In March 2014, the CS:GO finals in Katowice broke all broadcast records ever set by any Counter-Strike event ever.
This August, ESL One will return to bring another community-funded US$250,000 tournament to Europe, assembling some of the best teams from around the globe and combining them with world-class commentators, spectators, analysts and hosts. Our aim is to build on what we achieved in Katowice, and to provide the same kind of entertainment experience during Europe's biggest computer game trade fair.
At Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, from the 14th to 17th of August, we’ll get another chance to witness the best CS:GO teams in the world clash for a massive prize pool in an event that will hopefully bring us the same amount of awesome and breathtaking moments as Katowice did.
The top eight teams from Katowice, including all-stars Ninjas in Pyjamas as well as surprise champions Virtus.pro, will be joined by eight more, who will have the chance to take on the big boys for the title as well as the lion’s share of the prize pool.
The teams at ESL One Cologne 2014
- Virtus.pro
- Ninjas in Pyjamas
- Team Dignitas
- TEAMGLOBAL (former LGB eSports)
- compLexity Gaming
- HellRaisers
- Team LDLC.com
- Fnatic
- 8 qualified teams
The eight open slots will be filled by six European, one North American and one Oceanic/Australian team, with more details on the qualification to be released soon.
crtmN: “Thank you to the whole community!”
We spoke with Alexander “crtmN” Nehr, product manager of ESL One and Counter-Strike head admin, about the tournament and its Gamescom venue.
Alex: Gamescom in Cologne is the largest trade fair and gaming event for gamers around the world. With more than 340,000 visitors, it is the perfect environment to host such a major tournament in. It is also a great opportunity for everyone attending Gamescom who is unfamiliar with Counter-Strike to come by and watch a match to get a feeling of it and experience the thrilling atmosphere. Teams and players can also present themselves to a big audience and interact with their fans.
ESL: Katowice was a blast, breaking all Counter-Strike broadcast records. What do you expect ESL One Cologne 2014 will be like?
Alex: Katowice was a really successful event in all aspects. It exceeded our expectations, and for that we have to give a huge THANK YOU to the whole community and all attending teams once more. The crowd on-site was awesome and supported their teams loudly at every good move and round, and everyone who tuned in on Twitch was able to feel the atmosphere through their screens.
For Cologne, we want to set new records, and with such an impressive community we think this should be possible. We want to create a breathtaking show that will bring everyone all the action from the world's best teams and players as they deliver high-level plays. The show will feature the very best on-air talent and we'll have players joining them whenever possible as this is something the community wants to see. It will be the next Counter-Strike spectacle everyone is waiting for.
ESL: How do you rate recent developments in Counter-Strike and what role do these play in ESL One?
Alex: Recent developments are great and promising. There are continuous updates that add features and improve the game as well as the community, and its player base is growing every month. Everything around the game is growing as well, and we see more and more players streaming on Twitch every day. Counter-Strike plays a big role in ESL One and for ESL in general. We've hosted countless tournaments and leagues for complete newcomers, up-and-coming teams and professional stars, and will continue to do so in the future. At ESL One, we are focused on the event at Gamescom, but it won't be the last, and we'll continue to bring CS:GO to big stages.
Are you excited about the event? Do you have any questions? Let us know in the comments below!
