North American team M80 won Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege X tournament, Blast R6 Munich Major 2025, on Nov. 16, 2025.

In the Grand Final, played with standard overtime rules, M80 defeated Team Falcons with a total score of 3:1.

By winning Blast R6 Munich Major 2025, M80 has secured qualification for the Six Invitational, an annual professional Rainbow Six Siege tournament hosted by Ubisoft, which will be hosted at the brand-new Adidas Arena in northern Paris, France, on Feb. 2–14, 2025.

From the tournament’s total prize pool of $750,000, M80 received $250,000, while Team Falcons got $125,000 for the second place, and FaZe Clan and Wildcard got $65,000 each for third and fourth place, respectively.

The team of winners included Brazilian/American Support player Leonardo “Kyno” Figueiredo, American Flex player Ayden “dfuzr” Gabari, American Flex player Shaun “Gunnar” Pottorff, American Entry Fragger Gaven “Gaveni” Black, and American in-game leader Matthew “Hotancold” Stevens.

Fatih “Solotov” Türker from Team Falcons was selected as MVP of Blast R6 Munich Major 2025.

Professional esports athlete Lucas Dias posted an explosion GIF of an atomic bomb after losing a game against the Japanese Rainbow Six team CAG Osaka, which prompted Honda to end their partnership with Team Liquid.

Honda told HuffPost Japan that Dias’ post was “incompatible with Honda’s philosophy of respect for humanity,” as according to a google translation of the fully Japanese news article.

Prior to Honda’s partnership cancellation, Dias deleted his social media post and profusely apologized to the players of CAG Osaka – the players on the team listened and accepted the apology with grace, and reportedly understood that it was not a deliberate insult. 

“As part of formal disciplinary measures, Lucas will be fined the equivalent of four months’ salary for failing to meet the standards of professionalism and care we set as an organization,” Team Liquid shared in their public statement. 

“The Rainbow Six players have committed to donating the entirety of their prize winnings from the Reload tournament to a charitable organization, as a gesture of accountability and goodwill.”

DiasLucasBR began his esports career in 2021, and is aged 23 years old. It has not been even a whole month since the esports player debuted.

All twenty-five disciplines are now confirmed for the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025, which kicks off in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on July 8.

EWC 2025 games lineup:

• Chess – confirmed dates July 31 – Aug. 3 
• Counter-Strike 2 – confirmed dates Aug. 20-24

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
• Call of Duty: Warzone
• Free Fire
• Street Fighter 6
• DOTA 2
• Rainbow Six Siege
• PUBG Mobile
• Apex Legends
• EA Sports FC
• Overwatch 2
• Mobile Legends: Bang Bang
• Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (Women’s Invitational)
• Rocket League
• Rennsport
• Honor of Kings
• PUBG
• CrossFire
• Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves
• League of Legends
• Teamfight Tactics
• Valorant
• Tekken 8
• StarCraft II

After a successful inaugural event in 2024, which saw over $60 million in prize money, this year’s competition is gearing up for even more action as it features one more discipline – chess. And it looks like the very first competition for the EWC chess title and a $1.5 million prize pool is going to be intense, as elite chess players are getting signed by top-tier esports organizations. Indian grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi has joined Korean team Gen.G, while Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana have signed with Team Liquid. Chinese team LGD Gaming has brought in former world champion Ding Liren, and Team Vitality secured Maxime ‘MVL’ Vachier-Lagrave. Esports giant NAVI has expanded into chess as well, adding top players like Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Wesley So, and Oleksandr Bortnyk to its roster. Meanwhile, Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura joined Team Falcons and Aurora Gaming powered up with Ian Nepomniachtchi.

EWC 2024 winners:

• Apex Legends – ALLIANCE
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 – ATLANTA FAZE
• Call of Duty: Warzone – TEAM FALCONS
• Counter-Strike 2 – NATUS VINCERE
• Dota2 – GAIMIN GLADIATORS
• EA Sports FC – jafonso
• ESL R1 – Drivers: Kevin Siggy
• ESL R1 – Teams: TEAM REDLINE
• Fortnite – XSET
• Free Fire – TEAM FALCONS
• Honor of Kings – KPL DREAM TEAM
• League of Legends – T1
• Mobile Legends: Bang Bang – SELANGOR RED GIANTS
• Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Women – SMART OMEGA EMPRESS
• Overwatch 2 – CRAZY RACCOON
• PUBG MOBILE – ALPHA 7 ESPORTS
• PUBG PC – SONIQS
• Rainbow Six Siege – TEAM BDS
• Rocket League – TEAM BDS
• Starcraft II – Clem
• Street Fighter 6 – xiaohai
• Teamfight Tactics – WOLVES ESPORTS
• Tekken 8 – ULSAN

Ubisoft unveiled a new competitive format for its upcoming Rainbow Six Siege event, RE:L0:AD 2025. Set in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from May 8 to 18, 2025, the event will see the debut of the Siege X in professional play while also introducing a new Bullet system and a set of unique strategic Wildcards.

The event will feature 20 partner teams from the Rainbow Six Esports’ Share program, competing for a part of the €480,000 prize pool. This year’s format is divided into two stages: the Group Stage and the Playoffs.

The most notable addition to this event is the Bullet system, a new strategic element. Each team starts the Group Stage with six Bullets in their reserve. As the Group Stage consists of five rounds of best-of-one matches, teams will have the option to challenge one another, except for the first round, which will be randomly drawn. The twist is that teams can decide how many Bullets they’re willing to reload in each match. Winning a match grants them Bullets while losing costs them losing Bullets with the risk of elimination if they run out of reserves. However, there’s more strategy involved, as teams can reload more Bullets than they have.

After the group stage, the top eight teams will move to the single-elimination playoff bracket, with the quarterfinals and semifinals being best-of-three matches and the final match going the full five games. The Playoffs will start on May 16 and will conclude with the grand final on May 18, 2025.

Ubisoft is also introducing an additional tool, Wildcards. Three of them are automatic:

• Survivor Card: If a team starts a round with only one Bullet and wins, they earn an extra Bullet. It can be used an unlimited number of times.
• Flawless Victory Card: Teams who win a match with a perfect 7-0 scoreline get two extra Bullets. This one can also be used an unlimited number of times.
• Eliminator Card: Defeating an opponent in any round will earn the winning team an additional Bullet. This one can be used an unlimited number of times as well and can be applied in any round.

On top of that, there are three single-use cards:

• Chicken Card: Teams can refuse a direct challenge in Rounds 2, 3, or 4, forcing their challenger to pick someone else.
• Extended Mag Card: This card boosts the amount of Bullets a team can recover from a match win, adding six extra Bullets, but can only be activated in Rounds 3, 4, or 5.
• Duel Card: Teams can invoke a 1v1 Duel when facing elimination. If the team that invoked the Duel Card wins, their Bullet Reserve goes to zero.

The event will feature 20 teams from Rainbow Six Esports’ Share program:

• CAG Osaka
• Cloud9
• DarkZero Esports
• Elevate
• FearX
• Fnatic
• FaZe Clan
• Fluxo
• FURIA Esports
• G2 Esports
• M80
• PSG Talon
• SCARZ
• Spacestation Gaming
• Team Falcons
• Team BDS
• Team Secret
• Team Liquid
• Wildcard
• w7m esports
  

RE:L0:AD 2025th Group Stage runs from May 10 to May 14, with the Playoffs starting on May 16. The final match, the grand showdown, will take place on May 18 at the Carioca Arena 1 in Rio de Janeiro.

Ubisoft has announced that Siege X will officially adopt a free-to-play model, offering players access to a limited selection of game modes while keeping Ranked play and Siege Cup behind a paywall.

As part of the free-to-play offering, players will have access to Dual Front, Unboarding, Quick Match, Events, and Unranked modes. Ranked and Siege Cup, the game’s premier competitive experiences, will remain locked behind the full game purchase. Ubisoft stated that this move is aimed at broadening the game’s player base while maintaining a structured and competitive ecosystem for dedicated players.

The decision follows Siege X’s recent open beta launch on March 13, which introduced Dual Front, a new 6v6 mode featuring a single new map, respawns, and a rotating class selection system. During the Siege X Showcase, developers demonstrated the new mode in action, pitting teams of content creators against each other.

Ubisoft also confirmed that Siege X will officially launch on June 10, 2025, introducing a revamped UI and progression system alongside the shift to free-to-play. At launch, five maps will receive a visual overhaul, with plans to update three maps per season moving forward. The update also includes a revamped rappel system, allowing for smoother and more flexible traversal.

Another major addition is the “Destructible Ingredients” system, which introduces interactive environmental mechanics. Players will be able to trigger fires from gas pipes, create smokescreens from fire extinguishers, and disable or destroy metal detectors, adding new tactical depth to gameplay.

Siege X was first revealed during the Six Invitational 2025, described as the biggest transformation in the franchise’s decade-long history. While not a direct sequel, the overhaul includes significant graphical and audio upgrades, refined mechanics, and new game modes, with Ubisoft confirming the project has been in development for three years. The core gameplay, operators, and maps from the original Rainbow Six Siege remain intact, ensuring a smooth transition for existing players.

First launched in 2015, Rainbow Six Siege has maintained a strong player base, with approximately 12 million monthly active users as of March 2025.

The open beta for Siege X is set to launch on March 13 at approximately 3 PM EST, featuring the newly announced Dual Front mode. Revealed during the Siege X Showcase, Dual Front introduces a single new map, 6v6 battles with respawns, and a limited class selection that will rotate twice a season.

The open beta will be available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. To access the beta, players need to link their Uplay and Twitch accounts, and receive the invitation code via Twitch Drops during the showcase.

Ubisoft first unveiled Siege X during the Six Invitational 2025, describing it as the biggest transformation in the game’s decade-long history. While not a direct sequel, Siege X represents a massive overhaul of Rainbow Six Siege, with significant graphical and audio upgrades, refined mechanics, and new game modes. Ubisoft stated that the project has been in development for three years, with a focus on modernizing the tactical shooter while retaining its core strategic depth, operators, and maps.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege was released on December 1, 2015, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows. Initially, the game faced criticism for its limited content and progression system. However, Ubisoft’s continuous updates and expansions transformed it into a highly regarded tactical shooter. As of March 2025, Rainbow Six Siege has around 12 million monthly active players.

The Six Invitational 2025 culminated with FaZe Clan defeating Team BDS in the grand final at MGM Music Hall at Fenway Park in Boston, MA, securing the title of Rainbow Six Siege world champions. The grand final was played in a best-of-five format and lasted over 4 hours.

BDS took an early lead in the grand final, winning the first map, Chalet, in overtime with a 9-7 scoreline. Chalet has long been a stronghold for BDS, frequently favored in their map pool, while FaZe Clan typically opts to ban it in competitive play. BDS seemed in full control early on, establishing a commanding 4-1 lead. FaZe managed to rally back to force a 6-6 tie and push the match into overtime. BDS, however, held firm under pressure, regaining composure to close out the map and take a 1-0 lead in the series.

The second map, Consulate, saw a tightly contested battle between FaZe Clan and Team BDS, with both teams trading rounds in a back-and-forth showdown. Even though FaZe was able to establish an advantage early on, the match remained deadlocked for much of the game. However, FaZe found crucial momentum in the latter stages, securing defensive rounds to edge out a 7-5 victory. With this win, FaZe evened the series at 1-1.

On the fourth map, Nighthaven Labs, FaZe Clan took control early with a dominant defensive half, securing a 5-1 lead. Team BDS fought back, narrowing the gap to 5-6. Despite BDS’s late surge, FaZe held firm in the final round, closing out the map 7-5 and putting themselves on the brink of championship victory.

The final map, Clubhouse, began as a closely contested battle, with both teams trading early rounds. After the fourth round, FaZe Clan pulled ahead with a decisive lead, shutting down BDS’s attempts to recover. FaZe closed out the map 7-4, securing the Six Invitational 2025 championship title.

FaZe Clan’s path to the final was marked by resilience in the lower bracket. After an initial 0-2 loss to Spacestation Gaming in the upper bracket, FaZe rebounded with a 2-1 victory over Team Liquid. They continued their momentum by defeating Virtus.pro 2-1 and Falcons Esport 2-1. In a rematch against Spacestation Gaming, FaZe emerged victorious with a 2-0 win, advancing to the lower bracket final where they secured a 2-0 victory over FURIA Esports.

Team BDS demonstrated consistent performance in the upper bracket. They began with a 2-1 win over Unwanted, followed by a 2-1 victory against Spacestation Gaming. In the upper bracket final, BDS faced FURIA Esports and secured their spot in the grand final with a 2-0 win.

FaZe Clan and Team BDS had previously met during the BLAST R6 Major Montreal on November 16, 2024, where Team BDS secured a 2-0 victory over FaZe Clan. The match took place in the semifinals, with Team BDS winning the first map, Nighthaven Labs, 7-1, and the second map, Skyscraper, 8-7.

The Six Invitational 2025 featured 20 of the world’s top Rainbow Six Siege teams competing for a $3 million prize pool. The tournament spanned from February 3 to February 16.

Ubisoft has officially unveiled Rainbow Six Siege X, marking the biggest transformation in the tactical shooter’s decade-long history. Announced during the Six Invitational 2025, this update is not a sequel but a massive overhaul aimed at modernizing the game while maintaining its core strategic gameplay.

Ubisoft revealed that the Siege X project has been in secret development for the past three years, with teams working behind the scenes to ensure a seamless transition into this next phase. The overhaul will feature significant graphical and audio improvements, refined mechanics, and new gameplay experiences while retaining all existing operators, maps, and core mechanics.

A full Siege X Showcase is scheduled for March 13, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia, where Ubisoft will provide a deep dive into the overhaul. The event will be streamed live at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET on the official Rainbow Six Siege Twitch channel.

Alongside the Siege X reveal, Ubisoft announced Year 10 Season 1, titled Operation Prep Phase. The update introduces Rauora, a New Zealand-based attacker equipped with the Deployable Omnilink Mesh (D.O.M.) Launcher, a gadget that places bulletproof panels in doorways, giving attackers better control over sightlines and movement.

Rauora’s loadout includes the 417 designated marksman rifle or the M249 light machine gun as primary weapons, with the Reaper MK2 machine pistol (a new addition to the game’s arsenal) as a secondary option. The new character will be available immediately for Battle Pass owners at the start of the season and will get unlockable with Renown or R6 Credits two weeks later.

UK-based esports organization Into The Breach (ITB) has announced the shutdown of all operations following revelations that CEO Sam Cook misappropriated company funds for personal use. 

ITB made the announcement on social media, citing an ‘unsustainable position’ after discovering that a key financial decision-maker had embezzled a significant amount of money.

The scale of the financial mismanagement was detailed in a statement from ITB’s Chief Strategy Officer, who revealed that over £700,000 (approximately $890,000) had been misappropriated over a 1.5-year period. This included funds intended for player salaries, operational costs, and other essential business expenses. Despite Cook’s assurances of financial stability, investigations revealed systemic deceit and fund mismanagement, ultimately forcing the company to shut down.

“As part of Sam’s role, he was entrusted with overseeing financial operations. He took advantage of this position and engaged in systematic deceit,” ITB’s CSO stated. “What should have been a crowning achievement for ITB now underscores the need for accountability.”

Following ITB’s public statement, Cook admitted responsibility for the organization’s collapse in a post on his personal X (formerly Twitter) account.

“ITB goes under, people lose employment, salaries go unpaid, money lost, hate created – all my fault and responsibility,” Cook wrote. He acknowledged that there would be legal consequences and committed to making affected parties “as whole as possible with what funds are available.” Cook also cited personal struggles with alcoholism and self-destructive habits as contributing factors to the mismanagement, further deepening the controversy surrounding ITB’s downfall.

Beyond ITB, the scandal has led to the dissolution of grassroots esports organization The Goose House (TGH). ITB acquired a stake in TGH in late 2023, aiming to expand its presence in the grassroots gaming scene. However, with ITB’s financial collapse, TGH announced the end of its operations.

In a farewell statement, TGH co-owners Dan Ellis and David Taylor expressed their disappointment: “We turned a blind eye when it became clear we were being taken advantage of from every possible angle imaginable. And ultimately, we have been let down too much to want to continue.”

Founded in 2021, ITB quickly rose as one of the UK’s most promising esports organizations, securing major sponsorships and competing in top-tier tournaments.

BLAST, one of the world’s leading esports organizers, has officially launched its request-for-proposal (RFP) process for host cities looking to secure major esports events in 2026 and 2027. 

BLAST aims to expand its global reach, bringing competitions for five of the biggest games, Counter-Strike, Dota 2, Fortnite, Rocket League, and Rainbow Six, to new destinations.

Following a highly successful 2024 season, which saw BLAST host events across multiple continents, the organization is gearing up for an even bigger 2025, with 14 live events planned. 

By 2026, BLAST is set to host 20 major arena events, with projections increasing to 25 in 2027. These tournaments attract massive international audiences, with up to 85% of attendees traveling from outside the host city and each event generating up to $100 million in economic impact.

James Woollard, BLAST’s Director of Market Development, highlighted the importance of expanding to new markets. “Esports is one of the fastest-growing entertainment industries in the world, and BLAST has a proven record of delivering award-winning arena events that captivate millions of fans online and thousands in person. Our goal is to partner with destinations in a long-term and meaningful way, driving tangible financial, political, social, and destination marketing benefits for our host markets.”

With the esports industry continuing to grow, cities across the globe now have the opportunity to become a key part of BLAST’s expanding ecosystem. Woollard emphasized the impact of these events, noting that their repeat partnerships and return to host destinations demonstrate the real value BLAST brings to local economies.

By opening its RFP process, BLAST is inviting cities and venues worldwide to compete for the chance to host their high-profile tournaments in 2026-27, while 2025 starts with BLAST Slam II, bringing the world’s top Dota 2 teams to Copenhagen in February 2025.