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| (Image Source: Verge Magazine) |
Two-time FA Cup winner and former England international Theo Walcott and EFL legend Adebayo Akinfenwa joined some of the UK’s most high-profile sports content creators and special guests, including Chip, DJ Maximum, DJ AG and Headie One as EA SPORTS FC™ and PUMA hosted an exclusive EA SPORTS FC™ 27 launch event at PUMA's flagship Oxford Street store in London. Held ahead of the game’s worldwide launch on 25th September, the immersive takeover transformed one of the capital’s most recognized retail destinations into a celebration of the communities, culture and passion that continue to shape The World’s Game.
The invite-only takeover welcomed figures from across football and entertainment. Throughout the evening, guests were able to get hands-on with EA SPORTS FC™ 27, exploring the latest gameplay innovations and features through a series of bespoke activations, interactive challenges, and live content moments. “Tonight was extremely fun, and there was plenty of banter throughout. It was great to be part of this event, and it was a top showcase of what EA SPORTS FC™ and PUMA is all about, bringing so many people together through a shared love of football. I’ve spent a lot of time today playing EA SPORTS FC™ 27 and I know fans are going to enjoy what’s coming when the game launches,” said Walcott. The launch showcased the strong relationship between EA SPORTS FC™ and PUMA with the brand becoming one of the first partners to be integrated into The Grounds experience. New to EA SPORTS FC™ 27, The Grounds is a social football playground that expands the Clubs experience, taking players from casual kickabouts to top-tier competition across three distinct districts inspired by English, French, and Argentinian football heritage. The iconic PUMA T7 Collection and PUMA Suedes featured prominently throughout the event with the collection also available within EA SPORTS FC™ 27. Highlights from the evening included:
• Crown The Champion: Gaming pods located throughout the store courtesy of PlayStation UK, became the focal point for friendly competition. Footballers and creators teamed up in a series of Crown the Champion match-ups, battling for bragging rights and the title of EA SPORTS FC™ 27's ultimate champion. The match-ups saw Walcott and Shizelle go head-to-head against MK and FG while other fixtures featured Bov Boys, Hashtag House, Akinfenwa and Headie One.
• Fast Feet Brings The Grounds To The Real World: Inspired by the new social experience arriving in EA SPORTS FC™ 27, guests also took part in Fast Feet, a live leaderboard challenge that brought one of The Grounds’ mini games into the real world. After Curtis Davies and Jobi McAnuff set the benchmark scores, attendees competed to top the leaderboard, with the challenge delivering some of the night’s most competitive and entertaining moments.
• Celebrating Football Culture Beyond The Pitch: The experience extended beyond gameplay, with a trophy photo wall showcasing silverware from across the English game, including the Premier League and EFL. The space offered guests the chance to celebrate the history, rivalries and moments that make football culture so unique.
• The Soundtrack Sets The Tone: Music has long been a defining part of the EA SPORTS FC™ experience and throughout the evening guests were immersed in the sounds of FC 27 through a DJ-curated soundtrack featuring tracks from the game's recently released official soundtrack, available to stream on Spotify.
• Partners Power The Experience: PUMA brought a bespoke customization bay to the event, allowing guests to personalize apparel and showcase their individual style.
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Visa, MOONTON Games Extend Collaboration With New Three-Year Partnership For Mobile Legends: Bang Bang's M Series, The World's Most Watched Mobile eSports Tournament
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| (Image Source: MOONTON Games) |
Visa, a global leader in digital payments, and MOONTON Games, the international video game developer behind Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), recently announced a three-year partnership to elevate the M Series experience for fans worldwide. The partnership sees Visa named the Global Payment Partner for the next three editions of the M Series — the M8 World Championship (M8) in 2027 through the M10 World Championship (M10) in 2029. The M Series is MLBB's flagship international competition and is the most-watched mobile eSports tournament in history with 5.68 million Peak Concurrent Viewers (PCV) according to eSports Charts.
From the M8 through the M10, Visa cardholders will receive preferential access to M Series tickets, as well as opportunities to win VIP Zone access, meet-and-greets, and behind-the-scenes tours — bringing fans closer to their favourite players and teams. The partnership comes as the M Series expands its international footprint. The M8 will mark the tournament's European debut, building on MLBB eSports' global expansion strategy unveiled earlier this year. With Visa facilitating payments across more than 200 countries and territories, its reach and payment capabilities will support MLBB's continued international growth while creating more seamless and rewarding fan experiences. Visa Asia Pacific Chief Marketing Officer Danielle Jin said, “We're proud to deepen our partnership with MOONTON Games and MLBB, one of the most remarkable gaming franchises in the world. MLBB is a powerful example of how mobile gaming is changing the way people play, connect with each other, and spend. Every year, millions of fans and gamers engage with the M Series. Together with MOONTON Games, we look forward to creating more iconic moments that fans and gamers will remember in the years to come.” The multi-year agreement builds on Visa's first entry into MLBB eSports at the M7 World Championship (M7) in Jakarta, Indonesia, anchored in a shared vision of empowering youth through digital innovation. Visa has also expanded its presence within the wider MLBB eSports ecosystem, joining MLBB Professional League (MPL) Philippines as an Official Sponsor for Season 18.
MOONTON Games Global Head of MLBB eSports Tiger Xu said, “Our partnership with Visa at the M7 demonstrated how we can create greater value together across the fan journey. This multi-year agreement is a natural next step as MLBB eSports enters its next phase of globalization. It also reflects the growing international scale and relevance of the M Series. Together, we are excited to deliver a more seamless, rewarding, and connected experience for fans around the world.” Visa champions the moments that bring fans closer to the passions they love, from sports and music to gaming, fashion, and entertainment. Guided by a fan-first approach to partnerships, Visa designs experiences that deepen connection and make participation seamless, secure and accessible for audiences around the world. Through high-impact partnerships, Visa helps shape cultural moments while enabling effortless cross-border commerce. Visa's partnership with MOONTON Games strengthens its growing range of gaming partnerships and its commitment to helping people connect with the communities and experiences they care about most.
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Thunderpick Named As Presenting Partner Of The 2026 eSports Awards
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| (Image Source: Mynewsdesk/eSports Awards) |
The eSports Awards, the biggest and most prestigious night in eSports, recently announced premier eSports platform Thunderpick as the Presenting Partner and Official iGaming Partner of the 2026 eSports Awards. The major partnership will span the flagship awards ceremony, content, and original storytelling as well as an entire 12-month window with Thunderpick continuing as the Presenting Partner through to 2027.
Taking place in Miami on November 17th, the eSports Awards will bring together leading players, teams, creators, and industry figures. As Presenting Partner, Thunderpick will hold a leading role across the 2026 programme including the eSports Awards, eSports Play of the Month and Origins Podcast. Hotspawn will be the Presenting Partner for the eSports Awards Invitational, Lifetime Achievement Mixer, and PWR UP B2B Conference. Thunderpick will also present three key honours: eSports Play of the Month, eSports Play of the Year and Streamer of the Year, celebrating standout competitive moments and the creators making an impact across gaming and eSports. The partnership will also see Thunderpick and the eSports Awards collaborate on a content series focusing on former and current professional eSports players, exploring their careers, experiences and the stories behind the players who have shaped the industry. Hotspawn will be an official media partner of the eSports Awards, bringing fans closer to the biggest night in eSports and the events around it. “We’re thrilled to welcome Thunderpick as the Presenting Partner of the 2026 eSports Awards. This partnership goes far beyond the awards ceremony with Thunderpick supporting key moments across our events, content, and business programming. Together, we’re looking forward to delivering an exciting 2026 programme and celebrating the people and moments that continue to define eSports,” said eSports Awards CEO Michael Ashford.
“We’re excited to partner with the eSports Awards to celebrate the people and moments that make this community what it is. The Awards and content series give fans a closer look at the players who have helped shape the scene and that’s what makes this partnership exciting for us. There’s so much happening outside of the games that deserves a bigger spotlight and we’re excited to help bring those stories to life.” said Thunderpick Head of Strategy Kelly Sanders. Last August, the eSports Awards announced the first wave of finalists including eSports Game of the Year, eSports Personality of the Year, eSports Tournament Organizer of the Year, Streamer of the Year, and more. Fans can vote at www.esportsawards.com/vote until November 10th. Fans can make their votes count twice as much during Turbo Week, running from November 3rd to 10th, where every vote submitted carries double the weight in the final push.
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Proven By Pros, Trusted On Stage – Razer Becomes Official Headset Partner Of Blast Premier
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| (Image Source: Razer) |
Razer™, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, recently announced a two-year partnership with BLAST Premier, becoming the global Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) tournament series’ Official Headset Partner. Across 12 events from late 2026 through 2028, players will compete on stage using Razer headsets. The partnership will debut at BLAST Premier Rivals Hong Kong, taking place on November 11–15, 2026. In CS2, a round can turn on just hearing something first: a footstep, a reload, or a teammate’s call. Razer is bringing headsets built for those split-second decisions to every BLAST Premier stage covered by the partnership.
“eSports is where we prove our technology, learn from the world’s best, and set the standard for competitive performance. BLAST Premier gives us a global Counter-Strike stage to do that consistently. When a round can turn on a single audio cue, players need absolute clarity and total confidence in their gear, and that is what we are bringing to every event,” said Razer Global eSports Director Jeffrey Chau. For more than two decades, eSports has been where Razer develops, validates, and advances competitive gaming technology with the eSports pros who use it under pressure. The BLAST Premier partnership extends that model into Counter-Strike at a global scale, creating a consistent stage for Razer performance audio, and a proving ground where competition at the highest level continues to inform how its eSports headsets evolve.At the center is the Razer BlackShark V3 Pro, the latest evolution of Razer’s flagship competitive headset line introduced in 2012. Each generation has been shaped by direct feedback from eSports professionals with a focus on sound clarity, communications, long-session comfort, and noise isolation. The BlackShark V3 Pro was developed with direct input from Counter-Strike Major champion and Team Razer athlete Nikola “NiKo” Kovač alongside other eSports professionals. NiKo worked with Razer engineers to fine-tune the headset for competitive CS2 including the subtle audio details that inform split-second decisions.
That product-development approach has translated into adoption by professionals. According to ProSettings.net, more than one in three tracked professional eSports players, over 775 pros worldwide, compete on a Razer headset. The Razer BlackShark line holds both the #1 and #2 positions among gaming headsets overall. The BlackShark V3 Pro is also the most-used headset among the site’s tracked Counter-Strike 2 professionals. “Razer has a long-standing reputation for building products with competitive players at the center. Bringing Razer headsets to BLAST Premier strengthens the stage environment for our teams and connects one of eSports’ most established brands with Counter-Strike fans around the world,” said BLAST Senior Vice President of Brand Partnerships Steve Rossi. Competitive gaming keeps raising the bar, and the margins that decide it keep getting finer. Through BLAST Premier and partnerships like it, Razer is doubling down on a pursuit two decades in the making: equipping the world’s best players to perform when it matters most, and inspiring the next generation to chase them onto the stage.
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Winter Crew Studios' Hand-Drawn JRPG-Inspired Adventure, Fallen Tear: The Ascension, Now Available On Steam
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| (Image Source: Steam/Winter Crew Studios) |
Manila-based independent video game developer Winter Crew Studios recently announced that Fallen Tear: The Ascension, its hand-drawn, story-driven Metroidvania, is now available in version 1.0 on Steam for $24.99 / €24.99 / £21.99. Following its Early Access launch last March 2026, Fallen Tear: The Ascension officially reaches its full release, bringing the journey of Hira to its conclusion alongside a substantial expansion of the game’s world, combat and progression systems. The game’s Early Access journey has already earned a “Very Positive” rating from players.
Set in the high-fantasy world of Raoah, Fallen Tear: The Ascension follows Hira, a mysterious child fated to stand against ancient gods. At the heart of the adventure is the Fated Bonds system, allowing players to forge relationships with allies who bring distinct combat and traversal abilities that can reshape the way players fight and explore. The game combines traditional hand-drawn animation and full voice acting with fast, skill-based combat and JRPG-inspired storytelling. The version 1.0 launch roughly doubles the content available during Early Access. Players can discover 10 additional major regions with interconnected areas, 5 new main bosses and 16 new optional side bosses, alongside 11 new Fated Bonds, each bringing their own abilities and story moments. Hira’s progression also expands with 3 additional Ascensions, 6 new Hunter Skills, 4 new Elemental Imbuements and 16 new Mastery Skills spanning Tier III and Tier IV. Altogether, the full release offers 35 to 40 hours of story content, with more than 80 hours available for players pursuing full completion. “Fallen Tear: The Ascension has grown tremendously through the support and feedback of our Early Access community. Their input helped us refine the combat, deepen the Fated Bonds and shape the journey we wanted players to experience. With the full story now in place, we’re excited to finally share the world, characters and conclusion we’ve been working toward with players everywhere,” said Winter Crew Studios Creative Director Stephen Manalastas.
Key Features:
• Fated Bonds: Forge bonds with allies across Raoah, each granting unique combat and traversal abilities that change how you fight and explore.
• Hand-Drawn World: Explore lush forests, lost cities and forgotten ruins rendered in traditional hand-drawn animation with full voice acting.
• Skill-Based Combat: Slash, parry and dodge through the Ascension and Hunter skill trees and switch tactics mid-fight against bosses that keep you guessing.
• Multiple Endings: Shape Hira's fate through the bonds you form and the choices you make on the way to one of several possible endings.
• The Temple Of Oras: Customize a personal hub high above Raoah and fill it with allies met throughout the journey.
Fallen Tear: The Ascension is now available on Steam featuring full audio in English and text localization support for English, German, Brazilian Portuguese and Simplified Chinese with further languages (Spanish, French, Italian, Turkish, Korean, and Japanese) arriving after launch. For more information, visit the game's official website at fallentearascension.com.
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British Team Hustler Crew Take Home Glory In Action-Packed 2026 PUBG MOBILE Global Open Western Europe Finals
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| (Image Source: Facebook/PUBG MOBILE Europe) |
The next step in the growth of Western European eSports for PUBG MOBILE eSports has concluded with the 2026 PUBG MOBILE Global Open (PMGO) Western Europe Finals coming to an exciting close. British team Hustler Crew have emerged victorious after 18 nail-biting matches, taking home the lion’s share of the $23,000 prize pool and a slot at the 2026 PMGO Season 2. They will be joined by Ukrainian team NEXT, who fought their way through to second place in the overall event rankings.
After a string of intense matches through the 2026 PUBG MOBILE Club Open (PMCO) Western Europe qualifiers, 16 teams faced off with Boars Gaming kicking off the action and taking home the first match’s Winner Winner Chicken Dinner. The 2026 PMGO WEU Finals was a key milestone in the partnership between G2 eSports and PUBG MOBILE, organized by G2’s award-winning media house 62. Hustler Crew entered the running with a WWCD in the second match thanks to a devastating grenade throw, before One for All contested their dominance and claimed the third match for themselves with a skillful flank on remaining team NEXT using vehicles to reposition. After six matches, Hustler Crew set the pace for the rest of the weekend at first place for day one, followed by Killer Crew and Boars Gaming. Day two saw Boars Gaming return with momentum in the seventh match, scoring 10 eliminations and claiming the day’s first WWCD. The excitement continued with Nasty Bullets scoring the win in matches eight and ten while Magma eSports, 1715 Team, Legion Reborn and NEXT all fought valiantly to stay in competition for the top spot and took home at least one WWCD each. Despite Magma eSports making an impressive showing in day three with the first two WWCDs, Hustler Crew couldn’t be stopped, scoring 109 eliminations over the three days and finishing the Finals off with 157 points due to their consistent success over the weekend. MAVERICK eSports’ MVŪFAK3RRR was awarded MVP of the event for racking up eliminations contributing to his team’s position in 3rd place overall, walking home with 61 eliminations, almost 20 over the next highest.
With their impressive performances bringing them to 1st and 2nd place, Hustler Crew and NEXT will now make their way to the 2026 PMGO S2 with the Main Event taking place in Pakistan next month. There, they will test their skills against 30 other teams from across the globe with a $500,000 prize pool on the line and opportunities to take centre stage at the flagship event of the PUBG MOBILE eSports tournament circuit, the 2026 PUBG MOBILE Global Championship.
