Ubisoft and esports tournament organiser BLAST have announced that the R6 Asia-Pacific Regional Finals 2025 will take place in Sydney, Australia.

The six-team Rainbow Six Siege X event will take place from December 11th to 14th, 2025, and features a €100,000 (~£86,811) prize pool.

The tournament will include a double-elimination, best-of-three bracket across the four days, with the Grand Final determining the 2025 APL champions.

In addition to the winner securing the lion’s share of the prize pool, the team will earn direct qualification to the Six Invitational 2026, taking place next February.

The six teams competing in the APAC League Regional Finals can be found below:

Tickets to the event at Fortress Sydney are available for purchase now, with single-day passes starting at $20 AUD (~£9.71).

All matches taking place at the APAC Regional Finals will be broadcast across Rainbow Six’s Twitch and YouTube channels. During the event, Twitch viewers will be eligible to earn a range of Twitch drops.

The APAC Regional Finals is one of several regional tournaments taking place across the globe. From November 29th to December 14th, the North American Regional Finals take place in Philadelphia, with another place at the Six Invitational up for grabs.

As Rainbow Six’s competitive season continues to wrap up, attention is turning to the upcoming BLAST Rainbow Six Munich Major.

Taking place from November 8th to 16th, 16 of the world’s best teams head to the BMW Park Arena for a share of a $750,00 (~£560,515) prize pool and a chance to earn direct qualification to next year’s Six Invitational.

Four teams from the APAC region are competing at the Munich Major. CAG Osaka, Weibo Gaming, Dplus, and Enterprise Esports join the likes of Team Falcons, Team Secret, and G2 Esports for a chance at championship glory.

Esports tournament organiser ESL has unveiled its Counter-Strike 2 esports calendar for the ESL Pro Tour in 2028.

Over the course of the year, the tournament organiser will operate six Tier 1 events between January and November.

The six events confirmed throughout 2028 will form part of the ESL Pro Tour, the organiser’s dedicated Counter-Strike 2 esports circuit.

In addition to the confirmed events, ESL has also revealed that it may operate additional events during the year. Further information on any new events will be announced separately.

Following ESL’s 2028 calendar announcement, the full list of dates for each event can be found below:

The tournament organiser has yet to reveal the locations for the six events.

ESL is the first event organiser to unveil its plans for 2028, adhering to Valve’s Tournament Operation Requirements. Tournaments taking place after December 31st, 2026, must be announced “at least 22 months” before the tournament’s main event begins.

Throughout 2025, ESL has continued to unveil its plans for various CS2 events taking place over the next few years.

In August, it was revealed that IEM Cologne 2026 will host the first Major of the 2026 season, marking ten years since a Counter-Strike Major took place at the Lanxess Arena.

Later in the month, it announced that Katowice, Poland, would host the ESL Pro League Season 24 Finals in 2026. The event is the first time the Pro League has taken place in a large-scale venue since ESL Pro League Season 10, which took place at the Jyske Bank Arena in Odense, Denmark.

With the spooky season well and truly underway, Overwatch 2’s annual Halloween event has officially dropped in the game. Rather than the usual Overwatch Halloween Terror events, the game has introduced a whole new game mode this year: Overwatch 2 Haunted Masquerade. 

We’re going to be looking at everything you need to know about Overwatch Haunted Masquerade, including how the mode works and the different masks available. 

The Haunted Masquerade is the brand-new Overwatch 2 game mode released to celebrate the Halloween season. The event is an arcade-style PvP mode that introduces Hero Masks. Hero Masks are pretty ridiculous to look at, as they are designed to look like cardboard cutouts of each hero’s face. However, the mechanics of the mask are particularly interesting, as they offer unique abilities. The game mode is a regular 6v6 match, but each player receives a buff from their chosen mask and a silly look thanks to the flimsy cardboard aesthetic. 

Haunted Masquerade is all about having fun with the different masks. Each mask offers a specific ability related to the hero whose face is on the front of it. In each round, there are six masks available to pick from, though they can only choose from the six heroes each player picks during a game. Players can change their chosen hero between rounds, but once a game begins, they are locked in. Masks can be changed at any point. 

Not all the Overwatch heroes are available to play as in Halloween Masquerade. There are five Tank heroes, 10 DPS heroes and seven Support heroes. The characters that can be played are as follows:

Each mask has its own ability – as noted – and these abilities relate to their designated hero, such as Tracer’s mask, which gives those who equip it a boost to their movement speed. As well as regular abilities, there are also some special abilities that specific masks offer to heroes. For instance, Ana’s mask has one general ability that all heroes gain when equipped, but it also has a special ability unique to Soldier: 76 when he equips it. Let’s take a look at the abilities that each mask offers, including the unique hero-specific skills. 

All you need to do to play a game of Haunted Masquerade is pick your mask. Don’t forget to equip the mask before the game begins, though. It can be easy to forget to do so, and without a mask, you’re at a major disadvantage. 

A handy tip for playing Halloween Masquerade is to synergise with your team as much as possible. You might find yourself in a team without the hero that offers the extra buff for your character, but that doesn’t mean you can’t strategise and think about what mask would work best with your teammates. 

That being said, don’t feel obliged to use the mask of the hero that offers a special ability if they are on your team. Play as the character you are most comfortable with to get the best possible experience. It’s only an arcade game mode after all, so you don’t have to worry about ranks or the point system as with competitive matches. 

Unfortunately, there are no Overwatch Halloween skins to be won by playing Haunted Masquerade. The only rewards available are weapon charms, a spray, a player title and XP. Here’s a closer look at everything that can be unlocked in Halloween Masquerade and the challenges that must be completed. 

That’s everything you need to know about Overwatch 2’s limited-time Halloween Masquerade event. All in all, the mode is a fun and creative way to change up the usual Halloween events in the game, though Junkenstein’s Revenge and Wrath of the Bride are also playable if you’d rather stick to the classics. Halloween Masquerade might not offer a whole lot in terms of rewards, but it’s definitely an interesting game mode that is well worth checking out while it’s available. 

Virtus.pro has promoted Vladimir ‘b1st‘ Krasikov from the organisation’s academy lineup to its main Counter-Strike 2 roster.

The move follows the benching of Kaisar ‘ICY‘ Faiznurov, who joined the Russian esports organisation in December 2024.

B1st is the second player to earn promotion to the main roster after representing the organisation’s academy team. In September, Vadim ‘tO0RO’ Arkov joined the team following a string of impressive performances.

Over the past six months, the organisation has made several changes to its CS2 lineup in a bid to rediscover the form that saw it secure a top-six finish at IEM Katowice 2025.

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

In June, Virtus.pro moved Timur ‘FL4MUS‘ to the bench, signing Ilya ‘Perfecto’ Zalutskiy in his place. Following elimination from the BLAST Open London closed qualifier in August, Denis ‘electroNic’ Sharipov was the latest player to be placed on the bench.

Currently ranked 24th in October’s Valve Regional Standings (VRS), Virtus.pro failed to qualify for November’s StarLadder Budapest Major after being unable to compete at ESL Pro League Season 22. Before the event, the organisation’s players were turned away at the Swedish border, leaving it unable to compete.

Despite missing out on the final Major of the year, Virtus.pro still has an opportunity to end 2025 on a positive note. The team is one of 16 teams competing at IEM Chengdu from November 3rd to 11th.

The Tier 1 tournament will be the final time Virtus.pro’s main Counter-Strike 2 roster will compete this year and will mark b1st’s debut for the team.

A strong performance at Chengdu has the potential to lay the foundations for a solid 2026, with the objective of the team to earn qualification for the IEM Cologne Major taking place in June.

Gen.G Esports has announced massive changes to its VALORANT roster, releasing Kim ‘t3xture’ Na-ra, Byeon ‘Munchkin’ Sang-beom, Kim ‘Karon’ Won-tae and Kim ‘Lakia’ Jong-min.

As a result, only two players from the 2025 lineup, Ha ‘Ash’ Hyun-cheol and Jung ‘Foxy9’ Jae-sung.

Gen.G currently competes in Riot Games’ franchised VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT); however, the Korean team has been part of the game’s competitive scene since 2020.

This year’s VCT season was full of ups and downs for the organisation. After just coming short of a Masters Bangkok qualification in January, Gen.G placed second in Pacific’s Stage 1 competition to secure a spot at Masters Toronto.

Throughout the second international tournament of the year, Gen.G gained global recognition for its signature Viper/Omen team composition on Haven, which was later adopted by several other top-tier teams. 

However, the Korean roster ultimately couldn’t persevere through the Playoffs. Similarly, Gen.G suffered an early Playoffs elimination in VCT Pacific Stage 2.

“While the players have entered free agency, Gen.G remains in positive discussions with them to explore potential opportunities for the future,” stated the organisation in its announcement.

“We are truly grateful for the time shared together and look forward to seeing their continued growth and achievements ahead.”

Though coming from vastly different competitive backgrounds, Karon, Munchkin, t3xture and Lakia had all been with Gen.G since 2023.

Together with former teammate Kim ‘Meteor’ Tae-oh, the four players secured Gen.G’s best international VALORANT results thus far: a second-place finish at Masters Madrid 2024 and the Masters Shanghai 2024 trophy.

On his personal X (formerly Twitter) account, Munchkin shared: “The end of my journey with Gen.G. 2024–2025 with Gen.G has been such a meaningful and happy time. I’ve made the best memories and achieved the best moments of my career here. Every year as a player taught me something new, but Gen.G gave me true turning points in life.

“To all the Gen.G fans I know many of you expected a lot from us this year, and I’m sorry we couldn’t live up to all those hopes. Still, I’m truly grateful for every bit of support and love you’ve given. Thank you, always.”

In addition to the roster update, Gen.G announced the departure of its coaching staff today. This includes former Head Coach Kang ‘solo’ Keun-chul as well as Coaches Kim ‘HSK’ Hae-seong and Jung ‘peri’ Beom-gi.

“We’re grateful for their leadership and dedication throughout the 2025 season, guiding and supporting the team every step of the way,” commented Gen.G.

“While they will be departing following the conclusion of their contracts, Gen.G continues to engage in positive discussions and remains open to potential future collaborations.”

Following a new alliance with Brazilian online bookmaker and gaming operator Aposta Ganha, 3 Oaks Gaming has expanded its presence in Latin America.

Through the partnership, Brazilian players will have even greater access to iGaming content as 3 Oaks’ portfolio of slot titles will be showcased on Aposta Ganha’s platform.

Only a few months have passed since 3 Oaks Gaming obtained authorisation to conduct business in Brazil’s regulated iGaming market in March 2025.

The action demonstrates the company’s dedication to expanding its presence in the rapidly changing gaming market in Latin America, especially as Brazil continues to rise to prominence in the area.

The most well-known slots from 3 Oaks Gaming, such as Coin Volcano, 3 China Pots, and 3 Hot Chillies, will be available at Aposta Ganha as part of the new agreement.

Super Hot Teapots: Hold and Win, Must Drop JACKPOT Flame Fruits, and Sun of Egypt 5 are among the new releases that will also debut on the platform.

The enlarged offering is in line with the two businesses’ mutual objective of providing Brazilian gamers with top-notch, captivating game content.

Yuriy Muratov, Chief Commercial Officer at 3 Oaks Gaming, commented: “This partnership with Aposta Ganha is a fantastic way for us to scale up our presence in Brazil, one of the most exciting iGaming markets in the world. Their reputation, local expertise and dedication to providing a top-tier experience make them the ideal partner for us.”

Anderson Marques, Casino Manager at Aposta Ganha, added: “At Aposta Ganha, we aim to deliver thrilling and responsible gaming experiences rooted in Brazilian passion. Partnering with 3 Oaks Gaming allows us to expand our content offering with dynamic, high-quality titles that we know will resonate with our audience.”

Brazil is positioned as a crucial pillar in 3 Oaks Gaming’s larger international growth initiatives, and this partnership supports the company’s strategic expansion efforts across Latin America’s regulated markets.

DraftKings has strengthened its leadership team with the announcement of Christian H. A. Bogstrand as Executive Vice President and GM of iGaming.

For DraftKings, which is still committed to expanding its footprint in regulated markets in the US and abroad, the move represents a major addition to its team.

With 20 years of experience in the iGaming sector, Bogstrand has held senior leadership positions at bet365, where he was in charge of product innovation and gaming operations.

He formally announced the appointment on LinkedIn, calling it a thrilling new chapter in his career.

In his announcement, Bogstrand emphasised the unique potential of his new position, noting DraftKings’ strong technology foundation and dedication to user experience.

“From the fantastic teams to a strong in-house technology foundation and a company-wide focus on delivering best-in-class player experiences, this is a unique opportunity,” he said.

He also reflected on the company culture that influenced his decision to join, adding: “When I first connected with DraftKings, I met a group of founders and leaders who were welcoming, focused, and deeply motivated to keep raising the bar. That energy and sense of purpose made the decision to come on board easy.”

Bogstrand will be in charge of DraftKings’ online casino strategy and operations as Executive Vice President and GM of iGaming.

He will be in charge of player engagement, growth initiatives, and product optimisation in all regulated jurisdictions.

His hiring is a component of DraftKings’ larger strategy to use innovation and technology-driven experiences to improve its standing in the cutthroat U.S. iGaming and sports betting market.

G2 Esports has rebranded its Call of Duty League (CDL) franchise, removing the Rokkr in favour of a more familiar moniker for the organisation’s fans.

The Minnesota Rokkr name has been replaced with a revamped logo, along with the G2 Minnesota name, which will be used throughout the 2026 CDL season.

Unveiled on October 20th, 2025, the franchise trolled fans with a fake announcement teasing a rebrand to G2 Berlin and a relocation to Berlin, Wisconsin. Shortly after the fake rebrand, G2 Esports revealed its G2 Minnesota name for the upcoming season.

Unlike other franchises that have decided to move locations, G2 Esports has opted to remain in Minnesota, a location it has operated in since the franchise’s formation of the CDL in 2019.

2026 will see plenty of new names competing in the CDL, with the debuts of FaZe Vegas and Riyadh Falcons in addition to an unnamed franchise operated by French esports organisation Gentle Mates.

With Call of Duty’s rostermania period in full swing, G2 Minnesota is one of several franchises that have yet to unveil its roster for the 2026 season.

G2 Esports is no stranger to Call of Duty esports. Prior to the formation of the CDL, the organisation fielded a roster between 2017 and 2019 during the Call of Duty World League (CWL).

In December 2023, the organisation entered a strategic partnership with Version1 in a deal where the company’s ownership of Minnesota Rokkr moved to G2 Esports.

Over the past six years, the franchise has struggled to find consistency. During the Black Ops Cold War season, Minnesota Rokkr won the Stage 5 Major before securing a top-four finish at the 2021 CDL Championship.

In 2025, the franchise earned a top-six finish at Major 1 before ending the regular season in ninth place, narrowly missing out on a chance to compete at Champs.