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GTA 6 Radio Artists: All Confirmed & Leaked Musicians

Aritra Patra
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GTA 6 Radio Artists: All Confirmed & Leaked Musicians

GTA 6 radio artists are finally coming into focus, with more than 30 names now tied to the game’s soundtrack. Rockstar Games has stayed quiet on an official artist list, but several major musicians broke the news themselves this week by sharing matching Grand Theft Auto VI artwork on social media. Travis Scott, Morgan Wallen, Future, and Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards are among the biggest names confirmed so far. Dozens more have surfaced through earlier leaked gameplay footage.

Here is every GTA 6 radio artist confirmed and rumored ahead of the game’s November 19 release.

GTA 6 Radio Artists Confirmed So Far

On September 15, several major recording artists posted cropped screenshots of Grand Theft Auto VI artwork within a short window. The coordinated timing confirmed their involvement in the game’s soundtrack.

The first wave included Travis Scott, Morgan Wallen, Future, Metro Boomin, Rauw Alejandro, CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso, Keith Richards, PinkPantheress, and Yung Lean. Each artist shared a different piece of in-game art. Travis Scott posted an image of a high-heeled shoe, Future shared the rear of a sports car, and Morgan Wallen posted a poolside scene.

Travis Scott also hinted at more reveals, describing the post as the first phase of his return to gaming.

Beyond that initial group, a wider list of over 30 confirmed artists has been compiled from individual social media posts, spanning genres from rock and pop to hip-hop and country. The full confirmed list includes:

  • Aluna
  • Birdman
  • Bob Moses
  • Captain & Tennille
  • CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso
  • Chimbala
  • Chk Chk Chk
  • Cliff Richard
  • Def Leppard
  • Depeche Mode
  • Elderbrook
  • Future
  • Fred Again
  • Jay Ferguson
  • Jayda G
  • Keith Richards
  • Kodak Black
  • Lil Wayne
  • Meah Pace
  • Metro Boomin
  • Morgan Wallen
  • Omega
  • Phil Collins
  • PinkPantheress
  • Prefab Sprout
  • Rauw Alejandro
  • Sexy Red
  • Tammy Wynette
  • Tay Keith
  • The Bellamy Brothers
  • The Pointer Sisters
  • Tom Petty
  • Travis Scott
  • Wang Chung
  • Yung Lean
  • Zenglen

More names are expected to join this list in the coming weeks as Rockstar continues its marketing rollout.

Leaked GTA 6 Radio Artists

A separate batch of more than 30 artists has surfaced through leaked footage rather than official confirmation. Many of these names appeared during the earlier CYBERLEEK gameplay leaks, where snippets of in-game radio stations played in the background as users browsed channels.

These names have not been confirmed by Rockstar or the artists themselves, so they should be treated as unverified until an official announcement follows. The leaked list includes:

  • April Wine
  • Bad Bunny
  • Bad Company
  • Blue Oyster Cult
  • Bon Jovi
  • Celia Cruz, Justo Betancourt, Johnny Pacheco & Papo Lucca
  • Change
  • Coi Leray
  • David Lee Roth
  • Deep Purple
  • Fat Joe
  • French Montana
  • Garfield Fleming
  • George Strait
  • Glen Campbell
  • Gustav Mahler
  • Horace Andy
  • Jamiroquai
  • Jean Sibelius
  • Lindsey Buckingham
  • Marianne Rosenberg
  • Moloko
  • Myke Towers
  • Roisin Murphy
  • SG Lewis
  • Stevie Nicks
  • Tate McRae
  • The Arrows
  • The Weeknd
  • Tommy Richman
  • Tove Lo
  • Waylon Jennings

Grand Theft Auto VI is set to launch on November 19, 2026, after an earlier delay from its original May date. Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick previously said the company planned to market GTA 6 differently from past entries in the series, leaning more on social media and newer promotional formats.

This week’s artist rollout fits that approach. It follows the GTA 6 Extended Look, which streamed on Netflix, and adds a new layer of hype through artists reaching their own fanbases directly.

With over 60 artists now either confirmed or leaked, GTA 6’s soundtrack looks set to be one of the largest in the series’ history. More official confirmations are expected before launch.

Stephen Root Joins the GTA 6 Cast as Brian Heder

BGMI 4.6 Update Is Live: Midnight Hunters, Ocean Odyssey, Kiaraa and Everything New

Divyesh Moghe
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BGMI 4.6 Update Is Live: Midnight Hunters, Ocean Odyssey, Kiaraa and Everything New

KRAFTON India has rolled out the BGMI 4.6 update, and it is one of the widest seasons the game has shipped in a while. The update brings a new supernatural theme mode called Midnight Hunters, the return of the fan-favourite Ocean Odyssey, the debut of Kiaraa as BGMI’s first India-built character, and a fresh run of global collaborations and creator content. It follows the BGMI 5th Anniversary Edition 4.5 update, which brought Naruto, Spider-Man and Ferrari into the game earlier this year.

Speaking on the update, Srinjoy Das, Director of Marketing and Product Management at KRAFTON India, said the season was deliberately built wide, noting that “4.6 is the widest season we have shipped in a while.” He described Midnight Hunters as a genuine departure for the battle royale format, since it changes what happens to a player after elimination rather than just adding new cosmetics.

Midnight Hunters Brings Vampires to Erangel

Midnight Hunters is the headline addition of BGMI 4.6, running on Erangel from September 16 to November 16. Four locations, Rozhok, Mylta, Quarry and Gatka, become Vampire Takeover points, while Stalber and Sosnovka Military Base turn into the Nightkeeper’s Hunter Guild, an indoor combat arena built around hidden secrets and challenges.

The mode adds Guild Missions that give squads special objectives for higher rewards, along with the Hunter Shooting Range, Clock Tower and Scream Crates. Players will run into Bloodwalkers, Nightbats, the Vampire Elder and the Nightkeeper during matches.

The biggest gameplay change is Bloodline Awakening. Eliminated players can return to the match as Vampires, with up to 20 active at once. Vampires get new abilities including Claw Strike, Absorb, Blood Sense and Blood Amberfication, which flips the usual dynamic between eliminated and surviving players. New themed items include the Silvermoon Chain for combat and movement, Twilight Bat Wings for flight, Scarlet Tonic for fast recovery, and Blood Pact for linking teammates. TalkEsport had covered the early details of the 4.6 rollout ahead of today’s launch.

Ocean Odyssey Returns on September 30

Two weeks into the new season, Ocean Odyssey comes back to Erangel on September 30. The underwater mode brings back the Ocean Palace, the Trident and the Kraken, giving returning players another run at the mode and letting newer players try it for the first time.

With Ocean Odyssey running alongside Midnight Hunters, the same season will carry two very different themed experiences: one set in a supernatural fight above ground, and the other underwater.

Kiaraa: BGMI’s First India-Built Character Arrives October 8

Kiaraa is an original in-game character created entirely by KRAFTON India’s in-house art team, built for Indian players from the ground up. She follows Anamika, BGMI’s first original India-built character, and enters the game from October 8 with her own origin story, a dedicated Erangel location and a full item collection.

Kiaraa’s world centres on a new Diwali-themed Indian Bazaar on Erangel. Players can activate four peacock-shaped lamps across the Bazaar to trigger her Boss Battle, where squads work together to defeat her for rewards. The Kiaraa Nakshatra Collection includes the Divine Peacock Glider, Divine Radiance SCAR-L, Divine Chariot Buggy, Arrow Rain Emote and Divine Edge Machete. Players can also take part in Kiaraa Arena challenges, visit the Kiaraa Exchange Center and collect daily login rewards. Independent coverage of Kiaraa’s design has noted that she is the first BGMI character whose entire in-game world is built around her rather than added as a costume.

BGMI’s First India-Made Diwali Prize Path

BGMI is running its first Prize Path built specifically for India. The Diwali Prize Path starts October 22 and runs across 20 levels until November 15. Rewards include the Revel 01 Set, a Royal Enfield Continental GT 650, the Diwali Gold Set and a Royal Enfield Bullet 350. The season also carries a wider spread of festive content tied to Navratri and Diwali.

Global Collaborations: One Punch Man, Lincoln and B.DUCK

BGMI 4.6 carries three collaborations across entertainment, automotive and lifestyle categories. One Punch Man arrives through a Spin and Mini Royale Pass from September 21, with a range of character skins and themed sets. The Lincoln Motor Cruize collaboration runs from September 16 to November 9, featuring the Lincoln Model L and Lincoln Navigator Black Label in multiple colour variants. B.DUCK brings a turn-based collision mode where players knock opponents off floating platforms into the water until one team is left standing.

Techno Gamerz Joins the Creator Roster

BGMI’s creator collaborations continue with Techno Gamerz, one of India’s largest gaming creators. The tie-up goes live from October 20 and includes a dedicated Techno Gamerz Voice experience alongside the Sunken Templar collection and themed weapon content.

WOW Ecosystem Gets New Tools and Modes

The WOW creator ecosystem also gets an update in 4.6. Steal Brainrot receives a Halloween refresh with 17 new collectible Brainrot characters and a new progression currency, alongside a new Ghost Ship Event Mode and the Brainrot Wand. The WOW Mobile Editor is getting upgrades to creation tools, performance and customisation, plus higher platform limits and new tutorials.

According to KRAFTON India, more than 50,000 maps have been built on WOW so far, with over 35,000 currently live. Over 23 million BGMI players have tried the mode, and close to one million play it every day. Full patch notes for the update are available on the official BGMI website, and more on BGMI’s broader platform push is listed on KRAFTON India’s game page.

BGMI Redeem Codes September 16, 2026: Get the Steampunk Captain Backpack for Free

Divyesh Moghe
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BGMI Redeem Codes September 16, 2026: Get the Steampunk Captain Backpack for Free

KRAFTON India has released a new BGMI redeem code drop on September 16, 2026, giving players a chance to claim the Steampunk Captain Backpack. The codes arrive alongside the BGMI 4.6 update and stay valid through September 25.

What’s New in This Drop

The Steampunk Captain Backpack is the headline reward this time. Brass-riveted panels, gear-driven detailing and a weathered captain’s coat trim give it a rugged, seafaring look. Fifty redeem codes are tied to the release, each offering a chance at additional limited-time rewards alongside the backpack.

This drop lands on the same day as the BGMI 4.6 update, which brings the new Midnight Hunters theme mode to Erangel, the return of Ocean Odyssey later this month, and early groundwork for Kiaraa, BGMI’s first character built entirely by an in-house India team. It follows the Midnight Hunters codes released on September 10 and last week’s Cobalt Storm Backpack drop on September 14, keeping the daily code cadence going into the new update cycle.

Full List of BGMI Redeem Codes (September 16)

Codes can only be redeemed on BGMI’s official website. Each code works for a limited number of players, so it helps to try them early.

MRZBZ64S8A9RHURB, MRZCZ59FE89EGM5C, MRZDZ7FXJ7BQXDEB, MRZEZCCJ8UUF3HR7, MRZFZBG7CPWX4APA, MRZGZSTCFF5UFMFW, MRZHZNBEH47T6QA5, MRZIZ7BUFKU34GE9, MRZJZ893S8DSVKTX, MRZKZ3TAS6G83HT3, MRZLZP8S94FJRKWN, MRZMZMV73UQX5QRH, MRZNZDQ73RKARDG5, MRZOZE88NXNTKC4B, MRZPZQCGMKAPN5SB, MRZQZ473EUV5B39K, MRZRZUJPV7GWW9B3, MRZVZ4T5Q66F7BGB, MRZTZ7RW3VTV3CDX, MRZUZEGE99HNAKR9, MRZBAZQAVPXP7DKA, MRZBBZ7KCVF8WC66, MRZBCZVC3JGH77DH, MRZBDZRVGW68RQF4, MRZBEZ8H9S8JP633, MRZBFZXKX6GKJVCF, MRZBGZ655KCERP7A, MRZBHZRV6BVWJA3J, MRZBIZH88T99JV4J, MRZBJZ6VWJ9XHQ6P, MRZBKZU7DAK4RNTE, MRZBLZ43DSGHRGJQ, MRZBMZSX3HU77CDR, MRZBNZXM743XGPG6, MRZBOZSCWJEQHRH5, MRZBPZHSR66TSF49, MRZBQZ7E3STQPRSG, MRZBRZ5DCQSHTSNJ, MRZBVZREDS5NA4N9, MRZBTZUVAJC7U8P4, MRZBUZSS985596XM, MRZCAZ4BBVF6SUWA, MRZCBZVSXBRGHJM5, MRZCCZTTEKU6KNE8, MRZCDZHPDKEFBREF, MRZCEZF7FFF8PX55, MRZCFZ3BB3EKHDRP, MRZCGZ64U5TC9XWP, MRZCHZXCKKSN3K8G, MRZCIZK6BUVXKST9

How to Redeem BGMI Codes

  1. Go to the BGMI Redeem Centre.
  2. Enter your Character ID.
  3. Enter one of the redemption codes above.
  4. Complete the captcha verification and click Redeem.
  5. Check in-game mail for the reward once it’s delivered.

Redemption Rules to Keep in Mind

Each code can be used by up to 10 players on a first-come, first-served basis, and each player can redeem only one code per day. A code cannot be used twice on the same account, and expired codes stop working once the window closes. Guest accounts cannot redeem codes at all.

Players who redeem successfully will see a confirmation message. Once a code hits its usage limit, later attempts return an expiry notice. Rewards land in the in-game mailbox and must be claimed within 30 days, after which the mail expires.

For updates on future drops, BGMI’s official YouTube, Instagram and Facebook channels post new codes regularly. BGMI has crossed 260 million downloads in India since its return to the market, and KRAFTON India continues to release fresh cosmetic drops through the ongoing content cycle tied to version 4.6.

ESFI Dragged to Delhi High Court Over Team India Esports Selection for Asian Games 2026

Divyesh Moghe
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ESFI Dragged to Delhi High Court Over Team India Esports Selection for Asian Games 2026

A dispute over who gets to pick India’s esports squad for the 2026 Asian Games has reached the Delhi High Court. The E Sports Games Federation has filed a petition challenging the authority of the Esports Federation of India (ESFI) to select and nominate athletes for the Games, set to take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4, 2026.

The case puts a direct question in front of the court: which body actually has the legal right to choose Team India for esports at the Asian Games.

What the Petition Asks For

The E Sports Games Federation wants the Delhi High Court to direct the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to disclose the legal basis for ESFI’s selection process. The petition asks both bodies to clarify under what notification, order, resolution or delegation ESFI has been authorised to identify athletes, build a shortlist and nominate India’s esports contingent.

The petitioner has also asked the court to restrain ESFI from presenting itself as the exclusive or officially recognised authority for Team India selection unless that authority is expressly backed by law. It wants any future selection process to run only through a body recognised under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, the National Sports Development Code and the IOA’s own constitution and bye-laws.

Neither ESFI nor the E Sports Games Federation has commented on the matter so far.

Ministry and IOA Named in the Case

The petition names the Union of India and other parties as respondents, with ESFI listed as Respondent No. 3. The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and the IOA were pulled in because the petitioner wants both to state clearly what gives ESFI its mandate.

Counsel for the Ministry and IOA accepted service on advance notice. The remaining respondents will be served through other permitted modes, including electronically. The Delhi High Court has issued a procedural order and has not ruled on whether ESFI’s authority is valid. Respondents get four weeks to file counter affidavits, and the petitioner then has two weeks to respond. The matter is listed for October 1, 2026.

This is not the first time ESFI’s standing has been questioned. Back in 2021, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports stated publicly that it did not recognise ESFI as an official representative body for esports in India, a gap that has resurfaced in the current legal challenge.

How ESFI Has Run Team India Selections So Far

ESFI has been the body running India’s esports qualification process for several editions of the Asian Games. Before the 2022 Hangzhou Games, ESFI had to seek government clearance for its qualifiers, a step outlined in earlier coverage of MeitY’s approval requirement for India’s Asian Games esports entry.

For the 2026 Games, ESFI opened registrations for the National Esports Championships 2026 (NESC 2026) between February 21 and March 7, positioning the tournament as the official qualifier for India’s Asian Games esports squad. The event covers ten titles, including Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, Pokemon Unite, League of Legends and eFootball, feeding into eight medal events at the Games.

The petition leans on the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, India’s first comprehensive statutory framework for sports body recognition, which came into force in parts from December 2025. The Act sets out how national sports federations are recognised and governed, and it created a dedicated Sports Tribunal to handle exactly this kind of dispute going forward. More detail on the Act’s scope is available on its Wikipedia entry.

Esports is still working out where it fits inside India’s formal sporting structure. Selection authority for a national team carries real weight, since it decides who competes for India on an international stage and which federation gets to speak for the discipline. As reported in the original filing details from Exchange4Media, the court has stopped short of taking a side for now.

What Happens Next

The October 1 hearing is the next point to watch. Responses from the Ministry, the IOA and ESFI could offer the first real clarity on what legal instrument, if any, backs ESFI’s selection role. Until then, ESFI’s NESC 2026 process and the athletes shortlisted through it remain in place, with the court yet to decide whether that authority holds up.

Stephen Root Confirms He’s Playing Brian Heder in GTA 6

Satyam Kumar
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Stephen Root Confirms He’s Playing Brian Heder in GTA 6

Actor Stephen Root has confirmed he plays Brian Heder in Grand Theft Auto VI, making him the first performer to publicly acknowledge a role in Rockstar’s upcoming game.

Root, known for King of the Hill, Office Space, and Barry, spoke to the Associated Press at the BAFTA TV Tea Party in Beverly Hills on September 13. Asked directly whether he appears in GTA 6, he said: “Yeah, you’re going to see me in that.”

What Stephen Root Said About His GTA 6 Role

Root told AP that keeping the role quiet was never really possible. “I think from the first rollout of GTA that they were doing almost a year ago, they had my character in there, and too many people knew me from King of the Hill and my voice, so that secret got divulged then,” he said.

He added that he was “so happy” to be part of the project, calling it “an amazing thing to look at.”

Root’s confirmation is notable because Rockstar has not released an official cast list for GTA 6, and actors working on the game are reportedly bound by non-disclosure agreements. Root’s remarks make him the first person connected to the cast to speak on the record about a specific character.

Who Is Brian Heder in GTA 6?

According to Rockstar’s official character page, Brian Heder is a longtime drug runner based in the Leonida Keys. The bio describes him as someone from “the golden age of smuggling” who still moves product through his boatyard with his third wife, Lori, while letting other people handle the riskier work.

Brian is tied directly to protagonist Jason Duval. He lets Jason live rent-free in one of his properties, on the condition that Jason helps with local shakedowns and stops by for Lori’s sangria now and then. The character first appeared in GTA 6’s second trailer and later showed up in the GTA 6 Extended Look Netflix special, where he had a scene with Jason and co-protagonist Lucia.

Why Fans Already Suspected Root’s Casting

Fans had flagged Root as the likely voice behind Brian Heder well before this confirmation, mostly because his delivery is hard to miss. Root voices Bill Dauterive and Buck Strickland on King of the Hill, and once Brian Heder’s dialogue surfaced in trailer footage, plenty of viewers picked up on the resemblance right away.

That kind of guesswork has followed most of GTA 6’s marketing. As covered in GameSpot’s report on the confirmation, Root is the only actor to confirm a role so far, even though speculation around the rest of the cast has been building for months.

Other Actors Linked to GTA 6

Root isn’t the only name fans have tried to attach to the game. Actress Manni L. Perez has long been rumored to play Lucia, though she hasn’t confirmed it on her official accounts. Fake profiles claiming to be Perez have circulated online, and she recently thanked fans for reporting them.

Separately, actor Robert Bogue, who played Agent Steve Haines in GTA 5, has said he auditioned for around 60 roles in GTA 6 without hearing back from Rockstar. For a fuller rundown of who fans think is behind the game’s two leads, see this breakdown of GTA 6’s speculated voice cast.

GTA 6 Release Date and What’s Next

GTA 6 is scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. No PC version has been announced yet.

With Root’s confirmation now public, attention shifts to whether the actors behind Jason and Lucia will follow. Rockstar has stayed quiet on both roles so far, and neither actor has spoken publicly the way Root has.

Xbox Game Pass September 2026 Wave 2: Every New Game Coming and Leaving

Satyam Kumar
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Xbox Game Pass September 2026 Wave 2: Every New Game Coming and Leaving

Xbox has confirmed the September 2026 Wave 2 lineup for Game Pass. Thirteen new games join the service this wave, and four of them arrive as day-one releases. The biggest addition is Gears of War: E-Day, which lands on October 6 as one of the year’s most anticipated Xbox exclusives.

Minecraft Dungeons II follows close behind on September 29, also as a day-one title. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 joins on September 25, and Dune: Awakening finally makes its console debut on September 22. On the other side, eight games leave Game Pass on September 30, including Sifu and Atomfall.

Here is the full list of what is coming and going, according to Xbox’s official Wave 2 announcement.

Games Coming to Xbox Game Pass in September 2026 Wave 2

September 16

  • Marvel Cosmic Invasion (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, PC): Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
  • Planet of Lana II (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, PC): Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
  • Routine (Cloud, Console, Handheld, PC): Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
  • Ultimate Sheep Raccoon (Cloud, Console, PC): Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

September 17

  • Kernel Hearts (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, PC): Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass (Day One)
  • Ninja Gaiden 4 (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, PC): Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

September 22

  • Dune: Awakening (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, PC): Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
  • Well Dweller (Cloud, Console, Handheld, PC): Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass (Day One)

September 23

  • Mad King Redemption (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, PC): Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

September 25

  • Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Cloud, Console, Handheld, PC): Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

September 29

  • Minecraft Dungeons II (Cloud, Console, Handheld, PC): Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass (Day One)

October 2

  • Keeper (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, PC): Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

October 6

  • Gears of War: E-Day (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, PC): Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass (Day One)

The Headliners, Explained

Gears of War: E-Day is a prequel set 14 years before the original Gears of War. It follows a young Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago on the day the Locust Horde first breaks through to the surface. The Coalition and People Can Fly built the game in Unreal Engine 5, with a campaign that runs around 14 hours and supports co-op for up to four players plus split-screen. A new 12-player mode called Horde Siege is also included. Premium members get five days of early access starting October 1. The game is exclusive to Xbox Series consoles and PC, with no PlayStation 5 release planned.

Minecraft Dungeons II sends up to four players into a new dimension called the Sift, with a four-piece armor system, talismans, and a redesigned inventory. Players who want the full rundown on platforms and specs can check our breakdown of Minecraft Dungeons II before it launches.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 returns to Game Pass after its original day-one launch in 2024. Treyarch and Raven Software built the game around Omni-movement, a system that lets players sprint, dive, and mantle in any direction. It is now joining Game Pass Premium in addition to Ultimate and PC Game Pass.

Dune: Awakening makes its console debut after launching on PC in June 2025. The open-world survival game is set on Arrakis and centers on water management, sandworm survival, spice harvesting, and base-building. The console version adds a full single-player mode and controls built for gamepads. New players can lean on our existing Dune Awakening guides to get oriented before jumping in.

Ninja Gaiden 4 is joining Game Pass Premium on top of its existing Ultimate and PC Game Pass availability. Co-developed by Team Ninja and PlatinumGames, it introduces a new lead character named Yakumo alongside series veteran Ryu Hayabusa. Combat drew strong praise at launch, though reviewers were more mixed on the story.

Keeper, from Double Fine Productions, is a wordless adventure about a walking lighthouse and its bird companion. It joins Game Pass Premium on October 2, adding to its current Ultimate and PC Game Pass availability.

Games Leaving Xbox Game Pass on September 30

Eight titles leave the service at the end of the month:

  • Atomfall
  • Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light
  • Little Nightmares II Enhanced Edition
  • Little Rocket Lab
  • Sifu
  • SOPA: Tale of the Stolen Potato
  • Sworn
  • Terminull Brigade

Sifu is the biggest loss. Sloclap’s kung-fu brawler holds a 92 percent positive rating on Steam and is known for its aging mechanic, where every death costs the player years off their character’s life. Anyone mid-run should plan to finish before the cutoff. Little Nightmares II Enhanced Edition and Atomfall are also worth wrapping up, since neither has been confirmed to return to the service later.

Game Pass Essential Gets a New Game

Rematch joins Game Pass Essential, the service’s lowest tier, on September 25. That gives Essential subscribers access to a title that previously sat behind a higher-priced plan. Xbox has made several changes to Game Pass pricing and tiers through 2026, including an earlier cut to Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscription costs.

What This Means for Subscribers

Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers get the most out of Wave 2, since nearly every title lands there first. Game Pass Premium also picks up ground this month, adding Ninja Gaiden 4, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and Keeper to a tier that used to trail behind Ultimate. Anyone unsure which plan fits their setup can compare the current Xbox Game Pass tiers before deciding whether to upgrade.

Wave 2 closes with two of the year’s biggest console exclusives arriving back to back in early October. Gears of War: E-Day and Minecraft Dungeons II give subscribers a solid reason to stay active on the service through the rest of the fall.

VALORANT Champions 2026: The Biggest Teams That Missed Out

Alex77
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VALORANT Champions 2026: The Biggest Teams That Missed Out

VALORANT Champions 2026 runs from September 24 to October 18 in Shanghai, China. Sixteen teams will play for a $2.25 million prize pool, with $1 million going to the winner. It is the first time China has hosted the tournament and the last Champions under the current franchise system before VCT moves to an open format in 2027.

Not every strong team made it. Several organizations with deep VALORANT Champions history, including a Masters winner and a former Champions finalist, will watch this event from home. Here is a full breakdown of the biggest teams missing from VALORANT Champions 2026 and how each one fell short.

How VALORANT Champions 2026 Qualification Works

Sixteen teams qualify through two paths. In each region, Americas, EMEA, Pacific, and China, the top two finishers in the Stage 2 playoffs earn a direct spot. The other two spots per region go to the teams with the most Championship Points collected across Kickoff, Masters Santiago, Stage 1, Masters London, and the Stage 2 regular season.

That points system is exactly why some of the teams below missed out. A single bad week in Stage 2 was enough to undo months of consistent play.

The 16 Teams Going to Shanghai

For the full list of qualified teams by region, here is the quick version:

  • Americas: 100 Thieves, LOUD, NRG, G2 Esports
  • EMEA: Karmine Corp, Team Liquid, FUT Esports, Team Vitality
  • Pacific: Nongshim RedForce, Paper Rex, T1, Global Esports
  • China: TYLOO, JD Gaming, Edward Gaming, Xi Lai Gaming

With the field set, here are the teams that did not make the cut.

Leviatán

Leviatán will miss Champions despite winning Masters London in June, where the Argentine roster beat Paper Rex 3-2 in the grand final. The win made Leviatán the youngest team ever to take an international VALORANT trophy.

That result gave Leviatán 15 Championship Points, more than NRG or G2 Esports had at the time. But both of those teams went deep into the Stage 2 Playoffs and picked up enough additional points to pass them. Leviatán lost to 100 Thieves in the upper bracket, then fell to G2 Esports 2-1 in the lower bracket, finishing tied for 5th-6th place in the region. That result left them outside the top four in Americas Championship Points and outside Shanghai.

Fnatic

Fnatic will miss VALORANT Champions for the first time since the tournament began. The EMEA org reached the grand final last year in Paris, but 2026 did not go the same way.

After finishing fifth in the EMEA Group Stage, Fnatic had to fight through the Stage 2 Play-Ins. They lost to Enterprise Esports in the upper bracket, then were swept 2-0 by Joblife in the lower bracket, a team making its first VCT appearance. It is also the first season that players such as Jake “Boaster” Howlett and Emir “Alfajer” Beder will miss an international VALORANT event since turning pro, and both players’ contracts are up at the end of the year.

Team Heretics

Team Heretics won VCT EMEA Stage 1 this year, the org’s first VCT trophy after several runner-up finishes. That title did not carry over. Heretics were eliminated during the Stage 2 Play-Ins, missing Champions for the first time since 2023.

Sentinels

Sentinels did not reach the VCT Americas Stage 2 Playoffs bracket at all. The team lost 2-0 to KRÜ Esports in the Play-Ins lower bracket, ending their run before the direct-qualification stage even began. Two of last year’s Sentinels players will be at Champions with new teams instead: Sean “bang” Bezerra with 100 Thieves and Marshall “N4RRATE” Massey with Karmine Corp.

DRX

DRX will miss Champions for the first time in the organization’s history. The Pacific side had reached the playoffs every year since entering the game and finished third at Champions 2025.

DRX clawed through the Pacific Stage 2 Play-Ins to reach the Busan finals, but lost their opening match there to Global Esports 2-1, ending their qualification hopes. In-game leader Kim “MaKo” Myeong-kwan will miss the tournament for the first time in his career.

Gen.G Esports

Gen.G will miss Champions for a second straight year. The Pacific org reached the Stage 2 Playoffs at Busan after a strong group stage, but lost to Nongshim RedForce 2-1, the result that decided one of the region’s Championship Points spots. After reaching the top of the region in 2024, Gen.G has now missed the last two editions of the tournament.

Other Notable Teams Left Out

The Americas region was especially competitive this year. Cloud9, Evil Geniuses, MIBR, FURIA, and KRÜ Esports, the same team that eliminated Sentinels, all missed Champions as well. In EMEA, BBL Esports and GIANTX also fell short during the Play-Ins. None of these teams reached the depth of Championship Points needed to compete with the four sides that ultimately qualified from each region.

Why So Many Established Teams Missed Out

The 2026 season introduced the Path to Champions system, giving Challengers teams a direct route into Stage 2 Play-Ins for the first time. That change added more competitive pressure at every stage, and it shows in the results. Six established EMEA franchise teams, including Fnatic, were eliminated from the Play-Ins before a single Challengers side went home.

The Americas region told a similar story. Leviatán entered Stage 2 as a Masters champion with more Championship Points than NRG or G2 Esports, yet both teams overtook them through deep playoff runs. A single lower-bracket loss was enough to end a season that had included an international trophy.

VALORANT Champions 2026 begins September 24 at the Jing’an Sports Center, with the playoffs and grand final moving to the Mercedes-Benz Arena. Full match schedules and results are tracked on VLR.gg as the tournament approaches, and the Valorant Champions Tour’s official Wikipedia record lists every confirmed team and result once the event is underway.

Valorant’s New Mode Lets You Draft a Custom Agent From Scratch

Sonu Banerjee
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Valorant’s New Mode Lets You Draft a Custom Agent From Scratch

Riot Games has just revealed a brand-new game mode coming to Valorant with its next update, and it’s likely the most interesting game mode the shooter has ever had.

Valorant’s next limited-time mode, Gauntlet: Glitched, pits eight teams of 2 players against each other, while stripping abilities away from their original agents and letting players build entirely new kits from scratch, round by round.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Gauntlet: Glitched game mode in Valorant.

Valorant Gauntlet: Glitched Mode Explained

As mentioned earlier, Gauntlet: Glitched drops sixteen players into eight duos, playing as “hybrid robo agents” with no fixed abilities.

Instead of picking an agent before the match, teams draft abilities over the course of the game. Each round opens with a randomized set of options, and players choose which ones to add to their kit, gradually leveling favorites from Level 1 up to a game-breaking Level 3.

The structure borrows heavily from the roguelike playbook. Every pick is a gamble, and players can opt to spread their points across a varied kit or go all-in on one ability and push it to its most overpowered form. For instance, a Level 3 Yoru Fakeout decoy can fire bullets on its own rather than just acting as bait. A Level 3 Skye Trailblazer wolf can kill enemies in a single bite. The draft is randomized every time, so no two matches end up looking the same.

The new Valorant game mode is reminiscent of Dota 2’s Ability Draft mode, where players similarly assemble custom heroes from a shared ability pool instead of picking a preset character.

Rather than a straightforward 2v2 all game, Gauntlet: Glitched runs as a rotating 2v2v2v2v2v2v2v2. Eight duos battle it out against other teams, and each round your team gets matched against a different pair for a single duel. Upon losing a round, you’ll lose a chunk of your health. If your health reaches zero, you’re eliminated.

Matches take place in four arenas built from familiar Valorant bomb-mode maps, stitched together with glitching seams. The maps have been optimized for 2v2 combat.

While a full competitive match in Valorant can easily run 40 minutes, Gauntlet: Glitched promises complete games in 8 to 15 minutes. It can be queued solo or with a friend.

Valorant Gauntlet: Glitched Release Date

Riot has confirmed that Gauntlet: Glitched officially launches alongside the Valorant 13.06 update, which will go live on September 22, 2026, just ahead of Champions Shanghai.

Riot Games Unveils Warden, Valorant’s Newest Weapon: Stats, Release Date, and More

Sonu Banerjee
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Riot Games Unveils Warden, Valorant’s Newest Weapon: Stats, Release Date, and More

The leaks were true. Riot Games has confirmed Warden as Valorant’s next weapon, barely a day after the gun was leaked by dataminers across social media forums.

Warden joins the ever-expanding arsenal of Valorant as the game’s 21st weapon, and it’s the first weapon to be added to the shooter since the addition of Bandit back on January 26. This also marks Valorant’s third new weapon since its initial release.

In this article, we’ll go through everything you need to know about Warden in Valorant, including its detailed stats, release date, and more.

New Valorant Weapon Warden

Warden aims to give players more options for full-buy rounds other than the Phantom, Vandal, and the Operator, by serving as a middle ground between the rifles and the Op.

Equipped with a 2X scope, full-auto firing, and precise first-shot accuracy, the Warden is a perfect pick for players who like to hold down longer sightlines without having to invest in the Operator. Not to mention, this gun also gives you more options compared to the Op if an enemy manages to close the distance.

It’s somewhat similar to the SG553 from CS2, which is also an effective middle-ground between the AK and the AWP for long-range duels.

“We’re always looking for ways to expand how players master mechanical gunplay and strategic planning in the game,” Riot Games said in a statement. “And while we love the ongoing Phantom vs. Vandal debate on full buy rounds, we thought there was room to satisfy more playstyles and provide more optionality. The Warden shakes things up with a unique long-range power profile while maintaining the versatility you’d expect from a Rifle.”

Valorant Warden Stats

Below, we have listed the detailed stats of Warden in Valorant, as confirmed by the devs:

  • Weapon Class: Rifle
  • Price: 2900 credits
  • Attachments: Scope (2x magnification)
  • Bullets per Magazine: 18
  • Damage Per Bullet: 50 at all ranges (200 headshot, 42 leg)
  • Fire Rate: 6.5
  • Ammo Reserve: 36
  • Reload Timing: 2.5
  • Equip Timing:  Normal – 1.0,  Fast – .6, Instant – .2
  • Wall Penetration: Medium 

Valorant Warden Release Date

Warden will be added to Valorant with the game’s upcoming 13.06 patch.

For those unaware, the Valorant 13.06 update will go live on September 22, 2026, just ahead of Champions Shanghai.

Valve Steam Frame Launches at $1,059

Sarjyo Mukherjee
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Valve Steam Frame Launches at $1,059

Steam Frame, the highly anticipated virtual reality (VR) headset, is now a reality, adding to the long list of hardware, and Valve has dropped the price and release details. It is set to release for $1,059 in the United States, making it one of the most expensive gaming products in the history of the company.

With other companies charging a fortune for their VR headset, Valve has positioned its product in a very clever way, which does not scream “expensive” and at the same time isn’t cheap enough to become a staple product at a gamer’s desk. While VR isn’t exactly something that has taken off, a gaming giant like Valve doubling down on this line of products speaks volumes about the future of VR headsets as a product.

Steam Frame Specifications

  • Display: Two LCD panels, 2160 × 2160 pixels per eye
  • Refresh rate: 72Hz–144Hz
  • Lenses: Pancake lenses
  • Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, 4nm
  • RAM: 16GB LPDDR5X
  • Storage: 256GB or 1TB UFS storage
  • Expandable storage: microSD card slot Valve Developer Community+1
  • Operating system: SteamOS
  • Eye tracking: Yes, supporting foveated rendering
  • Tracking: Four outward-facing cameras for inside-out tracking
  • Passthrough: Monochrome/greyscale passthrough
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth
  • PC streaming: Wireless streaming from a gaming PC
  • Controllers: Steam Frame Controllers included
  • Weight: Around 185g for the visor, or about 440g with the strap, battery and facial interface
  • Battery: 21.6Wh
  • Ports: USB-C and a front expansion port
  • Price: $1,059 for 256GB and $1,299 for 1TB

It goes without saying that this device is not designed for stand-alone gaming but to be used as an accessory with a gaming device like a laptop or a PC for which the specifications look darn good.

Surprisingly, the Steam Frame out of the box will not include an adapter, leaving the USB-C cable as the only charging option at 45 watts, or requiring users to get an adapter sold separately for $29.

How To Get One?

Unfortunately, the Steam Frame will not be available at a large scale at launch, as Valve has chosen a reservation system based on typical ‘first-come, first-served sales’. Customers can join the queue until September 17 at 10 AM PT, upon which Valve will randomly select customers and confirm their place via email, which is expected to arrive the following day.

As things stand, the price and performance of the product will likely pull a lot of suitors, making it a hard-to-get product on day 1 of release. It goes without saying that every scalper will be looking to get their hands on it, so make sure to queue up without delay if you want it as soon as possible.


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