Fnatic has announced its own OFF//SEASON event, INZONE The London Clash, where the organisation will unveil its VALORANT roster for the 2026 VCT season.

The event will take place on November 9th and features Fnatic’s first-ever VALORANT match in the UK, as well as fan events and an exclusive afterparty.

UK-based esports organisation Fnatic has fielded VALORANT rosters since 2021 and currently competes in Riot Games’ franchised VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) as a partner team. 

Two international trophies (LOCK//IN São Paulo and Masters Tokyo 2023) and consistently high tournament results throughout the years have helped Fnatic grow a significant VALORANT fandom within EMEA and globally. 

Most recently, the team just came short of its first VALORANT Champions trophy following a 2-3 defeat against VCT Americas’ NRG. With Champions 2025 concluded, VCT has entered its OFF//SEASON until its regional leagues resume next year. 

In addition to tier-two’s VCT Ascension tournaments and the Game Changers Championship, this year’s OFF//SEASON once again features a variety of events hosted by content creators, esports organisations and independent tournament organisers.

Following yesterday’s announcement, The London Clash has joined this list. Whilst Fnatic hasn’t revealed much information yet, Interested fans can already sign up on the dedicated website to get notified when event tickets become available. 

In response to The London Clash announcement, Fnatic Founder and CEO, Sam Mathews, confirmed that the organisation’s VCT 2026 roster will be revealed at the event and take part in the competition.

Fnatic’s 2025 roster included highly accomplished players and long-standing members, such as in-game leader (IGL) Jake ‘Boaster’ Howlett and former Gambit Esports player Timofey ‘Chronicle’ Khromov.

However, according to the VCT Global Contract Database, only Emir ‘Alfajer’ Beder and Kajetan ‘kaajak’ Haremski still have Fnatic contracts for 2026. 

Though unconfirmed, Boaster and Head Coach Milan ‘Milan’ de Meij have reportedly reached verbal agreements to extend their contracts with Fnatic. Meanwhile, rumours have circulated that Fnatic veteran Chronicle and 2025 signing Austin ‘crashies’ Roberts might be exploring options with other VCT teams. 

Mike ‘Hastr0‘ Rufail, owner of North American esports organisation Envy, has revealed the organisation will open a performance lab in Fairview, Texas.

The lab, located near the Allen Event Center, will feature high-end gaming equipment and be open to esports teams looking for a space to run bootcamps.

Announced by Hastr0 on social media, the Envy Performance Lab will open its doors in November and is available for single-day rental and bootcamps.

The facility will have three bootcamp rooms available for teams to use for event preparation and practice. Additionally, the Envy owner has also revealed that the lab is open to partnership opportunities.

“We will open the Envy Performance Lab in Fairview, Texas, next month,” said Hastr0. “With hotels, grocery, restaurants, movie theatre and retail shopping on site, it is the perfect place for bootcamps and single-day rentals.”

In addition to bootcamps, the facility will be available for public reservations before the end of 2025.

Envy joins a long list of esports organisations that have opened dedicated facilities. In June, Gaimin Gladiators opened a new $1m (~£750,675) facility in Lisbon, Portugal, featuring bootcamp rooms and coaching spaces.

Since Hastr0 re-acquired the Envy brand in January 2025, Envy has experienced continued growth through expansion into several esports titles throughout the year.

In July, the organisation expanded into The Finals, joining the first-person shooter title’s partner team programme.

Expansion into other titles is set to continue. July saw Hastr0 confirm the organisation is actively scouting potential Counter-Strike 2 rosters to represent the organisation.

Founded in 2007, Envy is one of the longest-standing esports organisations in the world and continues to cement its name at the forefront of the industry once again.

The opening of a performance lab provides the organisation with another revenue stream and a facility for its teams to practice.

State-run gambling company Veikkaus is currently under formal investigation by the National Police Board of Finland for allegedly using sponsored social media content that may have violated the country’s stringent gambling advertising laws.

Recent reports state that Veikkaus paid to promote posts on Meta-owned platforms that promoted its slot and casino offerings and venue details.

Veikkaus is under increased scrutiny as a result of the case, particularly as the nation gets ready to revamp its gambling regulations by 2027.

Whether these boosted posts violate Finnish lottery laws, which severely restrict gambling marketing efforts, is the main point of contention.

In response to questions, Veikkaus sent an email claiming that it rarely used Meta’s promotional tools and that it mostly concentrated on big poker tournaments.

The business maintained that every action was compliant with the law as it stands.

Finland plans to change its gambling laws in 2027, so the investigation comes at a critical moment.

The nation will transition from a monopoly system to a licensing model, which will allow private operators to enter the online betting market for the first time.

The reform is expected to improve consumer protection, reduce offshore gambling, and increase transparency regarding betting practices, according to policymakers.

A National Police Board representative commented, “We will examine the matter further,” confirming that Veikkaus’ recent campaign will be assessed in depth.

As Finland shifts to a more competitive gambling market, cases like this draw attention to the strains created by Veikkaus’ monopoly position in the market and how such compliance could be viewed in the face of new regulations.

Responsible advertising, robust regulation and the importance of transparency are going to be themes that are put right front and centre for all operators.

Recently, Veikkaus has also revealed plans to grow its portfolio in the esports space, securing a partnership with esports betting solutions provider Oddin.gg.

Treyarch has unveiled a range of updates arriving to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 based on feedback gathered during the beta weekend.

Changes to the FPS game’s multiplayer mode range from a new distribution of perks to aim assist adjustments.

Ahead of the title’s release on November 14th, 2025, Treyarch’s latest instalment of its Dev Talk series revealed numerous changes to various in-game mechanics.

Matt Scronce, Design Director at Treyarch, confirmed changes to the ability to aim down sight while sliding, diving, and wall-jumping. Players will have the option to aim down the sights of their weapons while moving by default. The Dexterity perk is no longer required.

Elsewhere, the developer has redistributed a handful of popular perks into other categories, providing greater choice when building a loadout.

The Tech Mask perk has moved to slot two, giving players the option to use it alongside Flak Jacket for increased resistance to lethal and tactical equipment. The change could impact the loadouts used in professional play.

Another notable change includes adjustments to aim assist. “Controller players are winning slightly more in close-range engagements, and keyboard and mouse players are winning slightly more at long range,” reveals Scronce.

As a result, Treyarch is looking at adjusting the power of rotational aim assist, aiming to close the gap between controller and mouse and keyboard players.

In the lead-up to launch, the developer is continuing to provide the Call of Duty community with regular updates. In September, Treyarch shared details on its Japanese-inspired maps that are available to play at launch.

The changes unveiled during the Dev Talk could have a significant impact on Call of Duty esports.

More fluid movement mechanics have the potential to increase the skill gap further, while the redistribution of perks should encourage greater variety within the competitive meta.

With the Call of Duty League set to return in December, and three weeks until the game’s launch, it won’t be long until the community sees how the changes will impact competitive play.

Japanese fighting game legend Daigo Umehara has expressed doubts about continuing to main Akuma in Street Fighter 6, following a series of character balance changes that he believes have weakened the iconic fighter.

During a recent livestream, Daigo reflected on how his relationship with Akuma has evolved since the character’s release.

Daigo explained that when Akuma first launched, the character’s offensive potential made him feel exceptionally strong — a fighter worthy of his famously low 9,000 health pool. However, repeated balance adjustments over the course of several patches have, in his view, eroded that strength.

The FGC icon mentioned that core elements of his Akuma playstyle have been altered or removed, leading to growing frustration. While he acknowledged that some of the changes were justified for the sake of balance, he described Akuma’s current iteration as significantly more challenging to use effectively than before.

Having recently achieved a strong result at the Capcom Pro Tour (CPT) 2025 World Warrior: Japan #2, Daigo stated that he now feels comfortable stepping back from Akuma if the upcoming patch does not revitalise the character. He noted that he tends to stick with a fighter until he achieves a meaningful result, but after several nerfs, he may finally have reason to move on.

The FGC has heard Daigo claim he was switching fighters for years now, but will this finally be the time? He has been telling fans he’s considering a switch to Ryu for years, but he’s never made the jump. Maybe C. Viper will be the reason he finally switches it up.

If the next balance update does not restore Akuma’s effectiveness, Daigo is considering experimenting with other characters, including Ryu and the soon-to-be-released C. Viper. He plans to continue using Akuma in the short term but implied that a long-term switch could become necessary if his performance stagnates.

He also commented on the broader Street Fighter 6 balance landscape, suggesting that Ken — once one of the strongest characters in the game — has become notably weaker in recent patches. His views mirror a wider conversation among players about the shifting state of the metagame ahead of the next major update.

Over the past few months, even at the age of 44, Daigo has maintained an active tournament schedule across both domestic and international events. His results include a second-place finish at CPT Japan #2 earlier this month, along with appearances at EVO France 2025, CEO 2025, and Ultimate Fighting Arena 2025. Despite several early eliminations, he continues to compete at a high level, reinforcing his reputation as one of the most enduring figures in esports.

Known globally as one of the most successful and influential Street Fighter players in history, Daigo’s decisions often help shape the competitive community’s perception of a game’s balance and strategy. His potential switch away from Akuma may signal broader shifts in the meta as the Street Fighter 6 roster expands and evolves.

ESL FACEIT Group has announced an interesting collaboration with retail corporation Walmart for DreamHack Atlanta 2025.

The collaboration will see the corporation host a retro gaming hub at the festival, taking place at the Georgia World Congress Center, from October 31st to November 2nd, 2025.

According to a release, the Walmart Delivers Lo-fi Play experience will ‘celebrate lo-fi gaming’ in addition to allowing event attendees to play a range of retro video and board games from the late 1980s and 1990s.

The hub will also feature a live leaderboard, along with opportunities to earn free gaming gear.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Walmart and their Walmart Delivers experience to DreamHack Atlanta,” said Andreas Jernberg, Vice President of Commercial at ESL FACEIT Group.

“Their lo-fi gaming hub is a fantastic addition that adds a nostalgic spirit to our event, offering a unique and engaging experience for our attendees.”

Atlanta is one of several stops for the Walmart Delivers experience, which is travelling across North America. The tour will also visit New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

Walmart becomes the latest partner of DreamHack Atlanta 2025, joining the likes of Red Bull and DHL as part of the event’s partnership portfolio.

DreamHack Atlanta 2025 will feature an extensive slate of esports competitions spanning various titles.

NetEase Games has confirmed the Marvel Rivals Ignite Grand Finals will take place at the event, with 12 teams battling it out for a share of its $1m (~£747,295) prize pool.

Elsewhere, DreamHack will host DreamHack Knockout, an open Counter-Strike 2 tournament offering players of all skill levels an opportunity to qualify for ESL Pro League.

For FGC fans, DreamHack Atlanta 2025 is set to be a spectacle with SNK hosting the 2025 SNK World Championship. A total of $4.1m (~£3.06m) is up for grabs across Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, The King of Fighters XV, Samurai Shodown, and Art of Fighting 3.

League of Legends Patch 25.21 is here, and it brings a few targeted buffs, nerfs, and item tweaks.

With no specific esports competition to keep an eye on, this patch update focuses on adjustments that might have a bigger impact on lower ranks rather than pro players.

This is because the last official League of Legends esports competition of 2025, the World Championship, is being played on Patch 25.20. Worlds is currently underway in the Swiss Stage, meaning most pro teams won’t be testing these changes for competition yet. However, solo queue and community tournaments will see an immediate impact. 

Much like its previous iteration of the game, League of Legends Patch 25.21 gives more power to aggressive and proactive playstyles. Healers and ability-based champions gain stronger scaling, while durable frontliners trade some burst for higher survivability.

Damage dealers get small boosts to mid-game impact, and overly dominant picks are slightly toned down. Starter items and runes are also adjusted to make early trading more rewarding and punish overly passive lane play.

In the top lane, Gwen’s base health and AP ratios return close to her 25.05 form, though her attack speed growth is slightly lower and jungle clears are weaker.

Diana’s passive monster damage is slightly reduced after buffs targeted AP junglers, and Dr Mundo’s E, Blunt Force Trauma, now scales less with bonus HP, but gives him higher armour growth. 

Graves’ magic resistance stats and scaling are adjusted, making him more burstable early but stronger in extended fights. Kalista gains higher attack damage growth, while Kog’Maw’s early trading power is reduced. Morgana sees decreased armour growth, emphasising reliance on Black Shield and Soul Siphon. 

Even after T1 Keria’s performance, Bard is buffed and now his W, Caretaker’s Shrine, heals more at all levels. It also grants additional movement speed when building AP items, like Shurelya’s Battlesong. 

Item adjustments include Catalyst of Aeons losing 50 health, Doran’s Blade healing for 2.5% of damage dealt, and Doran’s Ring providing extra mana after hitting enemy champions. The Second Wind rune now heals reliably based on missing health, enhancing lane sustain.

Patch 25.21 won’t influence the official esports meta immediately, but it opens up fresh strategies for solo queue and non-official tournaments. Supports, junglers, and scaling carries gain more tools to control fights, encouraging creative builds and smarter trading.