The sudden death of American Grandmaster Daniel Naroditsky, just 29, has shaken the chess world and sparked intense backlash against former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik, whose repeated, unproven cheating accusations cast a long shadow over Naroditsky’s final months. No cause of death has been publicly disclosed. Widely beloved for his skill, humility, and gift for teaching and inspiring through streaming, Naroditsky — affectionately known as “Danya” — was not only a top chess player but also a vital bridge between the game and its global online audience. His passing has sparked a reckoning within the chess community over harassment, accountability, and the emotional toll of public defamation. The Naroditsky family shares the sad news of Daniel’s unexpected passing. Daniel was a talented chess player, educator, and beloved member of the chess community. We ask for privacy as the family grieves. pic.twitter.com/otNdUxDKtL — Charlotte Chess Center (@CLTchesscenter) October 20, 2025 World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen described the treatment of Naroditsky as “horrible,” placing direct blame on Kramnik’s behavior. “When he started going after Naroditsky so hard — first of all, I don’t think anybody thought Naroditsky was cheating,” Carlsen said. “The way he was going after him was horrible. Seeing how it affected him… it was apparent now.” Carlsen admitted he had supported Naroditsky privately but regretted not doing so publicly. Join us now during our exclusive Deal of the Decade. Get everything for $7 a month. Not as fans. As fighters. Go to DailyWire.com/Subscribe to join now. “Probably should have done that publicly as well. It’s a great loss. It’s very sad for all of us that somebody who was such a resource to the chess community… was led to the place that he was.” Carlsen reflected on his early support for Kramnik’s anti-cheating campaign, saying, “At the start, I didn’t agree with his numbers, but I thought he was kind of fighting the good fight. But it turned on its head.” Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin, who played Naroditsky in his final online games, revealed the emotional distress Naroditsky expressed in their last conversations. “He said he was under immense stress due to a lot of accusations, from Kramnik. I can imagine the pain he was going through and the toll on his mental health.” Sarin noted that those close to him defended him when Kramnik accused him of cheating, making his experience much easier than Naroditsky’s. “Not as many people could be so vocal in supporting Naroditsky,” he said. Sarin believes the campaign of false accusations “literally took a life.” He recalled their final games: “Our last few games felt very abnormal… It was like he was just freezing. I was worried… and then I did not see him online again. The next day, I heard the news.” World No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura, a friend and fellow streamer, did not hold back: “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Kramnik can go f*** himself. He can go f*** himself and go rot in hell.” Nakamura and others have voiced outrage over Kramnik’s relentless online crusade, which, beginning in 2024, accused dozens of players of cheating, often based on flawed statistical analyses. Naroditsky, known for his honesty and transparency, was deeply affected. In a December 2024 Twitch stream, Naroditsky acknowledged the campaign was breaking him down: “I don’t think I’m good. I don’t think I’m thick-skinned enough to say, honestly, that that hasn’t been affecting me at all. I’ve been nice and civil and courteous to this army of troglodyte lowlifes for way too long. I’m really sick of it.” He later described Kramnik’s campaign as “a sustained, evil and absolutely unhinged attempt to destroy my life.” The World Chess Federation (FIDE) has said it is formally reviewing Kramnik’s actions. CEO Emil Sutovsky confirmed the organization is “looking into” the attacks against Naroditsky. British champion Jovana Houska welcomed the investigation, warning against “trial by social media.” Naroditsky was more than just a grandmaster — he was a coach, commentator, and role model. The Charlotte Chess Center called him “admired and respected by fans and players around the world.” His Twitch and YouTube channels reached hundreds of thousands of viewers, making chess accessible to a new generation. As the chess world reels from this tragedy, many now echo the same message: this must never happen again. As Sarin put it: “When respected figures spread unfounded allegations without accountability, real lives are destroyed.”

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News Gen V Gen V Season 3 Is Up to the “TV Gods,” Says The Boys Creator Eric Kripke “That’s what’s great about a college show—everyone’s always going to college!” says Gen V’s showrunner. By Molly Templeton | Published on October 22, 2025 Screenshot: Prime Video Comment 0 Share New Share Screenshot: Prime Video The second season of The Boys spinoff Gen V had a lot of heavy lifting to do—not least in terms of dealing with the tragic death of star Chance Perdomo. Gen V also sets up part of the upcoming fifth season of The Boys, which will involve the resistance against the super-strong and super-monstrous Homelander. But Gen V executive producer and The Boys creator Eric Kripke tells The Hollywood Reporter, “We still work hard to try to maintain our balance that The Boys is about The Boys, and Gen V is about Gen V. The characters provide crucial assists, but it’s still about The Boys, and you can watch it without having watched Gen V and vice versa. But watching both is still a much more fun experience.” But what about the future of Gen V itself? The series hasn’t yet been renewed, and, as THR notes, the second season finale somewhat gives the impression that “the shows were merging.” Kripke says that’s not the plan: “We don’t play it in season five of The Boys that this is the end of Gen V. We leave them open-ended because we actually have more Gen V story to tell, and we’d love to tell it. It depends on the ratings and how many people end up tuning in. We have to make it so Amazon picks us up for another season.” If Gen V does continue, it will be with a new person at the helm: Showrunner Michele Fazekas is departing the show either way. (In April, she signed on as the first female showrunner of Law & Order: SVU.) In an interview with Variety, she was a bit more straightforward about the purpose of Gen V’s second season: “Our task here was launching into The Boys, which doesn’t really mean that there wouldn’t be another season of Gen V. That’s what’s great about a college show—everyone’s always going to college! But our task was launch us into the new season of The Boys.” The Boys will end with its fifth season, which doesn’t have a release date yet. Last year, Prime Video greenlit a prequel series, Vought Rising, which is set to star Aya Cash and Jensen Ackles. They’re clearly not done with this universe, and Kripke sounds like he isn’t done with Gen V: Its fate is “a little bit up to the audience and TV gods, but we’re ready and willing if we get the nod,” he tells THR.[end-mark] The post <i>Gen V</i> Season 3 Is Up to the “TV Gods,” Says <i>The Boys</i> Creator Eric Kripke appeared first on Reactor.