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Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Author

Kenji Watanabe

Business Correspondent

Kenji Watanabe covers Gaming News, Reviews and Gadgets.

Articles by Kenji Watanabe

Checklist chart rating four season finales across five design traits

What makes a great esports season finale?

Kenji Watanabe

Diagram connecting publishers, leagues, and fan programs into one ecosystem

Publishers and leagues keep stacking esports ecosystems in early August 2026

Kenji Watanabe

Fans in team-color apparel reacting together inside an arena concourse

Why esports orgs obsess over mascots and team identity

Kenji Watanabe

Diverse crowd of fans watching mobile esports on phones at an arena

Is mobile esports finally bigger than the Western scene admits?

Kenji Watanabe

Off-season arena hall with idle stage rigging in morning light

What is the esports silly season, exactly?

Kenji Watanabe

Empty team practice facility with six training stations and whiteboard at dusk

How esports academies actually manufacture tomorrow's pros

Kenji Watanabe

Empty tournament broadcast control room with dark monitors and panel desk

Can Dota 2's competitive scene thrive in a post-Major world?

Kenji Watanabe

Detailed close-up of handcrafted cosplay armor pieces and tools on a workbench

Cosplay at esports events became the arena's second sport

Kenji Watanabe

Infographic comparing three championship funnel formats side by side

CS Majors, LoL Worlds or VCT Champions: which crowns best?

Kenji Watanabe

Infographic chart of buffed and nerfed characters after a balance patch

Why one balance patch can flip a competitive season upside down

Kenji Watanabe

Infographic chart of a fighting game season ladder from open qualifiers to championship

Has Street Fighter 6 earned its place among the great competitive eras?

Kenji Watanabe

Fans of different ages watching a mobile tournament match on their phones

Mobile Legends leads mobile esports into its biggest year yet

Kenji Watanabe

Older and younger players competing together at a retro gaming tournament

Why older games stay competitive long after their sell-by date

Kenji Watanabe

Diverse trio of battle royale competitors celebrating a championship point at LAN

Has Apex Legends' competitive scene found its footing after the turbulence?

Kenji Watanabe

Empty broadcast control room with a wall of dark monitors after an event

How esports viewership actually gets counted — and what the numbers hide

Kenji Watanabe

Close-up of a referee desk stopwatch and stage passes at a group stage

Round robin or Swiss: which group format wins?

Kenji Watanabe

Studio close-up of a rocket-powered toy soccer car on a miniature pitch

How is Rocket League esports holding up after its circuit changes?

Kenji Watanabe

Chart comparing publisher competitive program spending across 2026 regions

Publishers are reinvesting in esports programs for the 2026 cycle

Kenji Watanabe

Infographic chart mapping esports regions and their head-to-head rivalry lines

Why regional rivalries are the emotional engine of esports

Kenji Watanabe

Fans in a packed esports arena watching a playoff bracket stage

How does the double elimination format work?

Kenji Watanabe