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Spirit Academy Players Face Diciplinary Action for Sexist Remarks

Sarjyo Mukherjee
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Spirit Academy Players Face Diciplinary Action for Sexist Remarks

CS2 is a game of toxic banter, but there is a limit to it, which is more often than not crossed. In one such incident, the CS2 team Imperial Valkyries has been subjected to sexist remarks by Team Spirit’s academy roster, leading to widespread backlash from the CS2 community.

During one of the scrimmage matches between Imperial Valkyries and Team Spirit White roster, the former were subjected to inappropriate sexual remarks. Imperial coach Reinis “hyskeee” Grīnbergs revealed three comments from a Spirit Academy player via X.

The message from Artur “fernando_mag” Kaliuzhnyi roughly translates to  “[Kirill “k0gaSs” Emelyanov] said he would give it to each of you in the mouth.”

The post on X provoked heavy criticism from the CS2 community towards Team Spirit, who confirmed that the players involved in the incident will be put under “strictest disciplinary actions.” Dmitriy Bukhteyev, the Head of Academy at Spirit, went ahead to apologise to Valkyries skipper Viktoria “tory” Kazieva and her team.

Being part of the Spirit’s academy roster is the dream for many, but wasting it in this fashion is something that will break the hearts of young, aspiring players.

Will 2XKO Be Available on Consoles? PlayStation 5 & Xbox Release Dates Explained

Sonu Banerjee
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Will 2XKO Be Available on Consoles? PlayStation 5 & Xbox Release Dates Explained

Over the past few days, Riot Games’ upcoming competitive fighting game 2XKO has taken the internet by storm.

Since entering early access on October 7, 2025, the title has drawn massive attention from casual gamers and content creators alike, leading many to wonder when 2XKO will arrive on consoles.

At the time of writing, 2XKO is only available on PC and cannot be played on consoles such as the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S. However, that doesn’t mean console players will be left out forever.

Riot Games has confirmed that a console version of 2XKO is already in development, and players on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S can expect to get their hands on it in the near future.

“We haven’t taken our foot off the gas in getting the game to console,” Executive Producer Tom Cannon said in a statement while discussing the console release. “Right now, the team is focusing on the work that it takes to go from the console betas we shipped in Alpha Labs to a fully featured game.”

2XKO Console Release Date

The exact release date of 2XKO on consoles hasn’t been disclosed by Riot Games as of yet. Based on the game’s update calendar, console gamers can expect to be able to try out 2XKO at some point in late 2025 or early 2026.

Will 2XKO Have Crossplay?

Riot has confirmed that 2XKO will support crossplay and cross-platform progression, which means even if you play the game on PC right now, your progress will carry over to console at the time of the game’s launch.

Gen.G Announces Massive Valorant Roster Changes

Aritra Patra
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Gen.G Announces Massive Valorant Roster Changes

In a dramatic turn of events, Korean behemoth Gen.G dropped four of its five integral players with their contracts expiring, bringing an end to one of the most successful rosters in the history of VCT Pacific.​

Gen.G released Kim “t3xture” Na-ra, Byeon “Munchkin” Sang-beom, Kim “Karon” Won-tae, and Kim “Lakia” Jong-min, as well as coaching staff such as head coach Kang “solo” Keun-chul, Kim “HSK” Hae-seong, and Jung “peri” Bum-ki. Jung “Foxy9” Jae-sung and Ha “Ash” Hyun-cheol are the only two under contract with the organization.​

The organization has said that although such players and staff are no longer signed to Gen.G, talks are still in progress regarding future possibilities. Munchkin, though, officially confirmed his departure, tweeting an emotional goodbye message stating “The end of my journey with Gen.G” and declaring his status as looking for a team.​

This lineup breakup is the end of an exceptional chapter in the history of VALORANT. The mainstay lineup had amazing success in 2024, such as Gen.G’s historic win at VALORANT Masters Shanghai – becoming the first Pacific team to claim an international championship. They also won at VCT Pacific Kickoff and Stage 2 tournaments.

T3xture, who joined Gen.G in September 2023, served as the team’s star duelist and was instrumental in their rise to international prominence. His departure, along with that of Solo, signals what sources describe as a “substantive reset” for Gen.G’s 2026 project.​

One of the major drivers of these roster adjustments seems to be the mandatory military service in South Korea. Munchkin, who is 27 years of age, is now facing almost-necessary military service duty as he nears the age limit for deferment. In a recent interview, when Munchkin was asked when he might perform his military service, he said he could push it “a little further” but accepted the factuality.​​

The roster transactions follow a disappointing 2025 season that saw Gen.G miss qualification for VALORANT Champions Paris. Although they reached the Masters Toronto, where they placed 5th-6th, and won 3rd position at the Esports World Cup, the team’s early exit from the VCT Pacific Stage 2 playoffs in 7th-8th place by Rex Regum Qeon was a crushing blow.

Gen.G’s first-round playoff loss made their Champions qualification solely contingent on other teams, a nervous situation for a team that had entered the season with championship aspirations.

The outgoing players are a combined total of experience and skill that saw Gen.G rise as a global VALORANT giant. Their future destinations will be eagerly anticipated as the VCT Pacific region looks to what will be a drastically different competitive scene in 2026.

How to Fix VAN 68 Error in Valorant?

Aritra Patra
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0
How to Fix VAN 68 Error in Valorant?

The VAN 68 error in Valorant is perhaps the most infuriating connectivity problem that players face. The error keeps you from playing matches or even getting into the game, and it shows the following message: “VALORANT has encountered a connection error. Please relaunch the client to reconnect.” Knowing the cause of this error and how to solve it will put you back into the game in no time.​

VAN 68 is a network connectivity issue that results when your computer fails to communicate with Riot’s Valorant servers effectively. It is one of the errors in Riot’s Vanguard anti-cheat system and usually represents an interruption in the connection between your device and the game servers. The problem can be caused either by client issues or server issues.

Luckily, in most cases, the VAN 68 error in Valorant can be easily fixed by following a few simple steps. If you’re facing the infamous VAN 68 Valorant error yourself, keep reading to find out how you can solve it.

How to Fix Valorant VAN 68 Error?

Here are some solutions that you can try to fix your VAN68 Valorant error:

  • Check Riot Games Server Status
    • Before you start troubleshooting your system, check if Riot’s servers are up. Go to the official Riot Games Service Status page at status.riotgames.com or check out Riot’s Twitter feed for announcements regarding scheduled maintenance or current outages. If servers are offline, you will have to wait until Riot gets the situation under control.​
  • Restart Your PC and Network Equipment
    • First, do a full system reboot. Close down Valorant and the Riot Client fully, then reboot your computer. This resets your computer’s network connections and removes temporary issues.​​
    • Next, power cycle your router and modem. Unplug both devices from the power outlet, wait 30 seconds to one minute, then plug the modem back in first. Wait 1-2 minutes for the modem to fully boot up, then plug in the router. This process clears the router’s memory and reestablishes a fresh connection to your ISP.​
  • Disable VPN and Proxy Settings
    • Disable VPN: If you have a VPN service running, turn it off entirely before starting Valorant.
    • Turn Off Proxy Settings: Go to Windows Settings, then Network & Internet > Proxy, and switch both “Automatically detect settings” and “Use a proxy server” off. Click Save.​​​​
  • Flush DNS Cache
    • Press the Windows key and enter “cmd” into the search field. Right-click on Command Prompt and click “Run as administrator”. Click on “Yes”.​
    • At the Command Prompt, enter ipconfig /flushdns and hit Enter. You should obtain a message indicating “Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache”.​
    • Restart your computer and attempt to launch Valorant again.
  • Winsock Reset (Reset Network Socket)
    • Open Command Prompt as an administrator (same steps as above).
    • Execute netsh winsock reset and then press Enter. The command resets network socket settings to the default.​​
    • Wait for the success message and then restart your computer. This is the most important step for changes to occur.​​
  • DNS Server Settings Change
    • Open Command Prompt and test what DNS server delivers the most stable connection by typing ping 1.1.1.1 and observing the response time. Then type ping 8.8.8.8 and compare.​
    • Go to Settings > Network and Internet > Ethernet (or Wi-Fi). Click “Edit DNS server assignment” and choose “Manual”.
    • Enable IPv4, and then input the lowest-ping DNS server in the “Preferred DNS” section. Popular choices are Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1 or 1.0.0.1) and Google DNS (8.8.8.8 or 8.8.4.4). Alternatively, you can use 100.1.1.1 in place of 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.4.4 in place of 8.8.8.8.​
    • Save and start Valorant to check the connection.
  • Permit Valorant through Windows Firewall
    • Press the Windows key and type “Windows Defender Firewall” in the search bar, then click on it.​
    • Select “Allow an app through firewall” and then click “Change settings”.​
    • Remove any existing Valorant and Riot Client entries to start fresh. Then click “Allow another app” and browse to your Valorant installation directory.​​
    • Navigate to: C:\Riot Games\VALORANT\live\ShooterGame\Binaries\Win64\​
    • Choose “VALORANT-Win64-Shipping.exe” and select “Add”.
    • Make sure all the boxes (both Private and Public networks) are ticked for Valorant.​
    • Do the same for Riot Vanguard. Select “Allow another app” again and go to: C:\Program Files\Riot Vanguard\vgc.exe​
    • Add it and make sure all the boxes are ticked. Select “OK” to save.​
    • Also, add the Riot Client by going to its location and doing the same.​
    • Restart your computer so that changes in the firewall take place.
  • Turn off IPv6
    • Press the Windows key + X and choose “Network Connections” or navigate to Settings > Network & Internet > Advanced network settings > Change adapter options.​
    • Right-click your current network connection (Ethernet or Wi-Fi) and choose “Properties”.​
    • Deselect the check box next to “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)”.​​
    • Hit “OK” to apply the changes and reboot your computer.
  • Reinstall Riot Vanguard
    • Hit the Windows key and enter “Add or remove programs” and press Enter.
    • Scroll down and locate “Riot Vanguard” in the list. Click on it and choose “Uninstall”.
    • Proceed with instructions to agree to the uninstall. You may need to hit “Uninstall” again and give the application permission to make changes to your device.
    • Restart your computer.
    • Open the Riot Client, which will automatically prompt you to reinstall Riot Vanguard. Follow installation instructions.​
    • After installation is finished, restart your computer one more time for Vanguard to run correctly.​​
  • Check Game Files
    • Open the Riot Client and click on your profile picture in the top-right corner.
    • Choose “Settings” from the dropdown menu.
    • Locate Valorant on the list of games and hit the “Repair” button beside it.​
    • The client will scan your game files and download missing or corrupted files automatically. The process might take a few minutes.​
    • After doing this, restart the Riot Client and attempt to launch Valorant.

If you follow all the aforementioned steps correctly, then the Valorant VAN 68 error should likely be solved.

B1st Replaces ICY on Virtus.pro

Sarjyo Mukherjee
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0
B1st Replaces ICY on Virtus.pro

Virtus.pro academy star Vladimir ‘b1st‘ Krasikov has been promoted to the first team of Virtus.pro. He is replacing ICY, who had a promising start with the organization after joining in December 2024, but failed to live up to the hype as the season progressed.

B1st has been a talking point in the CS community, especially after his performances with the VP Academy roster, making him the second player, after t00R0, to receive a promotion to the first team. VP slowly overhauled their roster, parting ways with electroNic and bringing in young talent to complement the trio of FL1T, Perfecto, and fame.

“After impressing in VP.Prodigy, b1st becomes the next young talent to join the main lineup,” said Virtus.pro on social media. “The team is already training to ensure his smooth transition ahead of IEM Chengdu 2025.”

Virtus.pro lineup is now:

  • Evgenii “⁠FL1T⁠” Lebedev
  • Petr “⁠fame⁠” Bolyshev
  • Ilya “⁠Perfecto⁠” Zalutskiy
  • Vadim “⁠tO0RO⁠” Arkov
  • Vladimir “⁠b1st⁠” Krasikov

The VP roster has not won anything significant since 2023, despite being one of the most feared teams at the beginning of CS2. Even with a plethora of roster changes, the team has failed to live up to the expectations, but the organization has not backed down and instead invested in an academy roster. Only time will tell if the fruits of their labour yield anything.

2XKO Patch 1.0.1.2 Brings Fixes for Ekko, Warwick, Yasuo, & More

Sonu Banerjee
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2XKO Patch 1.0.1.2 Brings Fixes for Ekko, Warwick, Yasuo, & More

Riot Games has announced a new update for its upcoming competitive fighting game, 2XKO, and it’s set to feature a range of bug fixes for multiple Champions alongside several other adjustments.

The 2XKO 1.0.1.2 Patch, which is scheduled to go live on October 21, 2025, brings with it several bug fixes involving Ekko, Yasuo, and Warwick, while also improving the game’s Champion Mastery system and the rotating shop.

As confirmed by Riot in a recent blog post, the 2XKO servers will be temporarily taken down for maintenance between 9 am and 1 pm PT on the same day as the devs roll out the new patch. Online play will be completely unavailable during the maintenance period, but players will be able to enjoy the game offline.

Without further ado, let’s check out the detailed patch notes of the 2XKO 1.0.1.2 update.

2XKO Patch Notes 1.0.1.2

Below, we’ve listed the full patch notes for the 2XKO 1.0.1.2 patch, as disclosed by Riot:

Collision

  • Champions no longer pass through each other unexpectedly, particularly when in the corner and using Assists.
    • This change was especially noticeable with corner-stealing moves, such as Ekko’s Phase Dive or Warwick’s Wrath of the Beast with multiple champions on-screen.
  • Champions no longer become “trapped” when at the center of the screen and pinned between two champions, and can now be pushed as normal.
  • Champions starting on the left (Player 1 side) and right (Player 2 side) now have the same corner priority properties when performing a corner steal with Assists.

Champions

Ekko

  • Fixed a bug where Arcane Ekko would sometimes leave behind a smoke effect after Attempt #37 (Ultimate).

Warwick

  • Warwick no longer flies away after Handshake Tagging out of Spinning Slicer in Freestyle Fuse. Goodbye, updog.
  • Warwick’s Ankle Swipe > Primal Leap combos no longer drop on Yasuo.

Yasuo

  • Yasuo’s Turbulent Wind now applies damage scaling correctly, lowering his damage output for his common combos and routes.
    • Damage scaling applies on the second and third hit, totalling 20%.

Miscellaneous

  • Added a widget to the main menu that shows current server status and upcoming downtime.
    Fixed a bug that was causing crashes when entering the Champion Select screen.
  • Fixed a bug that was causing users to frequently disconnect from matches.
  • Fixed a bug where users were getting stuck on the rank promotion screen that appears at the end of rank-up matches. Pressing the confirmation button will now skip the animation properly.
  • Fixed a bug that was causing memory leaks when playing consecutive matches.
  • Fixed a bug where Ranked points were displayed incorrectly on the Grandmaster leaderboard.

ESL Reveals 2028 CS2 Event Dates

Sarjyo Mukherjee
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ESL Reveals 2028 CS2 Event Dates

ESL has been one of the greatest, if not the greatest, tournament organizers for Counter-Strike throughout multiple iterations of the game. They are known for hosting popular events, especially the Intel Extreme Masters and Pro League.

As they have continued to bring memorable events, ESL has laid out its plans for Counter-Strike for 2028, well in advance of the 2025 season’s conclusion. According to the Tweet, ESL plans to run 6 events in 2028 that will be part of the ESL Pro Tour for Tier 1 of competitive CS2.

Many critics continue to double down on the fact that CS2 is a dead game despite a thriving player base and competitive scene. Major TOs like ESL expanding their plans years in advance goes to show how much the industry has faith in what others consider to be running on its last legs.

ESL’s 2028 event schedule is as follows:

  • Event #1 – January 26-Feb 6
  • Event #2 – March 3-19
  • Event #3 – April 10-16
  • Event #4 – August 2-13
  • Event #5 – September 16-October 1
  • Event #6 – October 23-29

These events are announced for Tier 1 alone, but ESL has been known to be active in the lower tiers of competition, where we find lesser-known teams and academy rosters. While the announcement doesn’t cover said areas of competition, we can only assume that ESL plans to continue organizing events for up-and-comers.

ElectroNic Reunites with S1mple

Sarjyo Mukherjee
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0
ElectroNic Reunites with S1mple

Denis “⁠electroNic⁠” Sharipov has reunited with Oleksandr “⁠s1mple⁠” Kostyliev after agreeing to a move out of Virtus.pro’s bench to join BC Game.

Arguably one of the greatest duos to ever grace Counter-Strike, electroNic and s1mple shared the stage for 6 years in NAVI colors, winning some of the most notable honours and etching their names in the history of the game.

Since the release of CS2, both players have fallen below their usual standards, with s1mple going off the radar until his return to tier-1, marked by a brief stint with FaZe and Falcons. electroNic, on the other hand, spent his time on unsuccessful rosters until he was benched from his IGL role in Virtus.pro.

BC.Game has been quietly acquiring top talent in the hopes of building a roster that would reach tier-1 at some point. While signing s1mple was far from quiet, electroNic’s addition would definitely draw the world’s attention to them.

BC.Game are now:

  • Aleksandar “⁠CacaNito⁠” Kjulukoski
  • Oleksandr “⁠s1mple⁠” Kostyliev
  • Andreas “⁠aNdu⁠” Maasing
  • Denis “⁠electroNic⁠” Sharipov
  • Nemanja “⁠nexa⁠” Isaković
  • Luka “⁠emi⁠” Vuković (coach)

It is hard to when which tournament they plan to take part in next, but it goes without saying that this roster will be closely monitored by the CS community, given the names that will be donning BC.Game’s colors. Whether this will work or not, only time can tell, but till then, we can get a few more matches with s1mple and electroNic as teammates.

How to Increase Trust Factor in CS2?

Aritra Patra
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0
How to Increase Trust Factor in CS2?

If you are a serious CS2 player and want to rank up consistently, you definitely need a good Trust Factor. Otherwise, you will end up matching with blatant hackers. Improving your Trust Factor in Counter-Strike 2 relies on consistently positive behavior, reliable teamwork, and maintaining a clean competitive record. In this article, we will explain how to increase your Trust Factor in Counter-Strike 2.

What is the Trust Factor in CS2?

Trust Factor is Valve’s proprietary matchmaking metric designed to pair players based on behavioral and performance signals. A higher Trust Factor means:

  • More balanced matches, reducing the risk of disruptive teammates or opponents.
  • Shorter queue times, as you’re matched with well-behaved players.
  • Greater access to competitive lobbies and Prime-only servers.

Trust Factor considers multiple data points, including VAC history, reported behavior, and in-game performance.

How to Increase the Trust Factor in CS2?

How to Increase Trust Factor in CS2

To increase your Trust Factor, follow the steps mentioned below:

  • Avoid Cheating and VAC Bans
    • Cheating or trying hacks instantly damages your Trust Factor. VAC bans are permanent and greatly lower your standing. Only using authentic software and not taking unsafe downloads is of utmost importance.
  • Respect the Rules
    • Avoid map glitching, unauthorized config usage, or other actions that go against Valve’s Terms of Service. Adhering to community guidelines shows you are reliable.
  • Communicate Constructively
    • Utilize in-game voice and text chat to communicate tactical intelligence instead of arguments or harassment. A single useful callout can counteract multiple unfavorable interactions in the Trust Factor calculation.
  • Reduce Toxicity
    • Steer clear of cursing, personal insults, or intentional griefing (e.g., teamkilling, blocking teammates). Positive interactions across the board indicate teamwork and sportsmanship.
  • Take part in Official Events and Workshops
    • Playing Valve-sponsored game modes or workshop maps demonstrates active, involved participation. It also varies your play, providing more behavioral information for the Trust Factor system.
  • Report Responsibly
    • Use the report feature sensibly. Reporting obvious griefing, cheating, or harassment allows Valve to uphold integrity without distorting information through unnecessary complaints.
  • Play Full Matches
    • Leaving matches or constant AFKing reduces your Trust Factor. Stick with playing out rounds-even if the result appears fixed-to show sportsmanship.
  • Balance Skill and Challenge
    • Continuously beating foes by an outlandish margin could initiate detrimental matchmaking signals. Gradually seek improvement, and try switching to a skill-proportionate lobby if winning or losing streaks become outlandish.
  • Secure Your Account
    • Turn Steam Guard on, use secure passwords, and don’t share logins. Hacked accounts can earn actions you didn’t do, hurting your Trust Factor.
  • Check VAC and Game Ban Status
    • Log in to your Steam account periodically to check for bans. Dealing with payment issues or community infractions quickly avoids lingering negative flags on your record.
  • Prime Matchmaking
    • Associating a confirmed phone number and becoming Prime status not only opens Prime-only servers but also increases your base Trust Factor – Valve considers confirmed players more trustworthy.

            Building and maintaining a high Trust Factor in CS2 is a gradual process rooted in fair play, positive communication, and consistent participation. By integrating these practices into every match, you’ll enjoy more reliable matchmaking, cleaner games, and a more rewarding overall experience.

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