We are back with another Esports Fan Report! Check out our recap of favorite stories in the video above, from World Championship announcements to some chewy esports drama. As always, you can enjoy more stories, updates, and highlights below!
Biggest Stories
CS:GO ups the ante with bigger prize pools
The ever popular FPS Counter Strike: Global Offensive has gotten a big chunk o’ change added to all “Major Championships.” Starting with the upcoming MLG Columbus 2016 tournament taking place in late March, Valve has pushed the prizepool from $250,000 to $1,000,000.
CS:GO continues to be one of the most popular games in the world as it ranks second on monthly twitch viewership and second as the most played game on the Steam platform. This investment in the esports community should further grow the competitive scene.
Former Dota 2 manager claims funds being withheld
Evany, the current manager of the OG Dota 2 squad and former manager of Team Secret, claims that previous members of the 2014 roster have not been given their winnings. A total of five former players are said to be affected by the issue and winnings from five tournaments allegedly withheld.
On her Twitter account, Evany posted a brief timestamped correspondence between the new Team Secret manager and other parties involved to showcase her frustrations and hopefully light some fire under some butts.
This is not an uncommon occurrence in esports as many organizations, players and tournaments have issues with proper prize pool handling. Without unions in place or an overseeing entity, drama will continue.
SMITE comes to PS4
The popular third-person MOBA from Hi-Rez Studios will make its way into a closed beta phase starting in March on PS4. Originally released on PC, Hi-Rez ported a version to Xbox One in August of 2015 and this latest venture will make SMITE available on three platforms.
Those of you who are digital item fiends, Hi-Rez Studios mentions that those who link their PC SMITE accounts with their PS4 version will receive two exclusive skins.
Devilwalk leaves the CS:GO pro scene
A long time participant in the Counter Strike scene, Jonatan “Devilwalk” Lundberg has decided to walk away from the competitive scene. A fixture since 2012, Devilwalk is best known for his 2013 Winter Dreamhack win and his subsequent role as coach for Team Fnatic. Devilwalk cites physical problems, notably his wrists and he hopes to address his health and perhaps make a return to esports in some capacity in the future.
Hearthstone pro speaks out against harassment
Professional Hearthstone player, Rumay “Hafu” Wang is also a popular streamer on the Twitch platform who has recently spoken out about abuse. In the video above, Hafu describes the offensive messages she receives and how it affects her profession and health.
Valve releases plans for competitive TF2
The game that brought us the hat obsession is now trying to become an esport. In late January, Valve released a statement regarding the long awaited competitive matchmaking option for Team Fortress 2 players. Recently, Valve released another statement discussing their plan to roll out beta participation for this new feature. Random players will be granted an exclusive pass to participate. Looking to increase your odds of an invite? You can learn more here,
Streaming Highlights
This edition’s streaming highlights are brought to you by Faze clan’s Spratt. This is a nice Call of Duty: Black Ops III video of him performing some unreal kill streaks and skillshots. Hope you enjoy!
Game Updates
Dota 2: Invoker gets important changes right before big tournament
A recent small patch hit the main client right before the Dota 2 Shanghai Majors began. In patch 6.86f, a small nerf to Invoker has been introduced to try and balance the very popular pick in both competitive and public play. The spell “Deafening Blast” received some nerfs that allow players to still cast spells while under the influence. While this is a minor patch and change, this will have an interesting impact on drafts on the ongoing Shanghai Dota 2 tournament.