Highguard, the new competitive shooter presented at The Game Awards 2025, has not had the most successful launch. With a disappointing approval rating of 42% on Steam, based on over 35,000 reviews, the title has been criticized for its generic nature, sparking a debate about its future in the industry. Dusty Welch, CEO of Wildlight Entertainment, acknowledged in a recent interview that the trailer was not well received and reflected on the game’s presentation at the gala. A game with potential, but poor publicity Although the Wildlight Entertainment team hoped […]
Highguard, the new competitive shooter presented at The Game Awards 2025, has not had the most successful launch. With a disappointing approval rating of 42% on Steam, based on over 35,000 reviews, the title has been criticized for its generic nature, sparking a debate about its future in the industry. Dusty Welch, CEO of Wildlight Entertainment, acknowledged in a recent interview that the trailer was not well received and reflected on the game’s presentation at the gala.
A game with potential, but poor marketing
Although the Wildlight Entertainment team hoped that Highguard would be a “shadow drop,” Geoff Keighley, the awards organizer, convinced the team to showcase the game in a traditional manner at the event. Welch continues to question whether this decision was the right one. “Was that the right way? Was there another different way? To this day, I still don’t know the answer,” he commented during the interview, suggesting that the way the game was presented may have affected its reception.
Despite the criticism, Welch shows remarkable optimism, expressing his desire to take Highguard to esports events and expand its narrative. “We hope it will be big enough for players to want more narrative, more story,” he added. This approach highlights his intention to learn from experience and to be open to both positive and negative feedback, which are essential in video game development.
The current situation of Highguard raises questions about how marketing decisions can influence long-term success. Welch emphasizes the importance of taking risks and being open to feedback, which could become an important case study in the world of video game development. While the criticism continues, the future of the game remains uncertain, but Wildlight Entertainment’s ambition is evident.
Kai Cenat, a famous Twitch streamer, has reached an impressive milestone by conquering over a million subscribers during his recent Mafiathon, significantly surpassing other content creators like Caseoh_, who achieved 74,439 subscriptions. This event not only highlighted Cenat’s charisma but also the powerful interaction that can be generated on streaming platforms. A well-utilized promotion The largest subscription donor during the event was VALORANT, which gifted an astonishing total of 59,962 subscriptions, translating to an estimated monetary contribution of 360,000 dollars. However, it is important to clarify that this figure […]
Kai Cenat, famous Twitch streamer, has reached an impressive milestone by conquering over a million subscribers during his recent Mafiathon, significantly surpassing other content creators like Caseoh_, who achieved 74,439 subscriptions. This event not only highlighted Cenat’s charisma but also the powerful interaction that can be generated on streaming platforms.
A well-utilized promotion
The largest subscription donor during the event was VALORANT, which gifted an astonishing total of 59,962 subscriptions, translating to an estimated monetary contribution of $360,000. However, it is important to clarify that this figure does not represent a direct donation from Riot Games, as explained by Leo Faria, Head of Esports for VALORANT, in a statement on social media. The current Twitch campaign, known as SUBtember and presented by VALORANT, means that for every five gifted subscriptions, there is one automatic sub for the platform’s partners and affiliates.
Despite the success of the event, Riot Games’ esports scene has faced criticism due to recent budget cuts. Faria insisted that the money generated through these subscriptions does not translate into a direct donation of $300,000, but rather they are acting as sponsors of an event on Twitch. This clarification has led some players, such as the Spanish HITBOXKING, to call for greater transparency regarding the exact nature of the campaign, suggesting that it may not be as economical as it is portrayed, despite its overall focus.
In summary, the Cenat Mafiathon not only marked a highlight in his career, but also raised questions about the intersection between sponsorship and transparency in monetization within the gaming community.
Dairy MAX, an organization representing approximately 700 dairy farmers, has taken an innovative approach to promote milk consumption among young people by sponsoring a level in Fortnite, titled Diner Tycoon. This game mode is part of the Level Unlocked initiative, designed to connect young people with the power of dairy products in a way that fits their modern lifestyle. Grab your milk and do it in Fortnite too Diner Tycoon is a simulation game that allows players to create recipes using dairy ingredients, manage a diner, hire […]
Dairy MAX, an organization that represents approximately 700 dairy farmers, has taken an innovative approach to promote milk consumption among young people by sponsoring a level in Fortnite, titled Diner Tycoon. This game mode is part of the Level Unlocked initiative, designed to connect young people with the power of dairy products in a way that fits their modern lifestyle.
Drink your milk and do it in Fortnite too
Diner Tycoon is a simulation game that allows players to create recipes using dairy ingredients, manage a diner, hire workers, and expand their business. This experience is designed to provide a comprehensive journey that highlights how dairy products go from the farm to the table. The proposal not only focuses on dairy production but also illustrates the importance of these products in daily nutrition through popular recipes like cheeseburgers and milkshakes.
Diner Tycoon is presented as the second game developed by Level Unlocked in Fortnite Creative, following the success of Farm Tycoon, which allows players to manage their own farm. This evolution in the narrative of dairy products aims to engage young people in a more meaningful and entertaining way while reinforcing the relationship between milk production and its consumption.
The dairy industry is not only limited to Diner Tycoon, but it has also created an esports tournament called The Milk Cup, which highlights its growing presence in the world of video games. With these efforts, Dairy MAX aims not only to increase milk consumption among children but also to call on a new generation to recognize the importance of dairy products in their daily diet.
The 2025 Esports World Cup is taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with the second day of this second edition of the event dedicated to video games. With a total of 26 competitions covering 25 different video games, the participating teams are fighting for a share of over 70 million dollars in prizes and the glory of becoming champions. An event with numerous competitions This year, the competition has attracted renowned clubs from around the world, who are competing in prominent titles ranging from first-person shooters to strategy games […]
The 2025 Esports World Cup is taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with the second day of this second edition of the event dedicated to video games. With a total of 26 competitions covering 25 different video games, the participating teams are fighting for a share of over 70 million dollars in prizes and the glory of becoming champions.
An event with numerous competitions
This year, the competition has attracted renowned clubs from around the world, who are competing for prominent titles ranging from first-person shooters to real-time strategy games. The diversity of titles reflects the growth and popularity of esports, which have evolved into a multibillion-dollar industry.
The teams have been training hard, adjusting their strategies and working on synergies to achieve optimal performance in the competition. The atmosphere in the stadiums is electrifying, with thousands of fans supporting their favorite teams and contributing to the vibrant culture of esports.
Meanwhile, there are rumors about future venues for major tournaments and possible expansions of the World Cup to other continents. These rumors have intensified, especially given the success of the event in Riyadh, which has been supported by the Saudi government as part of its vision for economic diversification and tourism promotion. However, so far, the organization has not confirmed any of these speculations.
The event not only highlights competitiveness in the field of video games, but also brings to light a broader movement towards the acceptance of esports as a legitimate form of entertainment and competition on a global scale. With media attention and investment in infrastructure, the future of the Esports World Cup looks promising.
The popular video game streamer, Benjamin Lupo, known as DrLupo, was expelled from the PogChamps 6 tournament for a violation of fair play rules, specifically for cheating by using a chess engine during his matches. This tournament, organized by Chess.com, has attracted millions of viewers since its inception in 2020 and has seen various entertainment personalities compete, such as footballer Eberechi Eze and professional Fortnite player Mongraal. Cheating that has been admitted The case of DrLupo has generated great controversy within the chess community and among viewers. A […]
The popular video game streamer, Benjamin Lupo, known as DrLupo, was expelled from the PogChamps 6 tournament for a violation of fair play rules, specifically for cheating by using a chess engine during his matches. This tournament, organized by Chess.com, has attracted millions of viewers since its inception in 2020 and has seen various entertainment personalities compete, such as footballer Eberechi Eze and professional Fortnite player Mongraal.
Some traps that have been admitted
The case of DrLupo has generated great controversy within the chess community and among viewers. Although he initially denied any type of cheating, he later admitted to having the chat window of his stream open and having improperly used movement suggestions.“I regret failing and understand the criticism I receive,” he stated in a later stream, taking responsibility for his actions.
His performance in the tournament was questioned due to the notable Elo difference between him and his opponent, with a rating of 612 versus 1340. Such a difference made it unlikely that he could compete fairly without external help, which led many to speculate about the use of a chess engine. “The only explanation that makes sense is that DrLupo used a chess engine to cheat,” various users commented on discussion forums.
The community has expressed its discontent by questioning its credibility and the possibility of future participation in competitions. As a result of these events, DrLupo is also facing broader repercussions, with questions about his conduct in other competitions. This situation has opened a debate about integrity in eSports and the impact of cheating on players’ reputations.
NetEase has announced that on February 21, two new characters will arrive in Marvel Rivals: the Human Torch and the Thing, thus completing the addition of the remaining members of the Fantastic Four, which already included Reed Richards and the Invisible Woman. In terms of roles within the game, the Human Torch will be classified as a “Duelist” specialized in damage per second (DPS), while the Thing will serve as a Vanguard, that is, a tank. Reed Richards also aligns as a Duelist, and Sue Storm will be the only Healer-Strategist in the group. With the season reset, new […]
NetEase has announced that on February 21, two new characters will arrive in Marvel Rivals: The Human Torch and The Thing, thus completing the addition of the remaining members of the Fantastic Four, which already included Reed Richards and The Invisible Woman. In terms of roles within the game, The Human Torch will be classified as a “Duelist” specializing in damage per second (DPS), while The Thing will serve as a Vanguard, that is, a tank. Reed Richards also aligns as a Duelist, and Sue Storm will be the only Healer-Strategist in the group.
With the restart of the season come new challenges
The long-awaited mid-season rank reset will also be implemented in this update, which will affect all players by reducing their rank by four divisions. For example, a player in Gold I division will be downgraded to Silver II, which implies a new challenge for those looking to improve their position in the game. Despite the criticism this system may receive, as the study has mentioned that in future seasons a reduction of six divisions will be considered, it seems clear that these resets may be designed to maintain user interest and engagement.
In summary, with the arrival of these new characters and changes in the game’s dynamics, Marvel Rivals continues its upward trajectory, but it will be interesting to see how these decisions impact its long-term success and the satisfaction of its player base.
Marvel Rivals is a thrilling, team-based PvP game that brings the expansive Marvel universe to life in a dynamic and engaging way. This action game allows players to assemble their dream teams from a wide array of beloved Marvel characters, including heroes and villains from the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, and more.
The esports Olympics are now official, but we don’t know which games will be the lucky ones. However, we decided to speculate a bit about it.
If there was one thing we didn’t expect from 2024 it was the announcement of esports Olympics. Starting in 2025 and taking place over several years, they won’t be traditional Olympics, as they have hinted. The problem is that they haven’t provided many details about it. That has led us to speculate. What games should we expect to see in these Olympics?
Before going into details, it is important to clarify that the IOC has already explored the idea of organizing the Olympic Games for electronic sports. In 2023, they organized a week of the Olympic Games for electronic sports, where they selected a series of games in which the athletes competed. That’s where we’ll start. We will discuss the games that participated during that week and speculate which ones are likely to be included, and then we will mention those that do not seem to be aligned with the spirit that the IOC seeks, but that should still be included. After all, they will be part of the Olympic Games, although electronic sports are a very specific phenomenon. Whether the IOC likes it or not.
As mentioned, during 2023 an esports week was held as part of the Olympic Games. Represented through a series of virtual sports, it is expected that these sports will return again for the 2025 Olympic Games. However, we warn that they may not be the games that most people would expect.
Divided among archery, baseball, chess, cycling, dance, driving, sailing, shooting, taekwondo, and tennis, the chosen video games to represent these sports are, to say the least, peculiar. Tic Tac Bow, WBSC eBASEBALL: POWER PROS, Chess.com, Zwift, Just Dance, Gran Turismo, Virtual Regatta, an unnamed game created for the occasion, Virtual Taekwondo, and Tennis Clash were the chosen ones. Perhaps representing the Olympic spirit, but not so much the spirit of eSports.
Following what we have already seen, it is expected that more sports that are already common within the Olympic Games will be added. We will probably see basketball, swimming, soccer, gymnastics, athletics, and all kinds of ball games. Now, which games will they choose to represent them?
In another time it would have been a big problem, but it is true that right now there is practically a monopoly within each sport. In football we have EA Sports FC 25. In basketball we have NBA 2K25. In American football we have NFL 2K5. And there is no alternative. While for other sports, you can always resort to mobile games, or perhaps less known titles outside their particular niches.
The problem, once again, is that while this may feel Olympic, it hardly feels like an eSport. After all, when we talk about eSport, we are not talking about competing in Zwift or Just Dance. Even if it is perfectly legitimate for them to be considered as such. We are talking about a different kind of games that, due to their competitive scene, have become games that have attracted a whole competitive scene around them. And those are the ones that the IOC should not forget if they want to succeed.
Among these games, we would love to see competitions of StarCraft 2, Counter-Strike 2, Valorant. Clan of Clash already has a vibrant competitive scene from which to take advantage of its structure. There is a whole array of fighting games to choose from, but not having at least Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8 represented would feel like it’s not an eSports event at all. And although this generates obvious logistical problems, League of Legends and DOTA 2 events, even in parallel, could be the icing on the cake.
This is what remains to be seen if the IOC understands. That esports are not just video games that adapt sports. They are also video games that are sports in themselves. Like chess, being a sport, whether digitalized or not.
They haven’t clarified much about how they plan to manage all of this. It’s not just that everything is open, it’s perfectly possible that they have already thought about it. In any case, this is what we wish and hope they are aware of. Let the IOC know that sports and esports are different things. And if they want to turn esports into an Olympic event, treat them with the dignity they deserve.
The International Olympic Committee announced the creation of the Esports Olympics, but they have left us with more questions than answers.
Are video games sports? The most common argument is that if chess can be considered a sport, albeit an intellectual one, video games should not be excluded from that definition. Even less so when there are more and more games where physical fitness plays an important role. Competition has always been a key element in many video games. What we didn’t expect is that the IOC would have the same opinion.
The International Olympic Committee has voted in favor of the creation of the Esports Olympic Games. This event will take place over the next twelve years, with regular events during that period of time. It has not yet been clarified which video games will be played, what the conditions for participation will be, or even what determines if a video game can be considered a sport or not. What they have announced, before everything else, is the date and location where they will take place: in 2025 in Saudi Arabia.
The fact that Saudi Arabia is behind this perfectly explains the speed with which it has unfolded. It also shows how they have managed to get the IOC to approve this idea. Taking over as many important events as possible is a way to legitimize their country and their regime. They have been harshly criticized in the past for attempting similar campaigns with events related to professional soccer or WWE Wrestling.
Without any details beyond the event being slated for next year, it seems unlikely that organizers will be able to pull this off. It feels completely unfeasible that an entire lineup of sponsors and qualifiers can be put in place, as more than a century of Olympics have shown to be necessary. If we add in the fact that Saudi Arabia is an unfriendly country for women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals, it is likely that representation in certain esports will be greatly affected, unless boycotts are threatened in this regard.
Although it is possible that the organizers may have already considered all of this, but not made its considerations public yet, it seems unlikely that the IOC has planned a well-structured event. It only just stated that it would study the possibility of hosting this type of Olympics in 2023. Therefore, while we still need to see all the information about this event, the initial news does not make us optimistic. Not because this event doesn’t make sense or is impossible, but because it doesn’t seem to have been created with the care or intentions it deserves.
There will be 512 teams competing across the globe, including North America, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. And the idea of the “new” league is… well, very similar to the leagues we already know.
Nothing in this current world full of franchises, deaths, and rebirths really has an end. That’s why, when Activision Blizzard announced the end of the Overwatch League after losing a fortune and, with it, the competitive aspect of the franchise, many of us sighed knowing it was a see you later. And that’s exactly what happened: the competitive version of the game died in November and in February it will return, with ‘Overwatch 2’ in charge and in a big way. However, it will be different.
In this case, the video game producer has partnered with the company Savvy Games Group, from Saudi Arabia (where else), to create a competitive league that is up to par. There will be 512 teams battling worldwide, between North America, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. And the idea of the “new” league is… well, very similar to the leagues we already know.
So, different international leagues with home and away matches, a pre-established schedule, and then championships between the winners. Where the Overwatch league was a mess, the Overwatch Champions Series (that’s what the invention is called) will be an attempt to regain the lost enthusiasm of competitive players – and, by the way, make a good amount of money from merchandising. In the end, in November, eight teams will face each other in the final, and anyone can be chosen. We’ll have to see.
Eight more teams still entered, and each one paid between 35 to 60 million to be there. The problem is that the money never came in.
Not so long ago, everything “Overwatch” touched turned to gold. From the video game itself to clothing lines, merchandise, comics… So, the professional league of the game must have been a huge success, right? Well, it depends on your definition of the term. If you mean a “money pit,” then yes. In an extreme way.
The Overwatch League (briefly, OWL) was launched the year after the game became the sleeper hit of the season. Back in 2017, twelve teams founded it, and each had to pony up $20 million. Each team was based in its own city where, supposedly, they were going to build their own esports stadium (something that never happened). Eight more teams joined later, each paying between $35 to $60 million to be there. The problem is that the money never came in.
Monetizing matches that fans could watch for free was not an easy business, and last year the OWL began to face serious financial problems. Free events, sponsorships, and merchandising agreements that never materialized, and ultimately, the merger of Activision with Blizzard ended up killing the competition, as has been revealed today.
In the end, the few remaining teams have bid farewell in their own way. For example, the Toronto Defiant have said goodbye to this disastrous sinking ship with an AI-generated image that, unintentionally, is full of phallic shapes. The final insult could not have been delivered in any other way.
By the way, this apparently does not mean the end of ‘Overwatch‘ as an esport: in fact, they have tried to spin it as the end of the OWL is the beginning of a championship with a much more traditional structure. As traditional as something our parents would never understand and don’t know how to monetize, that is.
