As the Steam Summer Sale closes, here’s the last of the charts influenced by the discounts, before they return to being exactly the same as they were before the sale, and indeed during it.
So this week we’re going to dig into the history of these familiar names, revealing some secrets of their pasts that many may not already know. … [visit site to read more]
It’s been an action-packed summer so far and it’s that time of year where the eyes of the esports world turn to the Dota 2 International, which begins in August. However, there’s still plenty of action to be had from the League of Legends: Rift Rivals to the Hearthstone: Spring Championship. We even have the StarCraft II: Global League Season 3 to look forward to. All the details on this weekend’s events can be found below.
League of Legends: Rift Rivals
The LCS is taking a break this week as Rift Rivals continues to pit teams from all 13 regions against their closest rivals and re-open old wounds. Each tournament will vary in the number of invited teams, venues, and format—but every event will pair one region against each other. Back in 2013 Riot held its first ever Europe vs North America League of Legends competition, called Battle of the Atlantic. North America ended up winning this tournament, despite Europe coming out with a better record. Of the ten teams that competed at that tournament, only Fnatic, Cloud9 and Team SoloMid, will make their return to once again battle it out to secure regional glory and bragging rights. The full schedule and stream can be found by heading over to lolesports.com.
Dota 2: The Final Match
Dota 2’s Final Match 2017 is kicking off tomorrow in Lima Peru where the eight invited and qualified teams will be competing for a slice of the $50,000 prize pool. The tournament will feature Alliance, Team Spirit and MVP.Hot6ix as the overseas guests. Teams will be separated into two groups of four for the group stage and will compete in a one game series round robin format. The first and second place of each group will be seeded into the upper brackets of the main event, while the third and fourth place teams will go to the lower brackets. Meanwhile, the main event will take place July 8-9th, and will feature a double elimination round. Today’s group matches will see MVP.Hot6ix face SG e-sports at 09:00 PDT / 18:00 CEST, while Alliance will duke it out against Midas at 14:00 PDT / 23:00 CEST. Make sure to check out the full stream over on Twitch.
Dota 2: Mars Dota 2 League 2017
The Mars Dota 2 League is well underway and as of writing OG has topped the group with a 5-2 record, while Clutch Gamers fell to the bottom of the standings after only picking up one game. Rounding out one of the last LAN events before TI7, the eight teams will be fighting hard to show off their strengths and claim the lion’s share of the $250,000 prize pool. The winner’s final begins Saturday at 02:00 PDT / 11:00 CEST, while the grand finals start the same time tomorrow. Make sure to head BeyondTheSummit’s Twitch channel to catch all the latest action.
CS:GO: ESL One
This year's ESL One tournament will see 16 participants duke it out for $250,000 at the Laxness Arena in Cologne, Germany. Twelve of the participants received direct invites, while the remaining four teams were admitted via regional qualifiers. Team Liquid are currently at the top of the leaderboard and their dominance has landed them a place at the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Ninjas in pyjamas will be kicking today’s matches off at 01:00 PDT / 10:00 CEST, while the semifinals and finals start July 8-9. The full schedule and stream can be found by heading over to ESL’s official site.
StarCraft II: Global StarCraft League Season 3
The Global StarCraft League is the bedrock of competitive StarCraft II play in Korea, so expect plenty of drama this weekend. Season three of the GSL boasts a $152,100 prize pool and a guaranteed spot for the champion in the WCS Global Finals. These matches will be the defining journeys in many StarCraft II pro players’ careers and there’s certainly a lot on the line. Group B’s matches begin today at 21:00 PDT / 06:00 CEST and will continue throughout the day. The full weekend’s schedule and stream can be found by heading over to wcs.starcraft2.com.
Overwatch: Apex Season 3
Overwatch Apex Season three continues to heat up as we enter the final stages of the tournament. The finals are fast approaching and many fans will be eager to see whether KongDoo Panthera can take down Lunatic-Hai on July 29. Meanwhile, AF.Blue and Team EnVyUs will battle it out to see who will take third place in today’s match. The action will kick off at 03:00 PDT / 12:00 CEST, so be sure to check out the full stream over on Twitch.
Hearthstone: 2017 Hearthstone Spring Championship
The top 16 players from each region's spring playoffs will battle it out at the Silver Hall Expo Center in Shanghai, China. Players will battle in a dual tournament group stage, and the top two from each group will advance to the single-elimination playoff bracket. Only the best players will advance to the finals where they will have a chance to grab the $250,000 prize pool, so expect plenty of tense matches. The group matches concluded yesterday for US viewers, but those of you in Europe can catch all the action today at 04:30 CEST. The full schedule and stream can be found here.
Heroes of the Storm: Global Championships Phase 2
Phase two of the HGC is well underway and teams from around the world will continue to battle it out for the $425,000 prize pool. Gale Force eSports still remain on top and they will be aiming to take down No Tomorrow in today’s match. However, No Tomorrow are on the rise as they have currently gone undefeated in in Phase 2. Meanwhile, Fnatic continues to lead the European bracket and Team Liquid will be hoping to take down Tricked esport to close the gap. Each team has their eyes firmly set on the next Western Clash in August, so every victory will help increase the chance of taking the title. Make sure you head over to heroesofthestorm.com to find the schedule and stream for all the matches being played this weekend.
Rocket League: 7-Eleven Summer Series
The 7-Eleven Summer Series took place last Monday, and offered a unique glance at what we may have in store for RLCS Season 4. Eight teams were invited to compete in a single elimination tournament, but G2’s dominance saw them take the trophy. However, the action doesn’t stop there as the Rocket League Summer Series hops over the ocean to Europe, where Europe’s finest will compete for their chance to compete for a $6000 prize pool. You can catch the action on Sunday at 09:00 PDT / 18:00 CEST by heading over to Twitch.
It’s been an action-packed month so far and various tournaments are nearing the finish line, while others are just getting started. There’s still plenty of action from the Dota 2: International 7 Main Qualifiers to the Hearthstone: Wild Open Playoffs. We even have the CS:GO: PGL Major Kraków 2017 Offline Qualifier to look forward to. All the details on this weekend’s events can be found below.
League of Legends: NA LCS
Immortals continued to dominate the competition in week four coming out on top in their match against Counter Logic Gaming with a 2-0 sweep. The first game started out with a strong early-game from Immortals, but they struggled to turn that lead into any significant objectives. This quickly changed when CLG made several poor teamfights that resulted in IMT taking objectives. CLG struggled to defend their base as structures fell all around them and they eventually fell to the mounting pressure. Dardoch started game two with some strong early ganks that gave CLG and early lead, however, CLG suffered the same problem as the first game and they constantly engaged in unwinnable team fights. Meanwhile, IMT simply punished CLG’s over-aggression and methodically took objectives until they closed out the game. Week 5 starts today and we shall see whether anyone can contest IMT for the top spot. The full schedule and stream can found by heading over to lolesports.com.
League of Legends: EU LCS
Fnatic still remain at the top of the leaderboard and they show no signs of slowing down as we enter week five of play. The ultra-aggressive attrition approach employed by FNC has been extremely successful and ROCCAT has been the only team that has been able to punish their playstyle. However, H2K decided not to follow in ROCCAT’s footsteps, as they chose to engage Fnatic head-on. This decision proved to be extremely detrimental and FNC’s aggressive playstyle simply went unpunished. FNC constantly continued to ramp up the pressure throughout both games and secured a quick 2-0 victory, putting them firmly at the top of the leaderboard. FNC will be aiming to continue this success when they face Splyce today. The full schedule and stream can found by heading over to lolesports.com.
Dota 2: International 7 Main Qualifiers
The Dota 2 International main qualifiers wrapped up for most regions yesterday, but China will finish their qualifier matches today. For many professional teams these qualifiers are the most important steps towards a successful season. The main qualifier features a two stage format and only 60 teams (10 from each region) will eventually make it to the gruelling group stage of the tournament. The winning team will secure their share of the massive $1,600,000 prize pool and claim international glory. The full schedule and stream for each region can be found by heading over to dotabuff.com.
CS:GO: PGL Major Kraków 2017 Offline Qualifier
Sixteen teams from various regions have made their way to the PGL Studio in Bucharest, Romania where they will clash to determine the eight participants who will be joining the eight Legends in July 16th. CS:GO teams GODSENT, G2 Esports, Team Liquid and Team Dignitas are just a few of the teams that will participate in the PGL Major offline qualifier. These teams will battle their way through a best-of-one Swiss format over the course of four days. The Teams that manage qualify will be invited to participate at the LAN finals in Poland, whilst those who fail will be packing their bags for the disappointing journey home. Today’s matches begin at 00:00 PDT / 09:00 CEST and continue throughout the day. The stream can be found by heading over to Twitch.
Overwatch: Apex Season 3
Overwatch Apex Season three continues to heat up as the top teams from each group head into today’s semifinals. The finals are fast approaching and every team will be trying to claim the $177,055 prize pool. Today’s match will see AF.Blue take on Lunatic-Hai at 03:00 PDT / 12:00 CEST, while the match between KongDoo Panthera and Team EnVyUs starts July 4 at the same time. Make sure to check out the full stream over on Twitch.
Hearthstone: Global Games
The Hearthstone Global Games tournament enters week 12 of play today and every team has been fighting hard to claim the top spot in phase two. Half the teams from the original 48 have now been knocked out and the remaining players will be hoping to make it to the next stage. Group C and Group D’s matches concluded yesterday for US viewers, but those of you in Europe can catch all the action today at 03:00 CEST. It’s a long road ahead for the pros and every team will be fighting hard to secure the $300,000 prize pool in phase two of the tournament. The full schedule and stream for week four can be found here.
Hearthstone: Wild Open Playoffs
The first ever official Wild Open Hearthstone tournament will take place this weekend where 64 players from the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific will battle it out. Competition will be fierce and only the best players will have a shot at claiming the $25,000 prize pool. The Hearthstone Wild Open will be played in a best-of-five Conquest format with one ban. Online qualifiers took place June 9 and now the top two players from the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific will advance to the single elimination playoffs, where they will be joined by the top two players from China. The playoffs start Saturday at 10:00 PDT / 19:00 CEST and continue at the same time tomorrow. The full schedule and stream can be found here.
Heroes of the Storm: Global Championships Phase 2
Phase two of the HGC is well underway and teams from around the world will continue to battle it out for the $425,000 USD prize pool. Gale Force eSports still remain on top and they will be aiming to take down Tempo Storm this weekend. However, Roll20 did manage to maintain an even footing with Gale Force and while the team eventually lost, they did show some promising plays that they will be aiming to improve in week two. Each team has their eyes firmly set on the next Western Clash in August, so every victory will help increase the chance of taking the title. Make sure you head over to heroesofthestorm.com to find the schedule and stream for all the matches being played this weekend.
Dota 2 continues to headline the world of esports this week as The Summit 7 saw Virtus.pro take the title, while on the other side of the Pacific in Shenzhen, China, Newbee won Galaxy Battles.The drama doesn’t stop there, as there’s plenty of action from the Dota 2 International 7 Open Qualifiers to the League of Legends LCS. We even have the CS:GO Esports Championship Finals to look forward to. All the details on this weekend’s events can be found below.
League of Legends: NA LCS
Immortals continued to dominate the competition in week three and the introduction of Xmithie has only heightened their performance on the Rift. Team Liquid didn’t stand a chance as they were quickly crushed in a 2-0 sweep, which gave Immortals the confidence to reverse sweep Cloud9. Immortals aim to continue their dominance during their week four matches against Counter Logic Gaming and Team Dignitas. With their solid teamwork and excellent macro play, Immortals are ready for the challenges that lay ahead, but we shall have to see whether they can claim the top spot. The full schedule and stream can found by heading over to lolesports.com.
League of Legends: EU LCS
Misfits shed its underdog status last weekend when they managed to secure a 2-1 victory against G2 Esports in their week three series. Jungler Nubar "Maxlore" Sarafian got Misfits ahead as Lee Sin, giving first blood over to mid laner Tristan "PowerOfEvil" Schrage's Orianna during the first three minutes. Maxlore continued to ramp up the pressure throughout the first game and Misfits finished game one off with a powerful teamfight from PowerOfEvil. Misfits eventually took the series in game three thanks to another dominant showing from Maxlore’s Lee Sin. Misfits now find themselves at the top of the Group A standings and they will be aiming to continue this success when they face Team Vitality today. The full schedule and stream can found by heading over to lolesports.com.
Dota 2: International 7 Open Qualifiers
The Dota 2 International open qualifiers started yesterday and for many professional teams these qualifiers are the most important step towards a successful season. The winners of each open qualifier will then advance to the main qualifier, which will run from the 26th to 30th of June in a two stage format. Competition is expected to be extremely fierce and 60 teams (10 from each region) will eventually make it to the gruelling group stage. The winning team will secure their share of the massive $1,600,000 prize pool and claim international glory. The full schedule and stream for each region can be found by heading over to dotabuff.com
CS:GO: Esports Championship Finals
The esports championship series season three finals are taking place at Wembley Arena today, where eight teams from around the globe will duke it out for the $660,000 prize pool and the champions' title. The event will see a double-elimination group stage, followed by single-elimination, best-of-three play-offs stage. The group stage matches will be best-of-one match-ups, whilst elimination and decider matches will be best-of-three. FaZe Clan and OpTic Gaming are kicking off the group stage today at 04:15 PDT / 13:15 CEST, while the elimination and deciders start tomorrow at 03:15 PDT / 12:15 CEST. The tournament will be streamed live on www.youtube.com/faceit.
Overwatch: Apex Season 3
Overwatch Apex Season three continues to heat up as the qualified teams from each group continue to battle it out against one another. The finals are fast approaching and every team will be trying to claim the $177,055 prize pool. Today’s match will see X6-Gaming take on Team EnVyUs at 03:00 PDT / 12:00 CEST, while the Group B match between LW Blue and Lunatic Hai starts at 04:30 PDT / 13:30 CEST. Make sure to check out the full stream over on Twitch.
Hearthstone: Global Games
The Hearthstone Global Games tournament enters week 11 of play today and every team has been fighting hard to claim the top spot in the group stage. Half the teams from the original 48 have now been knocked out and the groups have been reseeded ready for the round robin stage. Group C’s round five match concluded yesterday for US viewers, but those of you in Europe can catch all the action today at 03:00 CEST. It’s a long road ahead for the pros and every team will be fighting hard to secure the $300,000 prize pool in phase two of the tournament. The full schedule and stream for week four can be found here.
Hearthstone: SeatStory Cup VII
Hearthstone’s seatstory cup begins today and 32 of the best Hearthstone players will gather at Krefeld, Germany to participate in the tournament. Hearthstone pros Frodan, Impact, Maverick and RDU will be present at this year’s tournament, but only the strongest will have a chance to claim the $20,000 prize pool and the seatstory cup. Today’s match will see Ostkaka and Reckful kick off the Group E bracket at 04:05 PDT/ 13:05 CEST, followed by RDU vs. Pavel at 05:20 PDT / 14:20 CEST. The full schedule and stream can be found by heading over to seatstorycup.com.
Heroes of the Storm: Global Championships Phase 2
Phase two of the HGC is well underway and teams from around the world will continue to battle it out for the $425,000 USD prize pool. Fnatic will be aiming to continue their Mid-Season Brawl success and claim a top spot in phase two of the tournament. Every team will have their eyes firmly set on the next Western Clash in August, but only those who can remain focused and remain strong under the pressure will have a chance at taking the title. Make sure you head over to heroesofthestorm.com to find the schedule and stream for all the matches being played this weekend.
Street Fighter V: The Fight 2017
The next stop in the 2017 Capcom Pro Tour season takes us to Bogotá, Colombia for The Fight 2017. Top players like Brazil's Brolynho and Dominican Republic's MenaRD will be in attendance as well as other top regional players. Flash from the USA will also be competing, so be sure to tune in to the live stream over on Twitch to watch all the combo chaos. The matches start tomorrow at 12:00 PDT / 21:00 CEST and continue throughout the day.
Updates for Counter-Strike: Source, Day of Defeat: Source, Half-Life Deathmatch: Source, Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, and the Source SDK 2013 Base have been released. The updates will be applied automatically when you restart the game. The major changes include:
Fixed being unable to start any map in single-player mode
