The Four Horsemen

Riot has canceled LEC Versus barely a year after announcing it, and MonteCristo, Thorin and LPL caster Jamada open by asking what that says about a League of Legends league whose salary cap is also being cut.   PrizePicks: Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/HORSEMEN and use code HORSEMEN and get $150 if you win your first $5 lineup! Huel: Limited Time Offer, Make healthy eating simple....

Valve replaced the Counter-Strike major capsule system with a dynamic sticker market and team revenue collapsed by as much as 90 percent, so Legacy Founder and CEO Ricardo Sinigaglia joins MonteCristo, Thorin, and Richard Lewis to explain what that actually does to a roster's budget.   Notion: The AI workspace where your team's knowledge, projects, and agents come together in one place. Try i...

Richard Lewis, Thorin, and MonteCristo break down Team Spirit's wild TI title run and Dota's collapsing China scene, joined by SVG. LFN Premium: Q&A access, community input on the show, and bonus content from across the LFN network. Sign up at https://www.lastfreenation.com. PrizePicks: Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/HORSEMEN and use code HORSEMEN and get $150 if you win your first $...

Richard Lewis, Thorin, and MonteCristo unpack Dota 2's biggest scandal in years as LGD's TaiLung gets banned from TI 2026 over match-fixing, and then share stories from their long careers in esports!   LFN Premium: Q&A access, community input on the show, and bonus content from across the LFN network. Sign up at https://www.lastfreenation.com.   PrizePicks: Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0...

Richard Lewis, Thorin, and MonteCristo dismantle the Esports World Cup's Saudi sportswashing playbook and Riot's quiet complicity in it.   LFN Premium: Q&A access, community input on the show, and bonus content from across the LFN network. Sign up at https://www.lastfreenation.com.   Huel: Limited Time Offer – Make healthy eating simple. Get Huel today with our exclusive offer of 15% OFF online wi...

There are big problems with Valve's VRS system in Counter-Strike esports, so messioso joins Richard Lewis, Thorin, and MonteCristo to discuss on a new episode of The Four Horsemen!   ZenAI: ZenAI is currently in invite-only beta. Go to bit.ly/zenAI_bpp_horsemen to join the waitlist today for a chance at early access!   ExpressVPN: Secure your online data TODAY by visiting https://ExpressVPN.com/ho...

Richard Lewis calls the completion of the Cologne Major one of the darkest days in Counter-Strike history. Thorin and Mauisnake are not sure they agree.   LFN Shop: Limited edition Cologne 2026 Major Tee available until the end of June while stocks last. Grab yours at https://www.lastfreenation.shop   ZenAI: ZenAI is currently in invite-only beta. Go to https://zen.ai/ to join the waitlist today f...

Richard Lewis, MonteCristo, and Thorin discuss with former Fnatic GM and FACEIT exec Roald Van Buuren about the future of esports.   ExpressVPN: Secure your online data TODAY by visiting https://ExpressVPN.com/horsemen.   Factor: Go to https://factormeals.com/horsemen50off and use code horsemen50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box, with new subscription only, while supplies las...

The Esports World Cup 2026 will not be in Riyadh, and the industry that couldn't stop tweeting five years ago has gone completely silent.   Thorin, Richard Lewis, and MonteCristo reunite to break down what the EWC's last-minute move to Paris actually reveals about the Saudi Arabian sportswashing project. The official line is that this was always part of the plan. The reality, per Richard's reporti...

MonteCristo and Thorin lay out why co-streaming isn't new, and why esports never really left it.   Richard Lewis does not appear in this episode, but will return next time.   PrizePicks: Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/HORSEMEN and use code HORSEMEN and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup!   ExpressVPN: Stop paying full-price for streaming services and only getting acces...

Richard Lewis, Thorin, MonteCristo, and DoA go deep on how the Overwatch League went from a billion-dollar promise to an industry cautionary tale — with Jeff Kaplan's Lex Fridman interview as the jumping-off point.   Notion — Automate your weekly workflows with Notion's custom AI agents; try it free at https://notion.com/fourhorsemen   Raycon: The Essential Open Earbuds are perfect for refreshing...

New York just sued Valve, and Harris Peskin breaks down why the CS case gambling lawsuit could reshape how video games make money.   ExpressVPN: Secure your online data today by visiting https://ExpressVPN.com/horsemen, and find out how you can get up to four extra months.   Raycon: The Essential Open Earbuds are perfect for refreshing your routine this spring! Go to https://buyraycon.com/horsemen...

What actually happened to 2XKO? Rooflemonger joins MonteCristo, Thorin, and Richard Lewis for a deep dive into Riot Games’ new fighter: 2XKO. We discuss its rocky launch, confusing name, use of the League of Legends IP, small roster, monetization strategy, and why expectations may have been wildly misaligned with reality... leading to layoffs. We also explore how the broader gaming industry’s shif...

Should Riot Games remove franchising from League of Legends? In this episode of The Four Horsemen, Monte, Thorin, Richard Lewis, and Guest Horseman/esports attorney Harris Peskin break down why franchising was created, what the teams actually demanded from Riot, how Overwatch League accelerated the timeline, and why dissolving franchising today would be far more complicated—and far more damaging—t...

The esports model for teams is broken! We break down why the current esports ecosystem is financially broken for teams and how publisher-controlled revenue models have created deep misalignment. Featuring Gen. G CEO Arnold Hur, the conversation explores why previous league revenue models failed, how Riot’s approach in League of Legends and VALORANT differs, the rise of “moneyball” roster building,...

The Four Horsemen deliver their annual State of League of Legends! PapaSmithy joins MonteCristo, Thorin, and Richard Lewis begin by discussing the LCS and its troubled recent history. They react to "The Data" that convinced Riot Games to switch the LCS to weekdays and bemoan the missed opportunities that the league ignored for years.   The crew also dives into topics surrounding League of Legends...

The Four Horsemen return with their annual State of Counter-Strike special, featuring messioso (now Head of CS Operations at 100 Thieves) to break down the health of North American and global Counter-Strike in 2025. They dive into 100 Thieves’ re-entry into CS with a European-based roster, the impact of betting sponsors, and what Rain, gla1ve, and a rumored device pickup really mean for the scene....

Join esports analysts and industry veterans as they unpack the shocking demise of theScore Esports YouTube channel, dissect Twitch’s ongoing struggles, and expose the shifting power dynamics fueled by Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in competitive gaming.     The Last Free Nation merch shop is open, and now includes the Four Horsemen logo t-shirt! Show off your fandom and support us and by purcha...

In this episode of The Four Horsemen, the hosts dive deep into the massive shake-up in the Counter-Strike skin market caused by Valve’s recent update. They unpack how Valve’s “trade-up” changes have crashed high-tier item prices, wiping out an estimated $2-3 billion in market value overnight, and explore the long history of skins gambling scandals, influencer manipulation, and the hidden economics...

In this explosive episode of The Four Horsemen, we dive deep into the biggest controversies shaking up the League of Legends esports scene. RichsWrath joins to discuss Bwipo's suspension and removal from the Worlds music video, Riot Games’ questionable decision-making, and the disastrous rebrand of the LCS.     Follow our link and use code HORSEMEN to unlock 10% off your purchase at Manta Sleep! h...

In this explosive episode of The Four Horsemen, we dive deep into the scandals, controversies, and tragedies that have shaped the Super Smash Bros. and FGC communities. Joined by YouTuber Technicals, we unpack years of drama — from Saudi Arabia's esports influence to some of the darkest moments in Smash history.     This discussion provides a raw, unfiltered look at the systemic problems in Smash...

In this episode of The Four Horsemen, the crew dives into some of the most controversial esports stories. The show kicks off with an in-depth investigation into the Saudi-backed Esports World Cup “Superfan” program, revealing allegations of staged crowds, favoritism toward Falcons Esports, and censorship of fan signs and chants.     From there, the discussion shifts to the Fighting Game Community...

Join Richard Lewis, Thorin, and MonteCristo on this explosive episode of The Four Horsemen as they deep dive into the YaLLa Compass scandal with acclaimed CS2 journalist Luis Mira. Discover the inside story of how the YaLLa Compass tournament left over a million dollars in unpaid bills, defrauded countless teams and employees, and left a gaping hole in the Counter-Strike tournament calendar. Mira'...

In this episode of The Four Horsemen, Richard Lewis, Thorin, and MonteCristo take a critical look at the Esports World Cup documentary, "Level Up." The discussion unpacks the propaganda elements, questionable narratives, and the broader implications for esports history and integrity. From the manipulative portrayal of Falcon's rise to the mischaracterization of the esports industry's past, no aspe...

In this episode of The Four Horsemen, Richard Lewis, Thorin, and MonteCristo dive into the latest controversies in the esports world. They dissect Cadrel's controversial decision to co-stream the EWC for Saudi Arabia amidst ethical concerns and the backlash from fans. The trio also breaks down T1's public apology and the fallout from Joe Marsh's comments about player contracts, examining the inner...