The organizers of XSE Pro League Guangzhou 2026 have finally given an official response to the tournament’s scandalous start. After several days of criticism, XSE published a statement in which they admitted that they were “not adequately prepared” for the technical issues of the first day, and also listed the steps they have already taken following a series of organizational and security incidents.
The loudest point in this story is the confirmation that after the incident involving one player’s hacked Steam account, the organizers dismissed the lead admin, reinstalled the affected systems, and replaced some of the computers in the practice area. Against the backdrop of everything that has already happened in Guangzhou, this looks not like a minor internal fix, but like a direct attempt to save the tournament’s reputation before the playoffs even begin.
XSE effectively admitted the tournament’s failed start
In their statement, XSE directly wrote that on the first day they encountered a series of technical problems for which they were not adequately prepared, and they took full responsibility for the impact on both the teams and the viewer experience. Separately, the organizers confirmed that the delay on the second day was caused by a power outage, and not by some smaller local malfunction.
This is an important point, because before this statement, far too much negativity had already built up around the tournament. An event with a $1,000,000 prize pool, held in Guangzhou from July 1 to 12 and featuring 16 teams, should have been discussed because of the matches and results. Instead, in its first days it was associated above all with delays, chaos, and complaints from participants.
The loudest episode — the hacked account and suspicions of malicious software
XSE dedicated a separate section of the statement to the story of the player’s hacked Steam account. The organizers said the account has already been fully restored and that the inventory remained intact. It was after this case, and against the backdrop of reports about suspicious software on the tournament PCs, that XSE stated they had dismissed the responsible lead admin, completely wiped and reinstalled the affected systems, and also replaced some of the computers in the practice room.
Without exaggeration, this is the most serious part of the entire statement. Because one thing is problems with the schedule or a weak broadcast. It is something entirely different when, at a million-dollar LAN tournament, you have to talk about system security, hacked accounts, and complete machine reinstalls. That is exactly why this paragraph automatically became the centerpiece of XSE’s entire communication.
The organizers also responded to other complaints
In the statement, XSE addressed not only the security issue. They also explained that reports of computers without CS2 installed were related to an SSD issue, which was later resolved. Separately, the organizers admitted that weak preparation also broke communication with players, which led to unnecessary delays and confusion.
Another telling point concerns arena conditions. XSE directly wrote that the tables they used could not properly suit players with very aggressive forward arm positioning, and they stated that this problem has already been resolved. The organizers also separately justified the weak quality of the English-language broadcast as a consequence of the opening technical failures and assured that this part has now also been corrected.
XSE are trying to close the issue before the playoffs
The timing of this statement is also very revealing. It came out after the end of the group stage, but before the start of the playoffs, which are set to begin on July 9. In other words, XSE are clearly trying not just to respond to the criticism after the fact, but to reset the perception of the tournament before the decisive phase of the event.
In the statement itself, the organizers claim that the last three days of the group stage already went much more smoothly and with only minimal delays. This is also an important message: XSE want to show that the worst part of the tournament is behind them, and that the playoffs are supposed to take place at a completely different level of quality.
Why this may still not be enough
The problem for XSE is that stories like this do damage not only to one particular event, but also to trust in the brand as a whole. When the organizer itself admits that it was insufficiently prepared for basic technical challenges, and then also dismisses the lead admin after a security incident, it means that this is not about one bad day, but about a systemic failure at the start of the tournament.
Yes, the statement looks like an attempt to regain control of the situation. But its real evaluation will be determined not by the wording, but by how the playoffs go. If the decisive stage really proceeds cleanly, without new incidents, XSE will at least be able to partially reduce the tension. If the problems are repeated, then this text will be remembered not as a fix, but as a documented admission of failure. This is a conclusion that logically follows from the scale of the already confirmed problems and the urgency of the organizer’s response.
Magnojez’s Steam account
XSE Pro League Guangzhou 2026 reached the point where the organizers could no longer remain silent. In their statement, they admitted that they were not prepared for the technical collapse of the first day, confirmed the second-day blackout, and separately reported on their actions after the incident with Magnojez’s Steam account — from reinstalling systems to dismissing the lead admin.
So for now, the main conclusion is simple: XSE are no longer denying the scale of the problems and have moved from silent defense to direct acknowledgment of mistakes. But the real evaluation of this statement will depend not on the wording, but on whether the playoffs go ahead without new failures. That is what will show whether this document was the beginning of rebuilding trust, or merely a delayed reaction to the crisis.
