Gaming
Esports Nations Cup 2026 unveils first eight titles
Chess, CS2 and mobile hits headline global, flag-based debut
RIYADH: Riyadh is gearing up for a new kind of esports showdown, one where players will not just represent teams or brands, but entire nations. The Esports World Cup Foundation has revealed the first eight titles for the inaugural Esports Nations Cup 2026, set to run from 2 to 29 November in the Saudi capital.
The event introduces a national team format to the global esports calendar, giving players the chance to compete under their country’s flag while fans rally behind familiar colours rather than corporate logos.
The first wave of games offers a broad spread across genres and platforms. The confirmed titles are Chess, Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, EA Sports FC, Fatal Fury, Honor of Kings, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and Trackmania. Together, they span classic strategy, tactical shooters, fighting games, sports simulations, mobile arenas and high-speed racing.
Even with just these eight titles, the scale is significant. Thousands of players worldwide will enter qualification routes over the coming months, all chasing a place in Riyadh.
Chess will host 128 players, making it one of the largest international events in the game’s history. Counter-Strike 2 is set for a record-breaking open qualification programme, expected to involve more than 15,000 players across 3,000 teams. Dota 2 will feature 32 national sides battling through rankings, regional qualifiers and wildcard slots.
EA Sports FC will also see 128 competitors qualify through in-game pathways, regional contests and world rankings. The new Fatal Fury title will bring 32 national representatives into a fresh format aimed at spotlighting rising talent in the fighting game scene.
Mobile titles will carry serious weight too. Honor of Kings will feature 24 elite national teams, while Mobile Legends: Bang Bang will host 32 sides competing for a gold medal. Trackmania rounds out the list with a 32-player national field racing in the game’s signature four-way Cup Mode.
Eight more titles are still to be announced, completing the 16-game programme for the debut edition.
With national pride now entering the digital arena, the Esports Nations Cup aims to turn keyboards, controllers and touchscreens into a new kind of flag-bearing sport.
Gaming
Krafton tops KRW 3 trillion as Pubg drives record revenue
Strong mobile growth and new titles lift the gaming giant to a record breaking year
SEOUL: Krafton has had a blockbuster year, and the numbers read like a high score screen. The South Korean game maker posted annual revenue of KRW 3.3266 trillion for 2025, a 22.8 per cent jump from the previous year and the first time the company has crossed the KRW 3 trillion mark. Operating profit stood at KRW 1.0544 trillion, comfortably above the trillion-won line once again.
At the heart of the surge was the ever reliable Pubg franchise, which continued to pull in players and profits across platforms. On PC, Pubg: Battlegrounds delivered its strongest annual performance yet, with revenue up 16 per cent year on year. Fresh collaborations with global artists, luxury brands and even Porsche kept the game’s world lively and the player base engaged.
Mobile remained the company’s biggest earner. Pubg Mobile and Battlegrounds Mobile India both expanded their paying user base, rising by 5 per cent and 27 per cent respectively. India in particular stayed a stronghold, with BGMI maintaining steady performance through localised content and brand tie ups.
New titles also chipped in. Life simulator inZOI and horror survival game Mimesis each crossed the one million sales mark after launching in March and October. Together, they added fresh momentum to Krafton’s PC business.
For the full year, revenue was split across KRW 1.7407 trillion from mobile, KRW 1.1846 trillion from PC, KRW 42.8 billion from console and KRW 358.5 billion from other businesses. The “other” segment saw a sharp rise after the consolidation of ADK Group and Neptune.
The fourth quarter told a slightly different story. Revenue reached KRW 919.7 billion, but operating profit fell to KRW 2.4 billion after a one time expense linked to a labour welfare fund for the company’s upcoming headquarters move.
Looking ahead, Krafton is betting on longer life cycles for its major franchises and a steady pipeline of new games. The company has 15 projects in development, including Subnautica 2, Palworld Mobile and several new titles built around the Pubg universe. It also plans to pursue acquisitions to secure fresh intellectual property and fuel future growth.
Artificial intelligence is another big piece of the plan. Under its “AI for Games” push, Krafton aims to use AI across development and live services, while exploring broader tech opportunities in the longer term.
For now, though, the message is simple. As long as players keep dropping into battlegrounds, Krafton’s scorecard is likely to keep climbing.
