DOTA 2 and Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) are all the rage right now, with the games making a big splash on the professional gaming circuit and with gamers worldwide.
With that in mind, read on as we look at some of the latest developments in the gaming universe, starting with a major event in the United States.
Raleigh Fever Sweeps America, But It Wasn’t Pretty
The ESL One Raleigh returned to American soil for the 2025 edition after a decade, and gamers in the US responded like it never left.
Twelve of the sharpest DOTA 2 squads locked horns for the mouth-watering $1 million prize pool, EPT points and a place at the upcoming eSports World Cup 2025 in Saudi Arabia.
Team Liquid flew out of the blocks, defeating AVULUS with miCKe’s Tiny and Gyrocopter. However, their superb run did not last long.
Nobody predicted that PARAVISION would emerge victorious, but they delivered a spectacular comeback to dash Team Liquid’s dreams of success.
Team Spirit defeated Tundra eSports to advance to the final, but they were ultimately defeated 3-1 by PARAVISION in the best-of-five decider.
The team pocketed a $250,000 payout for winning the event.
Attention Quickly Switches to Melbourne
IEM Melbourne starts on Monday, April 21, and promises to be a truly thrilling showcase of the best exponents of CS2.
All eyes will be on Group A when FaZe Clan and MOUZ face off – there will be fireworks in that one. Group B looks even tougher, with Vitality, NAVI, and Team Liquid eager to prove their mettle.
The upcoming clashes are not only guaranteed to spark excitement among gaming fans but also in the betting community in the southern hemisphere and further afield.
Many local betting operators are offering extensive coverage of the event. The anticipation has extended into neighboring New Zealand, where eSports is hugely popular.
Operators such as PowerPlay offer Kiwi punters a wide range of pre-event and in-play markets on a wide range of professional gaming leagues and tournaments.
They will be inundated with wagers during the upcoming CS2 tournament as bettors strive to capitalize on their knowledge of eSports.
CS2 Establishes New Participation Record
There was some scepticism when developers Valve Corporation initially pulled the plug on Counter-Strike: Global Operations (CS:GO), but CS2 has been a massive success.
CS2 broke its own player record with 1.82 million people simultaneously playing the title in March 2025. Barely a month later, that number rose to 1,862,531.
Valve has registered three straight months of record peaks, even without a patch to inflate those hugely impressive numbers.
The new skins piqued interest worldwide. However, the real reason why CS2 became so popular is that it is engaging, tactical, and pulsating – all the ingredients for the perfect game.
The widespread love for CS2 shows that it is going nowhere. With battle-tested teams such as Valorant, Siege and Apex are still seeking glory, CS2 is here to stay.
Valve put elbow grease into the Premier Mode and made a clean break from CS:GO, which paid off. They adjusted the CS2 scope and kept hitting headshots with seasons one and two.
The third season is around the corner and the global player base, which shows no signs of depleting, is already looking forward to testing itself against the challenges that await.