We’ve prepared a digest of the main news for Players readers for May 5, 2026.
Team registration for The International 2026 is now open
- This year, The International for Dota 2 returns to China. The tournament will take place in August, and preparations have already begun with an updated participant registration system.
Toronto police detained a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. cosplayer over a realistic weapon replica
- An incident involving a cosplayer occurred at Trinity Bellwoods Park in Toronto during the Anime Connects Cherry Blossom Picnic event. A man dressed in full tactical gear resembling a mercenary from the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game series was detained by police due to carrying a replica rifle.
Valorant Mobile surpasses 10 million daily players without a global launch
- Riot Games announced on the social network Weibo that the mobile version of the popular shooter Valorant has exceeded 10 million daily active players. This result was achieved despite the game currently being available only in the Chinese market.
HEROIC exit the professional Dota 2 scene
- Esports organization HEROIC has announced the closure of its Dota 2 division. Despite notable competitive success and a growing fan base, the club’s management decided to leave the discipline due to financial unprofitability.
PUBG MOBILE announces collaboration with Ford
- PUBG MOBILE developers have announced a new large-scale collaboration with the automotive brand Ford. The special event will run from May 15 to July 7.