It's a new month and that means it's time for new Prime Gaming content. So, Amazon has finally made the announcement and you are getting 13 free games in June. The first game is already available from June 1, 2023.
Some of the free games are Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition, Autonauts, Over Top, Sengoku 2 and many more. If you have an Amazon Prime membership then you'll get the free games, in-game content but that happens for a certain period of time only.
Now, let's have a look at the games coming in June on the basis of their release dates.
Also Read: Amazon Prime Gaming In India: How To Play?
List of games in June
June 1 Sengoku 2 Mutation Nation June 8 Soccer Brawl Over Top June 15 The Super Spy Top Hunter SteamWorld Dig 2 June 22 Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition Autonauts Revita June 29 Rogue Book Once Upon a Jester Gems of Destiny: Homeless Dwarf
So which of these amazing games are you waiting to play? Or have you already started playing one of these games through Amazon Prime Gaming? Let us know in the comments below...:
Krafton's BGMI is back to India with rewards, events, launch parties after a long absence. According to reports the viewership might have dropped for the game but the hype hasn't changed much.
It's been a while that everyone has played BGMI. Hence, the control we all had on the game earlier might not remain the same. So, something of utmost importance for having a control on the game is its sensitivity or tweaking. Presently, a lot of sensitivity settings are available for BGMI. So having proper knowledge of the settings is required to have a hold on the controls.
So, let's have a look at what are the sensitivity settings that BGMI has to offer and how the changes can be made.
Also read: 5 gaming phones under 20000 for playing BGMI
BGMI sensitivity settings
Before delving deep into the sensitivity settings first let's see how the changes can be made.
At the right bottom of the screen, tap on the 'More Options' arrow. Then tap on the Settings The settings list will appear. There you will have to select Sensitivity. From the presets bar the top of the screen, tap on customisation option . Following these steps you can easily customise the BGMI sensitivity settings.
Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) is back in India and has also started off with its launch party on June 1, 2023. The battle royale game was banned last July due to different security concerns under the Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. But now the game is available on both Android and iOS in India.
It isn’t the same old BGMI anymore, as the game has gone through a lot of changes made by the developers. And turns out, it’s having an impact on the viewership of the game and its overall popularity as well.
According to the AFK Gaming report, which would worry Krafton (the developer of BGMI), the return of BGMI hasn’t led to increased viewership of the game streams on YouTube or Twitch – in fact numbers are down, they’ve gone all haywire. It doesn't seem like people are still crazy about the game as they were earlier before the ban.
Also Read: BGMI Rising Launch Party: Only 6 Hours Of Daily Gameplay Allowed, Minors Get 3 Hours
AFK Gaming has revealed a report which shows the decline in viewership of BGMI livestreams from 2021 to 2023. The report shows that BGMI live streams by any popular gamer in India has one-fourth viewers than what it used to have.
There are gamers and streamers in India who are very famous like: Mortal, Dynamo, Scout, Jonathan. The following table shows the decline in their BGMI stream viewership.
As far as Krafton is concerned, there is no official number about the number of total installations on both Android and iOS after BGMI made its comeback. Maybe the reason behind losing interest is the gap of ten months and viewers jumping on to alternative games like Call of Duty, Fortnite, etc.
Maybe it’s still early days, as the game was properly available only earlier this week, and more time needs to pass before coming to any sort of conclusion whether Indian viewers are over BGMI once and for all. Our hunch is that BGMI viewership will slowly come back to its pre-ban levels, if popular gaming influencers keep streaming the game as much as they used to. Let’s wait and watch.
Also read: Your Complete Guide To All BGMI Rewards And How To Earn Them Easily
Sony is back with PlayStation’s annual promotional event PlayStation Days of Play 2023. The dates and the deals for the event have been announced for the fans to find the best deals. An official blog post by Sony released the dates for the sale.
The sale is to commence for June 2 at 12:01 AM and continue till June 12 11:59 PM local time globally. The sale will see attractive discounts on PlayStation Plus, PlayStation Gear, and PlayStation Store platforms.
Sony has listed out various games that are on sale and can be availed during the sale, read along for the list.
The discounts are open for all three PlayStation Plus subscription plans namely: Essential, Extra, and Premium. Users can subscribe, renew or extend their plans during the sale. The annual plans will be available at 20% discount to existing and new members.
Also read: Sony Project Q Handheld Console Will Fundamentally Change How PS5 Users Game
In addition, the existing PlayStation members can grab 25% off a 1-month, 3-month, or 12-month membership. However, this discount can only be availed when upgrading to a higher plan and not when descending to a lower one.
The tech giant has also announced direct offers for regional PlayStation Direct on PS5, PS4, and PC games, and accessories. For the accessories specially, PlayStation fans can avail DOPSAVE15 to grab a 15% off.
The accessories consist of DualSense charging station, HD camera, media remote, Pulse 3D wireless headsets, and select PS5 console covers. Moreover, gamers can avail 40% on games using DOPSAVE40.
Now finally, the list of games that are on sale!
Games On Sale On PlayStation Days of Play 2023
The most popular PS5 games will be on sale from June 2 and the following is the list you can refer to if you have been waiting for your favourite game.
Also read: BGMI Rising Launch Party: Only 6 Hours Of Daily Gameplay Allowed, Minors Get 3 Hours
Apple has released an AR teaser for WWDC 2023. The teaser shows an AR version of the Apple Logo with “June 5, 2023” text. This is when the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place. The event time is 10:30 PM IST. You can stream it on apple.com, possibly Apple’s YouTube channel, and on the Apple TV app. These details are mentioned on the Apple Events page wherein the AR teaser is present. Let’s go through the steps to try it out.
How to experience the WWDC AR teaser
1. Visit the Apple events page on your iPhone or iPad. You will see a colourful Apple logo.
2. Tap the logo or click on the hyperlinked text: View the AR experience.
Either way, the camera viewfinder opens up with the Apple logo in AR view. You will be instructed to “Move iPhone to start”. With the iPhone’s movement, the logo takes shape and if done right, you will see the WWDC date within the Apple logo’s silhouette.
The outline doesn’t stay intact and will be in constant motion so you won’t get a proper snapshot of the full logo with the text in place.
Now, there is also an Object view of the logo wherein you don’t have to do anything. The fluid Apple logo and the date text appear automatically on a grey background. Since this is also dynamic by design, it won’t stay intact for long.
The liquidy teaser solidifies the expectation of Apple’s AR/VR/MR headset at WWDC.
Also Read: WWDC 23 announced: 4 things to expect from Apple World Wide Developer Conference
Apple Reality Pro: What we know so far
Apple Reality Pro headset is said to consist of two micro-OLED displays stretching 1.41 inches diagonally. Each of these could also sport 5000 nits of peak brightness, 4K resolution, 120° FoV, and 4,000 PPI pixel density. It could also support HDR visuals.
Besides the inner displays, there will be a regular OLED cover screen sourced from LG. They will be translucent for others to see the wearer’s facial expressions. It will supposedly have a fairly lower refresh rate to ensure lesser power consumption.
The displays are supposedly procured from Sony and could cost about $1500 while the entire unit could be priced at around $3,000.
The Reality Pro is expected to be compatible with prescription lenses. The rumours are that it could also feature about 2 hours of battery life, with external battery support, 96W charging tech, a proprietary charging cable, USB-C socket, around 15 cameras (for projecting see-through AR representation of the world, environmental awareness, and novel biometric solution), iris scanning for secure sign in and payment authorization,
On the software and connectivity front, we are expecting what’s being rumoured as xrOS. It is believed to be akin to iOS in some respects for familiarity reasons and could bring certain iOS apps onboard. Besides, you could be getting lifelike avatars, hand/air gestures for interaction/inputs, Fitness+ workout modes (with trainers, we suppose), etc,
Powering all of these are apparently two Mac-level M2 chips.
Also Read: Not one or two, but three new Macs may launch at WWDC 2023
HyperX Cloud III gaming headset has been launched in India after its recent debut at Computex 2023. It comes as a successor to the Cloud II model and brings a 53mm audio driver, 10mm microphone, and DTS:X Spatial Audio, among other features.
HyperX Cloud 3 specs and features
1. HyperX Cloud 3 is packing a 53mm audio driver. This is backed by DTS Headphone:X Spatial Audio for an immersive surround sound experience.
2. For in-game calls and conversations, you get a 10mm microphone. There is a mute option and an LED to indicate its status.
3. You get the mic mute button and volume controls on the earcups. This should prove convenient for gamers to pause and be aware of their surroundings.
4. HyperX has equipped the Cloud 3 with a 3.5mm headphone jack, a USB-C port and a USB-A socket. This lets you use the headset in a wired state as well as connect it to PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Mac and mobile devices.
5. Another aspect that hardcore gamers are likely to appreciate is the comfort its memory foam build lends, especially during long gaming sessions.
“Cloud III is our new and better Cloud gaming headset. HyperX Cloud is known for being very comfortable for gamers and we made Cloud III even more comfortable with new materials and fit. We also made the sound better with new drivers and tuning. And, we made the microphone better with noise-cancellation and a metal mesh pop filter,” notes the brand.
HyperX Cloud 3 price and availability
HyperX Cloud III is available to buy at ₹8,490 on Amazon India. You can pick it in two colour options viz. Black and Black/Red.
The day all the Battleground Mobile India players have been waiting for has arrived. While the game was announced mid-May, the developers Krafton did not update the Play Store and the Apple Store for the game’s download to the public.
However, Android users were given the chance to preload the resources of the game on May 27 while iPhone and iPad users were waiting for their turn. And it's finally here! iOS users from today, May 29, can download BGMI on their device.
Also read: BGMI 2.5 Brings An Action-Packed Map With New Weapons, Fun Rides, And Exclusive Suits
There were various speculations about the 2.5 update and how it will unfold as the comeback version. The gamers can finally explore the changes in the game that you should be excited for in this comeback. Having discussed the date the game will be downloadable, let’s also check out how you can download the game on your device.
How to Download BGMI on iPhone?
Where on May 27 Android users were given the chance to download the download preloaded resources on their device, the developers Krafton announced on the same date that iOS will be given the chance to download the game on May 29 Krafton stated, “Invite your mohalla, re-plan your weekends, dust out the strategy call-books, and grab your IGL back in the squad, because BGMI is BACK!”
The primary reason for holding on the downloads for iOS users was that the developers are expecting a whopping response from the Indian gamers and hence, to maintain a seamless flow of downloads the company divided the platforms preload.
You can download the game with ease by reaching out to the Krafton official website for BGMI and then clicking on the App Store which will redirect you to the download page of either App Store.
Also read: BGMI 2.5 Update Is Live But You May Still Have To Wait Before You Can Play It
Requirements for BGMI
The game requires an Android 4.3 or above and at least 1.5 GB RAM for smooth functioning and as for iOS, the Apple operating system should be 9.0 or later with a minimum of 2.4 GB RAM.
The brand-new map in the game called Nusa, flaunts various in-game events, weapon upgrades, and new skins. The game also advised a new rule for gamers under 18, that the game time will be 3 hrs in the whole day and for the adults it will be six-hours a day.
BGMI has made its way back to India after its ban for a brief period. As the news broke, people can't keep calm and gamers have been looking out for what new it has to offer and how they can get their hands on the game at the earliest.
Since BGMI is quite an intense mobile game, hence, to run it smoothly, a compatible gaming phone is best recommended. It definitely runs on all phones, but then it might face certain lags on lesser more budget phones. So, let's have a look at 5 phones under ₹20,000 that would offer a good performance while playing BGMI.
5 gaming phones to play BGMI under ₹20,000
1) Lava Agni 2: The phone features an AMOLED display, 120Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 1080 x 2460 pixels. Talking about the processor, the phone comes with ARM Cortex-A78 processors clocking up to 2.6 GHz and as for the storage, the phone has 8GB RAM+256GB storage. Except for these, the phone has Mediatek Dimensity 7050 (6 nm) chipset and supports Android 13.
Also read: BGMI 2.5 Update Is Live But You May Still Have To Wait Before You Can Play It
The phone is also packed with a 4700mAh battery and a 66W charging support. The phone was launched a couple of weeks back and is presently priced at ₹19,999. The phone is available for sale only on Amazon but presently it is out of stock.
2) iQOO Z7: This iQOO phone also comes with an AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and 1080 x 2400 pixels resolution. The phone is powered by Mediatek Dimensity 920 (6 nm) chipset. As far as the RAM and Storage are considered, there are two variants- one, 6GB RAM+128GB storage, the other is 8GB RAM+128GB storage.
Talking about the battery, the phone packs a 4500 mAh battery. Presently it is priced at ₹18,999 and is available on Amazon, Flipkart and the Vivo online store.
3) Vivo T2: Vivo T2 is the third one on our list. This phone too comes with an AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm SM6375 Snapdragon 695 5G.
Don’t miss: BGMI 2.5 Brings An Action-Packed Map With New Weapons, Fun Rides, And Exclusive Suits
In terms of storage, it comes in two variants- 6GB RAM+128GB storage and second, 8GB RAM+128GB storage. This phone too is packed with 4500 mAh battery and 44W charging support. The Vivo phone is priced at ₹18,999 presently and is available for sale on Amazon and the Vivo online store.
4) POCO X4 Pro 5G: This Poco phone features a Super AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and 1080 x 2400 pixels resolution. This phone is powered by the Qualcomm SM6375 Snapdragon 695 5G.
The phone has five variants- 6GB RAM+64GB, 6GB RAM+128GB, 8GB RAM+128GB, 6GB RAM+256GB, 8GB RAM+256GB. The phone is packed with a 5,000mAh battery along with a 67W charging support. The phone comes at a price of ₹18,999 and is available for sale presently on Amazon and POCO official online store.
5) Realme 10 Pro: The Realme phone is the 5th one on our list. This phone comes with an IPS LCD display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 1080 x 2400 pixels resolution. The phone is powered by the Qualcomm SM6375 Snapdragon 695 5G.
With four available phone variants - 6GB RAM+128GB, 8GB RAM+128GB, 8GB RAM+256GB and 12GB RAM+256GB - this phone too is packed with 5000 mAh battery with 33W charging support. The phone is priced at ₹18,999 and is available for sale on Amazon, Flipkart and Realme online store.
These are the 5 phones which you can consider if you are really into BGMI and are also looking for a new phone. Also, at such a rate of under ₹20,000, these are total steal deals.
Battlegrounds Mobile India has been updated to version 2.5.0 but the servers will be online on May 29 for both iOS and Android users. Once BGMI servers go live, you will be able to play on the Nusa map. Since BGMI is based on PUBG Mobile, we gather how big this map will be, what new it will bring and more. Here’s what to expect from BGMI 2.5 update.
Battlegrounds Mobile India version 2.5.0: What’s new
In the Google Play Store listing, the latest BGMI update brings up the version to 2.5.0. This includes:
1. You get to win 4 new premium outfits by playing new events.
2. Nusa Map
3. New cycle season
4. Stygian Leige
Also Read:
- BGMI Limits Game Time For Players Under 18 Years But Is It Too Heavy-Handed?
- Indian Gaming Industry And Twitter Cheers Return Of BGMI Game
- Will Green Blood Make BGMI Game Any Less Violent?
- How Battlegrounds Mobile India Got A 3-Month Lease On Life And Should You Be Excited?
BGMI Nusa map explained
Nusa is about 1x 1km in radius. For instance, Erangel is 8×8 km in size. So, it is the smallest map in the BGMI world.
It is uneven in topography. To travel on this landscape, you get a 2-seater quad bike.
As BGMI 2.5 changelog notes, there is an overflowing supply of weapons. You get tactical crossbows and NS2000 shotguns as highlights. Gun balance has been apparently improved.
There are elevators in buildings so you don’t have to waste time climbing stairs.
There are 3 buildings namely Regal Resort (present on the sandy beach in the southern-west corner of the island), Mysterious Cavern (present on the west side of the island), and Cargo Terminal (present on the northern coast of the island).
You get to manage the island, upgrade the buildings, earn Nusa coins, grab collectables, and unlock new appearances.
BGMI Stygian Leige X-Suit and a lot more
Besides the map, there is an all-new Stygian Liege X-Suit. It gets unlocked in a lucky spin. It costs about 60UC. This outfit can be equipped with Mystic Sorceress Set, Sacred Maiden Set, Bloody Tear Hoverboard, Azure Crystal– Kar98K, Shining Eagle Helmet, Starforge Stone and Star fragment.
In this update, you could also get the Super Recall option to bring back the squad mate who always gets finished, zip lines, and exclusive super weapons.
We can't wait to get our hands on the BGMI 2.5 update once it goes live on May 29. We hope the game doesn't deviate a lot from the PUBG Mobile. Let's see.
Krafton has been dropping tantalising hints about the various upgrades in the BGMI game – however, the game has still not gone live on the virtual stores for everyone to download and get gaming once again.
New and improved BGMI game has been speculated to hit the online platform on May 27, as tipped by Ankit Kumar "AnkiiiBOT" Pandey a BGMI gamer in his stream. Recently, a gamer in their Youtube stream mentioned that the developers have updated the description of the game and the new changes that can be expected from the game. The Youtuber then took to a social media post with the description.
Not long to go before we find out if the May 27 launch date for BGMI game is actually true, where the game can finally be accessed and downloaded by every single Indian gamer who wants to play it without any issues or glitches. We just have to wait for one more day to see if the new and improved BGMI app is visible for everyone in Google Play Store.
Also read: New BGMI Player? 5 Easy Tips To Instantly Play Like A Pro Gamer
BGMI updates by Krafton
For the uninitiated gamer, Battlegrounds Mobile India or BGMI is a new battle royale game where multiple players employ strategies to fight and be the last man standing on the battlegrounds. A free-to-play, multiplayer experience, in BGMI, players can battle it out in diverse game modes which can be squad-based or solo.
BGMI uses Unreal Engine 4 to create various maps with different terrains in a virtual world, complete with 3D sound for a fully immersive mobile gaming experience. It allows you to choose the map and mode you prefer to play, and airdrops you into the thick of action. The game will be releasing the 2.6 update which will explore multiple updates in regard to the vehicles, maps, weapons, multiplayer mode and penalties. The BGMI community is soon to have a lavish “chicken dinner”.
The game features regular monthly content updates and high-quality partnerships, ensuring there's always something new to explore in this battle royale game.
Also read: GTA VI Will Be Something Gamers Have Never Seen Before, Teases Take-Two CEO
BGMI Game Requirements
OS: Android 4.3 or above and iPhone 6s and succeeding devices and devices running iOS 9.0 and above.
Storage: 1.5 GB RAM
Permissions: Photos, Media, Files, Device and App History, Microphone, Wi-Fi Connection Information, Storage and Bluetooth with connectivity settings.
Audio-Technica has built a name for itself in the professional audio space by providing quality audio products time and again. However, now the brand has also expanded into consumer audio, with a push to create a confluence of professional-grade audio and the affordability and features found in consumer-grade audio products.
They recently launched two new Bluetooth headphones in a bid to create products that bring their two target audiences together – ATH-M20xBT and the ATH-S220BT.
ATH-M20xBT claims to offer a 60-hour long battery life on a full charge, powerful 40mm drivers, professional-grade earpad and headband material ensure long-lasting durability and comfort. Apart from various audio output claims, these headphones offer a multipoint pairing function to connect to two Bluetooth devices at once – which is quite good – and includes a 1.2m or 3.9 ft cable for optional wired connection.
We have already reviewed the Audio-Technica ATH-M20xBT and the headphone stood out in its category, bringing forth a mix of entry level professional grade audio and Bluetooth connectivity in a compact and comfortable package. It sported the quintessential ATH headphone design, and if you wore it out in public, it would definitely get you some looks.
The other headphones that have been launched alongside the Audio-Technica ATH-S220BT have a more consumer-friendly design. While we cannot comment on their sound quality, having not tested them yet, given the legacy that they have behind them, we expect nothing short of great performance from these headphones. Let’s take a closer look at their claimed features.
The ATH-S220BT wireless headphones feature a 60-hour battery life on a full charge. The headphone claims to have slim housings with sleek, and lightweight earpads offering a comfortable fit with good sound isolation. The 40mm drivers should be a powerhouse, multipoint pairing will let you connect to two Bluetooth devices at once, and its built-in microphone and easy-touch buttons on the earcup provide intuitive control of calls, music playback, and volume, as well as access to Siri and Google Assistant.
All the above specs and features suggest that ATH-S220BT seems to be geared towards a more generic consumer segment that would want a great audio experience in a package that they can flaunt in public, and not look like they stepped out of the studio after a 10-hour long recording session.
The ATH-M20xBT headphones will be available at MRP of ₹13,500 or MOP of ₹8,790, while the ATH-S220BT Wireless On-Ear Headphones are priced at MRP of ₹7,720 and MOP of ₹6,590.
Google revealed a ton of software tools, AI firsts, hardware and other important stuff for users. But they also amped up their existing apps, used by billions around the world, and if there's one thing that has been in talks since I/0 2022 then it’s the Google Maps Immersive View feature.
Early users got access to Google Maps Immersive View feature for testing only as early as February, 2023. But when in I/O 2023 it was properly announced and took people’s breath away, slowly its importance started dawning on everyone. Google has not only made Maps more cool to use, but more importantly it made sure that people understand how easy this new view can make things in their day to day commute. Let's see how it really works.
How does the Google Maps Immersive View work?
The Immersive View gives a very realistic fly-by access over any location on Google Map. You might confuse it with a video game map, it’s that impressive.
This new Google Maps immersive view is an amalgamation of Street View, aerial imagery with computer vision and AI that gives a real time image of the area. Also, it will show the weather conditions as well. If it's raining in the area, for example, Immersive View will show rain drops falling in your screen.
Presently, this view is not applicable for all cities. It is limited to major cities only. So, if you are looking for a parking area in the region you are then you can easily look for a space through the Immersive View. Also, the proper traffic conditions of the area can also be checked there.
Also Read: Google Maps launches immersive interior Business Photos via Street View
Google has announced that it will soon be rolled out for all over the world but presently it is at the basic stage. So, everyone has to wait for a bit – all good things take time, as they say.
With the launch it will be available to 15 global cities: Amsterdam, Berlin, Dublin, Florence, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Paris, Seattle, San Francisco, San Jose, Tokyo, and Venice.
Battlegrounds Mobile India aka BGMI is back and some users have got the update on Google Play Store. In case you haven’t, we have got the link to download BGMI on Android smartphones. It seems to be a staggered rollout and there’s no word on when the Krafton game will release on iOS. iPhone BGMI players stay tuned!
Download BGMI from Google Play Store
Here is the link to download the latest version of Battlegrounds Mobile India on Android phones. In case you’re wondering, this is an official BGMI download page on Google Play Store.
Alternatively, you can visit the https://ift.tt/i1UL0y3 and tap on the Google Play Store button, you will be redirected to the BGMI download link.
What’s new on BGMI
The Play Store changelog notes three new updates in this latest version 2.1.0 of Battlegrounds Mobile India. These are — The Ancient Secret: Arise, New Weapon: Lynx AMR, and Sound Play Training.
This was a 700+ MB download size from the Play Store and then within the game, I had to download resources of up to 900+ MB in size. The game is available on Android 10 and above OS versions.
Even after the files are downloaded, you may not be able to play the game right away as the servers are apparently under heavy load.
Also Read: Indian Gaming Industry And Twitter Cheers Return Of BGMI Game
In any case, we should be able to play the game soon. We also suspect some changes in the game as mandated by the Indian government. The cosmetic change includes a change in the colour of blood in the game to green. The servers have to be set locally in the country to ensure data security. Perhaps some restriction would be applied to the number of hours of play. This as Mr Rajeev Chandrasekhar, minister of Electronics and IT said in a tweet, is meant to control user harm and addiction.
If there was a fairytale end that was to be written for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 would be it. Two weeks of nothing but quality Counter-Strike at the highest level, with some drama, upsets, and surprises thrown into the mix. It was just perfect! Teams came to Paris with hopes and dreams of getting their hands on the last CS:GO Major Trophy. At the end, it was Vitality that walked home with the title, on their home ground.
CS:GO Paris Major 2023: Champions Stage - Day 4 - Grand Finals - dupreeh now has five major wins under his belt
In the Grand Finals of the tournament, we saw Vitality pitted against GamerLegion. While Vitality had been on a roll with the backing and support of the crowd and their org, the story of GamerLegion was slightly different. They had come into this match as the underdogs, having paved their way through three different stages of the tournament, handing upsets to some of the favourites to lift the trophy in Pairs.
They were my pick to be the surprise winners of the tournament. However, when the teams took to stage, the difference between the two top orgs in CS right now, at least by my standards, was clear. apEX’s calling on both Overpass (GamerLegion’s pick) and Nuke (Vitality’s pick) was on point. Vitality steered clear of any danger posed by GamerLegion and closed the series off 2-0. And, before GamerLegion could realise, apEX was celebrating his second Major win, durpeeh his fifth, and the rest of the squad, including ZywOo, their first. On paper, dupreeh is the most successful player in CS:GO history.
Counter-Strike. https://t.co/CH1pUyEXTc
— CS2 (@CounterStrike) May 21, 2023
While the celebrations unfolded, everyone, including the fans and the players alike, thanked each other for such an amazing experience, not only in Paris but on the battlegrounds of Counter-Strike:Global Offensive. The last 10 years were insane. We saw some ups and downs, amazing plays during Majors, and some naughtiness by skin creators as well. But, at the end, our love for CS:GO kept growing. Now, as we open our doors to Counter-Strike 2, the successor to our favourite person’s favourite first-person shooter, let’s welcome this new game with open arms, and enjoy another 10 years of CS action!
What a day it was at the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023! After Day 3 of the Champions stage, there were four teams standing. Two teams were sent packing to de_airport while the other two danced away to their hotels celebrating and preparing for the challenge of the Grand Finals. It essentially followed the trend of the tournament so far. Between all of this; there was a spectacular upset and an expected win, which made sure that we have two exciting teams lined up for the finals.
CS:GO Paris Major 2023: Champions Stage - Day 3 - Semifinals open doors for records being broken and new ones being formed; Vitality and GamerLegion in the finals
In the first game of the fourth day of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 we had Heroic, the tournament favourites, facing off against GamerLegion who had worked hard to make their way to this stage. The first map of the best-of-three series, Anubis, saw Heroic comprehensively beat the underdogs of the match. They won 16-13, setting the hopes high for the fans who had filled up the arena on Sunday.
In a closely contested second map of the series, Inferno, GamerLegion bounced back, beating Heroic 16-14. Now, it was time for the third map of the series, the decider, Mirage. Here’s where GamerLEgion asserted their authority over Heroic. Right from the get-go, they were on a roll, taking the first half 10-5. In the second half, they gave away only one round, closing out the series 2-1 in their favour.
We had the first finalist of Paris Major 2023 – GamerLegion.
Then came the most anticipated game of the evening by the fans in the arena. It was the home team, Vitality, facing off against Apeks, who just like GamerLegion had to work really hard to make it to the semis. And, if wasn’t clear by the hint that I dropped in the introduction, Vitality walked home comfortably, closing out their best-of-three series 2-1.
We have our two finalists – Vitality and GamerLegion.
GamerLegion come into this match as the underdogs who have proven their mettle. Vitality have been in to form throughout and will have the support of practically the entire arena coming into this match. Both sides haven’t faced each other in the tournament. However, given the teams that they have taken down on their way to the finals, it is difficult to pick one favourite.
As much as ZywOo would want to win his first Major, dupreeh his fifth, and apEX his second, every member of GameLegion will be putting equal, if not more effort to get their hands on the last CS:GO Major trophy.
To get all of our coverage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, check out this page.
After a mind-boggling start of the Champions stage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, everyone expected closely contested games to take place on the second day of the major. However, as it would turn out, Day 2 of the playoffs of the Paris Major 2023 was all about domination. Both the quarter-final games ended with Apeks and GamerLegion registering convincing wins over their opponents, going up 2-0 in their best-of-three series.
CS:GO Paris Major 2023: Champions Stage - Day 2 - Underdogs shine as we get our last two semi-finalists of the tournament, Apeks and GamerLegion
The first teams to hit the stage in Paris were Monte and GamerLegion. Both the teams had fought hard in the Challengers and Legends stage to make their way into the playoffs. Monte held on to the hopes and dreams of the CIS region after NAVI crashed out before the playoffs. And, GamerLegion had their own fans legions of fans cheering them on.
CS fans pic.twitter.com/mlq5JndWee
— BLAST.tv (@BLASTtv) May 19, 2023
In the first map of their best-of-three series, Mirage, Monte’s pick, the Ukrainian squad held on to a one-point lead in the first half of the game. But when the second half rolled around, GamerLegion showed why everyone had tons of faith in their abilities. They won the map 16-10, and the action moved to Overpass. It was GamerLegion’s pick, and it showed.
GamerLegion closed out the first half of the map 12-3. And, when the second half rolled around, they wasted no time and grabbed a 4-0 unassailable lead over GamerLegion, winning the series 2-0, moving on to the semi-finals.
In the second match of the day, we had the heroes of the lower brackets of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, Apeks, pitted against Liquid, who had the baggage of North American CS fans’ hopes and dreams with them. Both the maps of the series, Ancient, followed by Overpass, unfolded in a similar fashion. The first half was dominated by Apeks 4-11, with the team closing out the maps in the second half as quickly as possible.
Apeks have been on a roll in this tournament and would be my pick for being the surprise winners of the tournament. They have all the ingredients to make a recipe for success, and I am sure they can cook something special in this tournament.
For the semi-finals, we have Heroic taking on GamerLegion for the first game of the day, and for the second match, we have Apeks taking on hometown favourites Vitality. If anything, it is going to be an exciting game of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. It is the last time we are taking it to the big stage, so make sure that you make the most of it. Next stop - Counter-Strike 2.
To get all of our coverage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, check out this page.
After a 10-month ban, BGMI is finally set to make a return to India. Krafton has announced the same and the Indian Government has shared some conditions, following which the game will be unbanned. We have covered the 90-day stipulation and the aforementioned conditions in a different article. Here, in particular, we will be taking a look at how the Indian gaming industry has reacted to this news.
Industry reacts to BGMI unban
“There would be no Indus without PUBG/BGMI and playing PUBG and other shooters like Apex, and CoD have defined the space for us and our player expectations. We’re glad it’s coming back, gaming should be without boundaries,” says Roby John, CEO and co-founder SuperGaming.
“This is sure to infuse new energy into the Indian Gaming Industry, and I am sure the whole industry is going to join forces to make it bigger than ever before,” says Mr Animesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO, 8Bit Creatives.
“With Esports getting official recognition from the government and the community adapting well to the absence of BGMI by expanding other titles, we eagerly anticipate the exponential growth that the sector will experience now that the game is back in the picture,” says Mr Lokesh Suji, Director, Esports Federation of India & Vice President of the Asian Esports Federation (AESF).
“There has been a dry spell in the mobile competitive scenario for a while now, and this announcement is definitely making many stakeholders happy. Tournaments of all scales can restart, and players/content creators who have been on pause can resume. However, we need to be very cautious and responsible towards the rules set by the government,” says Rohit Agarwal, Founder & Director, of Alpha Zegus.
“On a macro level, this could potentially set the tone for future esports titles being released in India. Hoping for a long and continued to stay for BMGI with no further complications, as the community rejoices and gets back to the grind,” says Mr Sagar Nair, Co-Founder & CEO, of Qlan.
Twitter reactions to BGMI unban
1. Kids when BGMI is back 2. Parents when BGMI is back pic.twitter.com/4p3ZWSfUbN
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) May 19, 2023
BGMI is coming back Winner winner chicken dinner soon Banning games on basis of data security or privacy issues is understandable but how can unban be decided by whether the game is addictive or not? What is this criteria? People are addicted to watching IPL. BAN IPL? pic.twitter.com/CfXnjiz1SA
— Dhananjay_Tech (@Dhananjay_Tech) May 19, 2023
Well well, #BGMI is coming back. With Apex Legends out and PUBG New State failing to impress people, do you think people will move back to BGMI? Let's see if it can reach the numbers it did before the OG Ban. COD Warzone is also coming in some time. pic.twitter.com/vNspvzH7KF
— Nimit (@gizmoddict) May 19, 2023
If you talk about Indian Gaming industry and esports very few people are immortalised. Congrats to my old boss and friend @hisohn for doing what no one has been able to do (twice!). This is is the best news to start the day. Congrats to all KRAFTON India team. #BGMI pic.twitter.com/CKEpy6ANr1
Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) could return soon after a long exile. Both Krafton and the Indian government have confirmed the BGMI return but it isn’t as straightforward as you think. Let’s read what both parties have to say and more importantly, know when can we get to download BGMI on our phones.
Krafton announces BGMI unban news
First, there were rumblings of BGMI’s return and even though we have been hearing unattested rumours of the same for long, this time it’s different. Krafton confirmed the same through an Instagram post.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA (@battlegroundsmobilein_official)
In it, it basically thanked the fans and the Indian authorities for their support and approval. It also assures “collaborating with local developers and “recognizing the importance of providing skilling and employment opportunities for Indian talent”.
In a subsequent post, Krafton also asked the BGMI fans to “switch on notifications” of BGMI social handles so that they know when the game is finally available to download, as well as any other updates.
What the new BGMI changes are going to be?
Again going by the rumours, we suppose there will be restrictions set on the number of hours a person gets to play. The colour of the blood could also default to red. The servers could also be mandated to be in the country.
Meanwhile, here’s what the government has to say:
BGMI 90-day trial and GOI’s conditions for the BGMI unban
This is a 3 month trial approval of #BGMI aftr it has complied wth issues of server locations n data security etc. We will keep a close watch on other issues of User harm, Addiction etc in next 3 months before a final decision is taken @GoI_MeitY @PMOIndia https://t.co/9SrYekrHXz
— Rajeev Chandrasekhar
Rajeev Chandrashekhar, Minister of Electronics and IT has tweeted the 90-day stipulation. He says this will be a trial period within which the government’s concerns with respect to BGMI’s server location, data security, user addiction and harm, etc will be sorted out.
If you recall, BGMI was banned on July 28, 2022, from both Google Play Store and Apple App Store under IT section ACT 69A. So, it’s been a while since the fans of the game have been waiting for its return. Now, we only need to when the game will be available for download. We should be hearing the timeline, if not the exact date soon.
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Remember the name. The Champions stage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 is turning out to be spectacular. Everyone is hyped. Teams that many hadn’t even heard of are within arms reach; great squads who have built a name for themselves through sheer will and determination are walking out. It’s all happening in one place. After exciting action from the last day of the Legends stage, things have started stirring up once again!
CS:GO Paris Major 2023: Champion Stage - Day 1 - cadiaN shows that he is the greater Dane
On Day 1 of the Champions stage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, we saw one of the most epic showdowns in the recent history of CS:GO. It was FaZe taking on Heroic in the first quarter-final match. The best of three series started with the two teams spawning in on Nuke. Despite the map being FaZe’s pick, Heroic got a solid lead over the international roster in the first half of the map, going 10-5 up. In the second half, FaZe showed glimpses of brilliance. However, they lost out to Heroic, with the final scoreline reading 16-9. The hero of this game for Heroic was stavn, with ropz, doing his best to pull the weight of his team.
The second map was Overpass, Heroic’s pick. The same story repeated on this map. But, it was the other war around. FaZe got a 10-5 lead over Heroic in the first half, and in the second half, Heroic tried to pump some life into the match. But, when it all came down, they were not able to capitalise on the small bit of momentum they managed to gather and lost out, 16-12.
they were out numbered 100-1, but they kept cheering the entire match!! pic.twitter.com/MVtw4LGL7w
— HEROIC (@heroicgg) May 18, 2023
With the series tied 1-1, the troops of the two ‘Great Danes’, moved on to Mirage to decide who gets to move on to the semi-finals of the tournament. Here, the cadiaN managed to rally his troops better than karrigan, as Heroic convincingly trampled over FaZe to seal their spot in the semi-finals.
Now, it was time for the second match of the day – the hometown favourites, Vitality taking on Into the Breach.
Vitality has looked strong throughout the tournament so far, and Into the Breach have surprised many with their performances, winning places in the hearts of many CS players. If you are a fan of Vitality, then I am sure you could not have asked for a better start to their campaign towards getting their hands on the last CS:GO Major Trophy.
Trivia: If Vitality win the Major, dupreeh will become the player with the most number of Major titles to his name. He has won the Major four times with Astralis in the past, and this would be his fifth win.He already added one feather to his crown at this Major by becoming the player to have the made the most number of Major appearances.
Vitality trampled through the defences of Into the Breach, not only on their map pick but also their opponents, which is no small feat, especially when it comes to playing at the Major.
Today, we will see the last four quarter-finalists trying to seal their spots in the semi-finals. In the third quarter-final match of the day, we will see Monte taking on GamerLegion. Following that, we will have Liquid facing off against Apeks. The winner of the first game will be facing off against Heroic in the semi-finals, and the winner of the second match for today will be pitted against Vitality.
Here's the schedule for Day 2 of the Champions stage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 -
Get ready for some exciting Counter-Strike action!
To get all of our coverage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, check out this page.
It is that time at the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023. After almost two weeks of exciting battles between teams across the Challengers and Legends stage, we have our contenders for the playoffs. The best part? It wasn’t until the end of Day 4 of the Legends stage of the Paris Major 2023 that we knew which teams will be pitted against each other as they enter the playoffs. By the end of Day 3, things had cleared up, as a bunch of teams were eliminated from the tournament. Let’s take a dive into the matches held on Day 4, and what things look like for the playoffs.
CS:GO Paris Major 2023: Legends Stage - Day 4 - No s1mple or KRIMZ in the playoffs
The first match of the day had NAVI facing off against FaZe. Both the teams have won one Major each in the last two years and had their fates hanging by a silk thread as they headed into this match-up. And, the way these two teams played, their desperation to win shined through. On the first map of the series, Overpass, NAVI got the better of FaZe as they cruised home to a 16-13 win. However, on the second map, the tables turned, and FaZe thrashed the men in black and yellow, beating them 16-5 on Mirage.
Congratulations to the teams advancing to the Champions Stage of the @BLASTtv Paris Major:@heroicgg (3-0)@TeamVitality (3-0)@GamerLegion (3-1)@TeamLiquid (3-1)@Monte_Esports (3-1)@apeksgg (3-2)@FaZeClan (3-2)@ITBesports (3-2)
— CS2 (@CounterStrike) May 16, 2023
It was on the series decider that the majority of the nail-biting action unfolded. Anubis saw both NAVI and FaZe battle it out into two overtimes. When the dust settled, it was FaZe who had managed to defeat the Ukrainian powerhouse that is NAVI, knocking them out of the tournament.
For the second match of the day, fnatic faced off against Into the Breach. fnatic had been looking in an awesome run of form and had sent G2 back home the other day. However, when push came to shove, they failed to hold their ground. After winning the first match of the series 16-12, they never came back to winning ways. On Overpass, they lost 16-8, and on Vertigo, they fared even worse. They lost 16-4, crashing out of the tournament in a very spectacular fashion.
In the last match of the day, it was Ninjas and Pyjamas playing against Apeks, fighting for the last place in the playoffs. The Ninjas were of no match to Apeks. They lost against the European underdogs by a 2-0 margin, as Apeks marched on into the quarter-finals.
Here's a look at the final standings of the teams at the end of the Legends stage -
The last phase of the tournament begins on Thursday, May 18 and we will be seeing quite a few new entrants at the stages of the Major. Heroic will take on FaZe to start off the proceedings. I don’t know about you, but watching cadiaN’s energy on stage, especially given that this is the last CS:GO Major before we transition into Counter-Strike 2, is something that I am really looking forward to. As a fan of the eSport, two key things are on my mind – the melancholy of not having some of the biggest names of the game like s1mple and NiKo on the stage, and the joy of potentially seeing a new group of misfits getting their hands on the trophy.
Here's what the schedule looks like for the playoffs of the Paris Major 2023 -
Anyways, the way things are looking right now, the stage is set for a proper send-off to our favourite person’s favourite first-person shooter game.
To get all of our coverage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, check out this page.
