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Winning the championship once is a hard thing to do. But when you’re OpTic Texas playing in the Call of Duty League Championships, the odds seem to dip a little in your favor in achieving history. That is what the 2024 and 2025 champions have done as they defeated the Vancouver Surge in a massive showdown to conclude the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 season. No one would have had this on their cards considering how hard it has been for a team to repeat in the CDL. And yet, OpTic has proven that the odds doesn’t always have to be in their favor to begin with before they can try to repeat as champions and show that they are still the best team in the league. Now that the victory on domestic stage is secured, OpTic now shifts its focus on the global stage – where they will battle in Riyadh for the Esports World Cup 2025 – which will also be the final tournament running for the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 before another one will begin with the next installment of the game. A Remarkable Feat Fans at Kitchener, Ontario hoped for a fantastic finish in the tournament, and so they saw one to remember. The atmosphere was electric, the stakes were sky-high, and both teams came ready for war. OpTic struck first, opening the series with a dominant 250-151 win on Hacienda Hardpoint. Vancouver Surge, unfazed, answered back by taking the second map in flawless fashion with a 6-0 sweep on Dealership Search & Destroy. The two teams traded blows through the next few rounds, but when the series reached its crucial final stretch, OpTic rose to the occasion. After a tightly contested Control map that ended 3-2 in their favor and a convincing 6-2 win on Hacienda Search & Destroy, they closed out the championship with a 250-215 win on Rewind Hardpoint. This win didn’t just earn OpTic another trophy—it reshaped the CDL landscape. In a league known for parity and surprise upsets, no team had ever successfully repeated as champions until now. With this historic back-to-back, OpTic has cemented itself as the defining franchise of the modern CDL era. Dominance Continues The individual performances throughout the tournament were equally impressive. Mercules, who entered the season as a promising talent, exploded onto the main stage with an MVP-worthy showing that captivated the fanbase. Meanwhile, Shotzzy, already a household name, further solidified his legacy by becoming the youngest player to win three world championships across both Halo and Call of Duty. Behind the scenes, legendary former player and now coach Damon “Karma” Barlow added yet another accolade to his resume, securing his fifth world title—two as a coach and three from his playing days. OpTic's Grand Final also broke viewership records. Over 353,000 fans tuned in live, making it the most-watched CDL event of all time. For a franchise with one of the largest and most loyal fan bases in esports, it was a moment of pride and affirmation. For OpTic, it’s not just about defending their title. It’s about dominating every stage they step on, proving that excellence isn’t seasonal—it’s who they are. In an esports world filled with unpredictability, one thing is certain: OpTic Texas isn’t just winning games. They’re making history, and this is the best way they can do it – to beat the odds and win it all.

It cannot be denied that BetBoom is on the rise once more with the way it has evolved as one of the toughest teams to beat in Dota 2. So far, their success in the PGL Wallachia Season 5 championship was a huge feat, and being able to take down the Gaimin Gladiators is a sign of solid dominance that they are mounting up in the big stage. This triumph marks the third tournament won by BetBoom – and the second overall this year. It can be remembered that the squad has seen some tough stretches with three years of inconsistent runs where they have lost and won from time to time. Now that they are back on the winning track, it seems that the European squad is getting to a bigger run now more than ever. On top of that, BetBoom has largely improved well in their games. They did have some poor performances in the past few tournaments, but this win in the PGL stage was a great look for the team considering that they had a lot of tough stretches. After coming up as a runner-up in DreamLeague Season 26, BetBoom has triumphed and earned its place at the top once more. A Big Win for BetBoom BetBoom took a commanding 3-1 victory in the Grand Finals of the PGL Wallachia Season 5, making it look easy against the Gaimin Gladiators – despite the tough competition that was seen from both teams for most of the tournament. BB took home a whopping $300,000 as the lion’s share of the prize money for the tournament. It was a strong outing for BetBoom in the whole tournament – they did have a struggle in the Group Stages when underdogs such as Edge and Natus Vincere nearly put them at the brink of elimination. They did bounce back later to tally just enough wins to push through, taking down Virtus.Pro, Xtreme Gaming, and Team Tidebound to blast their way into the playoffs. No struggles followed after that for the team. They took down Team Spirit in the first round before falling to Team Liquid in the next round. Luckily, they only fell to the lower bracket, which is still a good look for the team as they sent NAVI and Team Spirit before finally avenging their loss against Liquid once more in the same bracket. Grand Final Showdown BetBoom did not slow down in the Grand Final clash with the Gaimin Gladiators. They cruised for a strong win in 30 minutes for the first game, and then snowballed a start in Game 2 before claiming a 2-0 lead in 31 minutes. Gladiators did try to respond and took Game 3 with a better control of the lane to stay alive. However, BetBoom did not let themselves lose two games in a row and wrapped up the showdown after an hour in Game 4. As one of the rising powerhouses in Dota 2, BetBoom deserves a lot of praise for its impressive performances in PGL Wallachia Season 5. After all, they do have to make up for lost time as they seek to come up with strong campaigns that will see them emerge as a contender in the coming months. With the 2025 Esports World Cup and The International also closing in, it does seem that BetBoom has a lot to grind for and find a way to win big once more.

Picked as favorites to begin the tournament, Team Vitality did not fail to impress as they delivered right from the start – winning big in the CS2 Austin Major to continue their dominance in the game with the way they are performing right now. This is definitely the beginning of a new era in the CS2, and it is expected that they are gunning for even more success moving forward. At this point, we should no longer be in denial about the team’s success in the game. This is the Team Vitality world, and we are just living in it. The French side was crowned champions of the CS2 Austin Major after coming up with one of the biggest shockers in the tournament – pulling off an 0-1 comeback and completing a reverse sweep to win 2-1 in the Grand Finals. It was at that moment when they were on the cusp of a championship that the crowd rallied behind them, sensing what seems to be a majestic finish – and so it was. Lo and behold, Team Vitality is at the top of the CS2 world once more, and we are expecting to see more of them in the coming months. Titans Emerge Once more Vitality entered the tournament with a promising winning streak of 30 games won in a row. That was expected to be broken – only to triumph once more and show that they have what it takes to win it all. While they have seen a lot of wins, this Austin Major success proved to be the crowning moment that would ignite the era of their dominance in the game. The team’s impressive rise started in the signing of Robin “ropz” Kool – who proved to be the shining star to compliment Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut. So far, the French squad has been able to put up some of the best performances as of late, and it could not have come at a very timely manner in one of the biggest tournaments of the game. Team Vitality went down 0-1 in the first map. It was the first sign of adversity that the team has faced in quite a long while, but then they turned the tables around – flipping the script and regaining the momentum that they had to begin the campaign in the Austin Major. It did not take them a long time to pull off a comeback – the reverse sweep was quickly in grasp for the team as they rallied to win two straight games, finishing the Grand Finals at 2-1. It was at that moment that fans and everyone in the CS2 world knew, this was the dominant team that was looming to rise from the ashes. To make it even worse for competing teams, this is just the start. A Historic Pace for Team Vitality Team Vitality takes home a lion’s share of the $1.25 million prize pool at $500,000. This also marks the team’s seventh straight tournament won – definitely a good sign for a juggernaut that has barely scratched the surface after their IEM Katowice win back in February. Since then, the team has come up with a majestic streak of more than 30 wins – that is just halfway through the record that the Ninjas in Pyjamas set back in 2013 at 60 wins. At this point, Vitality has surely silenced all of the doubts that the critics has put up upon them. So far, this era is definitely just getting started, and it is a good sign that in-game leader Dan “apEX” Madesclaire now has won three major championships – second with the team. All signs moving forward show that there is a promising indication for the dominant team in CS2 at this point.

An alleged match-fixing scheme is currently under investigation, involving one of China’s premier StarCraft II players in Xue ‘Firefly’ Tao. But despite having no formal and final results on the matter, the Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has opted to suspend him from participating in any StarCraft II events moving forward. While it may be temporary and not final, the resulting suspension has unfortunately forced Firefly out of the Chinese roster that will participate in the upcoming Esports World Cup this July 22nd to 25th. Firefly was expected to play at the Boulevard City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but instead will be sitting this one out due to the suspension. According to multiple sources, timelines for match-fixing last around eight months to lifetime suspensions. ESIC is not new to this case, as they have also handed out several punishments in this year alone. For instance, ATOX Esports had its players receiving such suspensions due to the same case. Firefly Out, Lancer In Huang ‘Lancer’ Min was the runner-up in the Asia Qualifier that Firefly eventually won. But with the suspension now in effect, he now takes over the slot of Firefly in the upcoming StarCraft II tournament in the EWC. Initially, Lancer opted to join an 18-player lineup that would hopefully compete for a Global Qualifier with a shot at a $700,000 prize pool. With the changes, Taiwanese player Lemon will now take over his spot in that 18-man campaign – which takes place from June 21st to 22nd. A total of four players will be given a chance to earn its place in the biggest stage of the game. The timing of Firefly’s suspension was so unfortunate. According to reports, mainly stemming from a forum post by former player Cao ‘Jim’ Jinhui, Firefly was involved in a match-fixing scheme since 2023. While there is no confirmation about how long it has continued to be that way, the ESIC saw no saving grace to keep them from suspending the Chinese player. “Following a preliminary investigation by the Esports Integrity Commission, ESIC has advised all tournament operators that StarCraft II competitor Xue ‘Firefly’ Tao has been provisionally suspended from competition pending finalisation of the investigation,” stated the Esports World Cup in its social media post. Jim and Firefly Fell Out Apparently, Jim recently claimed that Firefly owed him a lot of money, and the latter refused to reimburse the former player. This definitely left Jim with no choice but to further release alleged evidence about Firefly’s involvement in match-fixing and reporting his former partner in the said scheme. ESIC did not waste time on the report. After all, Jim is no longer an active player, which means that Firefly was the only one who needed to answer to the esports laws. While details of the breaches were not disclosed by ESIC, the immediate suspension was said to be irrevocable and took effect right away. “Due to the volume and quality of evidence ESIC has received, ESIC has issued Firefly with a provisional suspension pending the conclusion of its investigation into breaches of the ESIC Integrity Programme,” said the commission. A well-known Protoss player, Firefly has just lost his massive chance to prove his worth on the biggest stage of the game with the provisional suspension handed by the ESIC. It is worth noting that he last played for OFFSYDE Esports before he eventually moved on from the team last year.

In what was deemed to be a promising showing for Team Falcons as one of the hyped teams to put up a fight against Team Vitality – arguably their most challenging opponent heading into this competition. Now all those talks would be fading into the distance as the Falcons are set for an early break and will now move on from their hopes of getting a chance at the major. No one expected the Falcons to lose this early, especially when they have been winning impressive games and have certainly found ways to win when it matters most. Not this time against MIBR, however, and now it seems that the team is set to get back to the drawing board with the hopes of eventually figuring out their woes and try to solve their struggles moving forward. To be fair, the Falcons are a top pick to watch out for at the beginning of the tournament, and this is going to be quite a sting. The team fell flat when it mattered most, and they could not find ways to answer the call, which says a lot about how it is expected from the team to be playing at the high level like their contender peers do for most of the season. A Disappointing Loss Falcons initially controlled the series with a win at Ancient to conclude a 13-6 rally in the match opener as the T side, showing that they are going to dictate the series. However, the games got a little bit interesting when they pushed for Game 2 at Nuke, where MIBR caught the Falcons sleeping to take a 10-2 lead in the map. Despite a 7-2 run from the Falcons, MIBR worked well to deny them the comeback and claimed a 13-9 finish to tie the series at 1-1, forcing a series-decider to ensure that they would not go down without a fight. As expected, both teams put up a stand in the final map, which proved to be quite fun to watch as it was decided in Inferno – of all maps. Falcons started by winning the first three rounds, but MIBR responded to take an 8-4 leaf by the half and showed that this is going to be a fun ride for both teams. MIBR did not let up in the second half and won the pistol and conversion rounds. Falcons tried to claw their way back with six wins in the next rounds to even it up at 10-10, forcing an overtime. By Round 42, fans were treated to a massive roller coaster finish, but it was MIBR who stole the show with a defuse to win the game. A Disappointing Finish Considering that the Falcons fielded a strong group composed of Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov and Nikola “NiKo” Kovač, the team was definitely expected to win no matter what. However, this ending has shaken a lot of the “favorite” talks at this point, and that no lead is safe when it comes to these majors. For what it’s worth, m0NESY did step up well in the loss with 30 frags and seven assists on 26 deaths. NiKo, however, did not show up for his big game as he only had 18 frags and eight assists against 24 deaths. Now, it is going to be a long, tough break for the Falcons, and this is indeed a tough look for the team at this point in time.

While we all know how tough the competitive nature that StarCraft II brings to the table, it cannot be denied that the game’s impressive effect and skill utilization have opened it up to many different avenues. Surprisingly, this includes a new area of neuroscience research as well, showcasing the massive potential of the game up to this point. It is worth noting that StarCraft has been around for more than a decade. Being a promising game since 2010 and setting the standard of real-time strategy games in the esports stage, it is definitely a game that has defined generational competitiveness over the years. A new study on human behavior and the impact of computers suggests that StarCraft II has become a valuable tool in helping researchers achieve optimal results. So far, recent findings have shown that StarCraft II has helped generate multiple patterns of brain activity for participants and has a lot of great use for other potential research surrounding the same niche. StarCraft II Utilized in a Different Way StarCraft II’s impressive micro-managing has allowed players to come up with diverse approaches to the game. They manage resources, balance army compositions, and also make key decisions while they are under massive pressure. The demand of the game in terms of shifting attention, and recognition of in-game elements, certainly has a lot of massive effects on the neural pathways in the brain. This is the element that the new neuroscience research has delved into so far, and it has opened up a unique opportunity for the SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities. “While research on video games is well-established, only in recent years have we begun to systematically explore their potential benefits for cognitive functioning,” said study author Natalia Jakubowska. “At the same time, esports has evolved into a serious discipline, where discussions about individual predispositions—much like in traditional sports—are increasingly common. We became curious whether there might be neurobiological traits that support effective learning or high-level performance in complex games.” According to Jakubowska, the study they embarked on was designed to investigate and observe brain activity whenever participants engage in StarCraft II, and the results have been promising so far. The research focuses on the brain signal called the N2pc, which is an electrical pattern that can only be seen using electroencephalography (EEG), which is equipped to see how attention is allocated to different spaces of the brain. StarCraft II as a Generational Research Tool StarCraft II has been a promising game to the point that it is being applied to key research such as this. It only amplifies the legacy that the RTS title is leaving behind with a lot of rumors of a new StarCraft game on the rise now more than ever. Moreover, it also enforces video gaming as a high potential avenue for huge researches that may have a significant impact in the community. “Lastly, I’d like to share a personal belief: I think games, while not always and not all equally, can be a valuable part of our lives,” Jakubowska concluded. “I don’t believe they are harmful in moderation—quite the opposite. Today’s games are not only entertainment tools; they are also complex learning environments, spaces for decision-making, social interaction, and even cultural expression. I believe it’s time we approached them with more openness—including from a scientific perspective.” There’s more to expect as StarCraft II continues to thrive at this point in time. Who knows, maybe a research will be done with regards to the massive events that StarCraft II participates in.

A lot of loaded contenders in the Counter-Strike 2 scene are making their way to the Austin Major this season with the hopes of notching history in the tournament. However, it seems that a massive favorite is looming over all of them this time around with Team Vitality set as the top pick to win the competition. Kicking off today, the CS2 Austin Major is set to feature the likes of MOUZ, Team Spirit, and Team Falcons – just some of the hottest teams in the league right now that has made their presence felt on some of the big stages earlier in the season. But despite all their strong runs so far, nothing has been better than Team Vitality, who has been riding on a massive winning streak of 30 straight matches so far. To win consecutive matches alone is a tough task in a highly competitive environment such as CS2. Yet, Team Vitality seems to be keen on writing history as they keep on putting up impressive performances night in and night out, which says a lot about their chances of clinching the Austin Major now more than ever. A New Era of Dominance? No team in the history of the whole Counter-Strike franchise has been able to dominate the big stage this way. Well – at least since the days of the legendary Astralis squad in its prime back then. Now, Team Vitality is riding hard with a lot of pressure and confidence at the same time. Vitality, for all its success and dominance in the game so far, isn’t without its challengers. Still, none of these teams have had a winning record against the French squad so far. MOUZ has a 3-15 record against them this year. Team Spirit has gone 1-7, and Team Falcons may be the closest at 5-10. These so-called CS2 juggernauts may be needing some massive tweaks if they are going to ever score a win against Team Vitality, who has been scorching hot against these three teams this season, showing how their dominance is allowing them to take over the CS2 scene as if they are the new face of the franchise moving forward. Well, a win at the Austin Major could tilt the scales into their favor on that regard. After all, no one has ever managed to win a lot of games the way Team Vitality did, which definitely proves that there is indeed more to expect from the team as they move forward with a bigger goal in mind. Can the Streak Stay Alive? The superstar duo of Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut and Robin “ropz” Kool has been very vocal about their recent success, crediting the entire squad and putting a lot of trust and spotlight on their supporting cast. Shahar “flameZ” Shushan, William “mezii” Merriman, and Dan “apEX” Madesclaire have all been crucial in helping the squad win a total of six tournaments in a row. The last win in IEM Dallas following a sweep of MOUZ says a lot about how they are still reigning supreme in the game. For the streak, however, to stay alive, they will have to keep on grinding hard and outwit their opponents on the big stage. After all, Team Vitality is in prime position to also become the first team in the history of CS2 to win two Grand Slams in a single calendar year. They now have three chances left to complete that feat this year.

OG, the iconic esports organization renowned for its Dota 2 legacy, has announced a significant overhaul of its European roster. This strategic move is spearheaded by Johan "N0tail" Sundstein, the organization's co-founder and two-time The International champion, who returns to the fold as the head coach. N0tail's appointment marks a pivotal moment in OG's quest to reclaim its former glory in the competitive Dota 2 scene. The past two years have been challenging for OG's Dota 2 division. After a series of roster changes and underwhelming performances, the team failed to qualify for TI in both 2023 and 2024. Recognizing the need for a fresh direction, OG's management decided to rebuild the team from the ground up. This rebuilding process culminated in the formation of a new roster, blending seasoned veterans with promising talents. A Whole New World The new revamp for OG was unprecedented, but it went faster than most people expected it to happen as well. Now it seems that they are keen to see a repeat of their dominant stretch in Dota 2 back then. On loan from Natus Vincere, Indji “Shad” Lub brings experience from the Tier 2 scene and is expected to bolster OG's offensive strategies. Another key addition would be Daniel “Stormstormer” Schoetzau, a German midlaner with a history in international tournaments, Stormstormer has been trialing with OG since April and is now officially part of the team. The support spots are filled by Tamir “daze” Tokpanov and Ivan “Kidaro” Bondarev. Daze is a young Kazakhstani player who previously played for the Natus Vincere academy, while Kidaro is an Ukrainian support player with experience in various Eastern European teams. So far, this diverse lineup reflects N0tail's vision of blending experience with youthful energy, aiming to create a cohesive and dynamic team. Nothing is easy in Dota 2, and everything has to be earned. N0tail, for one, knows how to win it all, and he is definitely going to need to teach all his tricks if the team will even have a chance at winning. “N0tail is going to be taking charge of the team. He's going to be coaching the team, managing the team, and building it in the way he wants it to be built,” team CEO Daniel Sanders said of N0tail’s experience and coaching. “And that means picking up young talent, and really going back to his philosophy of running a team in his image.” On to the Next Challenge N0tail himself expressed his commitment to fostering a team that not only excels in gameplay but also understands the intricacies of Dota 2. He aims to cultivate a squad where communication and strategic thinking are paramount, allowing players to engage in meaningful discussions about the game. With the new roster in place, OG is setting its sights on upcoming qualifiers for major tournaments, including The International 2025 and the Esports World Cup 2025. The team's performance in these events will be a testament to the effectiveness of N0tail's coaching philosophy and the synergy of the newly assembled roster. As OG embarks on this new journey, fans and analysts alike are eager to see how the blend of veteran leadership and emerging talent will impact the team's trajectory in the competitive Dota 2 landscape. The coming months will undoubtedly be crucial in determining whether this new chapter marks the resurgence of OG's dominance in the esports arena.

A well-timed victory by Xtreme Gaming in the Asian Champions League now puts them on the driver’s seat to represent China in the Esports World Cup. The Dota 2 team is now eager to take on the challenge this August and looks to continue their hot groove after finishing strong for the recent Chinese Qualifier event. Coming off massive roster adjustments in which they had to replace position 5 support player Qiancheng “Undyne_” Li with a veteran star in Jiang “天命 (Tian ming)” An, Xtreme Gaming looked good in this campaign in the ACL. It seems that they are finally reaping the benefits of this roster shift after they lost their ESL One Raleigh 2025 slot. This win comes off as a promising groove setter for the team now more than ever, especially with the TI 2025 Regional Qualifiers also coming in hot. The stakes are higher than ever, and it seems that there’s more to expect from Xtreme Gaming with their chances of being the first Asian team who could clinch the EWC title now more than ever. Massive Win to Remember Both Xtreme Gaming and Team Tidebound have been deemed to be the best teams in China over the years. It is definitely destiny that these two teams managed to meet up in the final of the Asian Champions League 2025 and gave fans a promising showdown to remember. Xtreme managed to knock out Tidebound in a 3-2 win in the Grand Finals, walking away with the $100,000 prize money. The ACL, organized by ESL Gaming, DreamHack, and Hero Esports, was held live at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. However, this tournament featured a different pace as it was held only on a single day – with four teams playing in a compact single-elimination format. As one of the strongest teams in China, it is a promising look to see Xtreme Gaming thrive on the big stage. What makes this win even more crucial is the fact that they managed to lock into a spot for the Esports World Cup – because Tidebound was recently named one of the eight directly invited teams to The International (TI) 2025. More Than Just a Win The victory puts Xtreme Gaming in a promising position to be one of the teams to go for a shot at the massive $3 million prize pool in the Esports World Cup. However, Xtreme Gaming's journey to the Esports World Cup is not without challenges. While their regional dominance is evident, their performance in international tournaments has been inconsistent. Notably, despite a strong showing in the Games of the Future 2024, where they clinched the championship by defeating LGD in the grand finals, they faced early elimination at The International 2024, falling to Team Spirit in a decisive 2-1 series. This fluctuation in performance highlights the unpredictable nature of the competitive Dota 2 landscape. This victory underscores their resilience and strategic depth, essential qualities for success on the international stage. The roster's recent changes, including the return of seasoned players like Ame, Xxs, and XinQ, alongside the appointment of veteran coach Xiao8, have revitalized the team's dynamics, bringing a blend of experience and synergy that could prove pivotal in high-stakes tournaments. Now more than ever, it seems that Xtreme Gaming is definitely in need of a chance to prove its worth on the big stage and send its presence to another level as well.

Clément "Clem" Desplanches is sure gaming at a high level this time with the way he is racking up impressive wins in the recent StarCraft II A-Tier tournaments as of late. It cannot be denied that he is starting to build up a strong momentum for his title defense campaign in the upcoming Esports World Cup 2025. This year has been nothing short of elite for Clem, who has been scoring one tournament win after the other. Since the year 2025 tournaments have begun, Clem has either finished as the winner or the runner-up of an A-Tier tournament six times, which is more than any other player this year, with herO and MaxPax having the second most at two. The French wonder kid has taken down one elite star after another, and it is safe to say that this is him getting the gauge of his potential opponents heading into the coming months. With three big A-Tier tournaments left to play before the Esports World Cup, it seems that this will be the last runs that Clem needs to win at the very least. Clem Gunning for Wins Clem claimed his first win in 2025 with a revenge game against MaxPax in the OSC Championship Season 12, where he avenged his loss in the prior LiuLi Cup 2024 Grand Finals. He would go on to finish as a runner-up in the next two tournaments, losing to Cure in the WardiTV Team Liquid Map Contest #13 and then to Serral in the PiG Sty Festival 5.0 – both in the Grand Final stage of the respective tournaments. Since then, Clem has managed to beat MaxPax once more with a victory in the WardiTV Spring Championship 2025, and followed it up with the recent PiG Sty Festival 6.0, where he defeated herO as well. The next three tournaments to look out for Clem are Bellum Gens Elite Stara Zagora 2025 (June 4-7, 2025), HomeStory Cup XXVII (June 27-29, 2025), and the Championship of Russia 2025 (June 21-July 21, 2025). All of these have impressive prize pools compared to the last competitions that Clem played in, so it is easy to expect that he would be eager to play in the aforementioned tournaments. In hindsight, Clem has won or finished as the runner-up in the last six A-Tier tournaments this year, and that says a lot about the impressive pace that he is riding in for possibly a promising win to look out for. Driving the Pace The Esports World Cup 2025 tips off on July 7th, with games for Dota 2, Rennsport, and Valorant kicking off on the next day. StarCraft II games, on the other hand, doesn’t begin until July 22, which means that Clem will be either opting to skip the Championship of Russia or push through a tight schedule heading into the massive tournament. It can be remembered that Clem took home the big trophy of the inaugural run of the Esports World Cup last year, beating his rival Serral in a massive 5-0 sweep in the Grand Finals. In that run, Clem walked off with $400,000 in prize earnings, while Serral placed second and earned $150,000. With a lot of teams expected to show up and challenge Clem’s dominance, the French star’s hopes of winning and defending his title stand tall at this point.

OG is one of the most successful Dota 2 teams out there, and it cannot be denied that there are a lot of expectations on the team when it comes to their winning chances. But with their recent struggles, coach Maurice “KheZu” Gutmann has now decided to move on from his team in search of better strides. A prominent figure in Dota 2’s competitive scene, KheZu was initially a player before transitioning to a coaching job. Just seven months after serving as OG’s coach, the German pro saw how the team struggled in his lead. Considering how the Western European scene of Dota 2 is a competitive landscape that shows no mercy, it was kind of expected. However, KheZu moving on from the team is really quite a worrying look now more than ever. We have seen how he has been a pivotal leader for the team, but it seems that the struggles were too much for him and now he is looking to move on from the team with the hopes of landing with more, greener pastures. A Timely Parting of Ways KheZu’s move from OG has been considered a timely change of scenery as the Western Europe roster of the team is still in a rebuilding phase. The organization is also currently expanding its team to bigger heights and is signing a secondary squad in Peru, named OG.LATAM. KheZu was supposed to lead the Western Europe team, but it seems that he’s not eager to do so after all those struggles. Despite his decision to move on, OG founder Johan “N0tail” Sundstein has a lot of praise for the coach, claiming that he’s positively surprised by his work and is really fond of the former YouTube caster. “I think KheZu was the most surprising out of all, because we didn't really work much with him in the past. We cast and talked with him, but haven't seen this side of him, where he's trying to step up and be a driving force, a leader, a coach,” N0tail said of KheZu. “To me, he's very smart. He's emotionally very intelligent, more than Ceb, in my opinion.” KheZu was a leader of young talent – Nuengnara “23savage” Teeramahanon, Leon “Nine” Kirilin, Adrian “Wisper” Cespedes Dobles, Matthew “Ari” Walker, and Jian Wei “xNova-” Yap. All of these players have been quite a promising talent to watch, and they honed their talents under KheZu’s lead. A Run of Mishaps Despite all that talent, however, OG hasn’t really found a promising groove in their games over the past few months and could not buy a single win. The year 2025 hasn’t been theirs for the taking so far, even when they had a promising start at BLAST Slam I before finishing at the bottom. The team would inevitably be disbanded after all those struggles, and one can say that KheZu is really made the best out of his run with the team. It just so happens that OG was in a tough stretch in the past few months, which has certainly affected his leadership and the team’s overall groove in the game. OG is expected to name a new coach anytime soon, as well as detailed updates from its restructured Western European roster. KheZu, on the other hand, has not made any decisions or announcements on social media regarding his future.