CS:GO tournaments to keep an eye out for in 2023
With only a few days until the end of 2022, the popular multiplayer FPS Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has already announced a lineup of tournaments for 2023, including the ESL, IEM and BLAST Premiers.
ESL Pro League Season 17, 18
The ESL Pro Leagues have played an essential role in the CS:GO 2023 tournament since each season’s winner earns an immediate seed into the Major and competitive prize funds.
With a total prize pool of $850,000, Season 17 will begin with the Conference Stage on January 16, 2023, and end on January 20, 2023. The Group Stage will be held from February 22, 2023, to March 19, 2023, and the Playoff Stage will run from March 21 to March 26, 2023.
Season 17 will be the final season with the Conference Stage. It will have 23 teams to compete divided into five regions, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia and the Middle East. Each of them will have two teams advancing, with Europe being the only exception with three teams. The winner will qualify for the IEM Cologne 2023.
Significant changes to the ESL Pro Leagues are expected to begin in the upcoming season. The organizer is increasing the number of teams in the group stage from 24 to 32, and the new Group Stage format will comprise eight squads divided into four groups. Each group will compete in a double-elimination format with a last-chance bracket, with four teams progressing to the single-elimination knockout stage.
The Playoff Stage for Season 17 will feature 16 teams in a single elimination bracket. All matches will be contested in a best-of-three format, except for the Grand Final, which will be played in a best-of-five format.
Meanwhile, Season 18 will take place from August 15, 2023, to September 24, 2023, and the winner will earn qualification for the IEM Katowice 2024.
2023 IEM Events; Katowice, Dallas, Cologne
Intel Extreme Masters (IEM), started by ESL in 2006, is the world’s longest-running worldwide pro gaming tour. Three international tournament Majors are held each year. Since IEM has long-standing relationships with Katowice and Cologne, two Majors are usually held in these cities. This year’s dates have already been arranged for January, June and August.
All of these events throughout the year lead up to one: the Worlds Finals. Teams that make it there, whether through direct qualification or admission due to their world standing.
IEM Katowice 2023 will be held in Spodek Arena, Poland, from January 31 to February 12, 2023. Twenty-four teams will vie to earn a $1,000,000 prize pool and a spot in the Intel Grand Slam.
The Play-In will feature 16 teams competing in a double-elimination format. The first matches will be a best-of-one, while all subsequent rounds will be best-of-three. Only eight teams will make it to the main event.
The Group Stage tournament will use a 2×8 team format with double elimination. Only the top three in each group will advance to the Playoffs. All matches will be played in a best-of-three format.
The Playoffs will only have two teams advance to the Semifinals, and four teams progress to the Quarterfinals. All playoff matches will be in a best-of-three format, except for the Grand Final, which will be in a best-of-five.
From June 2 to 4, 2023, IEM Dallas 2023 will be held at DreamHack Dallas in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. It will feature 16 teams competing for a $250,000 prize pool and qualification for IEM Cologne 2023.
IEM Cologne 2023 will take place at Lanxess Arena from August 4 to August 6, 2023. Precisely 24 teams will compete for a total prize pool of $1,000,000 and one of the most prestigious titles in CS:GO, the EPT Championship.
The Play-in will be a double-elimination tournament for 16 teams. Only the first match will be played in a best-of-one format, with the rest in a best-of-three format. Only eight teams advanced to the main event.
BLAST Premiers 2023
The BLAST Premier World Final 2022 concluded the year’s competitive CS:GO season, with G2 Esports crowned champions at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. G2 defeated Team Liquid and won $500,000 from the $1,000,000 prize pool.
According to BLAST’s official blog, the organizer is currently discussing potential host cities, but beyond that, there has yet to be an official word on BLAST Premier events for the 2023 calendar.