The Galaxy S26 Ultra PUBG showcase in San Francisco on February 26 wasn’t just another tournament. Samsung has turned a phone launch into a year-long esports circuit.

It was the opening bell for the entire 2026 #PlayGalaxy Cup, a full season of mobile competition that kicks off regionals in May and ends at Gamescom in Cologne.

100 Thieves sent Sunny, CouRage, NiceWigg and Octane. OfflineTV rolled in with TinaKitten, Yvonnie, Foolish and Masayoshi. They were joined by eight members of TeamGalaxy, forming a 16-player lineup of creators and competitors.

The #PlayGalaxy Cup: PUBG Mobile Global Open was livestreamed on Ludwig’s YouTube channel, attracting 16.77 million views. The broadcast was also streamed on Samsung’s YouTube channel and co-streamed by creators.

A center-stage screen showed what the Galaxy S26 Ultra was rendering in real time, smooth and loud. Additionally, there was a demo zone where visitors could try the phone and see if it actually held up under gameplay pressure.

Regionals start rolling out across Europe, Southeast Asia, Oceania, North America, India and South America in May. Winners advance to the World Final at one of the biggest gaming conventions on the planet.

The Korean tech giant is betting that if you’re going to spend that much, you want a device that can handle competitive play without thermal throttle or frame drops.

“The Global Open marked a milestone with the launch of the inaugural 2026 #PlayGalaxy Cup league,” said David Moon, Head of Influencer Marketing, Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics. “We look forward to continuing this journey with gaming fans around the world.”

The post Galaxy S26 Ultra headlines global PUBG Mobile esports league appeared first on Sammy Fans.