Category: eSports

Valve cancels ticket sales for ‘DOTA 2’ International

Just days before competitions were to begin, too.

Valve Software made the difficult decision to refund all tickets for DOTA 2’s The International mere days before the tournament begins on Oct. 7 due to rising COVID-19 cases in Romania.

“We have been carefully evaluating the continued rise of Covid rates in Romania, as well as the resulting introduction of new local restrictions in Bucharest,” Valve said on DOTA 2’s blog. “To ensure the safety of all players, talent, and production staff participating in the event, we have decided to refund all ticket sales for The International 2021.”

The statement continued: “We wanted nothing more than to welcome fans live to the event, but we can no longer do so in a way that allows us to prioritize the health and well-being of both audience members and participants. Those who purchased tickets will be issued a full refund automatically.”

President of PGL Esports, the company that helps Valve organize The International, said that he believes tournaments of this scale can only return if all attendees are vaccinated. So no doubt that they have taken this situation seriously from the beginning. It’s a shame, though, that some DOTA 2 fans who traveled across to watch The International live are only just getting this news now, though. 

It’s certainly risky to plan any travel during the pandemic.

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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‘Una porquería’ No paran las críticas al eFootball 2022

Los fanáticos de la zaga Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) siguen siendo decepcionados, el nuevo eFootball 2022 está recibiendo pésimas críticas

Los fanáticos de la zaga Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) siguen siendo decepcionados, primero por el cambio de nombre a eFootball y luego por la calidad de juego que entregó Konami en su edición estrenada el día de hoy.

La principal crítica de los usuarios vino al motor gráfico del juego pues a circulan en redes las animaciones de los futbolistas, muy distorsionadas de la realidad, lo que ha generado una gran cantidad de burlas y memes.

Le siguió la jugabilidad, los usuarios criticaron a Konami por hacer que los jugadores patinen sobre el césped, además que los movimientos no parecen reales e incorporaron nuevas funciones más parecidas a lo que ya ofrece FIFA.

El peor rankeado de la historia

Tan malas críticas está recibiendo el eFootball 2022 que en Steam, el sitio dedicado a rankear lo peor de lo peor, los usuarios ya colocaron el nuevo videojuego como el peor de la historia.

La valoración catalogada como ‘extremadamente negativa’ es letal para una franquicia que Konami terminó por matar como ya lo hizo con otras de las favoritas de los gamers como Silent Hill, Metal Gear o Castlevania.

Si bien es un demo gratuito y el juego completo será estrenado el próximo 11 de noviembre, Konami se puede ir despidiendo de grandes ventas del eFootball 2022.

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‘Overwatch’ beginner’s guide: All you need to know to get started

Let’s see what the MOBA of first-person shooters is all about.

Exhilarating. This is what the team-based first-person hero shooter Overwatch is in a single word. A unique competitive experience that is without an equivalent in the current gaming landscape.

That moment when the game is in overtime and you and your team mount a last-ditch effort at pushing the payload past the final checkpoint and succeed. Or when you clutch out a team fight that turns the tide in your favor. This is when Overwatch is at its best.

But before we go into the nitty-gritty of the game, let’s take a step back and go over what Overwatch is at its core.

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‘Valorant’ beginner’s guide: All you need to know to start playing

Let’s get the basics of “Valorant” out of the way.

Teamplay in Riot Games’ tactical shooter Valorant is everything. So much so that you won’t make it if you are not ready to work with others at least a little bit. Let’s have a look. You have tons of agents, abilities, and weapon combinations at your disposal in Valorant, but what really sets the game apart from other shooters is the pronounced need to work with others to achieve your goal.

But before we talk more about teamwork, we’ll introduce you to some of the basics that are critical when you take your first steps into the world of Valorant. Let’s get started.

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The 2021 Halo Championship Series Kickoff Major begins December 17

Think we’ll see any killtaculars?

As we inch closer to Halo Infinite’s  launch, developer 343 Industries is gearing up to turn the game into a global esport. As such, the studio announced that the Halo Championship Series Kickoff Major is taking place in Raleigh, North Carolina, from Dec. 17 through Dec. 19, with a starting prize pool of $250,000.

Considering this is the first big Halo tournament since DreamHack Anaheim 2020, 343 Industries seems particularly excited to reunite with fans for a few days of competition. 

“Once again, the Halo community will be united under one roof,” 343 Industries said via Halo Waypoint. “This time with an entirely new Halo game to play and watch. In tried-and-true Halo esports fashion, the HCS Kickoff Major will feature an open bracket, seating for spectators, as well as full main stage and featured stations for pool play and the championship bracket.”

Check out the Halo Championship Series Kickoff Major’s slick announcement trailer for yourself below.

Tickets for the event go on sale tomorrow, but proof of vaccination will be a requirement like many other 2021 esports events with live attendees.

“We have been working closely with Esports Engine, the Microsoft Security and Events teams, as well as the venue and local government in Raleigh, but we need the help and cooperation of the entire Halo community,” 343 Industries said via Halo Waypoint. “All attendees must also present proof of vaccination as well as a photo ID each time they enter the venue.”

It should be a great event, especially with some of the talent involved. Here’s to hoping Halo Infinite’s esports debut is a hit.

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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New ‘Overwatch 2’ heroes might debut next Overwatch League season

Aaron Keller claims we may see new heroes soon(ish).

Overwatch 2 probably won’t be out for ages, but its new heroes might debut during the 2022 season of Overwatch League (OWL). During the 2021 OWL grand finals on Saturday, game director Aaron Keller let fans know that we might see some new faces along with familiar favorites amidst the competition, Dot Esports reported.

“Our plan is that we will have all of those heroes, all 32 of those heroes, playable for the next season of Overwatch League,” Keller said during the OWL grand finals broadcast. “And who knows, there might even be a few more.”

It’s been known for a while now that an early build of Overwatch 2 is what the pros will be playing next April when the 2022 OWL season starts. So it adds up that a new hero or two might show up by then. 

During the grand finals, an exhibition match of Overwatch 2 showed off some of the significant changes coming in the sequel. Most notably, the swap from 6v6 to 5v5. However, every hero in the match was from the original game. 

Sojourn, a railgun-wielding Canadian, is the only hero we know of coming in Overwatch 2 so far. It would be great if we got to see more of them and other yet-to-be-shown heroes during next year’s competition.

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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Your 2021 Overwatch League champions are the Shanghai Dragons

The team went 4-0 to win it all.

After years of hard-fought competition, the Shanghai Dragons are Overwatch League’s 2021 champions — going 4-0 in the playoffs against the Atlanta Reign to walk away with $1.5 Million in winnings.

Not only is this the Shanghai Dragons’ first championship win in franchise history, but it’s a stark turnaround from their performance during the first season of Overwatch League. In 2018, the Shanghai Dragons went 0-40, failing to even qualify for the playoffs. Yup, the team that just decimated everyone in 2021 did not record a single win during the inaugural season! Byung-chul “Moon” Moon, coach of the Shanghai Dragons, couldn’t be happier with the outcome.

“When I joined the organization for the 2020 season, I really wanted to make the Shanghai Dragons into a strong team that could win and go all the way to the Grand Finals,” Moon said on Overwatch League’s website. “We really wanted to have the Shanghai Dragons’ name be written on the last page of [this era of] Overwatch history while also having fun until the very end, and we were able to achieve that.”

Moon refers to the fact that the next Overwatch League season will use Overwatch 2 rather than the original game. Pretty cool underdog story, to be sure. Hopefully, this is only the beginning of the team’s rise to glory.

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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DJ Dillion Francis will perform during the Overwatch League Grand Finals

Electronic music seems like a good fit for Overwatch.

Anyone planning to watch the 2021 Overwatch League Grand Finals is in for a treat, as electronic DJ Dillon Francis will perform a set during the show on Sept. 25. The Latin Grammy-nominated artist expressed quite a bit of enthusiasm about attending too. 

“I wanted to play in the Overwatch League Grand Finals,” Francis said on Twitter. “But I wasn’t good enough, so they let me play a set instead.” 

The set will encompass past hits from Francis and tracks from his forthcoming “Happy Machine” album, Upcomer reported Friday. 

 It’s unclear exactly when he’ll perform during the event, just that it’ll be after the preshow at 5:45 P.M. PT. The schedule is pretty busy this year. Aside from the finals, there will be an exhibition match of Overwatch 2 between some pro teams. Not to mention a comprehensive breakdown of the hero reworks for Sombra and Bastion. 

The 2021 Overwatch League Grand Finals should also be the last time Overwatch will be the center of attention, as next season will use an early build of Overwatch 2. Pretty wild to think about in that context. If there aren’t more cancellations buggering up events, that is.

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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Riot Games wants fans to predict the 2021 League of Legends World Championship winners

Pick’em is back.

If you’re a betting person who loves League of Legends, Riot Games wants you to guess who will win the 2021 League of Legends World Championships. That’s right, Pick’em is back — the reoccurring community event where fans predict who will win the biggest esports event of the year.

The premise is simple: successfully choose a team’s placement on brackets and various stages to earn points that you can use to get exclusive rewards in League of Legends. Stuff like summoner icons, reward capsules, blue essence, and ultimate character skins for champions. Pick’em returns for every League of Legends Worlds tournament, but Riot introduced a new feature called the Crystal Ball this year.

“The Crystal Ball gives you the ultimate opportunity to say I told you so,” Riot Games said on Lolesports. “If you predict the correct Finals winner from before Worlds even starts, you will be granted 20 extra points at the end of Worlds, a nice pad to your leaderboard standing.”

Check out the full Pick’Em announcement for yourself below.

If you’re going to be watching the 2021 League of Legends World Championships, there’s no reason not to participate in Pick’em. It’s an opportunity to win free stuff with no price of admission, after all. You can’t beat that!

Written by Kyle Campbell on behalf of GLHF. 

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FIFA 22’s biggest risers and fallers: Whose overall rating changed the most this year?

Cristiano lost a point.

Soccer. The ol’ gridiron. A good walk spoiled. There’s the version that happens inside stadiums, and another manifestation, just as real to us at the moment, that takes place on our OLEDs. A symphony of deft right stick waggles, perfectly weighted trigger presses, and furious cutscene skipping that’s kept us enthralled in FIFA’s ecosystem for decades. Anyway, listen, the new one’s nearly out.

And that means a fresh chance to scrutinize the overall ratings and use EA’s player database as a bellwether for the form of world soccer’s elite. Not to mention giving us an irresistible chance to complain that a beloved player from our own team who, hand on heart, we know isn’t better than a 79 has failed to attain a 90-plus. Shelvey not rated as highly as Mbappé? Insult. Get it right EA. 

So, then: this game’s biggest OVR risers and fallers. We’re using FIFA’s official FIFA 22 and FIFA 21 databases, and taking the latest values from 21 – so although the likes of Lacroix jumped from 66 to a 79 based on his first appearance in FIFA 21, in actuality he’s currently a 78 in last year’s game so it’s only a one-point increase. 

Claro? Claro. Bring out the players!

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