Celebrities, professional athletes, gaming creators, and fans gathered in Inglewood for an action-packed celebration featuring immersive gameplay, exclusive experiences, and a massive 12K LED dome.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The worlds of gaming, entertainment, and action sports collided in spectacular fashion on October 23, 2026, as Monster Energy transformed Cosm Los Angeles into an immersive gaming destination to celebrate the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4.

The event brought together celebrities, professional athletes, content creators, and enthusiastic gamers for an evening filled with competitive gameplay, interactive attractions, and exclusive experiences inspired by the popular video game franchise.

At the center of the celebration was Cosm’s impressive 87-foot-diameter, 12K+ LED dome, which surrounded attendees with larger-than-life visuals, creating an environment designed to bring the excitement of Call of Duty beyond traditional television and computer screens.

Hollywood Meets the Gaming World

The launch celebration attracted a diverse lineup of personalities from entertainment, sports, and gaming.

Among the notable attendees were actors O’Shea Jackson Jr., Trevor Jackson, and Khleo Thomas, rapper Symba, social media personality Lin Lamar, also known as Pinkchyu, and Monster Energy-sponsored UFC fighters Johnny Walker and Jalin Turner.

Khleo Thomas made a memorable entrance aboard a Polaris Slingshot, adding another element of excitement to an event already packed with high-energy entertainment.

The gathering demonstrated how major video game releases have evolved beyond traditional product launches into multimedia entertainment experiences that attract audiences from several industries.

Immersive Gameplay and Competitive Action

Fans lined up around the block to participate in the celebration, which featured a live edition of The Flank, hosted by ZooMaa and Ben Nissim.

The program included an interview with Infinity Ward developer Jacky Reynolds and the announcement of the Call of Duty League Launch Invitational groups.

Another highlight was a special gameplay showcase featuring Modern Warfare 4’s DMZ mode, presented by Infinity Ward game designer Roman Spazafumo.

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Competitive gaming took center stage as entertainers, athletes, and gaming personalities participated in two-versus-two matches.

Participants included gaming creators Jericho, Jaybroski, and Tyler Rizzi, UFC fighter Johnny Walker, and Los Angeles Football Club star Denis Bouanga.

Fans also had opportunities to test their gaming abilities during king-of-the-hill competitions.

Monster Energy’s professional skateboarders joined the action, with Ishod Wair, Filipe Mota, and Elliot Sloan temporarily trading their skateboards for gaming controllers.

Bringing the Battlefield Into the Real World

Beyond the virtual action, the event featured physical displays inspired by the Call of Duty universe.

Attendees encountered a real-world presentation of the Monster Energy Operator Skin, along with a collection of Polaris vehicles.

Among the vehicles displayed was the Polaris DAGOR, a military-inspired off-road vehicle featured in Modern Warfare 4.

The combination of real-world vehicles, interactive attractions, and Cosm’s enormous display helped create an atmosphere that connected elements of the game with tangible experiences.

“With Call of Duty, we’re always looking for ways to push the experience beyond the screen,” said Jordi Gayola, chief marketing officer of the Americas at Monster Energy.

Gayola explained that bringing the celebration to Cosm provided an opportunity to place fans, athletes, and creators directly into the action while combining gaming culture with Monster Energy’s broader entertainment partnerships.

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Gaming, Food, and Exclusive Experiences

The immersive celebration extended beyond competitive gaming.

Guests received exclusive merchandise giveaways and enjoyed interactive attractions throughout the venue.

Even the food reflected the event’s creative atmosphere.

The menu featured Korean-inspired selections, including kimchi mandu, Korean corn cheese nachos, and gochujang-glazed wings.

Complimentary Monster Energy beverages were also available throughout the event.

Together, the food, entertainment, and interactive activities helped create a festival-like atmosphere centered on gaming culture.

Monster Energy and Call of Duty Extend Their Partnership

The celebration also highlighted an ongoing promotional partnership between Monster Energy and Call of Duty, scheduled to continue through March 31, 2027.

Under the promotion, consumers can earn in-game rewards by purchasing qualifying Monster Energy beverages.

According to Monster Energy, eligible purchases include Monster Energy Original Green, Zero Sugar, and Zero Ultra.

Each qualifying can provides 15 minutes of Double XP, while additional rewards available through the first five qualifying cans include:

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• An exclusive Large Decal
• Two weapon blueprints
• Two Operator Skins

The partnership also includes four Monster Energy and Polaris vehicle sweepstakes at participating 7-Eleven, Hy-Vee, QuikTrip, and RTG retail locations.

Eligible consumers can enter through retailer-specific QR codes displayed in participating stores. Promotion rules, eligibility requirements, and restrictions apply.

Fans interested in learning more about the promotion can visit the official Monster Energy and Call of Duty promotional website.

A New Era of Immersive Gaming Entertainment?

The Cosm Los Angeles celebration illustrates an increasingly important trend in the entertainment industry: the convergence of video games, professional sports, celebrity culture, and immersive technology.

Gaming events are no longer limited to conventions, competitive tournaments, or traditional launch parties.

Venues featuring advanced visual technology, such as Cosm’s massive LED dome, provide new opportunities for publishers and entertainment brands to create shared experiences that bring digital worlds into physical spaces.

For fans, these events offer something that cannot easily be replicated at home: the opportunity to experience their favorite games alongside celebrities, professional athletes, gaming personalities, and fellow enthusiasts.

As gaming continues to influence mainstream entertainment, events like the Monster Energy and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launch celebration could offer a glimpse into the future of interactive entertainment.

Whether through immersive venues, live competitions, or collaborations between major brands, the line separating video games from traditional entertainment continues to evolve.

And for the fans who gathered in Inglewood, the celebration provided an opportunity to experience that convergence firsthand.

About Cosm Los Angeles

Located in Inglewood, California, Cosm Los Angeles is an immersive entertainment venue featuring a massive dome-shaped LED display designed for shared viewing experiences.

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Its technology allows audiences to experience sports, entertainment, and other visual presentations in a panoramic environment that creates the sensation of being surrounded by the action.

About Monster Energy

Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is a global energy drink brand known for its partnerships with athletes, musicians, motorsports organizations, action sports personalities, and gaming communities.

The company regularly sponsors events and experiences connecting fans with entertainment, sports, and popular culture.

https://callofduty.monsterenergy.com/en-us

Source: Monster Energy press release, October 25, 2026.

Photo Credit: Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for Monster Energy.

Editor’s Note: This article is based on information provided by Monster Energy in its October 25, 2026, press release. Event details and promotional offers are attributed to the company.

STM Daily News — News You Can Use This Moment!

Erica D. Henn, Temple University

Chinese esports player Jian “Uzi” Zi-hao was more than a star “League of Legends” player: He was so talented that his team structured its entire strategy around his abilities, funneling resources to him and another teammate, Shi “Ming” Sen-Ming, so the duo could lead the team to victory. Over the course of his career, he earned more than US$500,000 in tournament prize money.

And yet in 2020, Jian announced his retirement, his storied career cut short by chronic wrist and arm injuries.

He was 25 years old.

Video games have a reputation for keeping people glued to the couch. But for those who compete against the best players in the world, gaming can be surprisingly physically and mentally taxing.

The strain of ‘climbing the ladder’

The best esports players often have grinding schedules. They’re expected to regularly practice, participate in scrimmages and compete in official matches. Even at the recreational level, esports players cite the mental toll: playing for hours a day, every day, to hone their skills so they can “climb the ladder.”

A 2021 study of Portuguese esports players found that 37% experienced anxiety and depression, and 45% experienced sleep disturbances. The most common physical injuries in esports generally fall under eye problems and musculoskeletal issues.

Prolonged screen time leads to many types of vision problems in gamers, from the more common eye fatigue to a decreased ability to focus. Furthermore, the light emitted from screens appears to contribute to sleep disturbances by disrupting the release of melatonin, the hormone that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle.

Many esport players – professional or otherwise – also battle hand and wrist pain, with repetitive button-smashing causing injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis and “gamer’s thumb,” which arises from overuse or irritation of the tendons around the thumb and wrist. Many of the overuse injuries seen among video game players are also familiar to assembly-line workers, whose jobs can involve similarly repetitive movements.

Then there are the back injuries. Players can remain seated for three or more hours without a break, and this prolonged sitting can take a toll on the lower back and spine.

The sedentary nature of esports has also led to a lesser-known – sometimes fatal – injury called deep vein thrombosis: a blood clot, often in the leg, that can become life-threatening if it travels to the lungs. In 2011, British gamer Chris Staniforth – who would play for as long as 12 hours at a time – died of the condition.

Preventative measures

As more esports injury research has been published, more treatment and prevention strategies have emerged.

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Top esports teams now have physical therapists, performance psychologists, athletic trainers and even massage therapists on staff to optimize the performance and recovery of their players.

Teams often incorporate group exercise activities to both build rapport among players and reduce the risk of injuries. During competition, proper positioning of the spine and limbs has become an essential injury prevention strategy. For example, selecting a chair that encourages an upright posture can reduce pain and injury risk, especially when gamers couple ergonomics with an exercise program that centers on functional strength, mobility and stretching of the upper limbs.

Looking to the stage

When esports began gaining mainstream popularity in the 1990s and early 2000s, its proponents were eager to draw comparisons to traditional sports and athletic competition. The parallels helped establish esports’ legitimacy and gave non-gamers a familiar framework for understanding the competition.

As esports became a big business and a lucrative career path, players and teams hired a web of support staff – trainers, coaches and therapists – that mirrored the structure of professional sports. In this vein, a lot of esports injury research has pulled from the training methods of traditional sports.

However, as a scholar of exercise science, I think injury treatment and prevention strategies could be further improved by seeing esports competitors as more like musicians and dancers than football players and basketball players.

Performance optimization and injury research on professional performing artists has existed for centuries, and I think it represents a valuable, untapped resource. That’s because the physical and mental stresses experienced during musical performance have a lot in common with esports competition: long stretches of sitting; small, dexterous hand movements; and performing without the real-time input of a coach.

For example, biomechanics research has found similar patterns of forearm muscle fatigue among esports players and piano players. However, no studies to date have directly compared the two groups.

And what if the interest in joint hypermobility or hand size among performing artists were translated to esport populations? Could popular piano warm-up exercises be effective for esports athletes who use keyboards?

Even research on sports like car racing might offer valuable insights. As with gamers, many people overlook how physically demanding car racing can be – and yes, that includes sitting for extended periods of time.

Prevention and rehabilitation techniques continue to improve. Even Jian, the player who retired in 2020, returned to play for a few splits, or partial seasons, in 2022 and 2023.

In July 2023, “League of Legends” star Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok was relegated to the bench due to cubital tunnel syndrome, an injury that emerges from arm and hand overuse.

Through a treatment plan that included changing his gaming posture and intensive physical therapy, Lee was able to return to play just a month later. He went on to win three consecutive world championships, with his support team helping prevent recurrence of injury throughout each season.

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Thanks to his rehabilitation, Lee’s fans will be able to follow his hunt for his fourth “League of Legends” World Championship, which kicks off in October 2026 in the United States.

Sienna Cinti assisted with the research and writing of this article.

Erica D. Henn, Assistant Professor of Kinesiology and Exercise Science, Temple University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Millions of mobile gamers prize stress relief over winning

(Sheeka Sanahori) In the school’s car pickup line, five minutes before it starts moving. In the doctor’s office waiting room for an appointment that you’ve been heavily anticipating. In bed, just before going to sleep. In these transitional moments, many people reach for their phones — not to scroll, but to play.

According to a June 2026 survey of more than 128,000 KashKick mobile gamers, playing a mobile game is more than a way to pass the time. Stress relief and relaxation are the top reasons respondents play, beating out entertainment and fun. As KashKick reports, for many people, this means mobile games are less a simple distraction and more a coping mechanism for the daily stress of life.

A quick reset for life’s transitional moments

Most respondents identify as women, and 60% live in households that earn less than $50,000 per year. In the ranking of their reasons for playing, stress relief and relaxation topped the list, with boredom relief, entertainment and fun close behind.

The ranking reads less like a profile of a gaming hobby and more like a profile of a coping behavior.

More than half of the respondents play games daily or multiple times a day. When they reach for a mobile game, about 53% of the time it’s for a short session—usually 30 minutes or less. Where and when people play tells its own story: 58% play in bed before going to sleep and 40% play in the bathroom. These are private, solitary moments, not the times people typically plan entertainment into their day.

Coping with stress by gaming

To understand why respondents play games for stress relief more than for fun, it helps to look at who they are. Among those surveyed, 19% say they’re unemployed or looking for work, and 60% live in lower-income households. There are likely some areas of their life where they must make every dollar stretch to cover the things they need.

The survey findings coincide with research from the American Psychological Association’s 2025 Stress in America report. According to the report, 18% of men and 22% of women under age 65 rate their stress level at eight or higher on a scale of one to 10. Although the KashKick survey didn’t measure stress, respondents are mostly women and fall within the age and income groups the APA found to carry the most stress.

The APA’s report also describes loneliness as a major strain for Americans. The KashKick survey didn’t measure feelings of isolation, but 55% prefer to play alone, and 60% rarely or never discuss their gameplay with friends or family.

Overall, the survey identifies a group of people who have found a routine, low-cost approach to cope with stress. They’re not necessarily there to get the highest score. They’re playing a mobile game to help them navigate a day that, with all of life’s to-dos and challenges, could quickly feel overwhelming.

Methodology

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The KashKick Gaming Habits Survey was fielded from June 8, 2026, through Aug. 10, 2026, among KashKick members in the United States who play mobile games. The Gaming Habits Survey was available to all members on KashKick’s Surveys page post-profile completion. The survey received 128,218 total responses, with question-level response counts ranging from approximately 109,793 to 128,218 depending on attrition. All findings describe KashKick mobile gamers and should not be interpreted as representative of U.S. mobile gamers overall. Industry and stress context references publicly available data from the American Psychological Association, Statista, and Newzoo.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

SOURCE:
KashKick

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