolz
  • Ancient: Heroic 13:6 Mongolz
  • Anubis: Heroic 11:13 Mongolz
  • Mirage: Heroic 2:13 Mongolz

Below, we have also listed the individual player scores across the four maps combined:

Heroic

  • TeSeS: K/D/A – 63/57/12 (+6), KAST – 70.4%, ADR – 84.4
  • Nertz: K/D/A – 63/57/12 (+6), KAST – 62.4%, ADR – 81.4
  • degster: K/D/A – 57/56/24 (+1), KAST – 71.8%, ADR – 87
  • Kyxsan: K/D/A – 40/54/17 (-14), KAST – 61.2%, ADR – 57.1
  • sjuush: K/D/A – 39/58/19 (-19), KAST – 60.6%, ADR – 62.5

The Mongolz

  • blitz: K/D/A – 68/50/23 (+18), KAST – 70.2%, ADR – 88.1
  • Senzu: K/D/A – 68/53/15 (+15), KAST – 71.1%, ADR – 95.5
  • 910: K/D/A – 48/44/11 (+4), KAST – 70.7%, ADR – 68.6
  • Techno4K: K/D/A – 46/54/17 (-8), KAST – 81%, ADR – 62.4
  • mzinho: K/D/A – 51/61/21 (-10), KAST – 77%, ADR – 81.2

Faker’s Worlds 2024 Victory Awards More Skins Than Most LoL Champions

Pranav Nalawade
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Faker’s Worlds 2024 Victory Awards More Skins Than Most LoL Champions

Faker, the League of Legends icon, solidified his legacy with his latest 2024 Worlds Championship win, earning him additional in-game skins and pushing his total to rival almost half of the champions in the game. Known for his achievements with T1, Faker now boasts nine exclusive skins across various champions, a count unmatched by most LoL characters. His skins include:

  • SKT T1 Zed (2013)
  • SKT T1 Ryze (2015)
  • SKT T1 Syndra (2016)
  • T1 Orianna (2023)
  • Risen Legend Ahri
  • Immortalized Legend Ahri
  • Risen Legend Leblanc
  • Worlds 2024 skin
  • Worlds 2024 prestige skin

This growing collection not only highlights his skills but also the unique privilege afforded to MVPs who earn a special Prestige skin. This unprecedented skin count underscores Riot Games’ ongoing challenge of balancing skins across champions, as fan-favorite characters often receive more attention in the cosmetics lineup.

As Faker continues his career with plans to compete as long as possible, his influence on LoL’s history seems set to expand further. Here’s a partial list of champions, including Akshan, Aphelios, Azir, and Vex, that currently have fewer skins than Faker, showcasing the impact of his legendary status within the game’s ecosystem.

Asmongold Enjoys Twitch Ban, Describes It as the Best Two Weeks of His Life

Yash More
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Asmongold Enjoys Twitch Ban, Describes It as the Best Two Weeks of His Life

Popular Twitch streamer Asmongold has opened up about his recent two-week suspension from the platform, describing it as one of the best breaks he has ever experienced. The ban, imposed after controversial comments on the Palestine conflict, initially prompted concern among his followers. However, Asmongold embraced the time away, which he described as profoundly refreshing.

During a recent episode of the Steak and Eggs Podcast with fellow content creators Tectone and Emiru, Asmongold reflected on his unexpected time off. He recounted how, while many supporters reached out to ensure his well-being, he found himself relishing the downtime. Instead of feeling pressured to return, he used the break to relax, enjoy his surroundings, and delve into YouTube videos at a leisurely pace. “I was just sitting in my backyard, reading comments and watching random videos,” he shared, underscoring the joy he found in simply doing nothing.

This experience has also inspired Asmongold to make some changes in his life. Following his public apology for the remarks that led to his suspension, he has committed to reorganizing his living space and potentially reshaping the content he creates. Halfway through tidying his home, he expressed a desire for continued improvement, signaling a fresh direction as he resumes his streaming career.

BLAST Adjusts 2025 Circuit Plans to Align with Valve’s New Regulations

Yash More
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BLAST Adjusts 2025 Circuit Plans to Align with Valve’s New Regulations

BLAST has announced updates to its 2025 tournament circuit, adapting to Valve’s latest guidelines while maintaining the core structure set out in June. The Danish tournament organizer is set to host six major LAN events and the anticipated Austin Major, alongside eight regional qualifiers called “The Risings,” fostering broader team participation.

Key Adjustments and Participation Fees

The updated plan includes $4 million in participation fees, with allocations across various non-Major tournaments, alongside a separate $2 million budget for the “Frequent Flyers Programme.” The total prize pool for 2025 stands at $2.5 million, with detailed distribution forthcoming. To promote diverse competition, BLAST’s “Bounty” event will open the season as a 32-team online single-elimination event.

This tournament will feature 28 teams from Valve Regional Standings (VRS) and four wildcard entries, a slight increase from the initially proposed two. These wildcard slots are reserved for teams with either top-eight VRS members or recent Tier 1 tournament champions.

Diverse Competition with “The Rising” and “The Rivals” Events

“The Open” stadium events will invite 16 teams, with 12 coming from VRS and four through qualifiers within “The Rising.” This qualifier system allows emerging teams to join the main event, presenting a rare chance for lower-ranked teams. Four teams advancing from open qualifiers will compete in closed qualifiers, where top contenders from four regions will receive a $10,000 participation fee.

BLAST’s “Rivals” event, an eight-team competition exempt from standard Valve restrictions, will focus on regional diversity, with each of the four regions securing a wildcard slot. Adjustments to invitations and dates, in compliance with Valve’s criteria, will see the first invites for “The Bounty” on December 16, 2024.

Invitation Strategy and Valve Compliance

According to Valve’s rulebook, the invitation cutoffs depend on VRS standings effective from the 1st of the month prior to the Invite Date. This decision impacts team selections, potentially opening opportunities for teams like Fluxo, MIBR, and M80, based on current standings. The evolving circuit underscores BLAST’s commitment to integrating Valve’s new standards while broadening global representation and competitive fairness across its events.

Team Spirit Knocks Out Astralis, Advances to the Grand Final

Sarjyo Mukherjee
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Team Spirit Knocks Out Astralis, Advances to the Grand Final

Team Spirit has outlasted a new-look Astralis as they book a spot in the grand finals against a scary-looking G2 who previously bested them in this tournament. Not only does this presets a chance for revenge but Spirit would like to announce that they are title contenders once again after a notable drop in form mid-season.

VETO

  1. Spirit removed Inferno
  2. Astralis removed Anubis
  3. Spirit picked Dust2
  4. Astralis picked Vertigo
  5. Spirit removed Nuke
  6. Astralis removed Mirage
  7. Ancient was left over

Map 1: Dust 2; Pick: Spirit; Winner: Spirit

Spirit got off to a strong start thanks to an in-form donk whose exceptional rifling put the Danish side on the backfoot right from the get-go. Astralis managed to put together a few rounds later in the half that made the scoreline a bit more competitive. The first half concluded 7-5 with 5 being all the rounds they managed in the half. chopper called a fantastic T side that made the CIS roster cruise past Astralis to win the map 13-5. donk with 21 kills found himself to be the best player on the server.

Map 2: Vertigo; Pick: Astralis; Winner: Astralis

Astralis were able to wash off the earlier defeat and posted a statement first half, winning 9 rounds while Spirit managed to get only 3. Stavn became the spearhead of their offense as Spirit failed to find an answer to a well-drilled T side from Astralis. The 9-3 showcased their dominance early on in the map eventually led to a streak of rounds in the second half to close the map with a 13-3.

Map 3: Ancient; Decider; Winner: Spirit

Astralis got off to a poor start on the defense on a CT-sided map. Winning only 3 rounds in the first half was tough enough for them to post a comeback in the second half. sh1ro was leading the charge for Team Spirit which continued into the second half and despite Astralis pulling in a few rounds, Spirit was able to reach the finish line before them. With 19 kills, sh1ro’s AWP was instrumental in Spirit reaching the finals.

Astralis’s run in the tournament has come to an end but it is clear that cadiaN leadership has invigorated new life in them and they are building upto be a force to be reckoned with. Spirit on the other hand are also on an ascent in form but their true test will be against G2 in the Grand Finals tomorrow.

DRX Add Athan To Its Main Valorant Roster

Sonu Banerjee
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DRX Add Athan To Its Main Valorant Roster

DRX has announced the addition of Na “Athan” Ha-jun to its main Valorant roster.

The South Korean esports organization confirmed the signing in a recent post on their official X (formerly Twitter) handle.

In the past, the 18-year-old has been a part of various academy teams including those of T1 and DRX. We’ve also seen Athan compete in the TEN VALORANT Asia Invitational 2024 as a stand-in from DRX, who managed to land a third-place finish in the event after losing to Talon in the semi finals.

The news comes following the org’s decision to remove Yu “BuZz” Byung-chul and Jung “Foxy9” Jae-sung from the DRX roster last month.

Fans will be able to catch the new DRX roster in action at the upcoming Radiant Asia Invitational, which is set to kick off on November 21 in Chengdu. The event will run for ten days before a winner is crowned on December 1st.

The current DRX roster includes the following players:

  • Kim “MaKo” Myeong-kwan
  • Cho “Flashback” Min-hyuk
  • No “freeing” Ha-jun
  • Song “HYUNMIN” Hyun-min
  • Na “Athan” Ha-jun

Latest Deadlock Update Nerfs Grey Talon & Mirage, Buffs Bebop Sticky Bombs: Patch Notes Revealed

Sonu Banerjee
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Latest Deadlock Update Nerfs Grey Talon & Mirage, Buffs Bebop Sticky Bombs: Patch Notes Revealed

Valve has shipped out a new update to Deadlock on November 1st aiming to bring some balance adjustments to some of the heroes and items in the game.

The new Deadlock patch has once again introduced changes to the Bebop sticky bombs, along with some nerfs to Grey Talon and Mirage.

While the Bebop sticky bomb change isn’t as drastic as some of the previous adjustments the hero received, it’s a significant buff to the hero to help him scale better into the late game.

Alongside the aforementioned heroes, Paradox has also received a minor nerf to the final tier of her Time Wall ability, which will silence enemies for a shorter duration moving forward.

Deadlock November 1st Update: Patch Notes

Deadlock October 16th Update

Valve has officially revealed the patch notes for the new Deadlock update in the game’s forums. Check out the detailed patch notes for the Deadlock November 1 update below.

– Grey Talon: Base bullet damage reduced from 30 to 27
– Grey Talon: Movement speed scaling from Spirit Power reduced from 0.032 to 0.025
– Mirage: Fire Scarabs cooldown increased from 32s to 40s
– Mirage: HP per boon reduced from 41 to 37
– Bebop: Sticky Bomb now gains 1% stack on attach (still gains 5% on target death)
– Paradox: Time Wall T3 silence duration reduced from 3s to 2.5s
– Metal Skin: Cooldown increased from 21s to 28s
– Siphon Bullets: Max HP Steal is now affected by falloff
– Improved Burst: Damage threshold requirement reduced from 200 to 175

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