For the first time in the tournament’s history, the PMWC has moved away from Saudi Arabia and is being held at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles in France. The event runs from August 6 to 16 as part of the Esports World Cup, bringing 32 leading PUBG Mobile squads into a live arena environment in one of Europe’s most recognisable cities.

The venue shift is important because hosting a global mobile tournament requires far more than placing players in front of a large audience. Organisers must deliver identical devices, stable networks, secure competition systems, broadcast infrastructure and a stage capable of handling fans, sponsors and international media. A successful Paris event would show that PUBG Mobile can move between regions without losing competitive quality or atmosphere.

The tournament also carries serious financial weight. The total prize pool is $3,025,000, with the largest share reserved for the Grand Finals. The group stage, survival stage and final phase all offer teams opportunities to earn money, but the competitive value of reaching the final weekend is much greater.

The structure is divided into three stages. The group phase ran from August 6 to 9, followed by the Survival Stage on August 11 and 12. The Grand Finals are scheduled for August 14 to 16, with 16 teams competing across 18 matches.

The defining tactical feature of the finals is the Smash Rule. Under a conventional points system, a team can win by accumulating the highest total through placements and eliminations. The Smash Rule adds a second requirement. A team must first reach the designated target-point threshold and then secure a Winner Winner Chicken Dinner to become champion.

That change transforms the endgame. A squad can lead the standings yet remain vulnerable if it cannot close out a match. Conversely, a team sitting behind the leaders may become the champion by reaching the threshold and producing one perfectly timed victory. The format creates a balance between sustained excellence and late-stage execution.

Teams must therefore manage two competing instincts. Early in the finals, survival and steady points remain essential because a squad cannot reach the target without consistent performance. Once the threshold is within reach, however, teams may need to take greater risks, contest stronger positions and prioritise the chicken dinner over safe placement points.

This creates fascinating strategic possibilities. A leading team may avoid unnecessary fights and wait for a favourable final circle, while a trailing team could accelerate its aggression to collect eliminations and control its path towards the target. The best in-game leaders will need to recognise when patience has stopped being useful and when a calculated gamble is required.

The format also makes momentum more powerful. A single victory can change the entire championship race, especially if several teams reach the target around the same time. Players will face immense psychological pressure, because one late-game rotation or failed engagement could decide millions of dollars and a world title.

Indian fans have an additional reason to follow the tournament. GodLike Esports and Orangutan became the first Indian teams to qualify for the PMWC Grand Finals, with both sides progressing from the group stage. Their performances will be measured not only by eliminations but by their ability to adapt to the Smash Rule.

PMWC 2026 is ultimately redefining what a mobile esports championship can look like. Paris provides the global setting, but the Smash Rule supplies the drama. In this format, survival earns opportunity, strategy creates position and only a final act of courage can deliver the crown.

]]> https://www.thesportsroom.org/craimes-street-fighter-6-triumph-shows-how-the-next-esports-era-is-being-built-by-teenagers/ Wed, 05 Aug 2026 05:41:51 +0000 https://www.thesportsroom.org/?p=59152 At just 15 years old, Jaime “Craime” Bustos did what many veteran competitors spend years chasing. He won the Street Fighter 6 title at the Esports World Cup, took home $250,000, and became the youngest champion in the tournament’s history. For Team Falcons, it was a major standings boost. For the fighting game scene, it was a reminder that the next wave of esports stars may already be here.

Craime’s victory stood out not only because of his age, but because of the composure behind it. In a bracket loaded with experienced names and proven title winners, he did not look overwhelmed by the moment. He lost the opening round of the grand final against Japan’s Hibiki, then adjusted quickly and took control of the series, finishing with a convincing 5-2 win. That kind of reset under pressure is usually the sign of a competitor who understands more than just button inputs. It reflects matchup awareness, emotional control, and the ability to adapt in real time.

That is why the performance resonated beyond the trophy itself. Fighting games have always rewarded precision, timing, and pattern recognition, but at the elite level they also demand calm under stress. Craime showed all of that. He was not simply reacting faster than his opponents. He was solving them. Against some of the scene’s most respected players, he maintained structure, punished mistakes, and forced others to play on his terms. For someone so young, that is extraordinary.

His win also speaks to the broader rise of fighting games inside global esports. While team-based titles often dominate the largest viewership totals, fighting games continue to produce some of the most intense and readable competition for live audiences. Every round matters. Every read can swing a match. That makes games like Street Fighter 6 especially effective on big stages, where even casual viewers can understand the tension of a comeback or the value of one decisive punish.

Esports organizers have noticed this. The growth of fighting game events in major tournaments suggests that publishers and tournament operators see long-term value in titles where individual skill is easy to showcase and stars can emerge quickly. Unlike many team games, fighting games do not hide talent behind systems or rosters. One player can become the story. Craime’s rise is proof of how powerful that format can be when the right personality and the right performance align.

For Team Falcons, the title had added importance because it delivered 1,000 Club Championship points and pushed the organization higher in the overall standings. But even beyond the team implications, the bigger takeaway is what Craime represents: an era in which teenagers can arrive on the biggest stage with enough technical maturity to beat established names and reshape the competitive landscape.

That matters for the future of esports viewership too. Younger fans often connect strongly with fast, high-stakes formats, and fighting games are built for that kind of engagement. They are easy to clip, dramatic to watch live, and filled with momentum swings that work well across streaming platforms and social media. As esports continues to compete for attention, that combination could make fighting games one of its most valuable growth engines.

Craime’s victory was a championship performance, but it was also a signal. The next great esports story may not come from a seasoned veteran or a long-developed dynasty. It may come from a teenager who understands the game, trusts the moment, and refuses to be intimidated by it.

]]> https://www.thesportsroom.org/daniil-kvyat-takes-on-ai-cars-at-the-a2rl/ Mon, 29 Apr 2024 18:29:29 +0000 https://www.thesportsroom.org/?p=44834 The Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League (A2RL) made waves in the motorsports world  during its inaugural event. The show featured a special AI vs Human F1 Race featuring F1 driver Daniil Kvyat.

This groundbreaking series pits AI-controlled cars against each other in races, showcasing the fusion of cutting-edge technology and speed.

Human VS AI ✅@A2RLeague #A2RL #motorsport pic.twitter.com/zQkwiyAESY

— Motorsport.com (@Motorsport) April 27, 2024

Before the final A2RL race, Daniil Kvyat took on the ‘AI vs. Human’ challenge. He climbed into a Super Formula car, fully aware that it wouldn’t be a flat-out race. Kvyat’s experience as an F1 driver added to the intrigue, as fans wondered how he would fare against the AI competitor.

During the exhibition, Kvyat showcased his driving skills while the AI car demonstrated its autonomous capabilities. It was a moment of history, highlighting the intersection of human expertise and technological innovation, and in the end, Daniil won easily.

A2RL: AI vs Human F1 Race

The A2RL cars are modified Dallara Super Formula SF19 single-seaters. These cars typically race in Japan’s Super Formula series, where they achieve lap times just a few seconds off the pace of Formula 1 cars. However, during the A2RL event, the AI-controlled cars were not as quick as their human counterparts.

The AI-controlled cars are equipped with cameras and sensors that feed information back to a computer. This data is processed every five milliseconds, allowing the AI system to make decisions based on real-time inputs. While AI-controlled motorsport events have been held in Europe and North America, the A2RL series is the first to feature wheel-to-wheel racing between autonomous cars.

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A very Special (Delivery) thank you to you all 🐻😱💙…https://t.co/zOAMehf8Cq pic.twitter.com/xWVmQFR49G

— FNAF AR (@FNAFAROfficial) February 1, 2024

Five Nights at Freddy’s: AR Fades to Black – Servers Shut Down After Bridging Franchise Lore

Launched in 2019, Special Delivery bridged the story gap between the games Help Wanted and Security Breach. Players stepped into a world where animatronics lurked in their surroundings, ready to jump out and terrify them. The game’s unique blend of AR technology and horror elements made it a standout experience for fans of the franchise.

Illumix didn’t catch players off guard. On February 1st, they announced that the servers for Special Delivery would close down on March 14th. Today, that day has arrived, and the game has officially closed its doors. The ability to download the game from Apple or Google Play stores was disabled earlier, ensuring that only those who had previously downloaded it could continue their eerie encounters.

Five Nights at Freddy’s: Bidding Farewell With a Bang – A Fond Look Back and Future Frights

As a parting gift, Illumix showered players with rewards. Reduced prices on in-game items, accessible DLC with Faz-Coins—these gestures turned the game’s final days into a celebration. While fans would have loved for Special Delivery to stick around indefinitely, this last hurrah allowed them to savour the experience one last time.

Although Five Nights at Freddy’s: AR might not be able to send chills down players’ spines through their phones any more, the franchise is still growing. The series’ distinctive blend of suspense and terror will continue to be delivered in future instalments, which fans can’t wait for.

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A Commitment to Call of Duty: M Players

The developers behind COD: M have made it clear that the game’s journey is far from over. Despite the arrival of Warzone Mobile, which is set to bring the Warzone experience to mobile gamers, COD: M will not be left behind. The team has confirmed, “Call of Duty®: Mobile will continue to get new content every season and there are no plans to change the breadth of content we bring to COD: M players.” This commitment underscores the developers’ dedication to providing a continuous stream of engaging content for its player base.

In a post on X formerly Twitter Today, the developers behind Call of Duty: Mobile announced that a few modes are leaving the mobile release for a limited time.

Call of Duty®: Mobile will continue to get new content every season and there are no plans to change the breadth of content we bring to COD:M players. Stay tuned for more info on exciting new content we have coming this year!

— Call of Duty: Mobile (@PlayCODMobile) March 12, 2024

Call of Duty: Mobile has been a resounding success for developer Activision Blizzard, hitting 270 million downloads in its first year. The game has carved out a niche for itself in the mobile gaming market, offering an immersive experience that rivals its console counterparts. With regular updates and seasonal content, COD: M has managed to keep its community engaged and growing.

Its immense success is mainly due to the fact that now, Call of Duty can be played anywhere, as long as you have your phone and a stable internet connection. If you’re someone who likes to play competitively, Activision has you covered, since they offer ranked play as well. A fast, reliable internet like Xfinity is recommended and Xfinity customer service recommends using a wired internet connection. For Android or iOS, this can be done using a USB-C/Lightning to Ethernet adapter.

The upcoming launch of Warzone Mobile, scheduled for March 21st, has been met with excitement and over 50 million pre-registrations. It promises to inject a new flavour into the Call of Duty mobile scene with cross-progression, allowing players to use earned content across multiple Call of Duty titles. However, this new addition to the franchise does not spell the end for COD: M. Instead, it represents an expansion of the Call of Duty universe on mobile platforms.

Call of Duty is positioned to stay at the forefront of the mobile gaming scene as it develops, providing players with top-notch, action-packed experiences while on the go.

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The information, which was first released by @WarzoneQG, implies that Booker would emulate his teammate Kevin Durant, who was included in the last game.

“REPORT: Devin Booker is coming to Call of Duty in Season 3 as a bundle, per @WarzoneQG . Booker will join Kevin Durant as the only NBA players in the game,” Legion Hoops shared on X (formerly Twitter).

The Rise of NBA Players in Gaming

Kevin Durant’s introduction to the Call of Duty universe paved the way. The Brooklyn Nets superstar became a playable character, thrilling fans who could now use his talents in the game. Devin Booker now joins Durant as the only NBA player featured in Activision’s blockbuster franchise. It demonstrates the rising connection between sports and gaming, in which boundaries dissolve and icons transcend their arenas.

Booker’s in-game character has the potential to be a formidable opponent. His virtual presence will extend beyond the basketball court, as he takes part in the violent combat of Call of Duty’s Warzone mode. The bundle includes two weapon blueprints based on his nicknames, the “Reap This” AR blueprint and the “Easy Money” sniper blueprint. Booker’s operator, like KD’s character, will be adaptable, dangerous, and ready to take on the digital battlefield.

NBA Fans React To Devin Booker’s COD Cameo

While some fans applaud Booker’s entrance on digital platforms, others are unconvinced. Reactions on social media are a flurry, ranging from joy to lighthearted ridicule. Some supporters even go so far as to say that Ja Morant, a young player with a contentious past, would have made a better selection. In any case, Booker’s presence elevates the gameplay experience and begs the question of how his abilities will transfer from the court to the console.

A wide range of feelings can be seen reflected in the comments of fans to the possibility that Devin Booker may be joining Call of Duty Season 3:

“The perfect character to reverse boost with” one fan commented on the post

The fan seems to expect Booker to be weak and suggests his presence may be an easy target for experienced players seeking lower-skilled competition.

“We just adding anybody to call of duty now,” another wrote.

Another added, “This is Books greatest accomplishment.”

Collaboration is the lifeblood of modern video games. Gaming firms purposefully incorporate well-known figures into their games to increase marketing and income, ranging from pop icons like Nicki Minaj to rappers like Snoop Dogg. Booker’s bundle is probably going to sell for the same amount as Kevin Durant’s, which was 2,400 CoD Points (about $20). Gamers prepare for yet another round of excitement as they await its arrival.

Even while Call of Duty or Booker himself hasn’t formally confirmed the first information, which was obtained through a tweet, fans are undoubtedly excited. Official word on Booker’s in-game appearance and other information is eagerly awaited as Season 3 draws near.

The transition of Devin Booker from the hardwood to Call of Duty’s pixels serves as an example that exemplifies the evolving landscape. Booker’s bundle is a combination of sportsmanship, strategy, and pure enjoyment, so whether you’re a Suns fan, a game fanatic, or just inquisitive, keep an eye out for it.

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It is undoubtedly destined to be one of the year’s top games. The game has an immense fan following worldwide, and the news of adding a mini-basketball game into the main one has excited basketball fans from around the world.

GTA 6 is rumored to have a 3v3 basketball mini-game 👀 pic.twitter.com/VbdvDJ8xzM

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 26, 2024

The mini-basketball game was supposed to be added to the 15th installment of the game but due to some undisclosed reasons, GTA V did not have the basketball game in it. This came as a huge disappointment to the fans who were eager for the latest addition to the game.

Fans react to the basketball mini-game in GTA 6.

After the tweet from Legion Hoops’ official account on X, fans were losing their mind. some fans could not even hold on to their excitement, and some even said that it would be even better than NBA 2K, a game solely focused on the NBA. Some of the fans also had some hilarious comments on the post. Fans from all over social media rushed to Twitter to speak their minds on the latest version of the cult classic game.

“Draymond, Ja, and Isaiah Stewart are gonna be playing this during their suspensions.” One fan wrote on X(previously Twitter).

“gonna be throwing alley-oops to Lebron in a Miami Vice jersey on the beach,” another one commented.

“I dare somebody to draymond green me they finna catch 762s so fast” another one added.

“If my team loses everyone Is dying” a Twitter user commented on the availability of both violence and basketball in the GTA 6.

“They gonna be shooting niggas who don’t pass the ball” another Twitter user commented.

GTA 6 is set to release on March 2025 and fans are already getting impatient. Some of us have spent our entire childhood playing GTA and are looking to spend our adulthood doing the same.GTA is not only a game but for some, it is pure love. It is yet to be seen whether fans will get to play the mini-basketball game in GTA 6 or will have to wait for the next version.

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Malone has been captivating the fans with his unique blend of hip-hop, pop, and rock. He gained fame after releasing “White Iverson” in 2015, which received widespread acclaim. He has consistently delivered chart-topping hits and critically acclaimed albums.

Post Malone has showcased his versatility and creativity in the music industry. He is also popular for his distinctive vocal style and eclectic fashion sense, cementing his status as one of the most influential and successful artists of his generation.

Post Malone to be featured in WWE 2K24

It seems that he will featured in the WWE 2K24 game. 2K announced that the WWE 2K24 soundtrack this morning via a press release. It has come to light that Post Malone is this year’s Executive Soundtrack Producer.

Malone has two of his songs on the 2K24 soundtrack and he will also be featured as a playable character in one of the post-launch DLC packs. Malone shared his thoughts in the press release about arranging this year’s soundtrack and how excited he is for everyone to hear it.

“The secret to a great video game soundtrack is a little something for everyone and for every mood. It gets you excited, and it gets you pumped up to play,” Post Malone said. “This has been a total blast. We have a lot of cool ideas, so I’m super excited.”

The WWE 2K24 soundtrack features 12 songs, including:

• Post Malone – Chemical
• Post Malone – Laugh It Off
• 100 gecs – Hand Crushed By A Mallet
• Busta Rhymes – Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See
• Colter Wall – Motorcycle
• Grimes – Genesis
• Militarie Gun – Do It Faster
• Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs – Big Rig
• Speed – Not That Nice
• Turnstile – Mystery
• Tyler Childers – House Fire
• Yeat – Bëttr 0ff

What makes a 🔥 video game soundtrack? Our Executive Soundtrack Producer @PostMalone takes us into the process pic.twitter.com/e0NJI73gSL

— #WWE2K24 (@WWEgames) February 16, 2024

WWE 2K24 is set to release on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC on March 8. You can also get it three days before on March 5 by pre-ordering the deluxe or Forty Years of WrestleMania editions.

Twitch is not profitable anymore

Clancy recently went live on the platform to answer community questions and revealed that Twitch isn’t currently profitable. He further explained why Twitch will not be offering massive contracts to the biggest creators on the site.

Over the past few years, rivals such as YouTube, Facebook, Mixer, and more recently Kick, surpassed Twitch in the streaming industry — spending millions signing streamers to multi-year contracts.

While the platform fought back and signed numerous top streamers to deals, it seems that they’ll no longer be offering the same.

Dan Clancy explains

Dan Clancy was appointed as the platform’s CEO in early 2023 after company co-founder Emmett Shear stepped down. Speaking in a live Q&A on January 11, he explained why the platform is no longer offering massive contracts.

“I can tell you the cost of retaining those streamers would have been far more than the revenue generated,” he said. “That is something we’ve been very clear about, we don’t want to do that.”

He added: “Because the only way to do that then is to have this unbalance where we make up for that on smaller streamers and we don’t want to do that.”

It doesn’t come as a surprise due to Twitch’s huge shift in October 2023. After years of signing creators to stream just on their platform, the platform updated guidelines to remove rules prohibiting “multi-streams” that prohibited streamers from broadcasting to several sites at once.

No more CSGO

Counter-Strike Global Offensive, which was released in 2012 has been one of the most popular competitive shooting games of all time and over the years, it grew into a popular game and by far the most-played game on Steam.

As it aged, fans grew impatient for a new release or a revamp to the game that was still running on an outdated engine.

In September 2023, after much anticipation, CS2 was released, which is an overhaul of CSGO on the Source engine. It entirely replaced the previous game but CS:GO remained playable through a launch option for CS2. However, that is gone forever.

CS:GO has been ceased

Following the release of CS2, Valve clarified the speculation regarding the future of CSGO. Unfortunately, fans, who hope to still play the old version will no longer be able to play the game. The developers confirmed that support for CSGO would cease entirely on January 1, 2024.

Until that date, the game was playable through the CS:GO Legacy Version, available in the ‘betas’ menu of CS2’s properties.

But, Valve explained, “After January 1, 2024 the game will still be available, but certain functionality that relies on compatibility with the Game Coordinator (e.g., access to inventory) may degrade and/or fail.”

This indicates that the Legacy Version option will still exist, but with the development team no longer looking after it and there is a good chance that it will be functionally inoperable.

It is needless to say that all eyes will be on Counter-Strike 2, and Valve’s upcoming plans with the franchise. The game had a mixed reaction from the fans since its release, and player counts have fallen over the months. However, the Counter-Strike community is optimistic that future updates will bring back the game’s former glory.