In two weeks’ time, gamescom, Europe’s biggest trade fair for games and interactive entertainment, will be kicking off in Cologne, Germany - the same city where ESL has its headquarters. gamescom 2015 will see ESL host more than 15 games over two halls as well as award a total of over US$200,000 in prize money to the event’s champions as part of the ESL Arena powered by Twitch.
The lineup is set to include StarCraft II, Hearthstone, League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Battlefield 4, Halo 5: Guardians, FIFA 15, SMITE, Guild Wars 2, S.K.I.L.L. - Special Force 2, Final Fantasy XIV, Total War and more - check out a small selection of the booths that’ll be at the ESL Arena in gamescom hall 9 below!
ESL Meisterschaft finals (August 9th)
Sunday will see the ESL Meisterschaft crown its summer champions in League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, StarCraft II, Hearthstone and FIFA 15 on PlayStation 4 at gamescom 2015. In its 30th season and having crowned more than 150 to date, this German tournament series has a storied past that makes this one not to be missed!
Halo 5: Guardians gamescom Invitational 2015 (August 5th to 9th)
Running from Wednesday to Sunday, the gamescom Invitational will give you a first look at Halo 5: Guardians esports. The tournament will see three of Europe’s top Halo teams - Epsilon esports, Supremacy and CAZ.Esports - and one of North America’s - OpTic Gaming - clash in the ESL Arena in Halo 5’s brand new Arena 4v4 multiplayer. Will the Europeans be able to prevail on their home turf? Tune at Twitch.tv/Halo on Friday the 7th of August from 15:00 CEST to find out!
ESL One Battlefield 4 Summer 2015 Finals (August 6th to 7th)
The ESL One Battlefield 4 Summer 2015 Finals will once again be taking place at gamescom this year! Running from Thursday to Friday, over US$35,000 in prize money will be awarded to the top participating teams as they compete for the game’s most prestigious esports title in hall 9!
Final Fantasy XIV (August 5th to 9th)
Throughout gamescom 2015 FINAL FANTASY XIV Online will have over 198 square meters featuring 32 free gaming computers as well as a large dedicated stage for live shows and matches between some of the game’s best players. Square Enix will also be showcasing latest expansion Heavensward as well as awarding prizes to members of the audience able to beat the fearsome primals.
SMITE Pro League Fall Split (August 7th)
Kicking off on Friday at 10:00 CEST with a showmatch between top European teams Titan and Fnatic, the outcome of the SMITE Pro League Fall Split will ultimately decide which teams teams will be going to the 2016 SMITE World Championship.
Dr. Pepper Allstar League of Legends tournament (August 6th)
Thursday will see the top amateur League of Legends teams as decided by a series of qualifiers face off against the pros of SK Gaming. Fighting to prove that they can hold their own against a professional squad - and perhaps even take the title from them - on the big stage in front of some of the scene’s biggest stars, these could be some fiercely fought matches.
Guild Wars 2 World Tournament Series Finals (August 8th)
On Saturday from 10:00 CEST the prestigious Guild Wars 2 World Tournament Series Finals will be played out. With over US$50,000 in prizes up for grabs for the world’s best teams from North America, China and Europe, this massive global showdown will also be being streamed live on the official Guild Wars 2 Twitch channel.
ESL S.K.I.L.L. - Special Force 2 Pro League Finals (August 6th)
The ESL S.K.I.L.L. - Special Force 2 Pro League Finals will be awarding over €50,000 in prize money to the eight top-performing teams at gamescom on Thursday, with €35,000 of this community funded by in-game purchases. A high-stakes competition that is sure to include some nailbiting matches!
SEGA’s Total War: Arena (August 5th to 9th)
Throughout gamescom, the alpha of SEGA’s free-to-play team-based strategy game Total War: Arena will be available for attendees to gets hands-on with. Currently in development at Creative Assembly, Total War: Arena offers epic real-time battles in a multiplayer format built specifically with fans of RTS and MOBA games in mind - try it out and see what you think!
Paradox Interactive’s Cities: Skylines, Pillars of Eternity and Magicka 2 (August 5th to 9th)
Paradox Interactive will have their own free-to-play area with more than 15 PCs running a selection of their critically acclaimed games, allowing gamescom attendees able to try their hand at Cities: Skylines, Pillars of Eternity and Magicka 2.
To make sure you stay up to date on all the latest that’s happening with ESL at gamescom 2015, be sure to download the ESL Event App. Available for iOS and Android, the app includes schedules for all stages including signing sessions and upcoming matches as well as the opportunity to get involved with booth competitions and conversations throughout the event. You can find more information about the soon-to-be-released app here.
You can also find the ESL Shop in both halls 8 and 9, which will have a wide selection of merchandise from numerous clans, teams and games, with state of the art hardware and services from BenQ, Logitech, Medion and One.de also being on offer throughout the ESL Arena.
For a full overview of all ESL’s activities at gamescom 2015, please visit the official event website.
See you in Cologne!
