Episodes
For the final episode of FTW with Imad Khan, Cale Michael returns to the show one last time to discuss Street Fighter VI, Mortal Kombat's semi-reboot and Tekken 8 impressions.
Published 05/22/23
LCS viewership saw a steady decline in viewership throughout the Spring Split. Average viewership was at 109,000 or 14.8 million hours watched. That's down 22% from the summer of 2022. Jordan Fragen of GamesBeat joins the podcast to discuss.
Published 05/01/23
CLG has officially been acquired by NRG, with only its League roster staying afloat. Digiday's Alex Lee returns to the podcast to discuss.
Published 04/11/23
Valve announced Counter-Strike 2, a free follow-up to the incredibly popular Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, or CS:GO. Along with graphical overhauls, Valve is making some technical changes in CS2. To discuss the major changes coming to Counter-Strike, as well as how the esports community has been reacting, is Dot Esports reporter Mateusz Miter.
Published 03/27/23
Beyond the Summit, an esports event organizer, laid off its entire staff. The company is known for putting on intimate invite-only tournaments in Super Smash Bros., DotA and other games. The format allowed for a looser atmosphere where pro players could entertain audiences in other ways. This comes as other esports teams and companies have began dropping players or selling their positions in leagues. To discuss is Dot Esports reporter Cale Michael.
Published 03/05/23
Jacob Wolf reported earlier this month that Overwatch League teams have come together to collectively bargain with publisher Activision Blizzard. Teams are looking for economic relief after high costs and low payments from the league. To discuss is gaming and esports attorney Justin Jacobson.
Published 01/25/23
Last week, Jiseok Lee of South Korea won the Pokémon VGC San Diego Regional, netting himself $3,000 in prize money. He used an unorthodox tactic to defeat his opponent 8-2. To explain the competitive Pokémon video game is freelance reporter Yash Nair.
Published 01/15/23
Last month, cryptocurrency exchange FTX went bust. Owner Sam-Bankman Fried, and his friends, misused customer money in risky investments. The crash of FTX sent the crypto market spiraling downward. FTX was also a major sponsor in traditional sports and esports, like when it signed a naming rights deal with TSM and changed the name to TSM FTX in a $210 million deal. To talk about the impact of FTX's collapse is Jason Chung, director and esports business professor at NYU's Tisch Institute for...
Published 12/13/22
Nintendo abruptly shut down the Smash World Tour weeks before the finals were to take place. In a long statement, VGBC, the company behind the tour, said Nintendo refused to approve broadcast licensing for the tournament and accused esports organization Panda Global of conspiring against the Smash World Tour behind the scenes. Connor Richards of Odin Law and Media brings his legal perspective.
Published 12/04/22
League of Legends free agency is happening right now and reports are surfacing of Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok fielding offers from North American teams. Also, it seems that Doublelift and Bjergsen are reuniting at 100 Thieves. To discuss is Dot Esports League of Legends reporter Michael Kelly.
Published 11/22/22
League of Legends World Championship 2022 concluded this past weekend, bringing one of most memorable storylines in League history. It was a South Korean grand finals with DRX and T1, helmed by Deft and Faker respectively. DRX ultimately came out victorious, giving a historic win to Deft, who has been playing in the shadow of Faker for years. To discuss is freelance reporter Mateusz Miter.
Published 11/08/22
DigiDay published an article earlier this month about the low freelancer rates found in esports journalism. It focused on Gamurs Group, the same company that owns Dot Esports. Rates can be as low as $15 for a 300-word news article. The author of the article, Alex Lee, joins the show to discuss.
Published 10/24/22
ESL Pro League Season 16 concluded over the weekend. The Finals were between Team Vitality and Team Liquid. Freelance reporter Mateusz Miter returns to FTW to discuss.
Published 10/03/22
Twitch has banned gambling after much outcry from the platform's top creators. But gambling streams have been a part of Twitch for decades, with many calling afoul of Twitch's latest move. Oscar Gonzalez of CNET joins the show to discuss.
Published 09/26/22
Jacob Wolf returns to the show to talk about ZeRo's lawsuit ending and his attempts to return to the scene.
Published 09/19/22
Valorant Champions 2022 Preview ft. Scott Robertson
Published 08/29/22
Cale Michael reports from Evo 2022.
Published 08/16/22
Preston Byers returns to talk Riot Games' $100 million lawsuit.
Published 08/02/22
Preston Byers
Published 07/19/22
Adam Fitch Returns to talk Inven Global shutdown.
Published 07/11/22
TSM accuses Godlike of poaching Shadow.
Published 06/27/22
Cale Michael Returns to the show to discuss Street Fighter 6.
Published 06/20/22