As we slowly approach the end of the year, many of the international esports leagues are wrapping up their major competitions. With the Dota 2 International winners crowned and the Ultimate Fighter walking away with a massive prize pool, last week sure was a goodie.
Plus we even managed to secure some wins for our local boys.
Check out this week’s esports recap below.
League of Legends:
With the beginning of Worlds less than a month away, the different regions playing League have almost wrapped up their different splits.
But because we’re so deep into it, we already know who’s qualified from each region:
| LCK | LPL | LEC | LCP | LTA |
| Gen.G | BLG | MKOI | CTFO | FlyQuest |
| KT Rolster | G2 | PSG Talon | KeyD | |
| T1 | Secret Whales | |||
| HLE |
Only two spots remain open. One in the LEC and one in the LTA.
Will Fnatic be able to defeat Karmin Corp for that final spot in the LEC, and will we see 100T take the last spot in the LTA?
We’re going to have to wait a while to find out.
In the meantime, the most anticipated game from all the regions has to be the Gen.G vs T1 matchup in the losers’ bracket play-off in the LCK. These two teams have been battling out for the top spot in the LCK this year, and even though both have qualified, this matchup will surely be a badge to wear for whoever wins during Worlds.
Check out the highlight reel from last weekend, where KT Rolster managed to take the win from Gen.G in a heated 3-2 match.
Dota:
The Dota 2 Invitational took place last weekend, and there were some hot games all round. Team Falcons managed to secure the winners’ bracket, losing only two rounds during their hunt for the trophy.
After taking the L to P.Vision early on, Xtreme Gaming fought through the losers’ bracket, matching up with Team Falcons in the Grand Final.
After a heated five-round matchup, Team Falcons managed to secure the win 3-2 over Xtreme Gaming, walking away as this year’s top team and winning over $1,000,000 in prize money.
Check out the full Grand Final delay below, or fast forward to 5h30 to check out the Falcons vs Xtreme brawl.
Counter Strike:
The group stages for the Fissure Playground #2 cup are done and dusted, with eight teams making it through to the playoffs. Two of the four playoff games have already finished, with Team Liquid defeating Aurora Gaming and The MongolZ taking down G2.
Next up, we have Furia vs Astralis and PaiN Gaming vs Team Falcons.
With $200,000 on the line, it’s all about who brings the best knife to this gun fight.
Valorant:
With half of the Valorant Champions 2025 Group Stage matches already done and dusted, we still have so much to watch this weekend. In fact, there are games currently taking place as I type this.
So far, the following teams have secured a spot in the play-offs by winning enough games to hold the top spot in their group:
| Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D |
| Paper Rex | Fnatic | NRG | Team Heretics |
With the remaining teams looking to take that second spot in their group, there’s definitely a lot to fight for.
Fortnite:
With the Grand Finals of the Fortnite Champions Series already won, all players are taking a small break, or keeping their fingers warm in smaller tournaments until a few of the bigger cups kick off at the end of October.
Apex Legends:
The international teams of Apex Legends still keep practising until next year’s big final.
EA FC/Rocket League:
Last weekend, both EA FC and Rocket League held S-Tier events.
In EA FC, the FC Pro Champions Cup 2025 – FC Online held in Shanghai, saw Advice Esports defeat Gen City 4-3 in a best-of-seven matchup, walking away with $200,000 in winnings.
On the Rocket League side of things, NRG managed an easy win over Team Falcons, with a 4-1 victory, securing their titles as the Rocket League World Champs for 2025. They win themselves a handsome $300,000.
On the 1v1 field, Nwpo took down Mawkzy for a neat little $35,000 win.
Street Fighter:
The Ultimate Fighting Arena took place last weekend, with the winner walking home with over $4,000,000. Yes, $4,000,000 just for one fighter.
After almost losing to Nephew in the bracket stages, Sahara managed to secure their spot in the finals from the winners’ bracket, while Kingsvega took their spot in the finals from the losers’ bracket, after taking an L to Sahara.
Already defeating Kinsvega beforehand definitely had Sahara’s confidence boosted, as they secured a 3-0 victory over them in the Grand Finals, and has walked away with a handsome pot of money and a stunning trophy.
Mettlestate Update
This week in esports, we’re super proud to shout out Kasi Flare for snagging a bronze at the Mark Awards in the Strategy, Change for Good category. Huge win! It’s awesome to see esports getting that traditional industry love. And yep, Kasi Flare Split 3 is coming soon, so keep your eyes peeled.
Over in Varsity Esports, Split 2 is heating up fast. Students from all over South Africa are grinding it out for a shot at the playoffs happening at rAge. On top of that, we pulled off an epic campus activation at Varsity College in Sandton, bringing the hype and the games right to the students. It was a vibe!
Meanwhile, the Showmax Fan Day 2 Tekken 8 tournament is still going strong. Players are throwing down for a chance to win up to R15,000 in prizes and meet the Youngins crew. Stakes are high, combos are wild.
And last but definitely not least, we’re buzzing as we get ready to send two South African fighting game players to EVO France next month. Both TUG | IAmTheY2K (Tekken 8) and
Uncle_Will (Street Fighter 6) will be repping the country on the global stage, and we couldn’t be more hyped.
Check out www.mettlestate.com to see how you can get involved in the local esports scene.
From major games on the international stage to local gamers repping South Africa, there was a lot to catch up on this week.
What was your favourite moment from the world of esports? Let us know in the comments below.
