Austin Major features British talent as part of broadcast line-up

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Austin Major features British talent as part of broadcast line-up

The broadcasting talent for the Blast Austin Major has been revealed with six British names in the line-up.

Counter-Strike teams including Team Vitality, G2 Esports, and Team Liquid are among 32 outfits competing in the tournament which runs from June 3nd to June 22nd in Austin, Texas.

The event which will take place at the Moody Center, will see teams compete for a share of the $1.25m (£930,000) prize pool. Whichever team wins the event will receive $500,000 (£370,000).

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LoL caster CaptainFlowers calls out Riot over third-party tools

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LoL caster CaptainFlowers calls out Riot over third-party tools

American League of Legends esports caster Clayton ‘CaptainFlowers’ Raines has asked Riot Games to ban third-party apps with in-game overlays.

This comes after Riot decided third-party apps can’t show advertisements to LoL players in loading screens, the client, and in-game.

CaptainFlowers then responded, asking for those types of apps to be banned for good: “Please just kill in-game overlays altogether.

Please just kill in-game overlays all together. Tracking summoner spells, ults, and jungle camps is part of player skill and if automation of those things isn’t included in the base game, it shouldn’t be allowed at all.

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British sim racer Luke McKeown joins Red Bull Sim Racing team

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British sim racer Luke McKeown joins Red Bull Sim Racing team

Red Bull Sim Racing has announced the signing of Luke McKeown to its roster.

The British sim racer joins the team having clinched the FIA F4 Esports Championship in 2024. He clinched the title with three wins in eight races, to finish 19 points clear of Spaniard Alejandro Sanchez.

McKeown is also fresh off his highest finish in the 2025 iRacing Porsche Esports Supercup standings on iRacing, where he finished fourth.

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Sjokz prompts vital discussion on mental health in esports

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Sjokz prompts vital discussion on mental health in esports

Esports broadcaster Eefje ‘Sjokz’ Depoortere has revealed her diagnosis of clinical depression, highlighting mental health issues in esports.

Her post has garnered well-wishes from across the esports community, particularly in the League of Legends and Counter-Strike scenes, where she primarily works. 

Encouraging discussion around mental health in esports

Sjokz has been transparent regarding her mental health for several years. Her posts often prompt much-needed discourse around mental health support in the esports industry. 

Most recently, on May 29th, she posted an update that she has been officially diagnosed with clinical depression, explaining, “At least now I know why I have not been myself for many years.” 

This recent post has prompted the sharing of mental health awareness posts on esports forums.

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Riot Games show off Valorant’s replay system for the first time

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Riot Games show off Valorant’s replay system for the first time

Riot Games is finally adding a match replay system to Valorant.

Replays will come to Valorant on patch 11.06 in September on PC, while console players will have to wait until later in the year.

To ensure fans believe it is real, Riot showcased footage of the replay tools in action during the company’s latest dev update video.

In addition to that, Riot also announced that massive changes are planned for Valorant’s esports scene in 2027 with three major goals in mind.

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Lobby Live is pushing fresh opportunities for women in gaming

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Lobby Live is pushing fresh opportunities for women in gaming

Guild Esports and Sky’s “Lobby Live” events continue to attract fresh engagement and a safe, competitive environment for women in esports. 

Guild and Sky’s “The Lobby” Initiative

Opening their doors to fans and industry professionals alike, Guild Esports has established a regular schedule of events that unite women in the traditionally male-dominated gaming space. 

Currently, their events timetable focuses on regular opportunities and engagement, building on the success of the Women’s Esports Final in 2024. 

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Team Liquid nAts could miss Valorant Masters Toronto

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Team Liquid nAts could miss Valorant Masters Toronto

Team Liquid’s in-game leader Ayaz ‘nAts’ Akhmetshin will miss out on at least the opening match of Valorant Masters Toronto due to visa issues.

Masters Toronto is one of the largest Valorant events of the year, with 12 of the best teams from around the world competing for a significant portion of the $1m (£742k) prize pool.

and crucial circuit points towards qualifying for the season’s grand finale, Valorant Champions 2025.

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‘You can play Pokémon at any card shop & you’ll find a friend’ – interview with UK TCG Pokémon master Bug Catcher Ross of Skyward Fire Games on the magic of the trading card game community

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‘You can play Pokémon at any card shop & you’ll find a friend’ – interview with UK TCG Pokémon master Bug Catcher Ross of Skyward Fire Games on the magic of the trading card game community

Pokémon cards have always generated a buzz since they first launched way back in 1996, but today they’re seemingly more popular than ever before. Stock sells out fast, more people are collecting them, and there’s a growing series of competitive trading card game (TCG) tournaments for players to sink their teeth into – with some top UK players taking part.

Ross Warren (aka Bug Catcher Ross, or Hermit Grab) was the highest-placing UK player at the 2024 World Championship in Hawaii.

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What you need to know for NLC Spring Finals and Leagues Disrupt

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What you need to know for NLC Spring Finals and Leagues Disrupt

The Northern League of Legends Championship (NLC) Finals are set to take place this weekend with a slight change since the Winter Finals in Nottingham.

The Spring Finals will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark, featuring British teams Los Ratones and Ruddy Sack vying to face Nord Esports in the Grand Final this Sunday.

Alongside the matches will be the Leagues Disrupt convention featuring live music performances, an interactive exhibition area, and community meetups.

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Esports fans offered dream opportunity to have their say in new government role

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Esports fans offered dream opportunity to have their say in new government role

The government is advertising a job vacancy that offers esports fans the dream opportunity to have their say on the UK esports scene.

The Department for Media, Culture and Sport (DCMS) has posted a UK job advert on LinkedIn for a ‘Head of Video Games and Esports’.

Based in the Manchester area, the full-time position offers a salary range of between £52,100 and £61,100 per year.

The job description reads: “We are recruiting for a highly interesting and stretching role as Head of Video Games and Esports.

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