The date and finalists have been revealed for the Esports Awards 2025 – the award ceremony’s 10th anniversary show.
This year’s event will take place on November 19th, 2025 from Las Vegas, USA.
It follows up from the Decade Awards earlier this year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which apparently drew in 36.25M views.
The Esports Awards 2025 will celebrate the best in the esports industry and top content creators, including the likes of Marc ‘Caedrel’ Lamont, Ibai ‘Ibai’ Llanos, and Darren ‘iShowSpeed’ Watkins.
While details were vague in the initial trailer, one of the esports organisation’s creators and TikTok star, Logan ‘Lough‘ Robles, shared a vlog online featuring some of the new items coming with the collection.
The collection appears to include a wide variety of clothes, including t-shirts, jackets, hats and hoodies featuring iconic Pokémon from the series. Some notable items include a black and white Mew hoodie, a Pikachu ‘100 Thieves’ T-shirt, and a red and white 100 Thieves cap.
As of writing, pricing and launch date have yet to be revealed, but it is expected to be available soon on the official 100 Thieves online merch store.
This is not the first time that 100 Thieves has collaborated with Pokémon, having previously launched 16 items in 2024.
100 Thieves Teases New Controller with Razer
Image credit: 100 Thieves, Razer
Outside of Pokémon, 100 Theives’ Call of Duty League franchise, Los Angeles Thieves, shared a photo teasing a new controller with gaming peripheral brand Razer.
Though specifics were not shared, it appears to be a themed variation of the Razer Wolverine V2 Pro PS5 controller, featuring a distinct touchpad.
It is not the first time that Razer has worked with various esports organisations and players to release a new line of themed peripherals. Recently, Razer worked with T1’s Lee ‘Faker‘ Sang-hyeok to create a mousepad, the Razer Gigantus V2 Faker edition, inspired by the League of Legends icon.
Razer has also collaborated with esports organisation, Sentinels, to launch a themed Razer BlackShark V3 Pro headset in limited stock. The peripheral brand has been involved in various partnerships with esports teams, including signing a multi-year-long collaboration with 100 Thieves, and extending contracts with organisations like TALON Esports.
Black Ops 7: Could open matchmaking be the start of an exciting new era for Call of Duty?
Esports Team
16 Oct, 2025
Black Ops 7 title image / Image credit: Call of Duty YouTube Channel
TL;DR
Call of Duty Black Ops 7 will have an open matchmaking system at launch in November 2025.
The Black Ops 7 beta offered a Moshpit playlist with open matchmaking.
Open matchmaking focuses on factors other than in-game skill, so lobbies are less competitive and more varied overall.
Skill-based matchmaking prioritises skill when considering which players to pair up for a match.
The switch to open matchmaking in Black Ops 7 could be the push needed to create the next fan-favourite Call of Duty.
Call of Duty Black Ops 7 is on the verge of release, but a few final announcements before launch have shaken things up in recent weeks. Following a successful trial of open matchmaking during the beta, Activision has announced that Black Ops 7 will implement it as a permanent feature at launch.
Open matchmaking should create more varied lobbies filled with competitors of every skill level, and it could make gameplay much more interesting for the average player.
Call of Duty matchmaking
Art featuring characters and weapons in Black Ops 7 / Image credit: Call of Duty
In recent years, Call of Duty has gravitated towards skill-based matchmaking for its multiplayer mode, which aims to pair players with others of a similar skill level. This form of matchmaking creates a competitive environment where most of the lobby can compete fairly, but there are many players who believe it impedes their fun by limiting who they can be paired up with.
Fortunately, there are other ways to handle matchmaking besides skill and performance, such as connection or player level. This guide will walk you through what to expect from open matchmaking in Black Ops 7, plus why it might make 2025’s Call of Duty the best shooter of the year.
What is open matchmaking?
Two characters holding weapons in the Black Ops 7 gameplay reveal trailer / Image credit: Call of Duty YouTube Channel
Open matchmaking is the opposite of skill-based matchmaking because it minimally takes player skill into account to create lobbies. Connection speed is often the primary factor used to determine who to pair up in an open matchmaking system, so matches aren’t quite as competitive.
If you like a fair battlefield, then open matchmaking may not be your preference. However, this updated form of matchmaking provides you with the chance to face off against COD fans of all experience levels. Open matchmaking is usually considered more fun than skill-based matchmaking, but it comes at the cost of fairness.
What does open matchmaking mean for multiplayer?
Soldiers and weaponry in Black Ops 7 / Image credit: Call of Duty
Multiplayer will feel significantly different in Black Ops 7 compared to recent Call of Duty titles because open matchmaking pairs players up into lobbies with minimal consideration of skill. Instead, the system may consider factors like connection speed while forming lobbies.
The goal of open matchmaking is to create a less competitive match where every lobby is different. Some matches might lean heavily in your favour, while others will be the opposite, but you’ll never know the skill level of your opponents until you face them on the virtual battlefield.
The open matchmaking system may be more fun since it isn’t as focused on competitive fairness. Offering a unique experience in every match due to open matchmaking, Black Ops 7 is shaping up to be the most interesting Call of Duty since Black Ops 3.
Connection speed may be more consistent
A player’s connection is often a top consideration with open matchmaking. As such, open matchmaking provides a nice boost for players with fast internet speeds. The increase in players matched with those of a similar connection speed may also increase fairness in Black Ops 7.
Open matchmaking is great for all players
Though it might seem like open matchmaking is best for high-skill players, beginners will also see positive outcomes. If you play with more experienced friends, then open matchmaking lets you enter lobbies without considering their skill levels, so you’ll have a better chance of being paired with opponents in your skill bracket.
Conclusion
Vehicles and soldiers in Black Ops 7 / Image credit: Call of Duty YouTube Channel
Open matchmaking is about to transform the Call of Duty franchise in 2025. Skill-based matchmaking has become more prevalent in Call of Duty throughout the last decade, but the developers listened to feedback during the Black Ops 7 beta, and now is the time for open matchmaking to shine.
Black Ops 7 is a follow-up to Black Ops 2, so fans expect to make lasting memories in multiplayer and zombies. The announcement that open matchmaking will be implemented in Black Ops 7 elicited praise from the FPS community, as it could be the start of a new era for COD.
FAQs
When is Black Ops 7 coming out?
The Black Ops 7 release date is set for November 14, 2025.
Does Black Ops 7 take place in the year 2035?
Yes, Activision’s Call of Duty Black Ops 7 is set in 2035.
How does Black Ops matchmaking work?
Various matchmaking systems have been implemented in the Black Ops franchise. The most common system recently is skill-based matchmaking, which places you with other players based on your in-game performance and other similar factors.
Will SBMM be in Black Ops 7?
No, Black Ops 7 will primarily have open matchmaking instead of skill-based matchmaking at launch.
Nearly 400 workers within Activision Blizzard‘s Platform & Technology department have voted to form a union with the Communications Workers of America (CWA), representing the company’s latest expansion of organised labour.
The newly organised units include the engineers, designers and support staff who maintain Battle.net — the platform powering esports competitions for Overwatch 2, Hearthstone and StarCraft II. Workers voted either through union authorisation cards or an online portal, with representation split between CWA Local 9510 in Irvine, California and CWA Local 6215 in Austin, Texas.
Battle.net serves as the critical infrastructure for Blizzard’s esports ecosystem, managing online services, tournament systems, in-game purchases and account management that millions of competitive players rely on daily.
Microsoft has recognised both unions, with the vote occurring just before the expiration of the labour neutrality agreement between Microsoft and CWA this week. The agreement, signed in 2022 during Microsoft’s $68.7bn (~£52.7bn) acquisition of Activision Blizzard, streamlined the unionisation process for game workers at the company.
Daniel Weltz, Principal Software Engineer and organising committee member, highlighted retention concerns driving the unionisation effort: “I’ve been at Blizzard for nearly 20 years, and I’ve seen so many incredible colleagues in the industry come and go for preventable reasons — either for better compensation or as a result of layoffs.
“Our culture is our people, and we can’t afford to lose that.”
Ever More Changes for Microsoft
The move follows significant workforce reductions at Microsoft’s gaming division, including 1,900 positions eliminated in January. Alex Kohn, Senior Data Scientist and organising committee member, referenced these cuts directly: “After seeing so many hard-working, passionate coworkers laid off, we are excited to have greater control over our workplace to minimise the suffering caused by future layoffs in the industry.”
Jason Justice, President of CWA Local 9510, commented on the broader implications: “With each new Blizzard unit organising, California continues to become the proving ground for tech and video game power.
“Workers here are redefining what it means to work in entertainment — moving from passion alone to power through solidarity.”
Job security emerged as a recurring theme among organizers. Timothy Biley, Senior Quality Analyst and organizing committee member, cited multiple factors behind the push. He explained that ‘talented coworkers’ have left the company due to layoffs, unfair compensation and unmet accommodations.
The successful vote coincides with the announcement of United Videogame Workers-CWA (UVW-CWA), an industry-spanning union designed to build power across the gaming sector regardless of employer or employment status.
T1 Oner at Worlds 2025: “I always felt like CFO was a great team”
Esports Team
16 Oct, 2025
T1 Oner at Worlds 2025 Swiss Stage. Photo by Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
League of Legends Worlds 2025 Swiss Stage has already caused some shocks, with reigning champions T1 finishing round two in the 1-1 bracket after an unexpected loss to LCP representatives CTBC Flying Oyster.
T1 qualified for the Swiss Stage after defeating Invictus Gaming in the tournament’s play-ins, and after defeating FlyQuest, the team appeared to build momentum towards a third consecutive world title. However, CFO — a team that had already pushed T1 to five games at MSI 2025 — proved to be a formidable opponent, this time securing the win in a tense best-of-one match.
In an interview with Esports Insider, T1 jungler Mun ‘Oner‘ Hyeon-jun opened up about the loss to CFO, sharing his honest thoughts on the team’s preparation. He also spoke about the sacrifices behind T1’s sustained success, the current jungle meta, and what it truly takes to stay on top when every team is chasing your legacy.
Esports Insider: Thank you Oner for taking the time for this interview. I understand that it’s not the best time right now, but I want to hear your thoughts on the game against CFO.
Oner: Since last year, I always felt like CFO was such a great team. They play so well, and I was just reminded that they’re such a strong team. Because it’s best of one, there is always a chance that you can run into variables, and of course, you can win or lose. And from this loss, I believe that we have more to learn and gain.
ESI: Last year at MSI, we had an interview, and you said to me that condition matters even more than feedback sometimes, and that the condition of the team results in what ultimately is the performance in the game. Can you tell me about the preparation that you and your team did for today’s match against CFO, and what the conditions were you in when you went on stage today?
Oner: Well, as we are all in a marathon going on to stage constantly, I feel like the number one priority should be maintaining your best condition. And I can’t speak for my own team, but I have a sore throat, and of course, some people may think that it’s just a petty excuse, but I also think that it’s such a bummer that I didn’t take good care of myself, my own health.
Personally, I also felt a little regretful that I didn’t get good sleep last night. And that also leads up to I had a lot of mistakes, team-wide mistakes that were showing up in the game today, just gameplay-wise, which leaves a lot of regret. So that’s just something that we need to work on.
ESI: I’m sorry to hear that you’re not feeling well. I hope you get better soon. Something that you said really stuck with me because more often than not, T1 sets the standard for every other team. How do you improve yourself knowing that, typically, there isn’t someone you wouldn’t look up to because you’re considered the best?
Oner: Yeah, honestly, as a back-to-back champion last year, of course many teams, maybe everyone is thinking that way.
But I feel that in every meta, there are always certain teams that end up showing up better, and they end up performing better than us. And that’s why, with those teams that adapt so well to those meta, there’s just someone to learn from. So I believe that as teams go through those changes, they also climb up or down. So I feel like there are always teams to learn from.
Image credit: Liu YiCun/Riot Games
ESI: I have a few questions on meta, but before that, I wanted to ask you about this year’s Worlds Anthem, ‘Sacrifice.’ It commemorates the sacrifices pros need to make to even make it to Worlds. I’m curious to know, what sacrifices did you have to make in your personal life to get where you are now?
Oner: As a pro gamer, I feel like you end up devoting your whole career, your whole 20s, early 20s to mid-20s to your career.
So I believe that I also have sacrificed my early to mid-20s. You also end up sacrificing your own health and your soul really. So I think if I looked deeper into it, I’m sure there’s a lot more that I have sacrificed, but I think those are the biggest things that I have sacrificed to be here.
ESI: Going to the meta, Riot tried to push a lot of AP Junglers during this Worlds patch, but we haven’t seen many play. Do you think they will be more available and come up more when best-of-threes and best-of-fives arrive?
Oner: Honestly, right now because of the nature of Best of One, I feel like that’s why you keep seeing higher-tier AD jungles, and these are some picks that we cannot ban in the very first game.
So I think that’s why you end up not seeing AP ones, because in the current meta, you have so many AD jungles that are strong that have been performing so well on stage. So I think you need to have them sort of denied or eliminated before you start seeing [AP ones].
I would expect to see more of them in a Best of Three or Five, maybe one to two games in those Best of Fives.
ESI: As a last question, can you tell me how you feel your form is right now compared to other junglers at Worlds?
Oner: Personally, to be honest, I feel like it’s just too early, maybe too soon to decide how my form is right now, because it’s just the nature of best of ones.
It could be luck. Maybe it’s just that your opponent was playing really well. I think there are just way too many variables to consider. So in a best-of-one, I don’t think I can decide how my form is, but as we go along in Worlds and reach best-of-fives, I think that’s when I should be able to certainly say something about my form.
The trio was the first from Europe to take home one of the largest prizes in the battle royale title’s esports circuit.
Throughout 2025, Team Vision has become a household name in Warzone esports. Lenun, ‘Echo‘, and Ethan ‘Fifakill‘ Pink featured heavily in several high-profile tournaments.
Lenun’s move away from Team Vision is expected to trigger a flurry of roster moves from within the EMEA region, as players look to form rosters before the next iteration of Warzone launches alongside Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.
Following the conclusion of the Global Finals, Activision has yet to share details on what the future holds for its battle royale esports circuit.
Despite this, Call of Duty Warzone is one of 24 titles that will feature as part of the Esports World Cup 2026, taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, throughout July and August.
Community Reaction
The news of Lenun’s free agency has sparked a mixed reaction among fans of Warzone esports. “Massively confused,” commented on-air esports talent Ellen ‘Dreamcrazzy’ Elizabeth Jean.
Other community members are already speculating about which players Lenun will be teaming up with next season. “You, Jukeyz, and Vision should run it back,” added another fan.
As a defending World Series of Warzone champion, Lenun won’t be short of offers from teams looking for an experienced player capable of achieving success on Warzone’s biggest stages.
Esports Awards announces 2025 finalists and categories
Esports Team
16 Oct, 2025
Image credit: Esports Awards
The Esports Awards has revealed the finalists and categories for this year’s edition of the annual awards ceremony.
Categories for The Esports Awards 2025 include Esports Game of the Year, Esports Content Group of the Year, and Esports Host of the Year. However, this year Esports Coverage Platform of the Year has been omitted from the list.
A total of 21 categories have been named, with the ceremony set to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada, on November 19th, 2025.
On November 20th, esports industry conference PWR UP will occur, featuring a range of panels and forums led by industry professionals. Esports Awards has yet to reveal any names taking part.
“The Esports Awards continues to shine a light on the best in esports and gaming, and we’re thrilled to present our tenth anniversary awards ceremony,” said Michael Ashford, CEO of the Esports Awards.
“Following last year’s introduction of two annual shows, we are thrilled to celebrate this year’s best in the esports industry in Las Vegas.”
The Esports Awards 2025 is the second awards ceremony to have taken place this year, organised by its organisers. In August, the ceremony hosted a one-off Decade Awards in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to celebrate ten years of competitive gaming achievements.
Category Changes For 2025
For 2025, the Coverage Platform of the Year award has been replaced with the Esports Supporting Platform of the Year. As a result, no esports publications have been shortlisted for an award.
In addition to the lack of coverage platform award, the category list doesn’t include the Esports Journalist of the Year, a category last seen in 2023 before it was dropped.
With this omission in mind, it is important to still celebrate and support publications that continue to cover every aspect of the industry with a wealth of insight and expertise. This includes, but is not limited to, the likes of HLTV, The Esports Advocate, Sheep Esports, Hotspawn, Esports News UK, Esports.net and The Esports Radar, among many others
Esports Awards 2025 Nominees
Image credit Colin Young-Wolff, Riot Games
Below is a full list of the nominees for each category featured at the Esports Awards 2025. Fans can vote for their winner via the Esports Awards’ official website.
The Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) esports YouTube channel has been “temporarily suspended,” MOONTON revealed in an X (Twitter) post today.
The developer said that the suspension happened due to “third-party unauthorised livestreams.” It’s unclear what these were, however, a user commented on MLBB’s Instagram account that it was hacked to promote a cryptocurrency.
MLBB Esports’ YouTube account suspension follows after several other major esports accounts were hacked this morning. According to a report by Dust2 US, the Esports World Cup, ESL CS, BLAST Premier, and BLAST Rainbow Six YouTube accounts were all compromised to push a fake memecoin giveaway.
The accounts ran a fake giveaway stream for a few minutes before they were taken down. The stream featured an old interview of Gabe Newell talking about the Steam Deck with a QR code to the memecoin’s fake giveaway.
All the accounts are available with the hacked stream now deleted. Opening the MLBB Esports account, however, shows that the page isn’t available.
MOONTON has said that it’s communicating with YouTube to fix the situation. The company also urged players to use the other accounts for MLBB esports to watch broadcasts or for updates regarding the M7 World Championship.
Cryptocurrency hacks are common on YouTube which target big accounts to push a fake giveaway. These are usually quickly resolved, which is the likely outcome for the MLBB Esports YouTube channel.
What is going on in the ecosystem?
Several tournaments which are a part of the MLBB esports roadmap for H2 2025 are currently ongoing.
The MLBB Professional Leagues (MPL) across Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, and MENA are among the ongoing tournaments.
None of the leagues have matches today. However, all the regional channels for the leagues are active.
All these tournaments are extremely crucial as they will decide the representatives at the M7 World Championship, set to happen in Jakarta, Indonesia in January 2025.
The M7 has been pushed to 2026 instead of December due to the SEA Games. The 2025 SEA Games will take place in Thailand with MLBB among the medal events.
In an update published on October 13th, 2025, Valve added Rule 3.10.1 under the TOR’s Ranked Tournaments section.
The change reveals that tournament operators will “declare a forfeit in any match in which a roster does not field at least three of the invited roster athletes for the entirety of the match.”
The introduction of the rule means that three of the five players representing a roster when it receives an invitation to compete in a tournament must play in that event.
A recent example of a team falling foul of the ruling was FaZe Clan at ESL Pro League Season 22. After benching Håvard ‘rain‘ Nygaard before the event, the organisation added the rifler back onto the starting lineup after forfeiting its opening match against G2 Esports.
In addition to the arrival of Rule 3.10.1, Valve also adjusted Rule 3.2.5 following the rain’s impromptu return to FaZe Clan.
The rule now states that teams that receive direct invitations to a Ranked tournament can only accept if three players from the invited roster are part of the starting lineup. Additionally, the rule states that three of the players invited to compete “will play in each event match.”
How Will The Change Impact CS2 Esports?
The adjustment of the TOR is expected to have a positive impact on the Counter-Strike esports ecosystem, ensuring that organisations are responsible for fielding the correct number of players at high-profile events.
The change also requires teams to consider any planned roster changes in order to adhere to the new guidelines put in place.
