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"Esport is not a phenomenon anymore. It's the entertainment of the new generation." - François-Xavier Deniele of Ubisoft
It's been 10 years since the launch of the professional scene of Rainbow Six: Siege and its esports scene continues to thrive. Despite the classic ups and downs, the FPS tac shooter remains one of the most popular esport titles to date, reaching a peak viewer count in 2024 at Six Invitational of over 520,000. Following the opening press conference at EWC 2026, Strafe managed to speak with François-Xavier Deniele, VP, Marketing & Esports at Rainbow Six. With a 17-year tenure at Ubisoft and counting, the François was happy to share insights on the 10 years of sustainability of Rainbow Six, how the team operates to draw in more new players and viewers, as well as giving a more general view on esports and esports events.
Dplus KIA to be Sold Amid Financial Turbulence
Dplus KIA have announced the organization is in the middle of a sale process as the club has "reached a point where it needs even greater capability and support to grow to the next level." Growing operational costs in esports and recent reports surfacing regarding unpaid wages at Dplus all seem to indicate that the move will be in the best interest of everyone involved, including players and fans of the organization.
GOALS Introduces Competitive Esports Circuit for 2026
A month after launch, GOALS is already unveiling a preliminary roadmap for their plans for a 2026 competitive circuit. For a game marketed around skill-focused gameplay, it comes as little surprise that they are already angling for the highest levels of play. With the goal of creating their own esports ecosystem, GOALS aims to ‘establish a sustainable and inclusive competitive scene for players at every level.’
Ubisoft Confirms Marketplace Will Not Return Anytime Soon
Ubisoft finally broke the silence on one of Rainbow Six Siege's most painful sagas. In a new post titled "Marketplace & Economy: A New Direction" the developer admitted what fans had feared for months: the player-driven Marketplace isn't coming back anytime soon
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New Study Finds 400 Million Gen Z Consumers Regularly Engage With Esports
The numbers are in, and they're hard to argue with. A new whitepaper from ESL FACEIT Group (EFG), Hero Esports, and Niko Partners titled The Esports Generation: Who They Are & Why They Spend dropped today, and it paints a picture of an audience that is bigger, more engaged, and more commercially valuable than many brands still realize
G2 Esports and One Piece Collaborate to Create New Limited-Edition Drop
Esports giant G2 is making another move into the anime fashion space, this time partnering with one of the most beloved franchises in the world. In collaboration with One Piece, G2 has announced a new limited-edition streetwear drop available as of today (June 25).
GOALS Partners with PUMA for Exclusive In-Game Collectible Cosmetics
The new online football game currently gathering momentum — GOALS — has announced their latest endeavour: a team up with major sports brand: PUMA. The sports brand giant becomes the first to align themselves with GOALS for the release of an exclusive line of collectable cosmetics.
Brazilian Justice Condemns Steam, PlayStation, Xbox and Others to Pay USD 50 Million for Loot Boxes
The Federal District Court has condemned Steam, PlayStation, Xbox and other major gaming companies to pay R$ 298 million in collective moral damages related to loot boxes. The ruling also imposes new transparency and protection obligations for children and teenagers, including clear disclosure of probabilities and refunds for purchases made by minors.
Esports Foundation Bets $2M on Creators to Bring EWC and ENC to Every Corner of the World
The Esports Foundation just made a major move for content creators. On June 11, 2026, the organization behind the Esports World Cup and the Esports Nations Cup officially opened applications for its 2026 Creator Program, the largest co-streaming initiative esports has ever seen, and it is backing it up with a $2 million investment in creator rewards.
KSI Becomes First 'Original' in New Football Game 'GOALS'
‘GOALS’ is a new online football game title designed by its namesake studio based in Stockholm, Sweden. Framed as a free-to-play, competitive, online title, ‘GOALS’ seeks to enter the competitive sports-esport cross-section with the tagline as the “next evolution of football gaming experiences”.
G2 Esports Brings Fantasy Webcomic Red Aura to Global Audiences on WEBTOON
G2 Esports, one of the world's most recognisable names in competitive gaming, is stepping further into the world of original entertainment with the English-language global launch of its fantasy-action webcomic, Red Aura, on WEBTOON. The series goes live on Saturday, June 6, under the platform's prestigious WEBTOON Originals label.
BLAST R6 Regional Leagues Stage 1 2026: Everything You Need to Know
The R6 Esports 2026 season is in full swing following DarkZero's triumphant victory at BLAST R6 Salt Lake City, and now attention turns to Stage 1 of the Regional Leagues — the first major step on the road to the Esports World Cup in Paris. From schedules and formats to prize pools and EWC qualification spots, here is everything you need to know ahead of the competition.
Esports Nations Cup 2026: Rainbow Six Siege Direct Invite Rosters Revealed
The road to Riyadh is officially underway. The Esports Nations Cup (ENC) 2026 has revealed the 12 national rosters that have earned direct invitations to the Rainbow Six Siege competition, which is set to take place from November 18–22, 2026, as part of the wider ENC event running November 2–29 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Why Mira is Perma-Banned in Ranked and How Ubisoft Can Fix It
If you’ve queued up for a Ranked match in Rainbow Six Siege recently, you already know the drill. The ban phase starts, and before the timer even hits the halfway mark, the purple window icon is locked in. With a ban rate soaring above 90% in many competitive brackets, Mira has become the ultimate boogeyman of Siege.
Esports World Cup 2026 Heads to Paris for Its First Edition Outside Saudi Arabia
The world's biggest esports event just found a new home. The Esports World Cup 2026 is officially moving to Paris, France, marking the first time in the tournament's history that it will be hosted outside of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Rainbow Six Siege: Operation System Override – Everything You Need to Know
Rainbow Six Siege is no stranger to bold seasonal shakeups, and Operation System Override is another one of those ambitious updates the game has been seeing in recent times. Unveiled at the Salt Lake City Major, the new season arrives on June 2nd carrying a fan-favorite operator rework, the most significant overhaul to ranked play in the game's history, a brand-new map steeped in nostalgia, and a slew of quality-of-life improvements. Here is everything you need to know before the update goes live.
DarkZero Do It Again: Salt Lake City Major Champions
DarkZero Esports are the BLAST R6 Major Salt Lake City champions. On May 17, 2026, the North American squad overcame a rough start in the grand final to defeat Shopify Rebellion 3-1 in a Best of 5 series, securing their second Major title in Rainbow Six Siege history.
BLAST R6 Salt Lake City Major 2026: Playoffs Predictions
The Swiss Stage of the BLAST R6 Salt Lake City Major is done and dusted, and the top eight Rainbow Six Siege teams have earned their right to compete for Major glory. After a brief single day of rest, those eight sidestep into a ruthless single-elimination bracket, where a single series loss sends you packing. No second chances, just pure, high-stakes Rainbow Six Siege. All four quarterfinal matches are scheduled for May 15, beginning at 6 PM CEST / 9 AM PDT.
