Intel Extreme Masters – ESL https://esl.com Feel the passion for esports Tue, 20 Feb 2024 09:36:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.5 https://esl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/ESL-Favicon-green-512-150x150.png Intel Extreme Masters – ESL https://esl.com 32 32 Intel® Extreme Masters Katowice 2024: Team Spirit and Serral crowned new Champions following two electrifying Grand Finals https://esl.com/article/intel-extreme-masters-katowice-2024-team-spirit-and-serral-crowned-new-champions-following-two-electrifying-grand-finals/ Mon, 12 Feb 2024 11:34:00 +0000 https://esl.com/?p=31423 The Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) Katowice 2024 Grand Finals have concluded, with BASILISK’s Joona “Serral” Sotala named the new StarCraft® II Champion and Team Spirit being crowned the Counter-Strike 2 Champions. While BASILISK’s Joona “Serral” Sotala returns for a second time, Team Spirit joins the legendary Hall of Heroes for the first time in history.

Check out our full recap of IEM Katowice 2024

]]> Intel® Extreme Masters Cologne 2023: Local heroes G2 Esports crowned the final Cologne CS:GO Champion at the Cathedral of Counter-Strike https://esl.com/article/intel-extreme-masters-cologne-2023-local-heroes-g2-esports-crowned-the-final-cologne-csgo-champion-at-the-cathedral-of-counter-strike/ Tue, 08 Aug 2023 12:00:00 +0000 https://esl.com/?p=30231 Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) Cologne 2023 has come to a thrilling conclusion, with G2 Esports emerging victorious after an intense battle between 24 of the best Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) teams from around the world. The competition was held from July 26th to August 6th, and the final three days took place in front of more than 37,000 passionate fans at the iconic LANXESS arena in Cologne, Germany.

Check out all details in our press release

]]> Intel Extreme Masters Returns to Rio, Brazil https://esl.com/article/intel-extreme-masters-returns-to-rio-brazil/ Fri, 17 Feb 2023 11:01:07 +0000 https://esl.com/?p=29790 Returning to Rio de Janeiro between the 17 – 23 of April, the signature Intel® Extreme Masters tournament part of the ESL Pro Tour will feature 16 teams, a total prize pool of $250,000, an Intel® Grand Slam contribution, as well as a direct invite to IEM Cologne 2023.

Check out the full announcement

]]> Intel® Extreme Masters Katowice is back in full glory as G2 Esports and Oliveira claim their place in the Hall of Heroes as 2023 Champions https://esl.com/article/intel-extreme-masters-katowice-is-back-in-full-glory-as-g2-esports-and-oliveira-claim-their-place-in-the-hall-of-heroes-as-2023-champions/ Wed, 15 Feb 2023 13:51:19 +0000 https://esl.com/?p=29755 Welcoming over 65,000 attendees across three days, the legendary esports event was accompanied by the first IEM Expo in three years, hosting two additional esports competitions

Check out all the stories and more photos in our press release

]]> Enjoy all the action of IEM Rio 2022 https://esl.com/article/enjoy-all-the-action-of-iem-rio-2022/ Mon, 31 Oct 2022 09:11:36 +0000 https://esl.com/?p=28492 With Brazil’s very first CS:GO Major about to kick off in Rio de Janeiro, we got two weeks packed with the cream of the crop fighting for the title. Starting October 31st and culminating in the grand final on November 13th in front of the crowd at the Jeunesse Arena and the fan fest right outside its doors!

Starting times:

  • Challenger/Legends Stage: October 31th – November 8th
    11:00 BRT / 10:00 EDT / 15:00 CET / 17:00 MSK / 22:00 CST / 1:00 AEDT
  • Champions Stage: November 10th – 12th
    14:00 BRT / 12:00 EDT / 18:00 CET / 20:00 MSK / 1:00 CST / 4:00 AEDT
  • Final Day: November 13th
    13:00 BRT / 11:00 EDT / 17:00 CET / 19:00 MSK / 0:00 CST / 3:00 AEDT

Streams:

Check the ESLCS Twitter for live coverage including highlights and updates as well as the official website for more!

]]> ESL Pro Tour 2023 Program https://esl.com/article/esl-pro-tour-2023-program/ Thu, 27 Oct 2022 15:09:19 +0000 https://esl.com/?p=28472 Today we are revealing the ESL Pro Tour CS:GO program for 2023. Some core dates for European and North American competitions have previously been announced, however, we’ll be confirming said dates, revealing further dates, and will look to announce the details of tournaments in Asia-Pacific and South America later this year.

Find the full announcement on the ESL Pro Tour website

]]> Dates for the two most momentous ESL esports tournaments of 2023 confirmed https://esl.com/article/dates-for-the-two-most-momentous-esl-esports-tournaments-of-2023-confirmed/ https://esl.com/article/dates-for-the-two-most-momentous-esl-esports-tournaments-of-2023-confirmed/#respond Tue, 20 Sep 2022 08:19:00 +0000 https://esl.com/?p=27880 ESL, part of ESL FACEIT Group, today announced details of the two pinnacle esports events within the ESL Pro Tour (EPT) for Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) and of the World Championship of StarCraft® II (SC2): Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) Katowice 2023 and IEM Cologne 2023. 

Esport fans from around the globe can kick off the countdown as the first EPT Championship event of 2023, IEM Katowice will occur between January 31 – February 12, with the CS:GO Playoffs being played out live at the Spodek Arena and the final days of the StarCraft® II World Championship taking place at the International Congress Center in Katowice, Poland. Those eager for even more CS:GO action can start preparing for IEM Cologne, scheduled between July 25 – August 6, with the Playoff Stage being played live at the LANXESS arena in Cologne, Germany.

“It’s always an honor to invite fans back to two of the most recognizable esports events worldwide,” said Shaun Clark, Senior Director Game Ecosystems – CS:GO at ESL FACEIT Group. “There’s nothing more rewarding for us than being able to put on truly epic experiences for our communities, to spend time enjoying the greatest players and teams on our planet competing at the highest levels at both Intel Extreme Masters: Katowice & Cologne. The IEM spirit is inimitable and we are already bubbling with excitement as we begin the annual planning to host two of the most passionate esports events.”

IEM Katowice 2023

Continuing it’s legacy, IEM Katowice returns to the Spodek Arena for the 11th time, filling the city of Katowice with world-class esports as 24 of the world’s top CS:GO teams will face off for a share of the $1,000,000 total prize pool and to engrave their name into the history of esports.

  • January 31-February 1:Taking place in a studio environment, the Play-in Stage will see 16 teams battle it out for one of eight available spots in the next phase of the competition.
  • February 2-5: In the Group Stage, these eight teams will be joined by eight already qualified teams. The top six proceed to the final phase of the tournament.
  • February 10-12: During the Playoff Stage, the iconic Spodek Arena will open its doors to thousands of fans eager to cheer on the six final teams that will be battling it out for the coveted title.

Furthermore, IEM Katowice 2023 will also host the StarCraft® II World Championship, where 36 of the best players from around the globe duel until one is declared the new official World Champion. The Championship features a $500,000 total prize pool and commences in the second week of February. The final days of the competition will be played out live on a dedicated stage at the International Congress Center on February 10-12.

Last but not least, the return of the leading esports-centric tradeshow, the IEM Expo, at the International Congress Center will excite many gaming and esports enthusiasts as they have the opportunity to visit the 8,000 square meters of exhibition space and enjoy three full days of entertaining activities, discover the latest in PC gaming and technology, marvel at additional esports tournaments, and much more. Stay tuned as more info will be announced.

The ticket sale for IEM Katowice 2023 starts on September 22 at 3 PM CEST time. Ticket details and pricing are available here.

IEM Cologne 2023

The Cathedral of Counter-Strike will light up again for the 7th time in 2023. After the success of IEM Cologne 2022, one of the highest viewed tournaments of all time, fans were left even more excited for the following year. Featuring a $1,000,000 total prize pool, IEM Cologne 2023 will therefore once again bring the nerve-racking action to the passionate fans around the globe:

  • July 25-26: Following a similar setup and structure as IEM Katowice 2023, the Play-in Stage of IEM Cologne will host 16 teams, of which only eight can proceed to the next round.
  • July 27-30: The Group Stage will see those teams, together with eight already qualified teams, battle it out to be one of six quarter- and semi-finalists.
  • August 4-6: In the Playoff Stage, the six best teams will show off their skill in front of a live audience in the famous LANXESS arena to ultimately secure the Championship title.

The ticket sale for IEM Cologne 2023 starts on September 27 at 3 PM CEST. For more information, head to the official website.

To stay up to date with all the news and ticket information, head to esl.gg/katowice and esl.gg/cologne, follow ESL CS on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and follow ESL SC2 on Twitter and Facebook.

For more general information, head to eslfaceitgroup.com or follow ESL on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

]]> https://esl.com/article/dates-for-the-two-most-momentous-esl-esports-tournaments-of-2023-confirmed/feed/ 0 Announcing IEM Melbourne 2020! https://esl.com/article/announcing-iem-melbourne-2020-2/ Thu, 16 Dec 2021 12:19:43 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2021/12/announcing-iem-melbourne-2020-2/ Intel Extreme Masters returns to the Land Down Under this August for its fourth anniversary, but this time it’s heading to Melbourne!

 

]]> Intel Extreme Masters returns to the Land Down Under this August for its fourth anniversary, but this time it’s heading to Melbourne!

Headlining the Melbourne Esports Open, the IEM tournament will see sixteen teams compete for a US $250,000 prize pool and the coveted IEM Trophy at the Rod Laver Arena on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd.

As well as being part of the new and exciting ESL Pro Tour, IEM Melbourne 2020 is also part of the Intel Grand Slam, a race between some of the top teams in the world to be the first to win four or more ESL and DreamHack Masters-level tournaments.
“Australian Counter-Strike fans are second to none, and when we had the opportunity to bring IEM to Melbourne, to headline the Melbourne Esports Open, it was a perfect fit.” said ESL Vice President Pro Gaming Michal “CARMAC” Blicharz. “Australians have always generated atmospheres that could not be matched by anything else. Coming back for 2020 was a top priority, and the Melbourne Esports Open was a natural match. It will open Intel Extreme Masters to a broader audience and provide CS:GO fans a richer event experience” he added.

In addition to the fantastic CS:GO that will be on offer, fans will be able to explore a variety of side activities and promotional booths, as part of IEM Melbourne and the wider Melbourne Esports Open.

“We’re excited for IEM to headline the Melbourne Esports Open. By bringing these two events together, we’re taking what was already Australia’s biggest esports weekend in IEM and making it an even bigger spectacle for fans” says Intel® Managing Director Sales and Marketing Group, Asia Pacific and Japan Territory, Santhosh Viswanathan “We’re also looking forward to showcasing Intel’s gaming ecosystem of products that top esports leagues use to deliver a world-class experience to gamers as well as the gaming community.”

Tickets for the tournament will be going live at 10am AEDT, Friday the 14th February. Fans purchasing tickets for IEM Melbourne will also be granted ground pass access to the Melbourne Esports Open.

Make sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook for all the latest news and updates!

]]> IEM Katowice 2020: most successful non-major CS:GO event in history! https://esl.com/article/iem-katowice-2020-most-successful-non-major-csgo-event-in-history/ https://esl.com/article/iem-katowice-2020-most-successful-non-major-csgo-event-in-history/#respond Thu, 16 Dec 2021 12:15:28 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2021/12/iem-katowice-2020-most-successful-non-major-csgo-event-in-history/ Intel® Extreme Masters Katowice 2020 saw the first esports tournament in CS:GO surpass the 1M peak viewership mark (excl. China), establishing the first-ever ESL Masters Championship as the most successful CS:GO non-major tournament of all time.

 

]]> Intel® Extreme Masters Katowice 2020 saw the first esports tournament in CS:GO surpass the 1M peak viewership mark (excl. China), establishing the first-ever ESL Masters Championship as the most successful CS:GO non-major tournament of all time:

]]> https://esl.com/article/iem-katowice-2020-most-successful-non-major-csgo-event-in-history/feed/ 0 StarCraft®II celebrates a Decade as a Leading Title on Intel® Extreme Masters https://esl.com/article/starcraftii-celebrates-a-decade-as-a-leading-title-on-intel-extreme-masters/ https://esl.com/article/starcraftii-celebrates-a-decade-as-a-leading-title-on-intel-extreme-masters/#respond Mon, 02 Mar 2020 09:28:51 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2020/03/starcraftii-celebrates-a-decade-as-a-leading-title-on-intel-extreme-masters/ We'll host our 33rd SC2 competition with 76 players competing for their share of a US$ 400,000 prize pool in Katowice, Poland.

 

]]> In partnership with Intel® and Blizzard Entertainment, we are proud to announce the return of StarCraft® II (SC2) to Intel® Extreme Masters Katowice in 2020.

This tournament will mark the 10th anniversary of StarCraft as a leading title on IEM and will again invite the world’s best SC2 players to compete in Poland this winter for their share of a US $250,000 base prize pool. The tournament takes place starting on February 24, culminating in the legendary Spodek Arena on March 1st.

“For ten years, StarCraft II has delivered some of the most legendary moments on our stages,” said Michal Blicharz, VP of Pro Gaming at ESL. “Blizzard titles have always been a part of the Intel® Extreme Masters DNA, and legacy is something that’s incredibly important to us to maintain and develop. SC2 helps us cultivate a living thread back to the very first years of Intel® Extreme Masters.”

“StarCraft II ushered in a new era of esports, and Intel® Extreme Masters has been an essential partner in the growth of the StarCraft II global scene over the past decade,” said Sam Braithwaite, Global Director of Hearthstone, World of Warcraft & Classic Games Esports at Blizzard Entertainment. “Katowice is the only place we could imagine beginning 2020 to celebrate the legacy and continued impact of StarCraft II on the past, present, and future of live competitive entertainment.” 

Players from all over the world are invited to join the journey to the Spodek Arena beginning from online qualification starting in January 2020. Qualifiers will lead to the first stages of offline competition in late February. 

-Round-of-76 (Feb 24 – Feb 25): 64 players, based on the 2019 WCS World Ranking, will compete across two days for advancement into the Round-of-24 (Ro24). Twelve players will proceed to the Ro24 where the 2019 WCS Global Champion and eleven online qualified players will await them. The competition will be broadcast from the studio at ESL Arena Katowice.

-Round-of-24 (Feb 27 – Feb 29): The IEM Expo will host the Ro24 for three days. Visitors are welcome to watch this round live across February 28 and 29.

-Top Four and Grand Finals (March 1st): The top four players resulting from the Ro24 will play live in front of thousands of spectators in the prestigious Spodek Arena, home of esports, for their share of the US $250,000 base prize pool.

Tickets will go public on October 31st. Premium tickets to the StarCraft II finals on stage in Spodek will be available for 500PLN, including a goodie bag, free drinks during the matches (only non-alcoholic) and seating in the infield to guarantee visitors a premium viewing experience. 

Tickets for the whole experience at IEM Katowice range in price between 70PLN for a day-ticket and 650PLN for the Premium ticket, giving access to the event on all three tournament days and much more.

To stay up-to-date with the tournament and upcoming qualifiers, follow StarCraft II on Twitter and Facebook and visit the official website: intelextrememasters.com.

 
]]> https://esl.com/article/starcraftii-celebrates-a-decade-as-a-leading-title-on-intel-extreme-masters/feed/ 0