Author: G7R

In an unusual move by the Magic: The Gathering Pauper format panel, a Modern Horizons 3 Artifact Equipment was added to the Banned and Restricted list before the set was released.  Prebans aren’t normal in MTG, but with a set as powerful as Modern Horizons 3, what was normal isn’t anymore. The first pre-ban targeted 13 Magic cards for the MTG Arena Historic and Brawl formats. A second pre-ban was announced on June 6 by principle designer Gavin Verhey, who is also a member of the Pauper Format Panel (PFP).  Many in the MTG community called it when Cranial Ram…

In what turned out to be yet another disappointing tournament run, Shopify Rebellion were eliminated from Riyadh Masters’ North American closed qualifier grand final by Nouns. The setback has cast a cloud over Arteezy’s pro career. Nouns—captained by ex-Shopify Rebellion player Tal “Fly” Aizik—beat Shopify 3-2 in the best-of-five grand finals and secured Riyadh Masters’ lone North American slot on June 2. This means Artour “Arteezy” Babaev won’t be competing in the $5 million prize pool tournament, which is set to be the biggest Dota 2 event in the ongoing calendar with the decline in TI prize money. SR’s only…

G2 Esports secured their first Counter-Strike 2 trophy on June 2 after defeating Team Vitality in the IEM Dallas 2024 grand final. But while it was a memorable moment for the whole team, it was special for one particular member for an additional reason. That individual is none other than G2’s head coach, TaZ. While this was his first trophy since joining the European giants as a coach, it’s yet another Intel Extreme Masters title added to his collection. In fact, the Pole made history since he was one of the players who won the first IEM in 2007, which…

Following a lengthy investigation behind the scenes, Riot Games has officially handed out multiple punishments across the Vietnamese League of Legends scene due to violations of the Global Code of Conduct, including several permanent bans from professional play. VCS players across eight different pro teams have been banned from Riot-sanctioned events moving forward, with eight permabans, six three-year bans, and a handful of players banned for one to two years, Riot confirmed today. There were a few players, however, who had their suspensions lifted, allowing them to compete in League’s upcoming 2024 Summer Split. Although there hasn’t been an official…

After an exciting start to the competitive year, the 2024 Summer Split is looking even better for League of Legends fans in North America with some major changes to the LCS and its format. Commissioner Mark “MarkZ” Zimmerman explained the new changes in a season primer today, confirming that the LCS will be introducing a single round-robin, best-of-three format for the regular season. This is a change that was brought on following a massive fan response that’s been rising over the last couple of years, especially when comparing the LCS to the LPL and LCK. Here’s all the details you…

Award-winning fantasy author Brandon Sanderson and his company Dragonsteel are entering the world of League of Legends with a one-of-a-kind partnership, sponsoring Maryville University’s North American Challengers League team. It’s no secret that the tier-two division of League in North America has been hit with a lot of negativity over the past year. Players, analysts, and fans have noted that the LCS’s Academy failures could mean no more NA pros and that the lack of viewership for the NACL could mean no more support and no future for NA’s tier-two. However, that all might change with the announcement by Maryville…

The best North American League of Legends teams will converge again on the Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles, California for the LCS Summer Split 2024. From massive format changes to new faces, all eight teams will be vying for a shot at the LCS Championship and, from there, a qualification spot at the League World Championship. FlyQuest claimed the Spring Split regular season honors but it was Team Liquid who won out the split in the end. Do they have what it takes to go back-to-back? Here’s everything you need to know about LCS Summer Split 2024: Schedule, results,…

For those who cry easily, this one is for you. G2 Esports held a surprise celebration for Sergen “BrokenBlade” Çelik’s contract renewal. What the League of Legends players thought was a content shoot turned into an emotional surprise for the top laner, whose family was flown in for the occasion.  The players were led to believe they were filming the next edition of the Topfather, a content skit that has become synonymous with the player. But what happened was much more special. G2 didn’t want an ordinary contract renewal announcement video; they wanted to create content that captured BrokenBlade’s special…

The massive and controversial Esports World Cup coming up this summer will not feature VALORANT in its lineup due to scheduling conflicts, though professional teams were reportedly pushing Riot Games “hard” for the game to be included. Per James Fudge for the Esports Advocate, VALORANT was “seriously being considered” for the Esports World Cup, but there is no flexibility in the schedule that would allow professional teams to compete at the event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia that runs from July 4 until August 25. Riot’s other titles, League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics, will be featured at the event, during…

Taking the opportunity to discuss their ongoing game in the “confessional booth,” Hikaru Nakamura voiced his concerns about the current classical world chess champion, Ding Liren—and his thoughts echoed the ongoing discussion about the Chinese player’s mental state elsewhere in the chess world. The ongoing Norway Chess supertournament offers an interesting opportunity for players in the form of a “confessional booth” to let viewers into their thought process during the game. Unsurprisingly, Hikaru Nakamura is the player who makes use of this the most, and he did it again during his match with world champion Ding Liren. Everything has gone…