The Intel Extreme Masters are coming to gamescom this year to bring premier StarCraft II action to the big stage! Attendees of Europe’s biggest gaming trade fair can look forward to the second stop of the tenth Intel Extreme Masters season and the chance to see some of the StarCraft scene’s biggest names in action live. Check out what StarCraft at Intel Extreme Masters gamescom has to offer!

Key information

A quick summary of all the essential information about the five-day event.

• Where? ESL studios and gamescom 2015, Cologne, Germany
• When? August the 5th to the 9th 2015
• Schedule: See below
• Tickets: Available via Eventbrite
• Homepage: http://en.intelextrememasters.com/season10/gamescom/
• Stream: http://en.intelextrememasters.com/season10/gamescom/standings/
• 16 of the world’s best StarCraft II players take their talent to gamescom to battle it out for the US$25,000 prize pool and all-important WCS points.

Participating players

We already know eleven of the players, with five more to follow via the open bracket.

• soO

Race: Zerg | Group: A | Nationality: Korean

• Happy

Race: Terran | Group: A | Nationality: Russia

• MMA

Race: Terran | Group: A | Nationality: Korean

• Open bracket player (TBD)

Race: - | Group: A | Nationality: -

• INnoVation

Race: Terran | Group: B | Nationality: Korean

• Lilbow

Race: Protoss | Group: B | Nationality: French

• FanTaSy

Race: Terran | Group: B | Nationality: Korean

• Open bracket player (TBD)

Race: - | Group: B | Nationality: -

• State

Race: Protoss | Group: C | Nationality: American

• Lambo

Race: Zerg | Group: C | Nationality: German

• ForGG

Race: Terran | Group: C | Nationality: Korean

• Open bracket player (TBD)

Race: - | Group: C | Nationality: -

• Stardust

Race: Protoss | Group: D | Nationality: Korean

• Nerchio

Race: Zerg | Group: D | Nationality: Polish

• Open bracket player (TBD)*

Race: - | Group: D | Nationality: -

• Open bracket player (TBD)

Race: - | Group: D | Nationality: -

*Replacing Rain, who unfortunately had to cancel.

Check out the open and group stage brackets right here.

Broadcast team

You’ll get to enjoy the best StarCraft II commentators live from the ESL studios in Cologne and the Intel Extreme Masters stage at gamescom.

The full talent lineup for the event is as follows:

• Host/Commentator: Shaun “Apollo” Clark
• Stage host for gamescom finals: William “Chobra” Cho
• Commentator: Kevin “RotterdaM” van der Kooi
• Commentator: Jared “PiG” Krensel
• Commentator: James “Kaelaris” Carrol
• Commentator: Yoan “ToD” Merlo
• Commentator: Andrew “Moonglade” Pender

Click to expand.

Full schedule

Find the complete overview of the Intel Extreme Masters gamescom schedule up to and including the quarterfinals here!

Wednesday, August 5th - Open bracket (ESL studios)

• 12:00 to 22:20 CEST: Open bracket matches

Thursday, August 6th - Group stages (ESL studios)

• 12:00 to 16:30 CEST: Group A matches
• 16:50 to 21:20 CEST: Group B matches

Friday, August 7th - Group stages (ESL studios)

• 12:00 to 16:30 CEST: Group C matches
• 16:50 to 21:20 CEST: Group D matches

Saturday, August 8th - Quarterfinals (ESL studios)

• 15:00 to 16:30 CEST: Quarterfinal #1
• 16:40 to 18:10 CEST: Quarterfinal #2
• 18:20 to 19:50 CEST: Quarterfinal #3
• 20:00 to 21:30 CEST: Quarterfinal #4

Sunday, August 9th - Semi and grand finals (gamescom)

• 11:00 to 12:30 CEST: Semifinal #1
• 12:40 to 14:10 CEST: Semifinal #2
• 14:30 to 16:45 CEST: Grand final

Please note that times are subject to game length.

You can find a detailed match-by-match schedule over at the Intel Extreme Masters gamescom website.

Get your Intel Extreme Masters gamescom 2015 tickets here!

Prize money and WCS point distribution

A prize pool of US$25,000 is waiting for the StarCraft II players at Intel Extreme Masters gamescom. On top of that, there are also 4,000 WCS points up for grabs. Check out the distribution of both below.

Prize money

Social media

The fastest way to get the latest updates during the event is via the relevant social media accounts and hashtags.

• ESL StarCraft II Twitter account
• Official Intel Extreme Masters Facebook page
• Official Intel Extreme Masters Twitter account
• Official Intel Extreme Masters hashtag: #IEM

For the Twitter accounts of the attending StarCraft II players, take a look at the participating players and teams section above!

Who’s your pick to win it all at Intel Extreme Masters gamescom? Let us know on Twitter and Facebook!