LEC & LPL

USMC Fighter's Cup

VCT Stage 1 EMEA

VCT Stage 1 China

VCT Stage 1 Pacific 

VCT Stage 1 NA

IEM Chengdu

ESL One Birmingham 2024

ESL Pro League Season 19

ALGS Split 1 Playoffs

PGL Wallachia Season 1

DreamLeague Season 23

Valve introduced on April 22 the first-ever official global ranking for CS2 esports. Before that, all Valve had done was put together rankings for each region — Europe, Americas, and Asia.



While most of the Counter-Strike community has grown used to checking HLTV's work rankings, Valve's global rankings will gain unforeseen importance from 2025 onwards. This is because tournament organizers will have to discontinue their current partnership ecosystem and use Valve's ranking to determine invitations for all tournaments or otherwise run open qualifiers. 



Most notably, the initiative dubbed "A Level Playing Field" will directly affect major tournament organizers such as BLAST and ESL, who currently run franchised leagues.



Without further ado, here are the top 30 teams in the world in April 2024, according to Valve's global ranking for CS2 esports. We'll update this article whenever Valve makes major changes to the ranking.



CS2's world rankings: April 2024



StandingPointsTeam NameRoster11925Natus VincereAleksib, b1t, iM, jL, w0nderful21919FaZebroky, frozen, karrigan, rain, ropz31908Spiritchopper, donk, magixx, sh1ro, zont1x41848MOUZBrollan, Jimpphat, siuhy, torzsi, xertioN51814G2HooXi, huNter-, m0NESY, nexa, NiKo61774VitalityapEX, flameZ, mezii, Spinx, ZywOo71648Eternal FireCalyx, MAJ3R, Wicadia, woxic, XANTARES81620Virtus.profame, FL1T, Jame, mir, n0rb3r791573Cloud9alpha, Ax1Le, Boombl4, HObbit, Perfecto101550paiNbiguzera, kauez, lux, nqz, nyezin111545HEROICkyxsan, NertZ, nicoodoz, sjuush, TeSeS121502Imperialdecenty, felps, HEN1, noway, VINI131498MIBRbrnz4n, drop, exit, insani, saffee141414Astralisbr0, device, jabbi, Staehr, stavn151386ComplexityEliGE, floppy, Grim, hallzerk, JT161327FURIAchelo, FalleN, KSCERATO, kye, yuurih171318The Mongolz910, bLitz, mzinho, Senzu, Techno181304GamerLegionacoR, isak, Keoz, Snax, volt191298OGF1KU, HeavyGod, k1to, MoDo, Nexius201294FalconsMaden, Magisk, s1mple, Snappi, SunPayus211286Auroradeko, KENSI, Lack1, Norwi,

Valve's global ranking for CS2 esports: April 2024

SAW is preparing for its second experience in the ESL Pro League (EPL) and esports.gg spoke with team captain Christopher "MUTiRiS" Fernandes.



The team's last participation was in Season 17 with Tiago "JUST" Moura from KOI on the team. With Rafael "arrozdoce" Wing on the team for a year, MUTiRiS said that SAW is going through its best moment ever.



"We'll have Major, EPL, and BLAST. This is tier 1. With these tournaments, we start to normalize these things, but [what] we are doing is not normal. This is SAW's and [the] Portuguese scene's best moment. We are at this level, but we want to step forward, and that's the most difficult part."



SAW is having the best year of all time (Image via João Ferreira/PGL)



MUTiRiS and SAW's last-minute invite to EPL



It’s a historic moment for both the Portuguese CS2 team and scene. For EPL Season 19, SAW was invited at the last minute due to changes at Cloud9. After Cloud9 chose to leave the competition, the Portuguese team was chosen as the replacement based on the rankings.




#ESLProLeague Season 19 UPDATE:@C9CSGO have withdrawn from ESL Pro League Season 19.They will be replaced by @sawggofficial who last joined us during Season 17! pic.twitter.com/kCqzmP7RM1— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) April 15, 2024




The news reached the team a week before the competition started. For MUTiRiS, the late EPL invitation only meant good things.





"Can only be a good thing. If we [do] well, it's good for our evolution to see that the things we are doing are correct. If [we] don’t [do] that well, it’s time to analyze and see what we are doing well and bad. For me, it's always positive. It's different when you know you have a tournament in a month or a week. We tried to give our best in the last week. What we defined as our main goal was going through the group stage."



SAW's EPL group stage



For MUTiRis and SAW, the EPL group is "accessible." It's a group that brings together European teams that know each other very

MUTiRiS about EPL's group: "Accessible"

On the verge of starting ESL Pro League (EPL) Season 19, Alexandre "bodyy" Pianaro spoke about his experience of being Fnatic's new captain. He also talked about the expectations for the competition.



In recent years, Fnatic has embraced the international project and bodyy has been the team's new captain since November 2023. Bodyy also talked about his experience with calling in English.



"My first experience in English was in Falcons when we added BOROS, lauNx, and mhL to the team. I've had some time to talk and learn [how] to express myself in English. Obviously, it wasn't the best environment to grow and to build up, so I wouldn't say that was such a big experience and not a long time as well. When I joined ITB as [a] stand-in — new people, new culture, it's not easy to create something in that short time."



Bodyy had only French experiences before Falcons became international (Image via PGL)



"When Fnatic picked me up, that was my first time calling in English, speaking about my ideas in English, my background, how's my vision of the game to the players and the coach. We had to make sure we were on the same page and speak the same Counter-Strike language."



EPL as an opportunity to show work



Fnatic fans have already witnessed the organization win several trophies in Counter-Strike. However, recent years have shown a different reality. In his first six months as captain of Fnatic, Bodyy has come to believe that the team needed more time, especially after missing out on the first CS2 Major.



"This team was built six months ago. Our expectations were to qualify for the Major, which we didn't. I can't say this satisfied me or anyone in the team. This team was new, time was needed to build a culture and a structure for this team. We have youngsters, some of us have never played in international teams, so we have to put all the pieces together."





"I think people don't realize it's always hard to build a new team and time is obviously needed. We

Bodyy on EPL: "All the past months were of hard work"

The ESL Pro League returns after a very successful PGL Copenhagen Major. ESL Pro League Season 19 is a long event that runs for almost a month and features a large number of teams. This article aims to keep you up to date with the latest news, results, and information about ESL Pro League Season 19.



Table of contentsESL Pro League Season 19 Live scoreGroup StagePlayoffsStandingsWhere to watch ESL Pro League Season 19?What is the League format?Participating Teams



ESL Pro League Season 19 Live score



Group Stage



Group A



StageTeam 1Team 2Map 1Map 2Map 3ScoreUB QuartersFaZe ClanImperial EsportsInferno (13-10)Nuke (13-6)Overpass2-0UB QuartersEternal FireAstralisVertigo (5-13)Overpass (9-13)Nuke0-2UB QuartersVirtus.ProFnaticOverpass (13-11)Vertigo (9-13)Ancient (11-13)1-2UB Quarters3DMAXSAWVertigo (16-13)Inferno (19-17)Overpass2-0Mid Bracket R1Imperial EsportsEternal FireMirage (13-10)Anubis (4-13)Inferno (9-13)1-2Mid Bracket R1Virtus.ProSAWOverpass (13-3)Vertigo (13-11)Inferno 2-0LB QFImperial EsportsSAWUB SemisUB SemisMB QFFnaticEternal FireMB QFFaZe ClanVirtus.ProMB SFLB SFLB SFLB FinalUB FinalGroup A matches - Live score



Group B



StageTeam 1Team 2Map 1Map 2Map 3ScoreUB QuartersVitalitySharks EsportsVertigo (13-11)Mirage (13-3)Anubis2-0UB QuartersBetBoomM80Anubis (13-5)Ancient (1-13)Mirage (13-11)2-1UB QuartersTeam FalconsThe MongolZMirage (3-13)Nuke (13-9)Ancient (11-13)1-2UB QuartersTYLOOG2 esportsAncient (6-13)Inferno )10-13)Nuke0-2Mid Bracket R1Sharks EsportsM80Mid Bracket R1Team FalconsTYLOOLB QFUB SemisVitalityBetBoomUB SemisThe MongolZG2 esportsMB QFMB QFMB SFLB SFLB SFLB FinalUB FinalGroup B matches - Live score



Group C



StageTeam 1Team 2Map 1Map 2Map 3ScoreUB QuartersMOUZBad News KangaroosUB QuartersGamerLegionENCEUB QuartersFURIA EsportsTeam LiquidUB QuartersForZe EsportsMonteMid Bracket R1Mid Bracket R1LB QFUB SemisUB SemisMB QFMB QFMB SFLB SFLB SFLB FinalUB FinalGroup C matches - Live score



Group D



StageTeam 1Team 2Map 1Map

ESL Pro League Season 19: Live score, where to watch and format

One issue Counter-Strike 2 players had at launch was the lack of console commands compared to CS:GO, including the ability to switch the viewmodel's handedness. Well, the April 25 release notes for CS2 inform that Valve has added a left hand viewmodel option to the game.



Here's how to use it, set a bind to switch back and forth, and the full release notes for the day.



How to switch CS2 viewmodel to left hand



Screenshot via esports.gg



The release notes for CS2 that went live on April 25 indicate a new setting labelled Preferred Viewmodel Left/Right Handedness.



We've got you covered on how to find that setting and make the switch to a left hand viewmodel:




Open Counter-Strike 2



Go to the game's Settings



Select the Game submenu



Navigate to the Item section



Find the Preferred Viewmodel Left/Right Handedness option



Select either Right or Left for your CS2 viewmodel







How to set a bind to switch viewmodel hand in CS2



Screenshot via esports.gg



Selecting a preferred handedness isn't the only new feature with the latest CS2 patch. You can set a keybind to swap between a left and right view throughout a match, making it easier to peek around corners.



Here's where to set that keybind:




Open Counter-Strike 2



Go to the game's Settings



Select the Keyboard/Mouse submenu



Navigate to the Weapon Keys section



Find the Switch Viewmodel Left/Right Hand option



Enter the keybind you'd like to use

Default keybind is H









Release notes for 4/25/2024




Fine. pic.twitter.com/bsTHxz65Yn— CS2 (@CounterStrike) April 25, 2024




From the viewmodel, to hud and buy menu tweaks, and some weapon finish changes, we've got all fo the April 25 release notes for CS2.



Viewmodel




Adjusted viewmodel bob movement



Added "Preferred Viewmodel Left/Right Handedness" setting



Added "Switch Viewmodel Left/Right Hand" key binding (default: US keyboard letter H) to switch hands temporarily during gameplay



Viewmodel position

CS2 adds left hand viewmodel preference and keybind to switch

Firefly is Honkai Star Rail Version 2.3's first officially confirmed playable character, who has already appeared as an NPC - and quite a memorable one - in the main story.



Firefly in Honkai Star Rail: Element & Path



Firefly is a 5-Star Fire character on the path of Destruction. We can expect good survivability from her and highly damaging abilities — Firefly is a DPS character.



This young girl was born as a weapon, and she suffers from Entropy Loss Syndrome, caused by a genetic modification. These circumstances can’t break Firefly, though. She joins the Stellaron Hunters to dig deep into the very meaning of life. Moreover, Firefly hopes to change her destiny and abandons her predetermined path.



Firefly is an upcoming 5-Star Fire character in Honkai Star Rail



The first glimpse at Honkai Star Rail Firefly was possible thanks to the Version 2.0 Music Trailer. Then, the character appeared in the Trailblaze Missions, Chapter 3: Penacony Subquests. Firefly tried to run away from the Bloodhound Family, and the Trailblaze saved her. They spent some time together, and Firefly confessed to having Entropy Loss Syndrome.



Firefly on the cover of the Honkai Star Rail 2.0 OST







Those were sweet moments in Honkai: Star Rail 2.0, but soon they were over. Something Unto Death, or simply Death, killed Firefly. Version 2.1 reversed emotions of that tragic episode . We discovered that Firefly returns from the dead. It also was a moment of revealing her true identity — she is in fact a person in the mechanical armor "SAM"!



The story of Firefly in Honkai: Star Rail got a positive response in the hearts of game fans. Her reveal as a playable character in Version 2.3 caused much excitement in the community.



Firefly is introduced once you reach Penacony



Firefly banner and release date



Firefly's expected Honkai Star Rail release date is during Phase 1 of Version 2.3 in mid-June.



We've calculated the dates following patterns of the previous banner

5-Star Firefly in Honkai Star Rail (Release Date, Path, Kit)

Mirrorwatch has arrived in Overwatch 2! This limited-time game mode features reimagined heroes, abilities, and ultimates. Read on for our Overwatch 2 Mirrorwatch guide where we go over all of the abilities and more!



Overwatch 2 Mirrorwatch victory screen (Image via esports.gg)



Overwatch 2 Mirrorwatch guide



To enter Mirrorwatch, head to the event's area or the Overwatch 2 Arcade. Next, select your preferred Mirrorwatch role. Tank options include Doomfist, Reinhardt, and Zarya. Meanwhile, the damage heroes are Bastion, Echo, Sombra, Tracer, and Windowmaker. Finally, Mirrorwatch support heroes include Ana, Brigitte, Mercy, and Zenyatta. 



How to access the limited-time game mode (Image via esports.gg)



Overwatch 2 Mirrorwatch game mode



To claim victory in the Overwatch 2 Mirrorwatch game mode, make sure to read each hero's reimagined abilities carefully before jumping into the fray. Do this by pressing the "F1" key. We've also taken screenshots of all of the Mirrorwatch abilities and ultimates in this guide for the game mode's tanks, damage, and support heroes. 



Screenshot of Mirrorwatch Mercy shooting rockets (Image via esports.gg)



Equip yourself with the knowledge of what the reimagined kits do in order to synergize well with your allies. For example, Mirrorwatch Mercy can no longer resurrect teammates. Instead, she can detonate a fallen ally or enemy! At the same time, Sombra hacks allies to increase their attack speed and overhealth. Additionally, remember Slicers from the Overwatch 2 Story Missions? They're back thanks to Bastion's ultimate. 



Screenshot of a Slicer from Bastion's ultimate (Image via esports.gg)



Overwatch 2 Mirrorwatch tanks



Remember that in Mirrorwatch, the heroes you know from the original universe are quite different. For example, Reinhardt can now deploy an energy barrier that increases the damage of your team's projectiles. Meanwhile, Doomfist can project a shield to block front attacks! As for Zarya, she can

Overwatch 2 Mirrorwatch guide: All abilities and Mirrorwatch patch notes

Roll out the red carpet! The Dota 2 community is excited and ready to welcome the arrival of the mischievous Ringmaster, Dota 2's upcoming new hero. Valve first introduced Ringmaster during the culmination of The International 2023, teasing its arrival in 2024. With the highly-anticipated Crownfall update coming, many are also expecting Ringmaster's release. Here's everything we know about Ringmaster, including its release date, abilities, and voice actor.



UPDATE: Valve has yet to unleash Ringmaster following Crownfall's release, nor share updates regarding its release date. Many speculate that the hero will arrive in the next chapter of Crownfall, Act II, which may come in another week or more.



When is the release date for Ringmaster?







Ringmaster is scheduled to release in "early 2024". Ringmaster is likely set to release alongside the massive Crownfall update which will release in "mid April".



As we are sitting right in the middle of April, Ringmaster may come anytime soon! Valve typically releases Dota 2 patches on Tuesday or Thursday Seattle time, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled on these days.






What are Ringmaster's abilities?



There are many speculations when it comes to Ringmaster's abilities and concept. The hero has a distinct similarity to Heroes of Newerth's hero, Puppet Master. Aside from the name that aligns, both hero has the   "jester" look and a wickedly mischievous concept. 









HoN's Puppet Master has abilities that can tie an enemy hero to a puppet's string and restrain their movement. The Ringmaster trailer showed an image of Axe tied with a rope. The trailer also showed how Ringmaster is able to trick or deceive the enemy unit and control them to do what he wants, a similar concept to Puppet Master's mind-control ability "Puppet Show".



Puppet Master in HoN using his ultimate, Voodoo Puppet. (via HoN Killer)



A lot of hidden hero voicelines also reflect this mind-control ability of Ringmaster. A voiceline from

New Dota 2 hero Ringmaster: Release date, abilities, voice actor, and more

The Quick Weapon Draw feature in Fortnite has been a big hit for controller competitors since it was first released years ago. But now, it seems like many are finding that the recent update to the game might have renewed the feature.



So did Fortnite get rid of Quick Weapon Draw?



Is Quick Weapon Draw still in Fortnite?



The big question many people are asking is whether or not the Quick Weapon Draw feature is still in Fortnite. 



While the update seems to have removed the option for controller players, it seems like this was a mistake on Epic's end. Luckily, many have confirmed on Reddit and Twitter that they had contacted Epic Support and Quick Weapon Draw is being added back into the game as soon as possible. 



Hopefully, we see the feature added back into the game by the end of the day, but it could take a little longer than some may hope for. 



What is Quick Weapon Draw?



Curious as to what Quick Weapon Draw in Fortnite is? Well, if you are a keyboard and mouse player, then this is something you are already accustomed to. For the longest time, controller players didn't have the luxury of pulling out whatever weapon or item they wanted on command. 



Originally, only keyboard and mouse players were able to press a button and immediately have a shotgun or AR. With controller, you would have to shuffle through items using L and R. Obviously, this put controller players at a huge disadvantage.







Eventually, Fortnite released the Quick Weapon Draw feature for controller players. What this feature does it allow players to bind specific weapon slots to specific weapons. Want to pull out your shotgun immediately? Press X. Want to pull out an AR on command? Press Y. 



You get the picture.



With this being out of the game again, many are having to adjust back to the old days while they wait for the feature to get added back. Hopefully, Fortnite will fix it sooner than later.



Stay tuned to esports.gg for more Fortnite and esports news.

Did Fortnite remove Quick Weapon Draw? ANSWERED

It's time for another Dislyte Esper Pop Quiz event! This time, the event features Chu Yao (Taiyi). Read on for all of the correct Dislyte Chu Yao quiz answers so you can get some free Gold Records.



Dislyte quiz answers Chu Yao (Taiyi) screenshots (Image via esports.gg)



Dislyte Chu Yao quiz answers




Day 1: Which mythology is Taiyi from? — B. Chinese



Day 2: Which of these customs is associated with Taiyi? — C. Hanging lanterns



Day 3: What kind of weapon does Chu Yao use? — A. Shaman dagger




The Dislyte Esper Pop Quiz Chu Yao answers can be found in the Esper's profile (Image via Lilith Games)



Dislyte quiz answers: Chu Yao (Taiyi)



The answer to "Which mythology is Taiyi from?" is B) Chinese. This is because in Dislyte, Chu Yao represents Taiyi from Chinese mythology. The Esper's design and theme reference this heavenly god as well. Next, the answer to "Which of these customs is associated with Taiyi?" is C) Hanging lanterns. Finally, the answer to "What kind of weapon does Chu Yao use?" is A) Shaman dagger.



Chu Yao using his Time of Strife ability (Image via Lilith Games)



Dislyte Chu Yao (Taiyi) abilities and meta




Sacrificial Rite



Divine Invocation



Time of Strife




Chu Yao screenshot (Image via Lilith Games)



Chu Yao is a legendary Fighter Esper who can inflict debuffs and significantly weaken his foes. He is also a Flow Esper, which means he's weak to Wind units and strong against Inferno units. His abilities are Sacrificial Rite, Divine Invocation, and Time of Strife. Below is a table detailing all of these abilities, as stated in patch 3.4.5. 



AbilityDetailsNotesAbility 1Sacrificial Rite: Deals damage to 1 enemy based on Max HP. Calls in an ally with Spirit Aegis to perform an Assist Attack.Ascension: Deals damage to 1 enemy based on Max HP. Inflicts Sear and DEF Down. Calls in an ally with Spirit Aegis to perform an Assist Attack.Ascension: Deals damage to 1 enemy based on Max HP. Inflicts Sear and DEF Down.

Dislyte Chu Yao quiz answers

Overview

Creators

Pass Benefits

Watch Live

Qualifier

Season 1

Creator League

[icon]

News

Guides

Community / Streamers

Split 1

Split 1 Playoffs

Split 2

Split 2 Playoffs

ALGS Champs

Apex Legends Global Series

Skins

Community

Apex

Copenhagen Major

IEM Chengdu 2024

BLAST Premier

CS ESL Pro Tour

IEM Rio

BetBoom Dacha Dubai

DreamLeague Season 22

ESL Pro Tour

DOTA 2

FNCS

WOTE

Events

Creative

Settings

Weapons

Patch Notes

Fortnite

Elden Ring

Forza Horizon 5

eNASCAR

Helldivers 2

Palworld

Skull and Bones

Stellar Blade

The Finals

WWE 2K24

Game Review

Gaming

Overwatch

Agent Guides

Maps

VCT Kickoff Leagues

VCT Masters Madrid

VCT Stage 1

VCT 2024

Collegiate

VALORANT

Apex Legends

CDL 2024

Warzone 2

CODM

Call of Duty

Rocket League

Counter Strike 2

Diablo 4

EA Sports FC

Project L

Halo Infinite

Hearthstone

Honkai: Star Rail

LCS 2024 Spring

LPL Winter 2024

LEC Winter 2024

MSI 2024

Worlds 2024

League of Legends

Mortal Kombat 1

Overwatch 2

Pokémon

Rainbow Six Siege

RLCS

Street Fighter V

Street Fighter

Street Fighter 6

Super Smash Bros

Power Rankings

Teamfight Tactics

Tekken 7

Tekken 8

Tekken

Raids

Mythics

Esports

World of Warcraft

All Games

Esports World Cup

Mobile

Movies

VTubers

Streamers

Tech

Anime

Pro Wrestling

Entertainment

More

Stage 1 Qualifiers

Stage 1 Major - Boston

Stage 2 Qualifiers

Stage 2 Major - Miami

Major 3

Major 4

Champs

TFT Power Rankings NA

TFT Power Rankings EMEA

Stickers for the PGL Counter-Strike 2 Major are now available in the game as Valve has released a new update today. Team and Player autograph stickers are available in the game’s Major hub. Fans can show their appreciation for their favorite teams and players by purchasing these stickers. Here are all the stickers for the PGL CS2 Copenhagen Major.


Stickers for the PGL Counter-Strike 2 Major are now available in the game as Valve has released a new update today. Team and Player autograph stickers are available in the game’s Major hub. Fans can show their appreciation for their favorite teams and players by purchasing these stickers. Here are all the stickers for the PGL CS2 Copenhagen Major.


The CS2 Major Stickers for the PGL Copenhagen Major are out. They feature Gold, Glitter as well as Holo versions. 50% of all proceeds from the stickers go to the teams or players and are an excellent method of supporting your favorite player or team.


The CS2 Major Stickers for the PGL Copenhagen Major are out. They feature Gold, Glitter as well as Holo versions. 50% of all proceeds from the stickers go to the teams or players and are an excellent method of supporting your favorite player or team. 


There are 160 Player Autographs this year. Valve changed rules for Player Autographs prohibiting them from using third-party artists to create their signatures. This reportedly resulted in delayed stickers.&nbsp;


There are 160 Player Autographs this year. Valve changed rules for Player Autographs prohibiting them from using third-party artists to create their signatures. This reportedly resulted in delayed stickers.&nbsp;


So far, the community reaction to stickers, especially autographs, has been rather mild. Several fans have complained that the autographs look simpler than in previous years. This is not entirely unexpected since it is players themselves and not artists who are creating these autographs this year.


So far, the community reaction to stickers, especially autographs, has been rather mild. Several fans have complained that the autographs look simpler than in previous years. This is not entirely unexpected since it is players themselves and not artists who are creating these autographs this year.


Stay tuned to <a href="https://esports.gg/">esports</a>.gg for the<a href="https://esports.gg/games/counter-strike-2/"> latest Counter-Strike 2 news and updates.</a>


Stay tuned to esports.gg for the latest Counter-Strike 2 news and updates.


CS2 Major Stickers are out – All team and Player Autographs

Events

Trending

CS2 Major Stickers are out – All team and Player Autographs

Team Stickers

Stickers

Glitter

Gold

Holo

Player Autographs [162 in Total]