The past few days brought a flurry of official updates across several major esports titles. Riot shipped VALORANT Patch 13.02 and continued map rotations, Riot’s League of Legends Classic went live alongside Patch 26.15, Apex Legends released designer notes for the Marked updates, and PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS confirmed PGS Circuit 3 will move to Shanghai in August. These are developer-led changes that will ripple through competitive play and local pro circuits this month.
VALORANT: Patch 13.02 lands with Phoenix, Retakes and fixes
Riot Games released VALORANT Patch 13.02 on July 28, focusing on gameplay tweaks and stability. The update adjusted Phoenix’s ultimate and added new maps to the Retakes pool, while also packing a long list of bug fixes to smooth competitive matches. The patch continues Riot’s cadence of mid-act balance and competitive support, which could affect team strategies in ongoing VCT and regional leagues.
League of Legends Classic: cinematic and Patch 26.15 arrive
Riot launched League of Legends Classic with a welcome cinematic on July 29, reintroducing older systems and items for fans of the pre-modern meta. The same window saw Patch 26.15 hit live servers, setting balance and systems for both live and Classic modes. Players and tournament organizers will be watching for how Classic’s return shifts grassroots events and community tournaments in August.
Apex Legends: Marked Designer’s Notes and upcoming updates
Respawn and EA published Designer’s Notes for Apex Legends: Marked on July 30, revealing planned gameplay updates and quality-of-life improvements. The notes previewed core adjustments that aim to refine the seasonal experience and address community feedback. Esports teams and ALGS event planners should expect incremental meta shifts as these changes roll into live play.
PUBG: PGS Circuit 3 moves to Shanghai for August
PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS confirmed that PGS Circuit 3 — including PGS 7, 8 and 9 — will take place in Shanghai across three weeks from August 5 to 23. The announcement on July 29 outlined the schedule and signals a major regional stage for PUBG esports in the second half of the year. Teams targeting global circuit points now have firm travel and preparation dates to plan around.
Teamfight Tactics: patch 17.8 and Set 18 teaser
Riot’s Teamfight Tactics received Patch 17.8 on July 28, which promoted Choncc’s Lore & Legends into Classic Treasure and introduced light tuning ahead of Set 18’s rollout. The developers also posted a PBE rundown for Set 18, offering early looks at traits and mechanics. Tournament hosts for TFT events will likely use these patch notes to finalize rulesets for upcoming LAN qualifiers and the Vegas Open competitor information window.
Across these updates, developers emphasized polish and competitive parity rather than sweeping redesigns. The changes arrive at a busy moment for summer esports circuits, and teams will need to adapt quickly to patch-driven shifts in play patterns.
- July 28 — VALORANT Patch 13.02 released by Riot.
- July 28–29 — League Classic cinematic and Patch 26.15 go live.
- July 29 — PUBG announces PGS Circuit 3 in Shanghai (Aug 5–23).
- July 30 — Apex Legends publishes Marked Designer’s Notes.
- July 28 — TFT Patch 17.8 and Set 18 PBE rundown posted.
Stay tuned to developer channels and regional league schedules for how these updates will interact with VCT, PGS, ALGS and other midsummer competitions. ProEsports.games will monitor changes as tournaments run through August and will report any direct competitive impacts or notable meta swings.
For direct details from the developers, read Riot’s VALORANT patch notes and PUBG’s official PGS announcement.
Explore more coverage and follow ongoing tournament schedules at our home site: ProEsports.games.
