Watson Complained About a Serious Problem at the EWC That Is Hindering Play

Alimzhan “Watson” Islambekov complained about excessive lighting on the stage at the 2026 Esports World Cup.

The Team Yandex player’s statement was posted on YouTube.

“Man, my head is killing me. The light at the back of the stage is incredibly bright; it’s shining on the monitor, causing glare. At times, it’s just way too bright. And I’m sitting closer to that light than anyone else—I had that little sun right there.”

According to Alimzhan “Watson” Islambekov, the intense lighting not only gave him a headache but also caused his monitor to glare, which directly affected the quality of his gameplay. The esports player noted that, of all the Team Yandex players, he was sitting closest to the light source.

As a reminder, Dmitry “DM” Dorokhin previously spoke about the pros and cons of organizing the Esports World Cup 2026.