PGL announce Singapore Major 2026; marks first Southeast Asia
Esports Team
8 Dec, 2025
PGL have announced that the second Counter-Strike 2 Major of 2026 will take place in Singapore.
The calendar-ending event will take place from November 25-December 13 in the Southeast Asian island state.
December 10-13 will see the 12,000 capacity Singapore Indoor Stadium host the climactic playoffs, culminating in a Best of 5 Grand Final.
đ˘ PGL Announces the Singapore CS2 Major 2026.
đ The event will take place between November 25 and December 13, 2026, bringing together 32 of the worldâs best teams for the biggest tournament in the CS2 calendar.
French esports organisation Karmine Corp has won the RLCS Kick-Off Weekend 2026, the opening tournament of the 15th Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) season.
The European roster defeated the North American side Shopify Rebellion 4-0 in the Grand Final.
With this result, Karmine Corp has also secured a place at the Boston Major, the first of two LAN events taking place in 2026. Not only this, but the organisation also earned an additional regional slot for Europe at the Boston Major, the Paris Major, and the World Championship.
Karmine Corpâs Road To Victory
As the winner of the first EU Open event, Karmine Corp began its Kick-Off Weekend run directly from the semi-finals of the single-elimination bracket. A dominant 4-1 victory over Spacestation Gaming was enough for the team to book its place in the Grand Final, where Shopify Rebellion awaited.
Shopify Rebellion also opened its campaign in the semi-final stage, taking down the dark horses [REDACTED] with a 4-1 scoreline to face Karmine Corp in the first Grand Final of the 2026 season.
Maintaining its momentum, Karmine Corp lifted the trophy by sweeping aside Shopify Rebellion 4-0.
Whatâs Next for Rocket League?
Following Karmine Corpâs victory at Kick-Off Weekend, attention turns to the second online Opens across the seven regions. Taking place throughout January 2026, teams will compete for a share of prize money in addition to RLCS Points.
RLCS Points determine which teams qualify for Rocket Leagueâs Majors and the World Championship. With Karmine Corp qualifying to the Boston Major through its Kick-Off Weekend win, organisations will be fighting for the remaining five slots.
For Karmine Corp, this victory has further cemented its place as Europeâs top Rocket League team. After lifting the Esports World Cup and the 2025 Birmingham Major trophies, the team looks to continue its fine run of form in Massachusetts.
Fortnite vs Apex Legends: Which Battle Royale is for you?
Esports Team
8 Dec, 2025
Image credit: EA / Epic Games
TL;DR
While both are Battle Royales, Fortnite is a chaotic, third-person shooter with great variety, while Apex Legends is an FPS.
Apex Legends has tighter gunplay, while Fortnite offers far more game modes.
A Fortnite update is more frequent and impactful than Apex Legends updates in 2025.
Fortnite is the more popular esport and offers larger prize pools for its events.
Fortnite and Apex Legends are two of the most successful Battle Royale titles that have enjoyed continued popularity for years. They serve as examples of how developers can excel with live service models and the battle-royale genre for the long term, although these titles have gone about it in vastly different ways.
Fortnite has become a pop culture phenomenon, including practically every character and even celebrity under the sun to form a wacky, chaotic, and varied experience for players. While Apex has its fair share of chaos, it provides a more controlled experience, but these differences havenât stopped either game from thriving in their esports scenes.
Bearing that in mind, weâre breaking down the Fortnite vs Apex Legends debate, comparing each and scoring them out of 10 to see which emerges victorious.Â
Fortnite vs Apex Legends: Gameplay
Sparrow preparing to attack with a bow in Apex Legends / Image credit: Apex Legends
While both are shooters, Fortnite is all about third-person chaos and variety, while Apex Legends has much tighter, FPS gunplay. With Fortnite skins having such a massive impact on the community and the game itself, it isnât as steady an experience, being better for casual fun than competitive play, even if the competitive scene is thriving.
By contrast, an Apex Legends update doesnât shape the game as much, and this has led to a steady, strong, competitive scene revolving around tight gunplay. In some ways, Fortnite has gone for the quantity over quality approach, ever morphing, while Apex has kept to what itâs good at.
Determining which title has the better gameplay in the Apex Legends vs Fortnite debate largely depends on what a player is looking for. Fortniteâs gunplay isnât as clean as Apex Legends, but its movement, variety, and all the items on offer mean that itâs more likely to appeal to the casual fan dipping in and out. Apex Legends requires longer-term involvement to get the most out of it.
Apex Legends will get the slight nod because its gameplay is mechanically superior, although the title with the better gameplay depends more on personal preference.
Fortnite score: 7/10
Apex Legends score: 8/10
Apex Legends vs Fortnite: Game Modes
K-Pop Demon Hunters in Fortnite / Image credit: Epic Games
While Apex Legends has a decent number of game modes, it simply cannot compare to Fortnite. While Apex Legends largely sticks to the shooter genre, Fortnite goes so far as to change genres with some of its game modes.
Of course, there are the options of buildings, not buildings, playing survival modes, and so on, but through Fortnite update after update, players found themselves attending digital concerts, playing a Guitar Hero-esque mode, and playing an arcade racer. There are very few games that offer even half of what Fortnite does.
When it comes to game modes, Apex Legends falls short of Fortnite, but to be fair to Apex, almost everything does. Fortnite also isnât afraid to change things up. Chapter 7 introduces ragdoll physics, which were long-rumored to arrive. Pacific Break also ditches the bus driver for a tsunami wave to ride in, cleans up the UI, and makes the reboot van drivable. We recommend reading more about the Fortnite Chapter 7 gameplay changes. Â
Fortnite score: 10/10
Apex Legends score: 7/10
Apex Legends vs Fortnite: Characters
Lineup of characters in Apex Legends / Image credit: Apex Legends
While Fortnite characters take the quantity approach, and seem to include everyone fiction has ever created, these âcharactersâ are purely cosmetic. While many of these characters can get access to their abilities through weapons, like Huntrixâs weapons from K-Pop Demon Hunters, these donât require the associated character to be used.
This is in direct contrast to Apex Legends characters, who have specific abilities tied to them. This means their character design needs to be more considered than a Fortnite character, which is purely cosmetic. Realistically, itâs a comparison between Apex Legends heroes and Fortnite skins.Â
From a pop culture perspective, Fortnite is a clear winner, but Apex Legends is superior from a character design standpoint, simply because it has to be.
Fortnite score: 7/10
Apex Legends score: 8/10
Fortnite vs Apex Legends: Developer Support
Chapter 6: Season 4 art for Fortnite: Battle Royale / Image credit: Fortnite
With Apex Legends Mobile, both games are practically on every platform they can be, and enjoy strong cross-platform support. While fans get an Apex Legends update as frequently as expected from a live-service game, Fortniteâs developer support has been nothing short of unbelievable. It helps that Fortnite has the full might of Epic Games behind it, and it shows through some of the most unexpected collaborations in gaming.
The Battle Royale Fortnite map changes from chapter to chapter, and every update seems to add more to it, from Power Ranger Megazords to an AI responding Darth Vader. Pair this with a seemingly endless stream of incoming skins, and it seems like Fortnite is constantly evolving due to Epic Gamesâ developer support.Â
The Fortntie Chapter 7 Season 1 map for Pacific Break sees some huge new landmarks and additions as well. Most notably, this includes the suitably movie-themed Battlewood Boulevard (a clever spin on Tinseltown), but there are also hot air balloons, hidden underground bases, and even a movie theatre to explore and battle it out in as well. Thatâs to take nothing away from what Apex Legends offers across all platforms, but things donât change anywhere near as dramatically between updates.Â
Fortnite score: 10/10
Apex Legends score: 7/10
Apex Legends vs Fortnite: Esports
Apex Legends Sangjoon 2024 Split 1 Playoffs /Â Image credit: Joe Brady, Electronic Arts via smugmug
Thereâs no denying that Fortnite is the more popular title, and that is reflected in Fortniteâs tournaments historically offering higher prize pools and having higher viewership. According to Esports Charts, Fortnite has roughly double the peak viewership and prize pool of Apex Legends, ranking 7th in viewership while Apex Legends ranks 12th.
Compared to its overall popularity, Fortniteâs esports scene is perhaps a little behind where many expect it to be, although that is likely due to its more casual appeal. Apex Legends is far less popular, yet its esports scene has continued to thrive, which should be commended, with there even being signs that Apex Legendsâ esports scene could have surpassed Fortniteâs in 2025.
This hasnât been the case, and Fortnite has remained on top, at least in the Apex Legends vs Fortnite debate.
Fortnite score: 8/10
Apex Legends score: 7/10
Verdict
Category
Fortnite
Apex Legends
Gameplay
7
8
Game Modes
10
7
Characters
7
8
Developer Support
10
7
Esports
8
7
Total
42
37
Conclusion
With Fortnite scoring 42 and Apex Legends ending with 37, itâs clear that Fortnite tends to be the better option for most people. Itâs more popular, enjoys better developer support, and offers players more to do. In many ways, it feels like Apex Legends has had its peak, while Fortnite is still enjoying its climax with all the mind-boggling collaborations.
Even with Apex Legendsâ cross-platform options, it doesnât really offer more than Fortnite outside of stronger gunplay. Those looking for a more traditional FPS competitive experience in their Battle Royale should look at Apex, since that is where the game shines, but Fortnite has become the game anyone can enjoy.
FAQs
Which is better, Fortnite or Apex Legends?
Fortnite is the more accessible option, with greater variety in game modes, while Apex Legends is better for those who want strong gunplay.
Was Apex or Fortnite first?
Fortnite was released first, launching in 2017, compared to Apex Legends, which debuted in 2019.
Is Apex bigger than Fortnite?
No, Fortnite is still more popular than Apex Legends and enjoys stronger viewership in its esports events.
What is the No. 1 Battle Royale game?
Fortnite is considered the No. 1 Battle Royale in terms of popularity.
Kazakh and Ojrein crowned Red Bull Legends Inn 2025 champions
Esports Team
8 Dec, 2025
Image credit: Red Bull Gaming
Red Bull Legends Inn has crowned pro players Assanali âkazakhâ Zhandildin and Svyatoslav âojreinâ Korochinsky as its new champions.
The Apex Legends competition, hosted by Timothy âiiTzTimmyâ An and Phillip âImperialHalâ Dosen, has concluded, took place in Chicago, US and had a prize pool of $27,500 (~ÂŁ20,640).
The tournament took place at the Godfrey Hotel on December 5th, 2025, and featured 19 duos. Notable esports players were invited to this tournament, mainly from North America and Europe. Highlight athletes included John âHakisâ HĂĽkansson from Alliance, the winner of the ALGS EMEA Split 2 Pro League, and Zachary âGildâ Dennis from Team Falcons, the ALGS 2025 Open champion.
Duos competed across nine games, seeking to collect as many points as possible by out-surviving the competition and securing eliminations to climb the leaderboards.
Red Bull Legends Inn Match Breakdown
The winning duo consisted of two players who competed at the 2025 ALGS Championship in February. Whilst the players have since gone on to compete for different teams, they finished 11th in the season-ending event with Aurora Gaming.
In their road to the Red Bull title, kazakh and ojrein experienced many challenges, filled with crushing defeats and clutch victories.
The ALGS athletes had a rough start in game one after placing eighth, but were quick to bounce back after surviving to second in game two. The next three games that followed saw the duo fall behind, earning as low as two points in game five.
However, the team made the ultimate comeback in the final four games of the Apex Legends tournament. They placed fourth in game six, earning 10 points, followed by reaching third in game seven, before finally turning things around with a first-place win in game eight to take home 20 points.
The duo was back in the running for winning the tournament, rivalling 100 Thievesâ Evan âVerhulstâ Verhulst and Luminosity Gaming Redâs Autumn âGiggleâ. Despite placing second in the final game of the series, kazakh and ojreign won Red Bull Legends Inn with 86 points in total, one point ahead of Vehulst and Giggle.
Tournament hosts ImperialHal and iiTzTimmy also placed fourth after claiming 64 points across all nine games.
Tundra Esports defeats Team Yandex to win BLAST Slam V
Esports Team
8 Dec, 2025
Image credit: BLAST
Tundra Esports continues to dominate in Dota 2, winning BLAST Slam V over the weekend by defeating Team Yandex 3-0 in the Grand Finals.
With that, the squad secured the lionâs share of a $1m (~ÂŁ760,000) prize pool and has earned one of the three available spots for next yearâs BLAST Slam VI.
Tundraâs victory at the Dota 2 was not unexpected, considering the organisationâs history with the event, where it defended its champion title since BLAST Slam II back in February 2025.
Nevertheless, the rosterâs journey was not an easy one, as it faced fierce competition from international champions such as Team Falcons to unexpected dark-horses like Team Yandex.
The team began its run in BLAST Slam V with a strong performance, placing second in the Group Stage with a 10-1 win/loss ratio to match scores with Team Falcons. Its next match was in the Playoffs, where it landed a 2-0 victory against PGL Wallachia Season 6 champion MOUZ.
Before Tundra Esports secured its place in the Grand Finals, a shocking turn of events occurred as Team Falcons was knocked out of the competition by newcomer Team Yandex.
However, on December 7th, the British organisation was unfazed and claimed a decisive 3-0 victory against Team Yandex.
The Grand Finals featured several standout performances, including Tundra Esportsâ Ivan âPureâ Moskalenko, who secured 16 eliminations in game three as Juggernaut, and captain Neta â33â Shapira, who earned 28 assists as Centaur Warrunner in game two.
The next tournament, BLAST Slam VI, is scheduled to run from February 3rd to 15th, 2026 in Malta, where the top 12 teams will once again compete to decide who amongst them in the best Dota 2 squad.
BLAST Slam V Viewership
Data platform Esports Charts reported that BLAST Slam V was a popular event that attracted a peak viewership of over 183,500 users during the Grand Finals. Furthermore, the event accumulated over 6.3m hours watched, with an average viewership of over 91,600 across an air time of over 68 hours.
Its peak viewership was slightly below that of its predecessor, BLAST Slam IV, which reached as high as over 289,200 users during the Grand Finals match between Tundra Esports and Team Falcons.
In comparison to other Dota 2 events in the 2025 season, BLAST Slam Vâs numbers pale to industryâs major tournaments, such as The International, which reached a peak viewership of over 1.78m.
Dota 2 hard carry tier list: Who are the Position 1 heroes?
Esports Team
8 Dec, 2025
Image credit: Valve
TL;DR
Our Dota 2 hard carry tier list analyses the best and worst heroes in the current meta for general play in the middle three ranks for the role.
The best hard carry heroes have strong scaling to make them mid-to-late game powerhouses.
Hard carry heroes are vulnerable in the early game and stay in the Safe Line, trying to make more gold per minute than the enemy carry.
S-tier hard carries include Juggernaut, Anti-Mage, and Ursa, while D-tiers include Lion, Jakiro, and Io.
Dota 2 can be confusing with its roles and all its heroes, but its status as the founding father of MOBAs gives players more than one reason to play it. Of all the roles, the hard carry has become the most popular.
Position 1, the safe lane, or the hard carry, is perhaps the most glamorous role in the game. In the Dota 2 hard carry meta, itâs all about having a mid-to-late game powerhouse to close out and secure a win in the final stages. The early game can be fraught with danger, but the best heroes in the role become inevitable toward the end of a match.
While all 126 heroes can be forced into hard carries, not all shine in the Dota 2 position 1 role, but those that do typically shape how a game ends.
Dota 2 Hard Carry tier list explained
Our Dota 2 hard carry tier list looks at the path of the meta and the current state of the game. While under most circumstances, the top of the tier list will perform best, this tier list doesnât take into account specific match-ups or counters.
As with any Dota 2 hero tier list, this is shaped by the most recent buffs, nerfs, and updates. While the top heroes are generally the best, note that factors like items and an individualâs understanding of their character can cause a hero to over/underperform their placement in the tier list.
How our Dota 2 Hard Carry tier list was compiled
S-Tier: The best Dota 2 position 1 heroes based on their pick rate, win rate, and overall performance in the current meta. They are perfect for the hard carry role by being dominant in the late game.
A-Tier: Strong hard carry heroes with healthy pick and win rates that are usually always welcome in a teamâs composition.
B-Tier: Average hard carry heroes still suited to the role that are usually safe picks. They have the potential to thrive, situationally, depending on certain match-ups.
C-Tier: Heroes that can function in the hard carry role but tend to have inconsistent pick rates and low win rates. C-Tier heroes are typically better in other roles.
D-Tier: In the current meta, these heroes are the worst hard carries and do not have kits to function in the role. They are built for other roles, and itâs rare to find a reason to play them in the safe lane.
The information for this tier list is based on the most recent patch and will specifically look at the middle three Dota 2 ranks (Archon, Legend, and Ancient). Those in lower ranks should focus on heroes they enjoy, while those higher up know what works for them and can make off-meta picks excel.
While professional play often helps guide the direction of the Dota 2 hard carry meta, it wonât be a strong focus in this tier list, since pro players often do things that the average gamer cannot replicate. The data collected predominantly comes from dotabuff and dota2protracker.
These are the best of the best as far as hard carry heroes in Dota 2 are concerned / Image credit: Valve
When it comes to being a hard carry, how you finish matters more than how you start. Some of the best heroes in the Dota 2 hard carry meta buck this trend by being dangerous throughout a game, then even more effective toward the end. Juggernaut and his obscene 99% pick rate is a good example of this.
Anti-Mageâs ability to shut down spell casters all makes him a strong choice too, boasting the highest ban rate at 4.21%. Heroes like Ursa, with Fury Swipes stacking, can snowball from the early game, and by the late game, an Ursa player can be the perfect carry to get over the line with a win.
A-Tier: Strong Position 1 picks
While not quite as strong, you shouldnât sleep on these Dota 2 heroes / Image credit: Valve
A-tiers still have an argument to being some of the best hard carry options, and their mid-game spikes can make them deadly opponents. Luna is a good example of this, a hero who benefits massively from an incredible ult that is exceptional for team fights. Pair this with generally high damage, good mobility, and fast farming that helps in the gpm (gold per minute) race against the other carry, and A-tiers like Luna can still hold their own.
Of the Dota 2 Position 1 heroes, the A-tiers are still incredibly popular. While none enjoy Juggernaut-level pick rates, heroes like Phantom Assassin and Sven have pick rates of over 40%, proving to still be great options.Â
B-Tier: Average and functional options
These Dota 2 heroes are unexceptional for hard carry / Image credit: Valve
B-tiers donât tend to excel in the role unless under certain circumstances, like specifically countering an enemy hero. They can also be better at another role, with Slardar being an exceptional midlaner and a decent carry, mainly because he tends not to scale as well at the very end of the game, but is strong in the mid-game.
While these B-tier heroes arenât as effective as S and A-tiers in most circumstances, a few still benefit from relatively high pick rates. Good examples include Morphling and Slark, who both have pick rates of over 24%; however, their win rates are less than stellar at around 46% each. Â
C-Tier: Off-meta, niche hard carriesÂ
After a challenge? Try out the C-tier heroes / Image credit: Valve
C-tier heroes are considered off-meta and require some finessing to make them work at times. The heroes here typically arenât built for the Dota 2 hard carry meta, like the Queen of Pain, whose high damage and mobility make her extremely dangerous, but her effectiveness coming in the early and mid-game make her a better midlaner.
Something similar can be said for Witch Doctor, who is built to play for a team, rather than carry them. Heâs also another hero strong at the start with early, high laning potential, while Dota 2 heroes suited to be the hard carry usually save their best for the end game.
D-Tier: Better in other roles
We generally recommend against these Dota 2 heroes for hard carry / Image credit: Valve
D-tiers simply arenât built to be the late-game juggernaut that a hard carry needs them to be. Using Lion as an example, he lacks the damage output, survivability, and scaling that hard carries need. His specialisation in disabling and controlling makes him better in either a support role to aid the hard carry, rather than being the Position 1 hero.
Late game scaling and damage output to be the teamâs most dangerous asset in the final stages is what makes a hard carry so important. Many D-tier heroes lack this because, like Lion, they are better at aiding the hard carry, and many D-tiers here are S or A-tiers in the support roles.
Conclusion
As the name suggests, hard carry heroes put their team on their backs in the mid-to-late game. The best heroes in our Dota 2 hard carry tier list tend to scale the best and offer the high damage and survivability needed to fulfill their role. Those poorly suited to the role tend to lack these features.
While those at the top of the tier list tend to be the best options, itâs important to note how individual heroes perform against certain team comps. Yes, Juggernaut is the most picked hero in this role, and an S-tier option, but if the team has a Morphling, known to counter Juggernaut, an alternative might be required.
FAQs
What does hard carry mean in Dota 2?
Hard carry refers to the Position 1 role in Dota 2, who sticks to the Safe Lane to become the teamâs mid-to-late game powerhouse.
Who is the strongest carry hero in Dota 2?
While there is no one strongest hard carry hero in Dota 2, Juggernaut is an S-tier option with a 99% pick rate.
What is the easiest carry to play in Dota 2?
Sven, Juggernaut, and Wraith King are three easy heroes to play in the hard carry role for Dota 2.
FaZe Clanâs eventful Major journey continued with a fifth-round clash against a Passion UAÂ side looking to make an unlikely run onto Counter-Strikeâs biggest stage.Â
The Red Militiaâs defence proved the difference in the first half of Overpass, taking a 7-5 lead into the second half. Passion UA was unable to overturn the two-round deficit, leaving FaZe Clan to secure the map 13-11 to move within one map of another Major playoff.Â
Having struggled to adapt to Tier 1 Counter-Strike, Jakub âjcobbbâ Pietruszewski proved his worth with several high-impact plays on Mirage, helping secure FaZe Clan a 7-5 lead once again.
Similar to the opening Overpass, Passion UA couldnât overturn the gap. FaZe Clan took Mirage with another 13-11 scoreline, completing the 2-0 series win to join the likes of Team Spirit and FURIA in the playoffs.Â
NAVI Bests B8
Image credit: StarLadder
After giving Team Vitality a run for its money in round four, NAVI battled against B8 for a chance to compete in Budapestâs MVM Dome. NAVI dominated on Ancient, taking the map with a 13-4 scoreline for the early series lead.
B8 looked to answer back on Train, with the underdogs managing to force overtime to keep its playoff hopes alive. Thanks to a balanced display of attack and defence, NAVI earned a hard-fought 16-14 win to complete a 2-0 sweep and earn its place in the Majorâs single-elimination bracket.Â
Team Falcons Flies Into Playoffs
A 2-1 defeat to MOUZ in round four put Team Falcons in a must-win match against G2 Esports. For Nikola âNiKoâ KovaÄ, the match would see the rifler face off against his cousin Nemanja âhuNterâ KovaÄ for the final playoff place.Â
The Falconsâ struggles on Ancient continued, with G2 Esports opening the best-of-three with a 13-7 win to put the Saudi Arabian organisation on the verge of elimination. However, Team Falcons bounced back immediately, taking Inferno 13-4 to level the series convincingly.Â
Dust II was a much closer contest. G2 Esports grabbed the lead in round 20 with some excellent attacking strategy. Still, Falconsâ defence put a halt to any kind of comeback, winning four consecutive rounds to take a 13-10 win and complete the reverse sweep.Â
What Next?
Following the end of Stage 3, all eyes turn to the playoffs, where the remaining eight teams will compete for a chance to win the biggest prize Counter-Strike esports has to offer.Â
The quarter-finals of the StarLadder Budapest Major begin on December 11th, 2025.
PGL to host Counter-Strike 2 Major in Singapore in 2026
Esports Team
8 Dec, 2025
Image credit: PGL
Esports tournament organiser PGL has announced it will host the second Counter-Strike 2 Major of 2026 in Singapore.
The PGL Singapore Major 2026 will take place from November 25th and December 13th, acting as the season-ending event for Valveâs first-person shooter.
The Singapore Major marks the first time Counter-Strikeâs biggest tournament has taken place in Southeast Asia, marking another step in the gameâs continued growth across the world. PGL reveals that the final four days of the tournament will take place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
For PGL, this is the fifth time the tournament organiser has hosted a Major. Between 2021 and 2024, it hosted Majors in Stockholm, Sweden, Antwerp, Belgium, and Copenhagen, Denmark.
âBringing the first Counter-Strike Major to Singapore is a moment that truly inspires us,â said Silviu Stroie, CEO of PGL.
âThe city has been home to some of our most memorable esports events, and weâve always felt the energy and passion of the fans here. Returning now with a Counter-Strike Major feels like the natural next step.â
Similar to the 2025 season, two Majors will take place in 2026. Before the Singapore Major, fellow tournament organiser ESL will host the IEM Cologne Major from June 2nd to 21st. Both events will see the top 32 teams from the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) competing for a $1.25m (~ÂŁ938,417) prize pool and the chance to be crowned Counter-Strikeâs best team.
Singapore And Esports
Throughout 2025, Singapore has become a hotbed for tournament organisers hosting events across a variety of titles. In November, BLAST hosted its BLAST Slam IV Dota 2 tournament at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Elsewhere, the country continues to take steps forward in formally recognising esports as a sport. November saw the proposal of the Singapore Sports Council (Amendment) Bill 2025, integrating esports into its national sporting framework.
PGL has extensive experience in hosting high-profile Counter-Strike tournaments, and with Singapore continuing to expand its presence within the esports industry, the Singapore Major is set to be another spectacle.
FULL SENSE enters VCT Pacific 2026, retains TALON roster
Esports Team
8 Dec, 2025
Image Credits: FULL SENSE
Riot Games has welcomed Thai esports organisation FULL SENSE to the VCT Pacific until the end of the 2026 season.
The announcement comes after the publisherâs decision to remove TALON from the International League for its âfailure to operate and manage its team.â
Moreover, the Thai organisation will also be retaining all active TALON players, with its former IGL, Crws, transitioning into a coaching role. His spot on the roster will be filled by Leviathan, who has been competing with FULL SENSE for over two years. The full line-up is as follows:
âWe are excited to announce that Full Sense has officially entered VCT Pacific 2026 â proudly representing Thailand. Letâs âFly Higherâ together, powered by Thai spirit,â the organisation shared on X (Twitter).
Why FULL SENSE Was Picked
During the selection process, Riot Games took factors such as âoperational readiness and alignment on goals and collaborationâ into consideration. In addition to this, the replacement team was required to demonstrate strong âfan resonance and an operational footprintâ in Southeast Asia.
âWhen evaluating potential partners, we focused on finding a team that truly connects with our Thai community and represents it with pride,â Jake Sin, Head of APAC VALORANT Esports, shared on X. âFull Sense has built that resonance over years of showing up for Thai fans and consistently earning their place on the Ascension stage â a reflection of their ambition and the potential theyâve demonstrated at the regional level.â
FULL SENSE entered the VALORANT esports ecosystem in 2020, but the organisation achieved notoriety in 2021. That year, the team qualified for VALORANT Champions through the VCT Thailand Challengers and the APAC Last Chance Qualifier.
The team finished third in the 2024 VCT Ascension Pacific, narrowly missing qualification for the Pacific League. While FULL SENSE was eliminated early during 2025 Ascension Pacific, it has now secured a direct International League slot.
Two New Organisations Join VCT Pacific 2026
Apart from FULL SENSE, SLT Seongnam has also been promoted to VCT Pacific following its unbeaten run at 2025 Ascension Pacific.
Nongshim RedForce, on the other hand, was fighting relegation to VALORANT Challengers League and, unlike BOOM Esports, successfully defended its place in the International League with a second-place finish at Ascension.
Although PaiN Gaming kicked off its Stage 3 campaign with a victory over 3DMAX in the first round, defeats to G2 Esports and NAVI put it on the verge of elimination. As a result, a victory over an in-form B8 side was required to remain in the tournament.
The Brazilians began Dust II on the front foot, establishing a 7-5 lead in the first half. B8 responded with a 7-5 half of its own, forcing overtime in a hotly contested map. After a back-and-forth overtime, B8 grabbed Dust II 19-16, leaving PaiN Gamingâs playoff hopes hanging in the balance.
B8âs pick of Ancient had already proven fruitful after defeating Team Falcons earlier in the stage. Strong defensive displays in both halves saw both teams level after 24 rounds, with overtime required to separate them once again. Despite the best efforts of Rodrigo âbiguzeraâ Bittencourt, B8âs defence proved superior in overtime, taking the map 16-12 to secure a 2-0 sweep.
Having arrived in Budapest looking for a repeat of its Austin heroics, PaiN Gaming heads home with a top-14 finish and $20,000 (~ÂŁ14,987) in prize money.
3DMAX Heads Home
Defeats to PaiN Gaming and Team Vitality in the first two rounds already put 3DMAX on the back foot heading into the best-of-threes. A hard-fought 2-1 win over Parivision enabled the French side to fight another day, where a match against FaZe Clan would decide its fate.
Despite FaZe Clanâs hit-and-miss form during the Major, the Red Militia came out swinging, taking Dust II 13-6 to keep its own playoff ambitions alive. FaZeâs superior defence proved the difference on Inferno, taking the map 13-5 and a 2-0 series victory to send 3DMAX packing.
MOUZ, Team Vitality And The MongolZ Secure Playoffs
Image credit: StarLadder
Following the outcomes of round three, several heavy hitters returned to action in round four of the Budapest Major with a 2-1 record and a second bite at earning a place in the MVM Dome.
Following defeat to Team Spirit, MOUZ faced off against Team Falcons in a battle between two of the worldâs most consistent Counter-Strike 2 rosters. Team Falcons struck first, overturning a four-round deficit to take Mirage 13-11 along with the early series lead.
MOUZ answered back emphatically on Inferno with solid defensive holds, resulting in a 13-6 scoreline to level the series at one map apiece. Nuke would play host to the decider, where MOUZâs superior defence held firm once again. Even with a late Team Falcons surge, MOUZ closed out Nuke 13-10 to book its place in another playoffs.
Elsewhere, Team Vitality secured its place in the playoffs after fending off a defiant NAVI side that had several opportunities to send the powerhouse roster into the fifth round.
While the addition of Unudelger âControlezâ Baasanjargal to The MongolZ surprised many, the Mongolians also earned its place in the last eight after sweeping aside G2 Esports. Garidmangai âbLitzâ Byambasuren excelled on Dust II with one-versus-two and one-versus-three clutches playing pivotal roles in a solid showing for the Austin Major runners-up.
Round Five Matches Set
With five teams already qualified for the playoffs, attention turns to the fifth and final round of Stage 3, where three more teams will earn a place at the MVM Dome for a chance to compete for Counter-Strikeâs biggest title.
Below are the remaining Stage 3 matches taking place on December 7th, 2025:
B8 v NAVI
FaZe Clan v Passion UA
G2 Esports v Team Falcons
Fans can tune into the final round of Stage 3 across StarLadderâs Twitch, YouTube, and Kick channels.