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eSports

Intel® Extreme Masters to return down under as ESL presents Intel® Extreme Masters Sydney 2023

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ESL, an ESL FACEIT Group brand, has today revealed that it will bring more world-class esports to Australia later this year as Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) returns to Sydney for the fourth time.

IEM Sydney 2023 will happen in connection with SXSW Sydney 2023 on October 16-22. Fans from Australia and beyond can look forward to cheering on their favorite Counter-Strike teams during the final stage of the competition, which will take place in the Aware Super Theatre at ICC Sydney in Sydney, Australia.

Featuring 16 top-tier Counter-Strike teams from around the globe, the competition kicks off with the Group Stage on October 16-18. During those days, the competing squads will face off in two groups of eight.

At stake are one of six available spots in the Playoffs on October 20-22 and a share of the $250,000 (USD) total prize pool. Furthermore, the winning team will qualify for the first next ESL Pro Tour Championship event in 2024, and can add a win in the race to the Intel® Grand Slam helping them get one step closer to obtaining its $1,000,000 cash prize.

The 16 competing squads consist of six Partner Teams, a Local Hero Invite, and four teams qualifying via the ESL World Ranking. The remaining five teams qualify via regional Open and Closed Qualifiers:

  • Europe
    • Open Qualifier #1 – August 9-10 – Two teams progress to the Closed Qualifier
    • Open Qualifier #2 – August 11-12 – Two teams progress to the Closed Qualifier
    • Closed Qualifier – August 23-25 – Featuring eight teams of which two teams qualify for IEM Sydney 2023
  • North America
    • Open Qualifier #1 – August 9-10 – One team progresses to the Closed Qualifier
    • Open Qualifier #2 – August 11-12 – One team progresses to the Closed Qualifier
    • Closed Qualifier – August 24-25 – Featuring four teams of which one team qualifies for IEM Sydney 2023
  • Asia
    • Open Qualifier #1 – August 9-10 – One team progresses to the Closed Qualifier
    • Open Qualifier #2 – August 11-12 – One team progresses to the Closed Qualifier
    • Closed Qualifier – August 24-25 – Featuring four teams of which one team qualifies for IEM Sydney 2023
  • Oceania
    • Open Qualifier #1 – August 9-10 – One team progresses to the Closed Qualifier
    • Open Qualifier #2 – August 11-12 – One team progresses to the Closed Qualifier
    • Closed Qualifier – August 22-23 – Featuring four teams of which one team qualifies for IEM Sydney 2023

Since our last IEM Sydney tournament in 2019, we’ve heard the growing chorus of Australian esports fans who have expressed their desire for a return of this iconic event,” commented Graeme Du Toit, Head of Sales & Marketing Australia at ESL FACEIT Group. “So, when we were presented with a special opportunity to host IEM in Sydney again this year, we leapt at it. We’ll be counting on our fans to once again show why they’re the best esports crowd in the world this October.”

Australia has a special place in our hearts when it comes to Counter-Strike events. Over the past months, Melbourne has been an amazing host for our ESL Challenger competitions, and we definitely can’t wait to come to Sydney with another IEM event,” said Shaun Clark, Senior Director Game Ecosystems – CS:GO at ESL FACEIT Group. “The city has already seen some of the greatest teams in Counter-Strike history be crowned Champions, including SK Gaming, FaZe Clan, and Team Liquid. Now, fans can look forward to another unforgettable event, as the world’s best teams will return to the city soon.

The ticket sale for IEM Sydney 2023 starts on June 22, 2023, at 4:30 PM AEST. 3-day General Admission tickets are available from A$159, with General Admission Plus (A$199), Premium (A$279) and ‘God Mode’ (A$1,399) ticket types also available.

SXSW badge holders with a Sydney Platinum (A$1,495) or Games (A$1,095) badge can also access all three days of IEM Sydney 2023. An allocation of seats in the Aware Super Theatre will be set aside each day for SXSW Sydney badge holders. Learn more and buy your badge at https://sxswsydney .com/.

IEM Sydney 2023 will be broadcast live on ESL Counter-Strike’s Twitch and YouTube channels, and via dedicated broadcast partners. For more details about the competition, check out the official website and follow ESL Counter-Strike on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. For more general information, head over to eslfaceitgroup.com and follow ESL FACEIT Group on LinkedIn.

Asia

AMD Announces GameOn 2024: Nationwide Counter-Strike 2 Tournament Offers ₹300,000 Prize, Culminates in Hyderabad

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AMD, a leader in semiconductor manufacturing, has unveiled the AMD GameOn 2024, an open-for-all esports tournament for Counter-Strike 2 with a total prize pool of INR 300,000. The Main Event of the AMD GameOne 2024 is set to take place at IndiaJoy 2024 Asia’s premier media and entertainment congregation, in the HICC, Novotel, Hyderabad on Nov. 16 and 17.

Commenting on the tournament, Pramit Khanna, Channel Marketing Manager DIY and Gaming, AMD India said, “As one of the leaders in the computing space, we have been supporting India’s esports ecosystem since day 1, and the AMD GameOn 2024 is another such IP for esports enthusiasts. The open-for-all format ensures every gamer has a chance to compete in the pan-India tournament and make it to the LAN in Hyderabad. I wish the best of luck to all participants and can’t wait to welcome the four finalists in Hyderabad.”

The AMD GameOn 2024 began with the open qualifiers, where the registered teams competed for slots to the Closed Qualifiers. The Closed Qualifier, with 8 total teams, has wrapped up, confirming the four finalists for the AMD GameOn 2024 Main Event at IndiaJoy 2024 on Nov. 16 and 17 in Hyderabad. Skyesports is set to be the esports partner for the event.

The four teams are listed below. They will compete in a single-elimination bracket to determine the champions of India. Matches from the AMD GameOn 2024 Main Event will be livestreamed on the Skyesports YouTube channel.

  • True Rippers

  • Carnival Gaming

  • Gods Reign

  • Victores Sumus

Besides the esports action at the AMD booth in the IndiaJoy 2024, players will also be able to experience gaming on AMD Advantage systems, which deliver a supreme and optimized performance by combining AMD Ryzen™ CPUs, AMD Radeon™ GPUs, smart technologies, and AMD software. Therefore, AMD’s experiential zone at the IndiaJoy 2024 will be the one-stop immersive place for gamers, combining esports action and providing a hands-on gaming experience.

Shiva Nandy, the Founder and CEO of Skyesports, said, “We are thrilled to be the esports partner for AMD GameOn 2024, working once again with our anchor brand, AMD. With open qualifiers to give every gamer a chance and invited teams to ensure top-notch esports action, this tournament is a delight for all gamers. AMD has been one of the biggest supporters of esports in India over the years, and this tournament aligns with our vision of bringing Counter-Strike 2 into the spotlight ahead of Skyesports’ $1.7 million prize pool roadmap for 2025, where we will host four on-ground events across the country.”

India currently has about 500 million gamers, a number expected to grow to 730 million by 2028, with a 5-year CAGR of 10 percent, making the country the largest market by the number of gamers. Additionally, 65 percent of gamers either watch esports or compete in tournaments, per Niko Partners, with IPs like the AMD GameOn at the forefront of attracting their attention.

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eSports

Rootz Announces First Wildz Invitational Esports Tournament

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Wildz is proud to officially announce our entry into the Counter-Strike 2 community by hosting the Wildz Invitational tournament, featuring a substantial prize pool of €25,000. This tournament, organized in partnership with Alliance and Challengermode, is open to all teams across Europe in the coming month of December.

Wildz Invitational tournament structure:

Invited Teams4 teams will be directly invited to compete in the playoffs stage

Open QualifiersTwo online qualifiers, where the top 2 teams from each qualifier will secure spots in the playoffs

PlayoffsAll 8 teams will face off over an intense 2 day battle
Format: All matches will be played online on the Challengermode platform to ensure accessibility for all participants. 

We invite all EU teams to showcase their skills and compete for the title of being the first Wildz Champions, with a first-place prize of €16,250. Sign up now!

Open to all European teams

Qualifiers will be played as a single-elimination bracket. All matches will be BO1. 

Playoffs information:

Playoffs Day #1: 21st Dec, start from 15:00 CET
Playoffs Day #2: 22nd Dec, start from 15:00 CET

Playoffs will be played as a single-elimination bracket. All matches will be BO3.

Total prize pool of €25,000 distribution:
1st place: €16,250
2nd place: €6,250
3rd place: €2,500

“We at Wildz have been huge fans of Counter-Strike for many years. When the opportunity arose, everyone at Wildz jumped at the idea of being able to sponsor and host a tournament to showcase Europe’s top CS teams,” shares Nathan BonelloEsports Specialist at Wildz. “This is just the first of many Wildz esports activities to come, we hope that the CS players and fans worldwide can enjoy our first-ever Wildz Invitational tournament together. May the best team win!”

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Asia

DreamHack x Hyderabad Comic Con 2024 Day 2: Wagh Suyog crowned champion of Rapid Chess tournament; Karan Kanchan steals the show with electrifying DJ set

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The second day of DreamHack 2024 x Hyderabad Comic Con, India’s largest celebration of gaming and pop culture, delivered thrilling esports action, landmark achievements, and unforgettable moments as fans turned out in large numbers at the Hitex Exhibition Centre.

Hosted by NODWIN Gaming, a leader in new-age youth entertainment, gaming, and esports this year marks the fifth anniversary of India’s biggest gaming festival. DreamHack’s legendary BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Zone reached an unprecedented milestone, with tickets selling out for the first time ever. Gamers from across the country brought their own setups to compete and compete in titles including eFootball, THE FINALS, World Cricket Championship 3 (WCC 3), Brawlhalla, Counter-Strike 2, Spectre Divide, and many more, making the zone a hub of energy and camaraderie throughout the day.

After intense semi-final matches, Team LFO, Team Cheems, Team Payback, and AMIGOS Esports qualified for the grand finals of the OMEN VALORANT Campus Quest Season 2. Each team demonstrated exceptional strategy and team play, keeping fans on the edge of their seats.

Meanwhile, Wagh Suyog showcased remarkable talent and focus,`outmaneuvering a field of skilled competitors to win the Rapid Chess tournament and take home the INR 3 Lakh prize pool championship. His/her victory was celebrated with roaring applause, highlighting the growing appeal of chess as part of DreamHack’s diverse lineup.

In other esports action, GodLike Esports, Vibrance Esports, XLR8, and Anthem showcased their dominance on Day 2 of the Snapdragon Pro Series (Call of Duty: Mobile), while Aditya ‘The Dark Lord’ Verma emerged victorious in the Street Fighter 6 segment of KO Fight Night.

Much to the attendees’ delight KO Fight Night delivered electrifying matches in Tekken 8 and Super Mario Bros Ultimate. Players also turned out in large numbers to participate in the Retro and Board Games tournaments, adding to the vibrant gaming atmosphere.

Following suit to the electric atmosphere of DreamHack, the second day of Hyderabad Comic Con was a vibrant celebration of creativity, fandom, and entertainment. Fans were enthralled by special sessions from Maruti Suzuki Arena, Crunchyroll, and Yamaha Racing, each offering unique insights and experiences for attendees.

Attendees were also treated to comic book debuts, including The Warrior God and Abba Aari (the sequel to Mard Bann), alongside the cover launch of Weapons of Mass Extinction: Stage 1 – Blood of The Last Asuran.

On the other hand, music enthusiasts danced to an electrifying DJ set by Karan Kanchan, while rising comedy star Ravi Gupta (a.k.a. Shudh Desi Comic) had audiences in splits with his witty, desi humour.

The Meet & Greet Zone today featured 8Bit Creatives’ popular gaming personalities, such as Raj Varma (Snax), Payal Dhare (Payal Gaming), Parv Singh (Regaltos), Salman Ahmad (8bit Mamba), Monika Jeph (Sherlock Live), Nishant Williams (Willy Gamingg), Mithul Nayak (Binks), Dhwani Bhatt (Pinkcess), and Dhruv Sangwan (Dhruv), who connected with fans through their stories, popular slangs and gaming insights.

Just like yesterday, the Hyderabad Comic Con Cosplay Contest stole the show, with hundreds of cosplayers competing for a prize pool exceeding INR 5 Lakhs, including a daily grand cash prize of INR 50,000. The city’s best cosplayers battled it out to represent Hyderabad at the Indian Championship of Cosplay 2025 Qualifiers, aiming for a daily reward of INR 1.25 Lakhs.

Day 3 of DreamHack 2024 x Hyderabad Comic Con is set to be a spectacular finale, packed with more comic book launches, special sessions, and engaging fireside chats. As the event reaches its climax, SPS, OMEN Campus Quest Season 2, PAN FEST, KO Fight Night, Blitz Chess tournament, and the BYOD and retro tournaments will all wrap up with their much-anticipated grand finals.

Two critically acclaimed stand-up comedy stars, Syed Bashaar, and Harsh Gujral, will bring the laughs, while Geek Fruit will take everyone on a nostalgic journey with iconic theme songs.

For further updates and information regarding DreamHack x Hyderabad Comic Con 2024, follow NODWIN Gaming & DreamHack India on social media. Get your tickets now to experience the best of both worlds and experience the excitement of DreamHack India 2024 x Hyderabad Comic Con firsthand!

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