With T1 kicking off League of Legends Worlds 2025 with a victory over Invictus Gaming (IG) in the Play-Ins, the first Swiss Stage match-ups have now been drawn. 

The event, taking place in China, features a range of tantalising BO1 matches, including an LPL vs LCK clash and two rough games for FlyQuest and 100 Thieves.

After sealing a 3-1 victory against China’s fourth seed IG, T1 will commence its Swiss Stage journey with a match against LTA 2025 champions FlyQuest. Meanwhile, 100 Thieves, in its final run in League of Legends esports, will have to stand toe-to-toe with LPL Split 3 champion Bilibili Gaming (BLG). 

Interestingly, the latter match-up is somewhat of an EU vs NA game, with BLG’s jungler, Zhao ‘Shadow’ Zhiqiang, being the first European to win an LPL trophy.

Perhaps one of the most enticing match-ups from the round one Swiss Stage draw is LPL vs LCK, as second seeds Anyone’s Legends and Hanwha Life Esports (HLE), respectively, will clash on day one. Whilst T1 is looking to secure historic back-to-back-to-back World Championships, the organisation’s former top laner, Choi ‘Zeus’ Woo-je — now playing for HLE — will also be looking to achieve this feat. 

For European League of Legends fans, its three teams have seemingly walked away with a good draw, albeit still against difficult challengers. The hardest draw sees G2 Esports face off against LPL’s Top Esports, whilst Fnatic will clash with LCP Season Finals champion CTBC Flying Oyster. MKOI also faces a difficult challenge, as the Spanish organisation will face LCK third seed, KT Rolster. 

The full League of Legends World Championship Swiss Stage Round One draw is as follows:

The League of Legends World Championship main event kicks off tomorrow (October 15th) with the Swiss Stage. Featuring a mixture of BO1 and BO3 matches, teams need to defeat three opponents to advance to the Knockout Stage. Matches will kick off at 6am BST, and fans can tune into the event live on YouTube and Twitch. 

Over the past decade, the League of Legends World Championship anthems have evolved from songs celebrating the competition to a cultural moment. Each year’s release captures the stories that define competitive League of Legends, and in 2025, “Sacrifice” by G.E.M. continues that tradition, blending music and memory into a tribute to every pro, fan, and moment that shaped the game’s history.

In an interview with Esports Insider, Riot executive producer Mike Potter shared that there are over 70 hidden references for fans to uncover. “The 2025 Worlds anthem recollects as many memories as stars in the sky,” describing Sacrifice as the Riot video with the most Easter eggs ever created. 

We’ve divided the Easter eggs into four categories: players, champions, teams, and fans, casters, and more.

While we have collected over 70 Easter eggs in this article, some still eluded us. 

Some players appear more than once throughout the video. Fans have noted that the lineup focuses heavily on recent years, drawing criticism for the lack of broader representation across regions. The old Russian region (CIS), CBLOL, OCE, NA, and LLA are not directly featured, with most spotlights given to stars from the LCK, LPL, and LEC.

Other cameos: 

Most champions appear through the pros who made them famous, with a few—such as Azir and Aatrox—also shown briefly in stylised or cartoon sequences.

The video’s cosmic setting hides dozens of visual nods to League’s competitive and cultural legacy, from team logos to symbolic constellations referencing iconic plays.

Valve has revealed details on a Counter-Strike 2 pre-release update that features adjustments to the title’s defusal mechanics.

The update, currently in beta, also features changes to the game’s engine code and its user interface.

The version 1.41.3-rc1 update went live in the CS2 beta depot on October 14th, 2025. As a pre-release update, Valve is able to continue adjusting various elements of the title before it is released in a public build.

Valve’s pre-release update is the first wave of changes since October 2nd, when the developer added two new maps to its Competitive mode.

The most notable addition within the update is a change to defusing mechanics. While a player is defusing, the weapon viewmodel will lower and prevent the defuser from scoping while the action is taking place.

Additionally, Valve had added a 150ms delay to firing the weapon after a player has stopped defusing, which could impact clutch situations during competitive play.

Alongside defuse changes, the update has updated the title’s engine code to the latest version of Source 2 and improved the core utilisation of various effect processing in a bid to reduce CPU usage when a player is firing a weapon.

If Valve applies the changes from the pre-release update, the defusal changes could significantly impact how the world’s best players approach a post-plant scenario.

The current build of CS2 allows players to fire instantly after tapping the bomb to fake a defuse, meaning the potential addition of a 150ms delay could prevent defenders from attempting to use a fake to draw out any remaining attackers.

Since the release of the update, the community has criticised the defuse delay. “Performance fixes are actually sorely needed,” said one fan. “No AWP scope and firing delay after letting go of defuse is just lowering the skill ceiling, though. Please reconsider.”

Considering the update is still in its pre-release phase, there is a chance Valve could make further adjustments before releasing it at a later date.

October 7 marked the next phase of 2XKO, Riot Games’ free-to-play fighting title, going from closed beta to early access. This means the launch of its first season pass, Season 0, along with an 11th character. So far, the reception has been highly positive from players, commenting on how well the tag system works, as well as the fighting mechanics.

2XKO is only currently playable on PC, despite Riot Games confirming the game will be coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X. But this is clearly a sign that the developer wants to get things right before the title launches on these consoles. Nevertheless, we’ve been playing 2XKO in early access this past week, and we’re sharing our initial thoughts below.

2XKO’s closed beta began on September 16 and ended on October 7, changing into early access for the foreseeable future. From what we saw during that period, the 2XKO beta was hugely well-received by players, remarking how similar 2XKO is to Street Fighter 6 in gameplay mechanics and framerate. This is high praise for any fighting game, so Riot Games must be pleased with this feedback. Players have been warming to the attacks, counters, and more since September 16.

Combine this praise with the amount that’s been available since the closed beta’s debut, such as the many 2XKO characters available to play, the fresh balance patches based on the feedback that players have been giving Riot Games, and it’s clear that 2XKO could be special.

The gameplay does indeed remind us of Capcom’s Street Fighter in its fluidity and controls, but it also reminds us of Dragon Ball FighterZ, from Arc System Works. Despite that title having a 3v3 tag system, the intensity of the special attacks, dependent on how many ‘levels’ you’ve built up, can change the trajectory of any match. You’ll also want to see how the special attacks from each of the 11 champions from the 2XKO roster play out. They’re all very fun to do, and only add to the replayability of 2XKO, even in this early state. Nothing feels overpowered, nor does anything feel like it’s out of scope for new players. Thanks to the helpful Practice Mode, which guides new players by showcasing movesets and more for 2XKO, anyone can join.

Playing online is also a great time right now. Joining a match wasn’t an issue, and playing 2XKO on Wi-Fi and 5G connections didn’t result in a session being too laggy or frustrating to play. But this is Riot Games, they know how to create and maintain online modes, much like it has for League of Legends and VALORANT, so we’re not surprised.

But the main mechanic of 2XKO, the 2v2 tag system, is a big highlight in the game. Combining characters like Vi and Jynx in matches can give you new ideas about how to use them. As we head into the full game version, which is likely when we’ll see 2XKO arrive on PS5 and Xbox, we’re expecting even more characters to hone in on the 2v2 mechanic. Right now, though, gameplay-wise, the game feels polished enough, so we can’t help but think Riot Games may as well open up the floodgates for console players to join in on early access.

Overall, we’ve come away impressed with 2XKO. Everything at this point feels like it’s been worked on and refined constantly. Riot Games set high expectations with players since it was known as Project L, way back in 2019. With many characters to choose from, as well as the ability to use a variety of special attacks, all at a stable framerate, 2XKO has all the hallmarks of being a standout game once it inevitably starts appearing at some worldwide esports events.

2XKO’s graphical style is cel-shaded to the hilt, but feels very smooth. It harkens back to titles like Marvel vs. Capcom 3, as well as others like Sega’s Jet Set Radio. Everything feels like it’s straight out of a comic book, and we barely experienced any significant slowdowns during our time in early access. Every texture looks sharp, and the animations when fighters perform their special attacks are fantastic.

There’s not a great deal to say here other than Riot Games has managed to make 2XKO set itself apart in the fighting game genre, especially when you consider it alongside popular esports games like Tekken 8 and Street Fighter 6.

Compared to how much Bandai Namco bodged its relationship with Tekken fans due to the mess of Tekken 8’s Season 2 pass earlier this year, Riot Games is on somewhat of a roll so far with 2XKO. Our experiences with the closed beta and early access versions of the game mirror those of other players, thanks to the fun mechanics and variations all the characters offer.

Considering the success Riot Games has had, and continues to have with League of Legends and VALORANT, players weren’t expecting much from 2XKO. But it’s proven many wrong, with players now hoping to see the game appear on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X soon. As things stand, Riot Games has done well with 2XKO, and if it keeps this momentum going, the game could be a juggernaut at many esports events in 2026.

Age of Empires tournament Red Bull Wololo is heading to London for its eighth edition, titled Londinium, in 2026.

The event will run from April 1st to 6th, 2026 and will feature two different titles — Age of Empires II and IV.

The tournament will culminate with the Grand Final on April 6th at the Royal Albert Hall, in front of an audience of over 3,000 fans. The location for the Playoffs has not been disclosed by the organiser.

“Legends will rise when Red Bull Gaming’s Red Bull Wololo returns in 2026! Competitors from across the globe will descend on Londinium (London) to clash across centuries in AoE II: DE and AoE IV,” Age of Empires tweeted.

Red Bull Wololo: Londinium will kick off with the Group Stage from April 1st to 3rd, followed by the Playoffs on April 4th and 5th. Check out the format below:

In the end, the winner will walk away with the trophy and $50,000 (~£37,687) from its $170,000 (~£128,136) prize pool. 

Tickets for Red Bull Wololo: Londinium will go live on December 3rd; however, those unable to travel to London can catch the action live on Red Bull Gaming’s Twitch and YouTube channels.

The 2024 edition of Red Bull Wololo: Age of Empires II saw Hamzah ‘Hera’ El-Baher dominate the entire event, snatching the title away from Ørjan ‘TheViper’ Larsen with a 5-1 scoreline.

Hera is having a tremendous year so far, as he won four Tier 1 events in 2025, including Warlords IV and The Garrison.

It will be interesting to see if he can carry over his momentum into the latest edition and claim two back-to-back titles.

Rainbow Six Siege X developer Ubisoft and tournament organiser BLAST have revealed that the R6 North American League Regional Finals will take place in Philadelphia, US.

From November 29th to December 14th, 2025, the six best teams from the region will compete for a guaranteed place at the Six Invitational 2026 in Paris.

The tournament will feature two phases. The online quarterfinals will be played in a BO3, double elimination format from November 29th to 30th. Meanwhile, the second phase will include both the semi-finals and finals from December 13th to 14th, and will be a LAN event at the LocalHost Philly venue.

Teams will compete for the lion’s share of a €100,000 (~$115,550/£86,940) prize pool: with first receiving €40,000 (~$46,220/£34,800).

These are all the teams that will be competing in the North American League Regional Finals:

Tickets for the LAN event in Philadelphia are available for $20, and can be obtained through the Nerd Street webpage. All matches will also be broadcast live on the official Rainbow Six esports Twitch and YouTube channels.

The BLAST R6 North American League Regional Finals is one of the pathways that offers a guaranteed spot in next year’s international event. Regional Finals will also take place in the Europe MENA League, South America League, and Asia Pacific League. A final spot will also be up for grabs in the Munich Major in November.

The Six Invitational 2026 in Paris, France is the crowning event of the scene. This is where the best team in the world is decided, before kickstarting the next season of R6 esports.

Running from February 2nd to 15th, 2026, the event will see 20 teams from around the world compete. These include the Regional Finals champions, the Munich Major winner, the Regional Last Chance Qualifier winners, and the top-scoring organisations from the Global Point Standings.

The Overwatch Champion Series (OWCS) has revealed its map pool for the World Finals at DreamHack Stockholm this November.

In total, 13 maps will be in play across five competitive modes: Control, Hybrid, Escort, Push and Flashpoint.

These are all the maps that will be in play during the OWCS 2025 World Finals:

The same map pool will also take effect for the grassroots esports event FACEIT League Season 7, where the finals of the Masters Showdown will be premiered at DreamHack Stockholm.

The OWCS World Finals is the most prestigious tournament in the Overwatch 2 esports scene, serving as the crowning event of the season.

The event is scheduled to take place from November 26th to 30th, 2025 as an offline LAN event in the Stockholmsmässan venue in Stockholm, Sweden.

The tournament will feature a double-elimination bracket; the first rounds of both upper and lower brackets will be best-of-3 (BO3), and subsequent matches will be best-of-5 (BO5). The Grand Finals will be BO7, where the champion team of the season will be decided.

Fans can watch the top 12 OWCS Stage 3 teams from across five regions compete: ranging from EMEA, North America, Korea, China and Asia.

DreamHack Stockholm’s official website offers tickets for those who wish to attend in person, with various tiers offering unique perks for the OWCS international tournament.

Other esports events outside of OWCS will also be featured at DreamHack Stockholm, including the first-ever Major tournament for The Finals, and a qualifier for ESL Pro League Season 23 called DreamHack Knockout.

Call of Duty Mobile has unveiled the final ruleset that will be used at the Call of Duty Mobile World Championship 2025 taking place from November 7th to 9th.

Ahead of the event, Activision has made several adjustments to the regulations that will be implemented at the season-ending tournament.

Within the final changelog ahead of the World Championship, Activision has added a range of weapon-specific attachments to the ruleset to increase their viability for competitive play.

The 3-Line Rifle, Machine Pistol, Oden, RAM7, SKS, Tundra, Type 63 and USS-9 all feature new attachments that could spark a shift in the competitive meta during the mobile shooter title’s biggest tournament of the year.

In addition, the Engineer and Overclock Perks have been added to the Perk Restriction list, preventing players from selecting them when building a loadout ahead of a match.

Activision stated that the October 14th changelog is the final update to Call of Duty Mobile’s competitive ruleset of the year. The publisher also revealed that ‘all participating pros at the World Championship Finals will be polled and surveyed,’ enabling the publisher to gather feedback ahead of the 2026 season.

For 2025, the Call of Duty Mobile World Championship heads to Katowice, Poland, a city that’s no stranger to high-profile FPS esports events.

In total, 16 teams from across the world will compete across a GSL group stage and a double-elimination bracket playoffs to determine the eventual champion. The best team will walk away with the lion’s share of its $850,000 (~£640,067) prize pool.

Following victory at the Call of Duty Mobile Major 2025, Chinese team Wolves Esports heads into the tournament as one of the favourites. The competition will also feature defending World Champions Team Elevate, which also won the CODM World Championship 2025 Garena Finals in August.