eSports
Everything You Need to Know Ahead of Intel Extreme Masters Katowice 2024
- Intel Extreme Masters returns to Katowice as 24 of the world’s best Counter-Strike 2 teams battle it out from January 31 to February 11 for a share of the $1,000,000 prize pool, a spot in IEM Cologne later this year and a step forward in the race to secure Intel Grand Slam V
- During the final three days, the top six teams will compete in front of a live crowd at the iconic Spodek Arena
- Amongst others, local heroes Rebels Gaming and ENCE will attend to fight for the crowns
- StarCraft II also returns to IEM Katowice with 24 of the world’s best players including local hero Piotr ‘Spirit’ Walukiewicz, competing for their share of a $500,000 prize pool live in the MCK Auditorium from February 8 to 11
Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) returns to Katowice, Poland, for the twelfth time from January 31 to February 11, 2024. The Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) tournament, of which the final three days will take place live in the iconic Spodek Arena, will be the first of its scale to take place in Poland as well as the first ESL Pro Tour Championship event of the year.
Furthermore, during the last four days of IEM Katowice 2024, StarCraft II will make its return to the Auditorium of the International Congress Center (MCK). Both competitions will prompt fierce battles between teams and players for a spot in the legendary Hall of Heroes.
Here is all you need to know about IEM Katowice 2024
Counter-Strike 2
IEM Katowice 2024 will see the 24 best Counter-Strike teams compete for a total prize pool of $1,000,000, a win in the race to secure Intel Grand Slam V and a spot at IEM Cologne 2024. Commencing on January 31, contenders from around the globe will face off in Katowice in an attempt to reach the playoffs. There the six best teams will compete live in front of a packed-out audience at the legendary Spodek Arena from February 9 to 11, 2024.
Schedule and Format
Play-In Stage (January 31 to February 2):
- 16 teams will compete in a double-elimination bracket
- Opening matches are best-of-one
- All following matches are best-of-three
- The top eight teams will advance to the group stage where they will join eight directly invited teams
Group Stage (February 3 to 6):
- Two groups of eight teams will compete in separate double-elimination brackets.
- All matches are best-of-three
- The top three teams from each group will advance to the playoffs
- Group stage winners advance to the semifinals
- The group stage runner-ups advance to the quarterfinals as the high seeds
- The group stage third-place teams advance to the quarterfinals as the low seeds
Playoffs (February 9 to 11):
- The top six teams will compete in a single-elimination bracket
- The quarterfinals and semifinals will be best-of-three
- The Grand Final will be a best-of-five
Teams Attending
- Play-In Stage:
- The Mongolz (qualified via ESL World Ranking (WR): AS)
- Cloud9 (qualified via ESL WR: EU)
- HEROIC (qualified via ESL WR: EU)
- Virtus.pro (qualified via ESL WR: EU)
- M80 (qualified via ESL WR: NA)
- Rooster (qualified via ESL WR: OCE)
- FURIA Esports (qualified via ESL WR: SA)
- Apeks (qualified via ESL WR)
- Astralis (qualified via ESL WR)
- BIG (qualified via ESL WR)
- BB (qualified via ESL WR)
- ENCE (qualified via ESL WR)
- Eternal Fire (qualified via ESL WR)
- GamerLegion (qualified via ESL WR)
- Team Spirit (qualified via ESL WR)
- Rebels Gaming (qualified via ESL National Championship PL)
- Group Stage:
- G2 Esports (qualified via IEM Cologne 2023)
- MOUZ (qualified via ESL Pro League Season 18)
- FaZe Clan (qualified via IEM Sydney 2023)
- Complexity (qualified via ESL WR)
- Natus Vincere (qualified via ESL WR)
- Monte (qualified via ESL WR)
- Team Falcons (qualified via ESL WR)
- Team Vitality (qualified via ESL WR)
 |
Prize Money (USD)
| TOTAL | $1,000,000 |
| 1st | $400,000 |
| 2nd | $180,000 |
| 3rd-4th | $80,000 |
| 5th-6th | $40,000 |
| 7th-8th | $24,000 |
| 9th-12th | $16,000 |
| 13th-16th | $10,000 |
| 17th-20th | $4,500 |
| 21st-24th | $2,500 |
Broadcast Talent
- Desk
- Freya ‘Freya’ Spiers
- Tres ‘stunna’ Saranthus
- Mike ‘DarfMike’ Winnick
- Sam ‘TechGirl’ Wright
- Analysts
- Mathieu ‘Maniac’ Quiquerez
- Janko ‘YNk’ Paunovic
- Joshua ‘steel’ Nissan
- Jacob ‘Pimp’ Winneche
- Alex ‘Mauisnake’ Ellenberg
- Lucas ‘Bubzkji’ Andersen
- Arena
- Oliver James Borg ‘OJ Borg’ D’Anastasi
- Michał ‘wasiu’ Wasik
- Eefje ‘Sjokz’ Depoortere
- James ‘BanKs’ Banks
- Casters
- Alex ‘Machine’ Richardson
- Chad ‘SPUNJ’ Burchill
- Adam ‘Dinko’ Hawthorne
- Jason ‘moses’ O’Toole
- Harry ‘JustHarry’ Russell
- Hugo ‘Hugo’ Byron
- Conner ‘Scrawny’ Girvan
- Mohan ‘launders’ Govindasamy
Where to Watch
The live broadcast will be available on the ESL Counter-Strike Twitch and YouTube channels for fans around the world to watch. For those unable to tune in live, all matches will also be available to watch on-demand for free via YouTube.
For more information about the IEM Katowice 2024 Counter-Strike competition and the latest updates on the event, please visit the official website and follow ESL Counter-Strike on X, Facebook and Instagram.
StarCraft II
The last four days of IEM Katowice 2024 will see a standalone StarCraft II tournament take place where 24 of the world’s best players will be competing for a $500,000 prize pool in front of a live crowd. Held at the Auditorium of the International Congress Center (MCK) just next to the Spodek Arena in Katowice, the tournament will run from February 8 to 11.
Schedule and Format
Group Stage (February 8 to 10):
- Four groups of six players will compete in ’round robin’ formats
- All matches are best-of-three
- The top three players from each group will advance to the playoffs
- The winner of each group will advance to the playoffs quarterfinals
- The second and third placed players of each group will advance to the playoffs round of twelve
Playoffs (February 10 to 11):
- Twelve players will compete in a single-elimination bracket
- The round of twelve, quarterfinals and semifinals will be best-of-five
- The Grand Final will be best-of-seven
Players Attending
Prize Money (USD)
| TOTAL | $500,000 |
| 1st | $150,000 |
| 2nd | $70,000 |
| 3rd-4th | $40,000 |
| 5th-8th | $20,000 |
| 9th-12th | $10,000 |
| 13th-16th | $5,500 |
| 17th-20th | $4,000 |
| 21st-24th | $3,000 |
| Group Stage Extra* | $30,000 |
*$500 per win in the group stage
Broadcast Talent
- Desk
- James ‘Kaelaris’ Carro
- Stage Host
- Rachel ‘Seltzer’ Quirico
- Casters and Analysts Stream A
- Benjamin ‘DeMu’ Baker
- Jared ‘PiG’ Krensel
- Jessica ‘ZombieGrub’ Chernega
- Jonathon ‘Wardi’ Ward
- Kevin ‘RotterdaM’ van der Kooi
- Simon ‘Lowko’ Heijnen
- Casters and Analysts Stream B
- Dave ‘Steadfast’ Loose
- Philip ‘BeoMulf’ Mulford
- Casters and Analysts Stream C
- Julian ‘Lambo’ Brosig
- Kevin ‘Harstem’ Koning
Where to Watch
The live broadcast will be available on the ESL StarCraft II Twitch channel and ESL YouTube channel for fans around the world to watch. For those unable to tune in live, all matches will also be available to watch on-demand for free via YouTube.
For more information about the IEM Katowice 2024 StarCraft II competition and the latest updates on the event, please visit the official website and follow ESL StarCraft II on X and Facebook.
IEM Expo
Held in conjunction with IEM Katowice 2024, the IEM Expo takes place on February 9 to 11 and is free to enter. Fans attending the event in person will have the opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of on-site activities including trying out the latest gaming technology and participating in sponsor activations for a chance to win prizes. There will also be limited space for attendees to join the audiences for the Counter-Strike 2 and StarCraft II live tournaments on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Stay tuned as additional details and activities will be revealed.
Assets for IEM Katowice 2024 can be found in the press kit, which is available here.
eSports
Emmy-Winning Director R.J. Cutler’s Docuseries Esports World Cup: Level Up Premieres June 6 on Prime Video
Prime Video, one of the leading entertainment destinations, will premiere the five-part documentary Esports World Cup: Level Up on June 6, with new episodes released weekly. Directed by Emmy-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler (Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry, Elton John: Never Too Late and Martha), the series goes behind-the-scenes of the inaugural Esports World Cup (EWC) in 2024 — a defining moment in global esports, where over $60 million in prize money ignited a high-stakes, multinational battle to crown the world’s top esports Club.
The series is produced by This Machine (a part of Sony Pictures Television), with R.J. Cutler directing, John Dorsey serving as showrunner, and Jane Cha Cutler, Trevor Smith, Elise Pearlstein and Mark Blatty executive producing. Level Up will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
Esports World Cup: Level Up offers a rare look inside a global competition that’s redefining what it means to be a champion for a new generation of athletes and fans. R.J. Cutler and his team of expert storytellers embedded themselves within the eight-week tournament – watched by over 500 million fans globally – to uncover the personal sacrifices, rivalries and stakes driving the action.
Shot in verité style, the series combines intimate home visits from around the world and on-the-ground coverage from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It follows a wide cast of characters – from Club CEOs orchestrating million-dollar strategies to rising stars chasing life-changing wins – while capturing the pulse of elite esports competition.
“What drew me to the Esports World Cup was the compelling human stories unfolding within this high-stakes arena. Level Up isn’t just about the incredible competition and prize money; it’s about the dedication, the passion, and the sheer will of these athletes and teams pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Under high pressure, we discover the true character of the competitors who vie for $60 million, but who also expose their humanity in the process,” said Cutler.
At the heart of Level Up is the “EWC Club Championship,” an unprecedented, multi-title tournament format where Clubs compete across more than 20 games, earning points toward a single leaderboard. Every match, every point, reshapes the race for global dominance. With the highest prize pool in esports history on the line, the EWC is not just a tournament – it’s a proving ground for the next generation of sports icons.
“A win might make the headlines — but the real story is the people behind it. Level Up dives into the human side of esports: the pressure, the ambition, the sacrifices. It’s about what it really takes to compete at the highest level — and why it matters. R.J. is the best at bringing those stories to life, and this one captures the heart of what we’re building,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation.
The post Emmy-Winning Director R.J. Cutler’s Docuseries Esports World Cup: Level Up Premieres June 6 on Prime Video appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Esports betting pioneer adds daily fantasy esports offering to its growing range of products, with its sights set on the US market
PandaScore, the award-winning provider of esports odds, data and betting products, has continued to push boundaries with the launch of Daily Fantasy eSports, a truly groundbreaking product for operators and players.
Daily Fantasy eSports has been developed for the US market but will have global appeal with players drawn in by the chance to create virtual teams of real-life players and earn points based on their actual game performances.
Contests range from daily matchups to season-long leagues, with plenty of prizes up for grabs.
PandaScore’s Daily Fantasy eSports is backed by an expert-led esports trading team to deliver fast, accurate settlement data across unique, player-focused markets driven by the provider’s established and proven betting models.
An Interactive Player Widget serves up rich player stats and profiles, with PandaScore’s powerful BetBuilder enabling same-game parlays.
But that’s not all. PandaScore has more than 17,000 players in its esports player age and info database, the largest in the market.
It also offers dedicated helper codes and documentation to ensure smooth and seamless operator integration. It really is as easy as 1-2-3.
1 – There is a kick-off call to align on goals, timelines and fantasy formats.
2 – The operator accesses PandaScore’s dedicated fantasy-focused API to accelerate the build
3 – The dedicated integration manager ensures effortless onboarding and a successful launch
By leveraging PandaScore’s odds and data, alongside its team of experts and specialists, online sportsbook and daily fantasy sports operators can launch faster, ensure accuracy and scale their Daily Fantasy eSports offering with confidence.
Oliver Niner, Head of B2B at PandaScore, said: “Daily Fantasy eSports is a pioneering product from PandaScore that will really hit the mark with operators across North America, as well as other global markets.
“It allows operators to engage esports fans and bettors with a compelling product and proposition, but without the degree of risk that comes with standard betting as the payouts are controlled.
“Daily Fantasy eSports is already live with Dabble and is performing incredibly well, so we look forward to going live with more operators in the coming months.
“This really is a game-changing product, and we can’t wait to see it become available at some of the biggest betting brands in North America and beyond.”
The launch of Daily Fantasy eSports complements PandaScore’s growing esports betting offering, which includes odds and data for a huge number of disciplines, plus betting products like its BetBuilder, MicroMarkets and StoryBuilder.
The post PandaScore launches game-changing Daily Fantasy eSports product appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Esports Charts, a Ukraine-born analytics company that aggregates real-time viewership insights about esports, has won the Esports Innovation Award at the EsportsNext Industry Awards, hosted by the Esports Trade Association (ESTA) in Dallas, US.
The Esports Innovation Award recognizes an organization or individual that has introduced groundbreaking technology, services, or strategies significantly advancing the esports industry.
Esports Charts was honored for its scalable analytics platform, which provides comprehensive tournament and viewership statistics across more than 25 livestreaming services — helping stakeholders from publishers and teams to fans make smarter, data-driven decisions.
“Winning the Innovation Award from ESTA is an important milestone for us as a leading esports analytics service in the world. Also, we’re especially proud to represent Ukraine-born innovation on an international stage.
“From day one, our mission has been to bring clarity and transparency to the world of esports data. And this recognition from the industry is both an honor and a motivation to keep raising the bar.
“Thank you to our incredible team and partners, who believed in us from the start. This award is a shared success — and we’re just getting started,” Artyom Odintsov, co-founder and CEO of Esports Charts.
The post Esports Charts Wins “Esports Innovation Award” at the EsportsNext Industry Awards appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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