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EsportsTime Is Running Out For One Talented League of Legends Free Agent To Find A Home
The start of the 2018 League of Legends Championship Series is just two weeks away, and the ink on team rosters is starting to dry. As the best talent in North America falls into place, one name keeps coming up among the jobless: Marcin “Selfie” Wolski. Wolski was signed to Cloud9’s roster in November 2017,…
By Eric Van Allen Published January 6, 2018 -
Esports
The Weekend In Esports: Smite And Paladins Crown Champions
The new year is off to a big start in the world of competitive gaming thanks to both the Smite and Paladins World Championships going on right now. In addition to both of those tournaments, there’s also some StarCraft II play in Europe and Korea as well as a descent Dota 2 tournament in Captain’s…
By Ethan Gach Published January 6, 2018 -
Esports
Blizzard Can’t Leave Mercy Alone
All of the support players in Overwatch League will have a tough time during the first competitive season, slated to start next Wednesday night, and it’s all because of the character Mercy. The angelic healer has undergone multiple makeovers in the past few months, all with the intent to balance her most controversial ability: the…
By Maddy Myers Published January 5, 2018 -
Esports
Valve Removes Tournament’s Major Status Because It Will Require Drug Testing
The upcoming Galaxy Battles Dota 2 tournament will no longer be a major because local regulators in the Philippines are requiring drug testing for the players. Developer Valve confirmed to Compete that it was rescinding major status due to government policies requiring drug testing: “Players were going to be subjected to drug testing and screening…
By Eric Van Allen Published January 5, 2018 -
EsportsSmash‘s Beloved Feminist Icon Is Not Trolling, Mostly
Kayla “Mew2Queen” Mackay was one of five players who won a fan vote to play Super Smash Bros. Melee in Genesis 5, a major tournament in Oakland, and the first to receive full funding. For Mackay, who plays as Marth, it should have been a huge moment. But in response to her nomination, Melee players…
By Cecilia D'Anastasio Published January 5, 2018 -
Esports
How Not To Stop Your Nerdy Child From Becoming A Pro Gamer
Pro gaming has yet to become normalized enough for the parents of America to feel proud of their offspring for pursuing it professionally. At least, not until those children defy all expectations and start making hundreds of thousands of dollars in tournament winnings. Parents of pro gamers told the Wall Street Journal all the tactics…
By Maddy Myers Published January 4, 2018 -
Esports
Riot Games Unbans Tyler1, A Player It Once Called A ‘Genuine Jerk’
Riot Games confirmed to Compete that it has lifted the indefinite ban on Twitch League of Legends streamer Tyler1. Initial news of the ban came from Tyler1’s Twitter account, where he said that, “AFTER 613 DAYS OF INTENSE REHAB I AM FINALLY UNBANNED FROM LEAGUE OF LEGENDS.” Tyler1—a talented player who specializes in playing as…
By Eric Van Allen Published January 4, 2018 -
EsportsTwo Japanese Guilty Gear Stars Shit-Talked Their Way Back Into The Spotlight
Fighting game veteran Daigo Umehara hosted a series of high-level exhibitions earlier this week as part of his new Kemonomichi event series, and one matchup became the perfect opportunity for two stars with personal grudges to settle their differences in Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2 While trash talk is a regular part of the fighting…
By Ian Walker Published January 4, 2018 -
EsportsA Pocket Of Passionate Players Is The Only Thing Keeping Competitive ARMS Alive
While the Switch as a platform is thriving, ARMS is its redheaded stepchild. In its first two weeks, it peaked at the 13th most popular game on the eShop. Despite being a less popular Nintendo exclusive, some competitors are keeping the fighting spirit alive months after most moved on to other games. ARMS is a…
By Eric Van Allen Published January 4, 2018 -
Esports
League of Legends Player Hits Level 300 After Days Of Crushing Bots
Since Riot Games reworked accounts to level infinitely in League of Legends, there has been something of a race as players climb higher and higher. The leader just passed level 300 today. His method? Destroying dozens of bots. Playing under the name “Nolife Raphael,” he was locked in a race for the first to level…
By Eric Van Allen Published December 31, 2017 -
Esports
Rocket League Player Argues With Tournament Over Plane Ticket To Scotland
The upcoming Twelve Titans Rocket League tournament will pit 12 players against each other in a winner-take-all one-on-one brawl. Isaiah Sharrieff was set to be one of those players who would play in the tournament in Scotland—until he revealed on Twitter that he had already played his first round and won’t fly to Scotland. In…
By Eric Van Allen Published December 31, 2017 -
Esports
Turbo Mode Makes A Game Of Dota 2 Less Of A Commitment
I have something of a Dota 2 habit. Every week, I find time to play at least a few hours of the game—frequently, if not a game a day. But part of my frustration with Dota 2 has always been the time commitment it requires, as games can take upwards of 40 to 50 minutes…
By Eric Van Allen Published December 31, 2017 -
Esports
Police Kill 28-Year-Old After ‘Swatting’ Call [Update]
A 28-year-old man was shot and killed by a Wichita police officer after a reported hostage situation call last night. At a press conference this afternoon, Wichita police said it was a false call meant to draw SWAT officers to the scene, an act known as “swatting.” It appears to have been linked to an…
By Eric Van Allen Published December 29, 2017 -
Esports
Maddy’s Top 10 Games Of 2017
Every game on this list served as a balm for the depression cave that I lived inside throughout 2017. I’m pretty sure these games happen to be good even if you’re not depressed, since most of them popped up on my coworkers’ own best-of lists, but I had such a dire need for escapism this…
By Maddy Myers Published December 28, 2017 -
Esports
Melee Pro Beats Yoshi Target-Breaking Record By Fraction Of A Second
Masaya “aMSa” Chikamoto is considered the best Yoshi player in the world, and for good reason. He has impressive wins over some of the best in Super Smash Bros. Melee on the lil’ dinosaur, and now, he holds a world record in busting targets as his signature character. aMSa was streaming world record attempts on…
By Eric Van Allen Published December 24, 2017 -
EsportsCatherine Players Explain What The Remake Means For Its Competitive Scene
Earlier this week, Atlus announced a remake of its cult-classic puzzle game Catherine. It was an exciting moment for fans of the stylish adult thriller. But amid the list of new features, there was one bullet point that meant the world to a small section of the community: the competitive Catherine crowd. Catherine is a…
By Eric Van Allen Published December 23, 2017 -
EsportsAn Inside Look At PUBG‘s Second Big Tournament
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is wildly fun to watch, as its victory in the multi-million-player bloodbath that is Twitch has proven, but can it make the transition onto the big stage? I went to IEM Oakland in November to find out. The tournament was in turns thrilling, slow-moving, and hard to follow. With 80 players crowded into…
By Nathan Grayson Published December 22, 2017 -
Esports
Eric’s Top 10 Games Of 2017
In 2017, I played a lot of games, but only 10 could make the cut for this blog. Culling the herd to just 10 was heartbreaking and required intense soul-searching. In no particular order, the best games I played in 2017: Battle Chef Brigade It’s exciting enough that a competitive cooking show game got made,…
By Eric Van Allen Published December 21, 2017 -
Esports
Xavier Woods’ Most Successful Tag Team Effort Last Weekend Was At A Windjammers Tournament
Xavier Woods and his WWE tag team may have failed to regain the tag titles in the squared circle at last weekend’s Clash of Champions, but Woods fared much better a few days before in some 2-on-2 Windjammers competition. The superstar jumped into the Northeast Championship fighting game tournament and, with his trademark hype levels,…
By Ian Walker Published December 21, 2017 -
Esports
Tier Lists Are Full Of Shit
Almost no one played as Blanka in Street Fighter IV. This is because the low-tier green Brazilian is weird, doesn’t play like any other character in the game, and is widely considered not to be very powerful. Nonetheless, Street Fighter V is adding Blanka into the game this January after two years without him. I…
By Maddy Myers Published December 20, 2017