The complete lineup for Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS) Stage 2 has finally been confirmed revealed following the results of the Stage 1 relegation tournament.

Competitions for OWCS’ EMEA and NA divisions saw relegation teams face off against FACEIT champions to vie for the opportunity to compete in Stage 2, set to run from May 10th to June 29th, 2025.

Here are all the teams promoted to OWCS Stage 2 for either EMEA and NA:

An interesting detail to note is that all teams that are moving on to Stage 2 originally entered relegation after placing top two in the FaceIt League Masters Season 4.

Quick Esports ultimately prevailed after winning the upper bracket finals. The team’s first match saw the side win 3-1 against Sakura Esports, followed by a 3-0 victory over Team Vision.

During the livestream, ​Jake ‘JAKE’ Lyon, former Overwatch pro and commentator, said: “It’s clear to me that that long journey has made them (Quick Esports) stronger, right? They came out here as a team, and they played a lot of really nice compositional matchups.

“Vision didn’t make it easy, Vision is a real threat. But I feel like the team play, the ability to bail each other out of trouble, was what really brought it over the line for Quick Esports.”

After initially losing to Team Vision in the upper bracket semi-finals, Frost Tail Esports had a chance at payback after Vision lost to Quick Esports. This time, Frost Tail came out on top in a grudge match in the lower bracket finals 3-0.

During the livestream, Loïc ‘KroxZ’ Ricci of Frost Tail Esports said: “I mean, we take back our place, that’s where we belong, and we straight forward it. We are all happy about it.

“We scrimmed against them (Vision) recently, and they like kind of destroyed us. So I can feel the enemy team right now, their frustration. But we will try our best, and we’re going to get first again, no problem.”

Supernova proved to be the dark horse of NA relegation after beating Amplify 3-0 in the semi-finals, followed by a landslide 3-0 victory against Shikigami.

Commentators of the stream highlighted Supernova’s victory over Amplify as a long-awaited grudge match. Previously, Amplify defeated Supernova 3-2 in lower-bracket round 3 of the OWCS Stage 1 open qualifiers.

During the livestream, ​Jonathan ‘Reinforce’ Snowden, former Overwatch pro and commentator, said: “Welcome back to OWCS. It has to be said for Supernova, a team that lost out in the Stage 1 qualifiers after being upset by Amplify.

“At the end of the day, it was 3-0, it was a dominant showing. It’s what we expected from this Supernova squad because the player caliber on this team is insane, and rightfully deserves to be in OWCS.”

Perhaps more surprising is the performance from DhillDucks, an Overwatch esports team from the University of Utah. After losing the first match against Shikigami in the upper bracket semi-finals, DhillDucks defeated Amplify 3-0. In the lower bracket semi-finals, DhillDucks won 3-0 in the rematch against Shikigami.

During the livestream, Carson ‘pdk’ Terry of DhillDucks said: “It feels great just being able to qualify with these people, we put a lot of time and work in so it feels amazing.”

The Tekken 8 Season 2 update has not been sitting well with FGC players, and now pro player Bae ‘Knee’ Jae-Min has explained exactly what he doesn’t like about the changes, calling the season ‘selfish’.

Previous Evo champion Knee recently broke down the elements of Season 2 that he didn’t like in a massive rant on X. When asked if he believed that developers would listen to him, he replied that it seemed as though they wanted ‘rookies to come in and beat veterans’ instead.

When Season 2 dropped earlier this month, competitive players flocked to Tekken 8 to check out the changes. The result was an increased player count but also a massive influx of negative reviews on Steam, turning the sentiment into ‘Overwhelmingly Negative’.

The FGC has been complaining about the unpopular changes made to characters that don’t seem to fit original playstyles and strip away some of the mechanics players have attempted to master for years — it seemed like developers were hoping new players could catch up by removing legacy knowledge and simplifying strategies.

Following the Season 2 update, Knee started sharing gameplay clips on X, showing how he was forced to play after the changes. He then went on to passionately explain what he’s noticed after playing the game after Season 2.

“Honestly, I think the developers’ idea should be different from the player. However, I think it would be nice to accept some feedback, but I don’t care if they don’t listen. Tekken 8 is already [getting] negative reviews,” Knee said.

Knee’s first issue with the update was that the combos felt too long and dealt too much damage. The second issue was simplifying mind games, which made the game feel ‘boring’ because it was easy to implement these simplified strategies and safe solutions.

Knee also noted that the Heat System, implemented in Tekken 8, had become ‘unbalanced’ in the update. He noted that many of the Heat moves felt as though they had ‘less risk’ to pull off, making it a bit of a no-brainer to spam stronger moves constantly without worry since they’re easy to pull off and recover.

One of his biggest concerns was the removal of some trickier moves that competitive players have spent years mastering. These would reward players with more experience in tough situations.

“The legacy knowledge has just been removed,” Knee noted. “Air moves can’t be low parried and hold moves can’t be parried. So we have no way to [be tactical] in certain situations. Did it have to be removed?”

Other issues included characters with weapons getting too long of a range, too many 50-50 situations that make it difficult to block stronger incoming moves and chip damage taking away too much health.

Knee added: “Veterans have invested a lot of time and put a lot of effort into it. So it’s a fun game to play when you increase your knowledge and learn your skills. Actually, I don’t know why a veteran should have a high probability of losing to a beginner or a rookie. Isn’t that contradictory?”

Knee isn’t alone in this sentiment. Negative reviews keep flowing in on Steam, all accusing developers of not understanding the characters and simplifying gameplay to appeal to beginners.

This has been a big focus of fighting games the last few years, with many developers worrying that titles like Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8 have become too difficult for newbies to pick up. However, the competitive community feels that the developers have taken this concern too far, punishing top players in the process.

Developers have responded to the ongoing criticism but the FGC is skeptical and not expecting a big overhaul. However, if nothing is done, it’s likely that pro players will drop ahead of Evo 2025, the largest fighting game event of the year.

The Finals isn’t just another shooter; it’s a demolition derby disguised as a game show, where skyscrapers crumble as squads rush to steal the Cash Out. This free-to-play FPS has captivated players with its signature destruction physics and frenetic battles since its 2023 launch. But as The Finals esports push with a $100,000 Major and structured leagues, a critical question emerges: Can a game built on chaos thrive in a competitive esports tournament that demands consistency?

This analysis explores The Finals’ rocky yet promising esports journey, examining how its identity could redefine competitive shooters or collapse under the weight of its own ambition.

The Finals is a revolutionary free-to-play FPS developed by Embark Studios, a team of former Battlefield veterans. Set in a hyper-stylized virtual game show inspired by The Hunger Games, a format ripe for The Finals esports competition, it pits four teams of three players against each other in destructible arenas where every surface can be demolished: walls crumble, floors collapse, and entire buildings can be brought down mid-match.

What sets The Finals apart is how it weaponizes destruction as a core gameplay mechanic. Players don’t just shoot through walls; they strategically demolish entire structures to gain advantages, using the environment as a weapon. This is enhanced by the game’s class system (Light, Medium, Heavy), each with unique movement abilities and gadgets that interact dynamically with the destructible environments.

The presentation fully commits to its game show premise, complete with live announcers reacting to plays and holographic crowds cheering dramatic moments. It’s this combination of visceral destruction physics, class-based tactics, and broadcast-style spectacle that makes The Finals a true next-gen competitive experience where no two matches play out the same. The question isn’t whether The Finals can become an esport — it’s when and how much support it will receive.

Within esports, The Finals exploded onto the scene with 240,000+ peak Steam players and critical acclaim as a fresh, inventive shooter. This launch period saw players experimenting with diverse weapons and gadgets, though balance issues around the overpowered Heavy class and server instability emerged. While some dismissed it as a tech demo, its potential as a disruptive FPS was undeniable, even as player retention naturally dipped post-launch.

Season 3 became the game’s lowest point, a cautionary tale in misreading your audience. The controversial shift from beloved Cashout to 5v5 Terminal Attack alienated core fans, while technical failures like the poorly optimized Kyoto 1568 map (with its infamously bad spawn points and performance drops) compounded frustrations. Embark’s balanced philosophy of constant nerfs rather than buffing underused options backfired, making Heavy nearly unplayable while cementing a stale Light-class meta.

The redemption came in Season 4 with the return of Ranked Cashout tournaments. Fortune Stadium’s arrival, coupled with new progression systems like sponsor contracts and weapon customization (including alternate sights/scopes), marked a turning point. This season’s success established a template that has carried through to the current Season 6, proving Embark could learn from missteps while staying true to The Finals’ chaotic identity.

The Finals is not without its share of controversies. The game’s player count has declined significantly, with current peaks around 15,000 to 17,000 on Steam. Even though its audience is primarily casual, the skill floor to enjoy the game is higher than its competitors. Solo queue is a frustrating experience, not to mention the concerns with rampant cheating. There always seems to be an issue with balance and overpowered strategies, like when Lights was able to cloak and stun gun for an easy kill.

Another point of contention has been the game’s use of AI-generated voice acting. Developers at Embark Studios have acknowledged utilizing AI for character voices, including announcers and contestants, aiming for efficiency and flexibility in content updates. 

Despite it all, The Finals is still going strong and even enjoyed a steady uptick in player count. Its foundational elements are solid: gameplay is polished, its destruction novel, and its unique gameplay is a platform for electrifying moments that could only happen in this game.

The Finals esports scene is poised for a major leap in 2025, transitioning from grassroots tournaments to a formal esports league structure. Embark Studios’ $100K Major announcement signals their commitment to building The Finals esports tournament ecosystem. The game’s esports potential was first tested through community-driven events like the $50,000 Twitch Rivals event and the more competitive Finals Masters series.

The first event showcases The Finals at its best: fun and unpredictable yet highly technical. It featured eight teams of three in a chaotic 3v3v3v3 Cashout format, spread over multiple maps in three rotating rounds. Teams earned points based on placement – 10 for first, seven for second, and so on – with overall winners decided by total points across all matches. The event peaked at 41,649 views on Twitch.

The more serious step came with the 2024 Finals Masters Series hosted by Breakout Esports. This year-long circuit ran two competitive splits, each offering qualification to a World Championship. Teams could qualify by winning Masters events or collecting points in online qualifiers.

The Finals World Championship features a two-phase format beginning with a group stage where teams compete in four-team Cashout matches across multiple rounds. Afterward, teams will go head-to-head in a best-of-five format. 

Embark Studios officially announced its esports ambitions, revealing the $100,000 Major slated for Q4 2025, featuring open qualifiers and an in-person LAN event. The studio has since rolled out esports-focused updates, including enhanced private matches and spectator modes in Season 6. While no major esports organizations have yet announced dedicated rosters, Embark has actively partnered with grassroots organizers to get the ball rolling. 

The Finals has the explosive action to thrive as an esport, but its chaotic presentation currently undermines its readability. Matches descend into visual noise for viewers, lacking essential spectator tools like a kill feed, clear team identifiers, or objective progress bars. Without these features, even seasoned casters struggle to narrate key moments, such as team wipes or steal attempts, forcing them to over-explain basics instead of heightening the drama.

The absence of a multi-team kill feed exacerbates confusion in four-team matches, making it unclear who’s fighting whom or which squads are gaining momentum. Objectives like cashouts lack visual urgency, leaving viewers guessing about steal progress or round stakes. While the game’s destruction physics create a spectacle, they often obscure critical details – collapsing buildings or particle effects hide player movements.

GerryTheMusicMan, a Rainbow Six Siege caster who has started casting The Finals, argues, “the viewing experience is far more important in esports than in sports.” Without these fixes, the game risks alienating newcomers despite its competitive depth. For starters, let teams keep their color between rounds and customize their names.

The Finals has made strides in onboarding new players, but retention remains a mixed bag. The game drops players where initial matches serve more as exposure than true tutorials. Retention struggles are partly due to a steep learning curve and matchmaking that can pit new players against highly experienced, organized squads. 

Updates that cater to growing and retaining its player base should be the highest priority. Casual game modes like the 5v5 Power Shift and Team Deathmatch are a hit with players since it offers a hit of its great gameplay in a less stressful environment. Progression systems with challenges to unlock rewards, like sponsors and World Tour, give players an incentive to play the game in different ways. 

A proper solo queue mode, where matches are filled with The Finals esports teams made up of solo players, could help alleviate the tremendous gap. Even so, this doesn’t guarantee that the casual audience will connect with the esports scene; just look at the low viewer count of the World Grand Finals, despite its excellent production value.

The Finals is torn between two visions: the chaotic sandbox shooter and its destruction physics promise, and the balanced competitive experience and its esports ambitions demand. Its emergent gameplay systems and multi-squad battles are its lifeblood, yet these same systems frustrate competitive players seeking consistency. 

This conflict is most apparent in Cashout, the game’s flagship mode. While brilliantly innovative in concept, its competitive viability remains questionable. The mode’s core mechanics, stealing cashouts, last-second turnovers, and the constant threat of third-partying prioritize drama over fairness. In casual play, these lead to exhilarating comebacks, but in ranked, play they can undermine strategic play. Even so, the players crave Cashout, and Embark should take another pass at its design.

For The Finals esports to thrive, its competitive matches should represent the same matches players can experience at the casual level. Its gameshow aesthetic and gameplay systems shine during fast-paced gameplay. Its in-game Ranked mode features a knockout system throughout many rounds to determine the winner, culminating in a tense two-team duel; it could be explored further by looking at the current esports battle royales. Stick to what makes The Finals unique, and don’t work against it to prevent the players from disconnecting from the pros.

The launch of The Finals esports tournament circuit has ignited interest among competitive players, but ranked mode must evolve to support this growth. Embark Studios should look to proven models from games like Fortnite and Counter-Strike. Weekly or monthly open qualifiers, similar to Fortnite’s Cash Cups or CS’ FACEIT leagues, would give top-ranked players a clear pathway to semi-pro competition without excessive barriers. 

That said, competitive integrity remains a hurdle. Issues like cheating and no-hit registration risk undermining ranked play and tournaments. Embark must implement stricter anti-cheat measures if there’s any hope for integrity in online play. Additionally, 

replay review systems or allowing players to view these matches (similar to Dota 2, allowing players to spectate high MMR matches) would expose more players to pro play. Moreover, content creators and analysts can use these matches to showcase technical plays from the game.

Competitive players will always gravitate towards ranked for fairer play. However, a majority of players vastly prefer World Tour mode for its progression, lower stakes, and better matches compared to Quick Play. Decent players are guaranteed to receive all rewards since it’s a matter of time and commitment. Streamlining or expediting this progression track could encourage more players to try ranked. 

Embark quickly addresses issues regarding overpowered builds or exploits, like attaching deployables to an explosive throwable to make an improvised nuke. However, as these alternate playstyles get nerfed, the game trends towards streamlined, homogenous weapons and gadgets. At the highest level, players tend to gravitate towards safe weapons like Assault Rifles for consistency, but these niche picks are healthy for esports viewership. Competitive players will always math out the best options, and it’s up to Embark to equalize the playing field.

As The Finals esports league, Embark is about to navigate the delicate tightrope of balancing for competitive and casual audiences. Games like Overwatch and Apex Legends demonstrate the risks of over-prioritizing pro play: stale metas, fractured communities, and a loss of casual appeal. Now more than ever The Finals needs to retain its strong core playerbase before it could jump into esports.

Competitive rulesets certainly help, as long as they aren’t too restrictive. Breakout has also introduced many house rules to ensure balance and variety, like not allowing teams to stack particular gadgets and specializations. These allow pro players to enjoy some separation without affecting all play manners.

The Finals’ physics-based destruction isn’t just a gimmick; it’s the game’s greatest competitive differentiator. Where other shooters limit environmental interaction to predetermined paths (like Rainbow Six Siege‘s controlled destruction), The Finals embraces full chaos as its defining feature, not a bug. 

While some argue that the randomness can occasionally lead to unfair situations, such as debris blocking sightlines or cashouts falling in tough positions, these moments test true mastery of the game’s systems. The best competitors don’t just react to destruction; they anticipate and weaponize it. It’s not random, as all players have access to the same tools to deal with these situations.

Rather than watering down this signature mechanic for esports, The Finals should lean into it as its selling point. The destruction creates highlight-reel moments that make the game uniquely watchable while demanding skills no other competitive shooter tests. It creates moments that are only possible in The Finals. This isn’t a balance problem to solve; it’s the game’s competitive soul that sets it apart. The Finals’ esports future lies not in restricting its destruction but in celebrating it as the ultimate equalizer where creativity and adaptability trump rote execution.

The Finals stands at a crossroads between its chaotic sandbox roots and competitive aspirations, but this tension could be its greatest strength. While challenges like spectator clarity, ranked integrity, and onboarding need refinement, the game’s destruction physics and emergent gameplay offer something truly unique in esports. Rather than compromising its identity, The Finals should double down on what makes it special: the ability to turn its thematic gameshow into a spectacle worth watching.

The recent esports initiatives prove the game can thrive competitively when it embraces its unpredictable nature. With improved spectator tools, balanced but creative rulesets, and a focus on making high-level play accessible, The Finals could redefine what a competitive shooter can be. The path forward isn’t about becoming another cookie-cutter esport but about proving that controlled chaos can coexist with elite competition. The Finals esports future hinges on embracing its identity while solving core competitive issues. If successful, it could attract top esports teams and establish itself as the most innovative FPS esports tournament circuit in years

Canadian gaming chair brand Blacklyte has partnered with international esports organisation Team Spirit.

According to a release, Blacklyte will become the official gaming chair and desk partner for the team, replacing competitor Secretlab.

The collaboration between the Blacklyte and Team Spirit sparked at the Shanghai Major 2024 when the esports team first tried out Blacklyte’s products during the practice and tournament matches, leading to talks for a long-term partnership.

Aside from the sponsorship, Team Spirit will be working together to release co-branded products, including gaming chairs, desks and other merchandise.

This is not the first time Blacklyte has worked alongside esports teams. Last year, it announced a multi-year deal with European organisation Fnatic and MAD Lions KOI’s parent company OverActive Media. Moreover, the gaming chair brand was the official partner for esports events such as BLAST Premier, Rainbow Six, as well as the Rocket League 2024 World Championship.

Based in Belgrade, Serbia, Team Spirit is an international esports organisation, mainly known for its endeavors in Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2. The organisation has won two The International titles in 2021 and 2023 and is the highest-ranked team in the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) as of March 2025. The team also fields rosters in Hearthstone, PUBG Mobile and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.

Nikita ‘Cheshir’ Chukalin, CEO of Team Spirit, commented on the deal: “We always strive to find solutions that help our players feel as comfortable as possible and stay focused on results. Blacklyte’s approach resonates with us. It is built on thoughtful ergonomics, functionality, and attention to detail.

“I am confident that this partnership will have a positive impact on our training process. We also share a common vision for technology and a commitment to developing the esports ecosystem. Together with Blacklyte, we aim not only to improve daily conditions for our players but also to set new standards of comfort and efficiency in esports.”

Popular esports title Counter-Strike 2, developed by Valve, has recently reached a new all-time record of concurrent players active on Steam.

With a number of high-tier tournaments being held this year, 2025 is also shaping up to be one of the biggest esports seasons for the tactical first-person shooter.

According to Steam DB charts, Counter-Strike 2 reached an all-time peak of 1.86m concurrent players on April 12th, 2025.

Before this, its highest peak in the past three months was on March 15th, 2025 when it reached 1.82m concurrent players.

Counter-Strike 2 remains one of the most played games on Steam, and continues to grow its professional scene as one of the most popular esports titles of 2025 so far.

Whilst not the sole factor contributing to CS2’s player activity, March and April’s figures coincide with several top-tier tournaments being held.

From April 6th-13th, 2025, PGL Bucharest 2025 took place with 16 teams, such as FaZe Clan and Team Falcons, competing for the lion’s share of its $625,000 (~£473,000) prize pool. In the end, Team Falcons defeated G2 in the grand finals.

Before that was the BLAST Open Spring 2025 that ran from March 19th-30th, 2025 – an event that concluded with over 850,000 peak viewers. With $400,000 (~£303,000) of total prize money on the line, 16 of the highest-ranking teams on VRS Global competed in both the Group Stage and Playoffs.

The last tournament to be held in March was the ESL Pro League Season 21, which ran from March 1st-16th, 2025. With two stages followed by Playoffs, the tournament ultimately smashed viewership records despite a decline from the previous season.

The past month saw a lot of top-tier tournaments back to back, many of which saw high viewership numbers. With such an active and popular competitive scene, perhaps some viewers may have felt encouraged to hop back onto Counter-Strike 2.

If you’ve ever wondered how Fortnite ranked works, we’re here to help. Epic Games’ perennially popular battle royale giant has been immensely successful since its launch nearly eight years ago, with ranked modes coming into the fold just two years ago. It’s not just the popular Battle Royale mode, but also Zero Build, OG, Reload, and Ballistic, which are now catering to competitive play. 

We’re going over far more than just all the Fortnite ranks in order. Outlining the ranks and tiers, we also cover how the system works in detail, ways to improve in the game, and what the upcoming season/chapter means for your progression up the competitive ladder. 

Whether you’re playing on an Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo console (or even a mobile device), you may be at a disadvantage against PC players using a mouse and keyboard with crossplay enabled. 

Learning Fortnite ranked levels is just the start to what can easily be considered one of the biggest games of all time, a title that shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. 

The highest and best rank in Fortnite is Unreal, which is reserved for a minimal number of players. According to Fortnite Tracker’s latest statistics, only around 0.4% of the total player base (about 19,000 users worldwide across all devices) are at this elite level. 

It’s a rank reserved for top-end gamers and streaming personalities such as Crush.BDS, Twitch Perkcules, Wendiger Schmali, and Daywalker.36. 

Peter “PeterBot” Kata is widely considered to be the best Fortnite player in 2025, holding an Unreal rank. 

So, what ranks are there in Fortnite?

All Fortnite ranks are divided into eight different tiers. There are a total of 18 ranks available in the game in 2025, with Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond each having three levels. 

You can play Ranked Fortnite in either the Battle Royale or Zero Build modes, so you can have an authentic experience with or without the building element if desired. Unlike the first five ranks, Elite, Champion, and Unreal do not have levels and are their respective tiers. 

The Fortnite ranking system has linear progression from the different ranks and tiers, which is tied to your performance. Everything you do in the game will earn you points towards your next level, such as higher placements in the battle royale (such as winning a victory royale), counting eliminations, and being a good team player when playing ranked duos or trios, if applicable. 

Points will also be added for the damage done in-game, how risky you’ve played in (and around) the storm zone, the objectives/missions you’ve completed on the map, and how active you are throughout a match. 

You don’t necessarily have to win victory royales every time you play the game to rank up in Fortnite, but it helps. Consistency is the key to climbing up the ranked ladder, and you can speed things along by playing solo, so you aren’t beholden to anyone else. 

High elimination counts and solid placements in the top five (or even top 10) can mean your rank will steadily improve instead of dramatically spike. Your rank is based on your game history, so if you’re starting on a lower rank, playing more (and consistently) could turn the tide. 

Over 4.7 million people are playing Fortnite Ranked in 2025, so the distribution of the ranks is surprisingly varied. While we know that the Unreal is the highest rank available (with less than 1% of players holding it), things are far more diverse across the Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers. 

Specifically, the Silver 1 rank is the most common of all of the 18 possible options, with 9.9% of players (roughly 472,118 people) competing in this league. 

The lowest Fortnite rank is Bronze 1, where everyone will begin once they choose to play the game competitively. It accounts for 5.8% of the player base, being outshone by the other two levels of the rank, with Bronze 2 and Bronze 3 accounting for 7.5% and 8.2%, respectively. 

Your placement depends on how many points you earn during each match; playing well consistently could see your rank improve with three to six wins, but average performance could make the process much longer.

While not quite the best Fortnite rank possible, Elite and Champion are still highly sought-after positions that very few players will attain despite their best efforts. Nearly 4% of all players have achieved Elite at some point, but things drop off dramatically with Champion rank, as only 1.6% of players hold the position. This makes Champion the penultimate rank by statistics. 

One thing to remember about all the ranks in Fortnite is that they are separate for both Battle Royale and Zero Build (as well as Reload, OG, and Ballistic) instead of being a shared pool. That means you could be Platinum 1, for example, in the former but hold a much lower Bronze 2 rank in the latter. 

Without crossover, you’re given the choice of either consistently playing both modes to match things as closely as possible or prioritizing one over the other. Whether you want the option of building or not will dictate how well you can play, and your rank will reflect this. 

There are several ways to rank up in Fortnite, but no quick and easy solutions are available. Because the progression of your rank is tied to points earned throughout matches, the most important thing you can do to increase your level is work on your fundamental skills and apply them to each game going forward. 

For example, you can only survive longer in battle royale situations by winning gun fights, and this can be done more effectively by understanding the third-person shooter mechanics of the game. 

Fortnite guns are not given to you by default. Instead, you must find them in chests, buy them from machines, or loot them from defeated enemies. There have been over 200 weapons in the game, with them changing dramatically with each chapter and season. That’s to say nothing of themed (or limited-time) weapons, which can dramatically impact the meta. 

As a result, the best you can do is learn to control a weapon’s recoil and fire in short and controlled bursts from both a crouched and standing position instead of solely relying on a run-and-gun strategy. Similarly, go into Playground Mode and experiment with the guns, the weapon spread, and the damage down at a distance. 

Once you have a handle on the movement and weapon mechanics, you can get better at Fortnite by launching in solo, completing as many challenges as possible, focusing on slaying enemies, and chasing high placements. You won’t necessarily have to win a crown with each and every game, but scoring consistently in the top five (or even top 10) will see your rank steadily improve rather than inconsistently winning a game, then tanking for the next 10 matches, and then playing averagely. 

Patience is the most important virtue, just as regular practice and learning from your mistakes will see you become a better player overall. 

There is no stringent Fortnite rank decay in 2025; however, ranks reset at the end of each season (and chapter) in Battle Royale and Zero Build ranked modes. 

Epic Games announces when the seasons are coming to an end on its social media pages, and things differ with other ranked modes such as Reload and Ballistic, which all feature separate ranks as well. 

Once a season resets, there will be a series of placement matches to determine your rank (and subsequent skill level) against the competition based on your number of eliminations and placements in matches. 

You won’t necessarily start from Bronze 1, as your new starting Fortnite rank will be based on your performance during the previous season, at least in theory. 

A Fortnite season traditionally lasts three months (or 90 days), meaning you’ll have a fair amount of time to build up/retain your rank with regular play. Of course, scarcely playing throughout a season could see a harsher demotion than logging in often. 

Similarly, it’s believed that those players in the Elite, Champion, and Unreal tiers (that do not contain levels) are unlikely to be docked in the changing seasons. 

We hope that with the Fortnite ranks explained, you’ll be able to better understand the inner workings of Epic Games’ battle royale shooter at a higher level. With eight distinct tiers and a total of 18 ranks, there’s a wide gap in players (and skill levels) across the millions of people logging into Fortnite right now. 

Whether you’re interested in Zero Build, Battle Royale, or another form of competitive play, now you know what to expect and how to improve. 

Once you’ve learned what ranked means in Fortnite, we recommend checking out more of Esports Insider’s extensive Fortnite coverage, which offers all the latest news on esports events, upcoming collaborations, top players, leading streamers, prize pools, and more. 

DXRacer has become the official gaming chair partner of Counter-Strike 2 tournament MESA Nomadic Masters Spring 2025.

The brand will equip all competitors at the event with its latest line of gaming chairs, from the Martian Series line.

The MESA Nomadic Masters Spring 2025 will take place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from April 30^th until May 4^th. According to esports data platform Esports Charts, last year’s Spring Masters recorded 29,905 peak viewers during the Grand Final between winner The MongolZ and runner-up BLEED Esports.

For its third edition, the tier-two CS competition was expanded to encompass teams from Europe and Asia. Eight squads, including HEROIC, Berlin International Gaming (BIG) and SAW, will compete for a $250,000 (~£190,000) prize pool.

Gaming chair brand DXRacer was founded in 2006 with headquarters in Michigan, U.S. The company has been involved in the esports scene for many years, predominantly through partnerships with esports organisations and tournaments.

These include NRG, Immortals and the Dota 2 Bali Major. Last year, DXRacer teamed up with VCT China, the country’s official tier-one VALORANT league.

For the upcoming MESA Nomadic event, DXRacer also announced an exclusive giveaway of the Champion Signature Chair. Further details about the activation will be revealed on the company’s Instagram account.

“Our partnership with MESA goes beyond sponsorship,” commented a DXRacer Spokesperson. “It’s about working directly with players to create tools that genuinely enhance their competitive experience.”

DXRacer is by far not the only gaming chair brand that has cultivated a stake in the esports industry. Secretlab, Blacklyte and even gaming peripherals brand Razer have all forged partnerships with esports organisations to promote their gaming chairs.

Earlier today, Blacklyte announced a deal with Team Spirit to replace competitor Secretlab as the organisation’s official gaming chair and desk partner.

Vietnamese esports organisation GAM Esports has officially announced a partnership with airline Vietjet. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

According to a release, Vietjet will support the League of Legends team in the remaining part of the League of Legends Championship Pacific (LCP) season.

In the announcement video, it was revealed that Vietjet’s logo will be featured on the team’s jersey. Additionally, the team will travel with the airline during offline events such as the LCP Mid-Season Split 2 and international events like the Mid-Season Invitational and the League of Legends World Championship if the team qualifies.

Moreover, the esports team will make special activations for its community, including free flight giveaways to international events, massive viewing parties across the country, and special interactive activities such as exclusive live streams, behind-the-scenes content and real-time updates of the team’s journey.

Founded back in 2014, GAM Esports is the most successful team from Vietnam, having won 11 domestic championships and often representing the region at previous international League of Legends events. Following the merger of minor regions, the League of Legends team is competing in the LCP and finished fourth in the Kickoff split.

The company counts on a series of partners on top of Vietjet, including hardware brands such as Logitech, food franchises such as Popeyes, Domino’s Pizza, and Burger King, as well as energy drink brand Monster Energy, among others.

Anthony Nguyen, CEO of GAM Esports, commented on the partnership via his personal LinkedIn profile: “Proud to announce our partnership between GAM x Vietjet — uniting two powerhouses committed to elevating Vietnam on the global stage!

“From connecting millions across Asia to now fueling the rise of Vietnam esports, Vietjet is more than an airline — they’re our wings to go bigger, faster, and stronger! Let’s take flight.”

Based in Hanoi, Vietnam, Vietjet is a low-cost airline founded in 2007. The company became the first Vietnamese private airline to enter the international market and completed its IPO in the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange (HOSE) in February 2017.

Whether you’re thinking of getting into Valve’s premier MOBA or just looking to understand the Dota 2 ranking system better, we’re going over the game’s competitive meta and tips to become a better player in 2025. After playing 100 hours unranked, you’ll be eligible to play at the higher level. 

This guide goes beyond the Dota 2 ranks explained, of course. We’ll explore the Matchmaking Rating (MMR) system in detail and how your ranking score relates to each rank. You’ll also learn how to avoid rank decay and stay on top of your game. 

There are a total of 40 Dota 2 ranks in the game in 2025, which are split across eight tiers. These are Herald, Guardian, Crusader, Archon, Legend, Ancient, Divine, and Immortal. The five numbered ranks (or levels) dividing each tier are based upon your MMR (Matchmaking Rating) with a score spectrum deciding each rank. 

The lowest Dota 2 rank is Herald 1, where everyone will start, with requirements of 0 to 153 MMR. This level is affixed to players who understand the basics of the gameplay but want to try and compete at a higher level than unranked/casual encounters. 

The only rank in Dota 2 that does not have a tiered level system is Immortal, as it carries a 5,620+ MMR. 

Valve has been transparent about how the Dota 2 ranking system works compared to some other esports games. That’s because your rank is determined by the MMR, with the range determining your rating. 

An individual player scores (or loses) 30 MMR with each win and loss, respectively, and 20 MMR for the party’s win (or loss). As the years have passed, the system has been made more straightforward to bring it up to date with other competitive releases. 

According to Hawk Live, the current Dota 2 rank distribution for each category is:

That means the highest majority of competitive Dota 2 players are within the five Archon levels, which is roughly halfway up the tier list. 

The highest rank in Dota 2 is Immortal, with just under 2% of players holding at the top level of the game. However, it’s not the most obscure rank, as just 0.06% of players are at Herald 1, the lowest possible rank. It’s deceptively rare because it’s only held through the initial calibration games, meaning (almost) every single player will reach Herald 2 by just playing the game. 

The key to improving your Dota 2 MMR rating is to master the fundamentals of the game, but that’s easier said than done. Dota 2 is a MOBA (Massive Online Battle Arena) that is played with a mouse and keyboard; the former guides your hero’s movement and interacts with the environment, with the latter being used to bind hotkeys to use abilities, shortcuts, chat, the shop menu, etc. 

There are currently 126 Dota 2 heroes to choose from, but there’s no possible way that you could master all of them and retain a high level of play. For optimal results, you should keep your pool of heroes to anywhere from three to five, which will give you the spectrum across the three major attributes of strength, agility, and intelligence. 

You should start with the simplest characters and then (as your experience and rank improve) start folding in the more challenging heroes. 

Consistency is the key to get better at Dota 2. As soon as you’ve played your first few ranked matches, you’ll begin to understand the type of role you’ll play. By specializing in the likes of support, mid, offlane, or carry, and having a handle on your responsibilities, you can deepen your skill and knowledge of the MOBA. 

With the different roles come varying objectives when playing on the field, whether that means destroying enemy towers, collecting runes, or progressing on the map. 

Effective communication is essential to improve your Dota 2 player ranking. The game has a communication score, which is tied to the quality of your voice chats, text chats, tipping, and pings. 

It’s a rating spectrum where a score under 3,000 restricts all communication to a shared 30-second cooldown; under 6,000 disables text chat; under 7,000 disables tipping; under 8,000 disables voice chat; and under 10,000 means you can’t coach or ping ally abilities. A score between 10,000 and 12,000 is considered “excellent.”

Valve hasn’t published guidelines on improving this score, but it’s essential to be polite and respectful if you want it to increase. 

Learning the Dota 2 map thoroughly can also make a massive difference in competitive play. Unlike other competitive games, which have hundreds of available maps outside of the hundreds of community-made maps, there’s just one map to worry about. 

While the Dota 2 map has remained largely unchanged over the years, recent patches have seen the terrain expanded by around 40%, meaning additional resources and new strategies have been available since the game first debuted in 2013. It’s vital to learn the right lanes, how to best navigate the jungle, where the shrines are, and how to best use the trees’ cover when making plays. 

Dota 2 rank decay is known as “rank confidence” or “rank calibration,” in which your MMR range will be tested to ensure you’re in the right bracket. This will change depending on the game’s updates, with some players citing only having to play a minimum of 10 games to assert rank and others saying it took just between two and three games before things had solidified. 

Dota 2 ranks are more transparent than many other esports titles, with a total of 40 levels across eight distinct tiers. Your MMR decides each rank, and the specific range is set between one of five levels. With each win (or loss), you’ll earn (or lose) 30 MMR, which could see you scale up (or down) the ladder. 

Most Dota 2 players are in the midrange bracket of the Archon tier, between Crusader and Legend, with less than 2% of players holding the rank of Immortal, which is usually reserved for esports professionals. 

For more on the Dota 2 esports scene, we recommend checking out our coverage, which goes over the top players, teams, world cup prize pool, major league events, and developments from the game at its top end. By following our guide on ranks and how to skill up, you may find yourself on the path to pro with enough persistence.