Scott Robertson
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Comms Strategist at @thestorymob. FPS fan. Former VALORANT lead at @DotEsports. Wrote about Balatro for Rolling Stone once.
Articles by Scott Robertson
How to fix 'failed to locate official game servers with acceptable ping' error in CS2 (2025)
Counter-Strike players have long been encountering an error where the game fails to find official servers due to ping. If you’re looking to resolve the CS2 “failed to located official game servers with acceptable ping” error, we’ve got some solutions for you. Millions of players and items have migrated over from CS:GO to CS2 since the launch of the game-changing update. However, it appears that some of the long-running errors consistently plaguing the playerbase have switched over too.
Are CS2 servers down? Here's how to check CS2 server status
If you’re having trouble connecting to Counter-Strike 2, whether it be the game itself or a match, there’s a strong chance that the servers are down. To save your time, it’s best to learn how to check CS2 server status. If you’re unable to connect to the game, here are some possible reasons and steps to check the server status. There are several reasons for CS2 downtime: Scheduled maintenance: Valve usually schedules regular maintenance for CS2 servers, often around the same time as new updates.
How to fix VAN-81 error code in VALORANT
Unfortunately, the VAN-81 error code in VALORANT can be a common issue when attempting to connect. This error prevents you from logging into the game, and the only option presented to you is just to quit. The VAN-81 error code appearing means that “VALORANT has encountered a connection error,” according to . It’s unclear exactly what the problem is, especially considering Riot’s support page lists several VAN error codes generally described as connection errors.
Best Cheap Counter-Strike 2 Skins - CS2 Budget Skin Guide
Skins in CS2, as you know, can fetch a pretty penny on the high side, but what about cheap skins in CS2? A virtual economy worth billions is the result of the introduction of tradeable skins to Counter-Strike over a decade ago, highlighted by the rarest and most lucrative weapon skins. Some of the rarest skins ever opened from a case have sold for thousands of dollars, but not everyone has the money to throw around so lavishly.
Best Counter-Strike 2 Crosshairs
Amongst all the numerous settings you can tinker with in Counter-Strike 2, there’s arguably none more important than your crosshair. Crosshairs in CS2 can take on different forms, shapes, or sizes, and finding the right one for you is of the utmost importance. Of course, what can be considered the “best” CS2 crosshair may not be the best for you, as it comes down to personal preference.
How to Use Rank Shields in VALORANT
Rank Shields, a new tool for competitive players, are now active in VALORANT as of Patch 10.01. They were first announced during the VALORANT 2025 season preview. Dropping between VALORANT skill divisions, such as from Gold to Silver, can be a brutal feeling. But with Rank Shields, players get three chances to stay at their tier one rank.
Zellsis Says 100T and Sentinels Asked Him and Boostio to Take Down Wild Tweets
The VALORANT rivalry between North American teams Sentinels and 100 Thieves has always been hot, but it reached unhinged levels just one week into the 2025 season. After some spicy photos hit the timeline this past weekend though, the two organizations asked their outspoken stars to tone it down. Still, those photos will be seared into our memory for some time.
Shopify Rebellion Merges With Ludwig and Cr1TiKaL's Esports Organization
Shopify Rebellion and Moist Esports, the esports organization owned by content creator stars Charles “Cr1TiKaL” White Jr. and Ludwig “Ludwig” Ahgren, have fully merged under the Shopify banner. Both Cr1TiKaL and Ludwig are now co-owners of Shopify Rebellion. The two organizations have partnered together in recent years, but now move forward together as one.
Riot Activates In-Game Fundraisers in VALORANT, League to Support LA Wildfire Relief
Riot Games announced today that the company will be launching “in-game fundraisers” in VALORANT and League of Legends to support relief for the wildfires affecting the city of Los Angeles. Riot says the fundraisers will go live next week, and are part of several initiatives that the company has undertaken to aid the city it’s based in. The wildfires in Los Angeles started earlier this month, destroying hundreds of homes and doing billions in damage.
Best CS2 Launch Options
The best Counter-Strike 2 launch options can set you up for a fun, rewarding gameplay session before you even join a server. There a number of launch options that CS2 players can utilize to improve performance, and they’re relatively easy to implement. These will instantly apply settings that will boost your game.
INTERVIEW: 100T VALORANT’s Boostio Says It’s ‘Not Possible’ for NRG to Win Championships with FNS
At the start of last year’s season, reigning VALORANT champion Kelden “Boostio” Pupello was one of several players to leave Evil Geniuses. In his first year with 100 Thieves, Boostio and the team won the first VCT Americas split, and barely missed out on Champions. Ahead of his second season with 100T, Boostio took the time to talk to Insider Gaming. And rather than just talk about the upside of his own team, he also had something to say about a long-time rival.
Falcons CS2 Roster Finds Victory in NiKo's First Game
Nikola “NiKo” Kovač has finally played his first official match with Team Falcons, and the organization has to pleased with the first result of this new CS2 lineup. Despite a substantial financial backing, Falcons has struggled to break into the top of the Counter-Strike hierarchy in recent years, but the result today is a step in the right direction.
CS2’s Biggest Superstar Donk Dazzles in First Match of 2025
The brightest star in CS2 right now, Team Spirit rifler Danil “donk” Kryshkovets, is already dominating pro play in 2025 after a breakout year. Fresh off a Major win and a sweep at the biggest Counter-Strike awards show, donk is already off to a blistering start this year. Is the best CS2 player in the world going to dominate the year again? It’s certainly looking that way.
VALORANT Fans React Poorly to Patch 10.04 Map Changes
Riot Games has committed to changing VALORANT’s map pool every single act, but the next map swap set for Patch 10.04 is not being well received. The second act of the 2025 season will see the removal of Abyss and Bind, and the return of Ascent and Icebox. While many players won’t miss Abyss, there is a widespread feeling of disappointment that both Ascent and Icebox are returning. That is, unless they return with some changes.
CS2 Beginner's Guide - Tips and Tricks for New Players
Counter-Strike 2 can seem awfully daunting towards beginners and new players, but the iconic tactical shooter from Valve is easy to learn. Unlike in other popular multiplayer titles where there is a constantly shifting meta, CS2 mostly stays the same, apart from the occasional map pool change, a new gun, or a small gameplay tweak. If you’re a new player jumping into CS2 for the first time ever, here are some tips for beginners to use.
Best Counter-Strike 2 Practice Modes
There’s a plethora of practice modes available to Counter-Strike 2 players that want to hone their skills before jumping into a Premier skin. Whether you want to improve your aim, learn a smoke lineup, or master the spray transfer, there’s something for everyone and for all levels of CS2 players. Here are some of the best CS2 practice modes available in the game and through the Steam Workshop.
INTERVIEW: EG's Coach Potter Says 'Yay Has to Prove He's Not Just a Chamber Main'
In 2023, Evil Geniuses won VALORANT Champions, claiming just the third ever world championship in Riot’s tactical FPS. Less than two years later, only one face remains: coach Christine “potter” Chi. Potter, a former Counter-Strike pro who first joined EG as a player in 2021, signed an extension this offseason to continue coaching through 2027. The team also signed Jacob “icy” Lange and once-upon-a-time best player in the world Jaccob “yay” Whiteaker.
All Counter-Strike Major Winners
The list of Counter-Strike Major winners is filled with some of the biggest names ever to grace the professional stage. Not every player gets to lift the trophy at one of the most illustrious esports tournaments, so doing so puts you in legendary company. As of the start of 2025, 21 Majors have been held. Here’s the full list of all the winners.
What is CS2 Skin Wear Rating? (Explained)
A CS2 skin wear rating is a crucial component in determining the value of the skin itself. Counter-Strike’s massive skin economy is made up of hundreds of thousands of skins. The wear rating of a skin can determine whether a skin is worth tens, hundreds, or even thousands of dollars. Let’s take a deep dive into what CS2 skin wear rating is, what determines it, and how it affects a skin’s price.
How to Buy Counter-Strike Skins (Answered)
Counter-Strike 2 players that don’t want to test their luck opening cases have the option to buy skins directly. The buying, selling, and trading of Counter-Strike skins has held up a multi-million dollar virtual economy that’s lasted over a decade. With this economy being so large, there are numerous places where players can buy CS2 skins. In this guide we’ll explore the basics of buying Counter-Strike skins.
How to Play Tejo in VALORANT - Tips and Tricks
The newest VALORANT agent, the Colombian initiator Tejo, has explosive abilities and potential. What he lacks in a flash ability that’s regular for initiators, he makes up with abilities that force enemies to give up their spots or else. He’s immediately become one of the best space creators in VALORANT. Here we go over Tejo’s full ability kit, and we’ll dive into some neat tips and tricks for each ability. Tejo’s Stealth Drone is sneakily (pun intended) one of his most powerful pieces of utility.
CS2 Server Status: Is Counter-Strike 2 Down? (Answered)
With more than a million people playing Counter-Strike 2 on any given day, server status is an important factor to monitor. While it doesn’t happen often, CS2 has been down in the past due to a variety of reasons. There’s nothing more frustrating (other than a costly missed smoke) than not being able to play CS2 at all. Here’s all the tools you need to be able to check on CS2’s server status and see if it’s down.
VALORANT 2025 Season Will Include 2 New Agents, Map Variety, and Ranked Protections
Riot has confirmed that the VALORANT 2025 season, the first official “season” now that the developers are pivoting away from episodes, will be primarily focused on improvement. There will definitely be new content across the six acts planned for 2025, but the priority will be getting the the game into “its best shape ever,” according to the most recent dev diary. What does this mean for VALORANT in 2025?
How to Get Free CS2 Skins
Free CS2 skins are exceptionally harder to come by now. In the past, before the release of Counter-Strike 2, players regularly received skins as drops at the end of CS:GO matches. Despite that, there are still some methods you can rely on to get some free CS2 skins. There is only one way to get earn free CS2 skins through the game itself: the weekly care package. Every week, players can earn the weekly care package when they level up their XP rank, if they have Prime Status.
Counter-Strike 2 Adds Train to Map Pool Ahead of Next Major
For the third straight Major in a row, the most illustrious Counter-Strike 2 Major will feature a different active duty map pool. Valve announced today that the remade Train will replace Vertigo in time for the BLAST.tv Austin Major in April 2025. With the next CS2 Major using this map pool, many are now expecting the in-game Premier pool and other official tournaments to swap in Train in place of Vertigo.
Is CSGO and CS2 Skin Gambling Legal?
CSGO and CS2 skin gambling is still a prominent part of the wider Counter-Strike betting market. Instead of betting real money, players can wager the value of skins in their Steam inventory on professional match results and casino-like jackpot games. The reputations and legitimacy of some of these sites have always been a major debate point within the Counter-Strike community. But is the act of skin gambling itself legal?
Can You Bet on Counter-Strike?
Counter-Strike is a foundational part of the still fledgling esports scene, and throughout its various iterations, it has always attracted viewers wanting to bet. With hundreds of matches taking place across the world at different events each month, there’s no shortage of competition for viewers to bet on. Yes, viewers can bet on professional Counter-Strike matches.
VALORANT Patch 9.11 Finally Nerfs Game's Most Abusive Agent
VALORANT Patch 9.11 has just gone live, and the long-awaited nerfs to the game’s most overpowered agent have finally arrived. Neon has been running wild across VALORANT competitive queues, and her over-tuned abilities have even drawn complaints from many pro players. At long last, the Neon nerfs have arrived, but how impactful are they really going to be? The most impactful change made to Neon is the nerfs to her sliding ability.
Mongolian CS2 Team Makes History at Shanghai Major
At the Perfect World Shanghai Major, a Mongolian Counter-Strike 2 team is doing the unthinkable. The MongolZ have accomplished a feat that no other team from the Asia region has ever done before, in a manner that no team in the world has done in more than half a decade. Just a few weeks prior, The MongolZ claimed their largest prize pool winnings ever at the Thunderpick World Championship. But something even more unimaginable is still possible for them.
How to Sell Counter-Strike 2 Skins
Buying and selling skins in Counter-Strike 2 is the foundation for the game’s massive trading economy. Every day, hundreds and thousands of weapon skins, knives, gloves, and stickers are bought and sold on the official Steam community market. There are several other places to sell CS2 skins as well. For those that have acquired one or more CS2 skins and are looking to sell, here’s how.
Path of Exile 2 Doubles All-time Player Peak of Original Game
Path of Exile 2 is currently standing tallest during a stacked weekend of free game releases on Steam. Players have been patiently waiting in queue for early access to the hack-and-slash action RPG from Grinding Gear Games. But even foreseen server issues have not stemmed the wave of excitement for the game. The most impressive part to PoE2’s hot start? The numbers so far are just from players that paid $30 for early access to a game that will eventually release free-to-play. Now that’s dedication.
Pro VALORANT teams made $44.3M from digital goods in 2024
Riot Games continues to tout the growth of its VALORANT esports scene, now having completed two seasons of its international partnership league. Like it does with League of Legends, Riot has completely run VALORANT esports all by itself since the game launched in 2020. Prior to the start of the 2025 VALORANT Champions Tour season, Riot has announced the end-of-year results for its 2024 campaign, revealing yet another massive chunk of change brought in by player spending.
Is Counter-Strike 2 Dying?
Counter-Strike 2 has not been spared from the discourse about “dying” that surrounds multiplayer and live service games in recent years. Counter-Strike as a series has been around for decades, and the state of the game has been a constant discussion point since. But is there any truth to the arguments that CS2 is dying? There are a number of issues that the wider Counter-Strikes 2 player base has with the state of the game.
How to Rent Counter-Strike 2 Skins
The ability to rent Counter-Strike 2 skins has only been around for a short time, at least when compared to the game’s long history. Renting skins in CS2 is a way for players to max out their inventory with skins for almost every weapon, even if it’s just for a short time. But how do you rent skins in Counter-Strike 2? In order to rent skins in Counter-Strike 2, you will need to purchase a key to open the case you’re trying to rent from.
Best Counter-Strike 2 Maps
The Counter-Strike 2 maps are a big reason why the tactical shooter has retained its spot as the most popular multiplayer game on Steam for years. Valve has meticulously rotated maps in and out of the active duty pool for over a decade, keeping the gameplay grind fresh and giving maps time time to be remade. But which CS2 maps are the best? Mirage is the pillar of consistency in the Counter-Strike map pool.
Is Counter-Strike 2 Free?
Counter-Strike has existed for more than 20 years, with its most recent iteration, Counter-Strike 2, releasing in September 2023. The game is one of the highest grossing games ever, thanks to its robust economy of weapon cosmetics known as skins. Is Valve’s most popular multiplayer title CS2 free for anyone to enjoy? Yes, CS2 is free-to-play for any Steam user. In December 2018, Valve switched the current game’s predecessor Counter-Strike: Global Offensive over to a free-to-play model.
Best Paladin build in BG3
Paladins are a versatile class among Baldur’s Gate 3 players; they’re good with beginners and experts, and proficient in combat, support, and dialogue options. According to Larian Studios, Paladin was the most popular class among all players during the opening weekend. Are you starting from scratch and wanting to be a paragon of justice? There are various ways you can approach a Paladin, depending on your playstyle and how you want to conform to your party.
The best VALORANT pick-up lines
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Is VALORANT down? How to check VALORANT’s server status
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VALORANT attracts thousands of players daily. But just like any multiplayer title, server issues and downtime are inevitable, especially around planned maintenance, large updates, new acts, and episodes. VALORANT fans may be experiencing a handful of different errors, including the infamous error code 43 and 46. Riot is generally communicative in handling these issues, explaining exactly what the developers are doing to manage the madness. Here’s how to check on the status of VALORANT’s servers.
By Scott Robertson Verified, Andreas Stavropoulos, Jalen Lopez, Gökhan Çakır Verified, Leonardo Biazzi Verified
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Dot Esports
Verified
Best guns in Call of Duty: Mobile
Call of Duty Mobile has successfully unlocked a massive new fan base for the iconic shooter series. Since its release in late 2019, it’s gone on to become one of the most downloaded and most grossing mobile games ever. Despite being a part of the franchise, CoD: Mobile has its own patch schedule and meta-game.
The best CS2 aim training maps
An ability to aim is the foundation of any aspiring Counter-Strike player. There will always be more aspects of the game that you’ll need to work on to improve, but you’ll never reach your full potential without honing your skills in some CS2 aim training maps. Improving your aim will require dedication, determination, and a strong will. Even if you know all the basics, you have to make peace with the fact that there will always be parts of your game you can improve.
How to fix error code Chicken in Destiny 2 Original
When it rains, it pours. And as Destiny 2 fans attempt to enjoy the game, sometimes a spike in “CHICKEN” error messages received will pop up. Don’t be alarmed, though. It has nothing to do with your virtual feathered friend, for those of you equipped with the Poultry Petting emote. The CHICKEN error code affects your ability to play Destiny 2 as a whole, even though we first noticed it pop up as an issue with purchasing Silver.
6 tips for getting better at VALORANT
Between competitive and the newly released Premier mode, there are tons of different milestones that VALORANT players can set for themselves. Maybe you just want to reach Gold, or you want to get to the top of the Radiant leaderboard for an act, or even win a Premier season. Players will often need to adapt and make tweaks in the way they play VALORANT to remain competitive, though, given how frequently the game changes via new agents, maps, and balance changes.
VALORANT not opening? Here's how to fix launch issues
Launching VALORANT usually requires just one or two clicks, but the number of clicks can significantly increase if the game refuses to open or launch. Unfortunately, spamming the executable doesn’t help in this case, but some workarounds definitely can. VALORANT may fail to launch on your PC for various reasons. If your game is giving you grief before you can even get into the server, here’s how to fix VALORANT when it won’t open.
VALORANT economy guide: What to buy and when you should buy it
Managing the economy is one of the most important parts of VALORANT. Knowing what weapons, armor, and abilities to buy and when to buy them can easily be the difference between winning or losing. The basics are pretty easy to understand. You start each round with a certain amount of credits to buy weapons, armor, and abilities. After a round, you earn more credits depending on how well you did, and those credits will go towards replenishing your gear if needed.
What is Squad Boost in VALORANT?
With each battle pass, VALORANT players map out the level they want to reach based on the rewards waiting for them, whether it’s a Vandal skin, a player card, or a tantalizing melee item. To reach that level faster, you’d be wise to make use of the Squad Boost events. Squad Boosts are limited-time events that grant players the opportunity to earn even more experience by queueing together, earning more per player in a stack.
9 highest-earning VALORANT players of all time
The VALORANT esports scene continues to grow and grow, and a lot of that is owed to the rise of the VALORANT Champions Tour’s global prominence. And for the players looking to compete at the highest level, it’s not just glory and fame to look forward to, but also a nice amount of cash to pick up from prize pools.
How to fix the Bad Gateway error in Escape from Tarkov
Given its long-standing beta status, Escape from Tarkov is still susceptible to errors such as the infamous Bad Gateway error. Here’s what you need to know about why the Bad Gateway error in Escape from Tarkov appears and what you can do to fix it. The Bad Gateway error in Escape from Tarkov means that something went wrong when trying to connect to the Tarkov servers. This can happen for a myriad of reasons, like issues on developer Battlestate Games’ end or DNS problems.
Cloud9 doubles down on Call of Duty by signing a CDL team and a Warzone roster
Cloud9 confirmed its return to competitive Call of Duty today after roughly seven years away, bringing not one but two rosters under the established blue brand. The organization followed through with the reported signing of the reigning Call of Duty League world champion roster core of the New York Subliners, consisting of HyDra, KiSMET, Skyz, and Sib. It’s unclear, though, whether this is a partnership between the C9 organization and the Subliners roster or an acquisition from the NYXL group.
Next Hitman mission tasks you with taking down a notorious MMA legend
The Hitman franchise is no stranger to bringing in celebrities for you to target in its special missions, and the next free update introduces a notorious target who could rival Agent 47 in hand-to-hand combat. The next Elusive Target mission in Hitman: World of Assassination is known as The Disruptor, but he’s easily more recognizable as MMA superstar and former UFC champion Conor McGregor.
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