esports Archives

AppWizard

June 17, 2025

Take-Two and NBA form new company as part of licensing extension

Take-Two has established a new entertainment entity called NBA Take-Two Media in collaboration with the NBA, aiming to provide diverse content for fans, including social media, live events, esports, and original programming. This initiative extends Take-Two's partnership with the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) related to the NBA 2K franchise and is set to last multiple years. Take-Two's CEO, Strauss Zelnick, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, while NBA Commissioner Adam Silver highlighted the importance of engaging a new generation of basketball fans through this venture.

AppWizard

June 16, 2025

Minecraft Happy Ghast guide: taming, builds, tips, and more | Esports News

In the "Chase the Skies" update of Minecraft, players can find and tame a new mob called the Happy Ghast. To find a Happy Ghast, players must locate a Dried Ghast in the Soul Sand Valley biomes or obtain it through Piglin trades or crafting. They can then rehydrate the Dried Ghast in water to create a Ghastling, which is tamed by throwing a total of 10 snowballs at it. Once tamed, players can craft a harness for the Happy Ghast using 3 leather, 2 glass blocks, and 1 wool block. The Happy Ghast can carry up to four players, with the first rider controlling the flight direction. Players can dismount mid-air and stand on the Happy Ghast’s head. It can be used for aerial scaffolding, mobile transport, group travel, and creative showcases. Players are advised to build a Happy Ghast station for easier remounting. Happy Ghasts are vulnerable to fire damage and hostile ghasts, and they wander within a 32-block radius when harnessed. The harness can be removed with shears, and players have created travel systems using Happy Ghasts in minecarts.

AppWizard

June 12, 2025

Queens high school students take top prize in NYC Minecraft Battle of the Boroughs

A team of students from World Journalism Preparatory in Queens, named ‘Diamond Sword Bustamoney,’ won the inaugural NYC Video Games Festival in the high school division of the Minecraft Education “Battle of the Boroughs” competition. Their victory followed a three-stage tournament that included preliminary digital submissions, borough-level championships, and a final showdown on May 31. This is the first time a Queens school has won the title since the competition began in 2021. The event was organized by the New York City Department of Education in collaboration with Microsoft and the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, originally conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic. The team defeated the defending champions from Staten Island’s Tottenville High School. The winning team consists of five 11th-grade students.

AppWizard

June 11, 2025

New data reveals GTA Online players also love Minecraft and Fortnite | Esports News

Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto Online has 20 million monthly active players as of April 2025, its highest engagement since June 2022. Many of these players also engage with other popular games, particularly Fortnite, Roblox, Call of Duty, and Minecraft, with an 11% overlap of GTA Online players with Minecraft. Despite its large user base, there has been a 19% decline in average playtime among gamers who play both GTA Online and Minecraft on PlayStation. This trend suggests that player engagement with GTA Online can fluctuate based on the popularity of competing titles.

AppWizard

June 4, 2025

How to build a creeper farm in Minecraft | Esports News

In Minecraft, players can build a Creeper farm to obtain a reliable source of gunpowder, which is essential for crafting TNT, fireworks, and splash potions. To construct an efficient Creeper farm, players need to gather materials such as building blocks, wooden trapdoors, carpet, cat mobs, slabs, campfires or magma blocks, chests, and hoppers. The construction steps include: 1. Choosing a location elevated above sea level or over the ocean to reduce other mob spawns. 2. Creating a flat spawning platform with solid blocks, attaching trapdoors to restrict spawns to creepers, and placing carpets to prevent spider spawns. 3. Positioning domesticated cats at the center of each platform to scare creepers into the trap zone. 4. Installing campfires or magma blocks at the base to eliminate creepers and using hoppers to collect loot. 5. Adding multiple layers of platforms to increase spawn rates and using trapdoors to guide creepers off the platforms. 6. Illuminating or slabbing nearby caves to prevent unwanted mob spawns. With careful planning and execution, players can establish a self-sustaining farm for a steady supply of gunpowder.

AppWizard

May 31, 2025

NYC students use Minecraft to reimagine inclusive, sustainable spaces in citywide challenge

The all-girl team from P.S. 86 participated in the Minecraft Education Challenge for the second year, focusing on designing a sustainable and inclusive space at Orchard Beach. The challenge, part of the Battle of the Boroughs, had 3,259 applicants, with 175 students in the semi-finals. The team, consisting of sixth graders Yoselin, Zeynabou, Pearl, Emily, and Sadika, was guided by their teacher Kim Judin. They proposed features like solar panels, wheelchair accessibility, and bilingual signage. Although they did not advance to the finals, the experience was valuable for team bonding. The Mayor’s Cup Finals are scheduled for May 31.

AppWizard

May 25, 2025

Top 5 essential farms for a survival world in Minecraft | Esports News

Starting a survival world in Minecraft can be made easier by creating essential farms that automate resource gathering. Key farms to include are: 1. Crop farm: Grows wheat, carrots, and potatoes for food. Use water canals for irrigation and automate harvesting with villagers or pistons. 2. Mob farm: Collects resources from hostile mobs like gunpowder and bones. Build underground or in dark towers, using platforms and water channels for efficiency. 3. Iron farm: Provides a steady supply of iron ingots. Set up with villagers, beds, and a zombie to spawn golems, and use traps to collect iron. 4. Sugar cane farm: Grows sugar cane for crafting and trading. Plant near water and automate harvesting with pistons and observers, stacking crops for space efficiency. 5. XP and enchanting farm: Generates experience points for enchanting tools and armor. Use mob grinders with spawners or a furnace farm for smelting items for XP. These farms ensure a steady supply of food, gear, and resources, enhancing the overall Minecraft experience.

AppWizard

May 24, 2025

10 Best automatic farms in Minecraft | Esports News

Automatic farms in Minecraft streamline resource collection, allowing players to focus on exploration and creativity. They utilize redstone mechanics, hoppers, and villagers to operate independently, generating essential materials. 1. Automatic Wheat/Carrot/Potato Farm: Villagers plant and harvest crops; hoppers collect produce, sustaining food supplies. 2. Sugar Cane Farm: Observers and pistons break mature sugar cane, with water channels transferring it to hoppers for crafting. 3. Bamboo Farm: Grows faster than sugar cane, providing renewable fuel or scaffolding. 4. Cactus Farm: Cacti break naturally when adjacent to a block, allowing for easy collection. 5. Mob Farm: Creates a dark environment for spawning hostile mobs, which are funneled into a drop zone for experience points and drops. 6. Iron Farm: Villagers and a zombie spawn iron golems, which are eliminated for a steady supply of iron ingots. 7. Kelp Farm: Kelp is harvested by pistons and can be smelted into dry kelp for fuel and experience points. 8. Pumpkin and Melon Farm: Observers activate pistons to break pumpkins and melons, directing them into hoppers for food trading. 9. Wool Farm: Sheep graze on grass blocks with dispensers and shears collecting wool automatically. 10. Honey Farm: Bees in hives allow dispensers to collect honey with glass bottles for crafting and food items. These farms simplify gameplay and enable players to engage in other activities or remain AFK while resources are collected.

AppWizard

May 22, 2025

Queens students advance in Minecraft esports competition ahead of NYC’s first-ever Video Game Festival

On May 5, over 270 students from Queens participated in the semi-finals of the 2025 Minecraft Education Battle of the Boroughs at Thomas Edison High School. The event was organized by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, NYC Public Schools, and the National Esports Association. This year's competition saw 3,295 students submit 659 entries, a 37% increase from last year and more than double the participation from 2023. Participants used Minecraft Education to create models of a sustainable New York City. The winning teams from Queens are: - Elementary Division: Team Sigma from PS 24 Andrew Jackson, led by Kerry McGarvey and Principal Bani Singh. - Middle School Division: Neo NYC from J.H.S. 185 Edward Bleeker, coached by Ana Silva-Collins under Principal Michael Leung. - High School Division: Diamond Sword Bustamoney from World Journalism Preparatory School, guided by Ernest Lai and Principal Michael Roberts Bacchus. These teams will represent Queens in the Mayor’s Cup Minecraft Education finals during the NYC Video Game Festival at Convene Brookfield Place in Manhattan. The festival will feature esports competitions, virtual reality experiences, indie game demonstrations, cosplay contests, and a career expo focused on the digital games industry. Deputy Mayor Adolfo Carrión Jr. highlighted the event's role in promoting career-connected learning and the city's digital economy. The final round will take place on May 31.

AppWizard

May 21, 2025

‘I’m a PC gamer and there are 10 video games I’ve been hooked on since 2020’

Video games have over three billion players globally and are evolving into a dominant force in the entertainment industry. The following ten standout games were released for PC since 2020: 1. Elden Ring (2022) - An action RPG known for its stunning visuals and intricate storytelling, requiring over 70 hours to complete. 2. Split Fiction (2025) - A cooperative narrative game where players battle against a machine stealing creativity, released in March 2025. 3. Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade (2021) - A remake of the 1997 classic, featuring updated combat mechanics and breathtaking graphics. 4. Valorant (2020) - A tactical hero shooter with a vibrant eSports scene, released in early 2021, with over 1,000 hours logged by the player. 5. Fields of Mistria (2024) - An early access farm life simulation game that allows players to cultivate crops, raise animals, and explore mystical mines. 6. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (2025) - A turn-based RPG with a blend of traditional and real-time combat mechanics, released last month. 7. Hades (2020) - A roguelike game with fast-paced combat and Greek mythology-inspired artwork, released in 2020. 8. Overwatch 2 (2023) - The sequel to Overwatch, introducing new heroes and a 5v5 format, released in 2023. 9. Visions of Mana (2024) - The fifth main installment in the Mana series, featuring familiar gameplay mechanics. 10. Marvel Rivals (2024) - A game featuring 38 Marvel characters, allowing casual play with friends, released in 2024.