“It’s an unpredictable future but certainly exciting”

Shaun Clark is at the moment the Senior Director of Recreation Ecosystems for Counter-Strike on the ESL FACEIT Group. However he’s been lively within the Counter-Strike scene for for much longer than that. Now, with the release of Counter-Strike 2, we bought the possibility to talk with Shaun forward of IEM Sydney, as a result of start subsequent week.

Right here, we bought to speak all issues Counter-Strike 2, ESL tournaments and MR12.

Counter-Strike 2 Brings Adjustments to the Professional Scene

The discharge of CS2 has been extremely anticipated ever because it was introduced. Match organizers like ESL have been bracing for the drop for a while now as some would argue that Valve missed their “summer time 2023” objective by a while.

“From our standpoint in the mean time, we made the transition from Counter-Strike: GO to Counter-Strike 2 in all of our on-line tournaments just about instantly. Our full intent with the sport’s launch was to change immediately. I imply, it’s the brand new shiny sport and we’d wish to be utilizing it and showcasing it. Clearly, there’s a variety of curiosity round it so it is smart.”

As a result of the sport is so new, IEM Sydney would be the first match of its calibre to be performed on Cs2. This might lead to a little bit of bumpy experience however it followers will undoubtedly be protected in ESL’s fingers. Not solely have they been operating Intel Excessive Masters tournaments for a few years however they’re well-known for Dota 2 Majors and extra. However a brand new sport means adjustments and that’s one thing ESL aren’t shying away from.

“From the angle of the way it can possibly change the panorama of the CS professional scene, I feel it’s an thrilling time. I feel the discharge of Counter-strike 2 goes to offer us with an abundance of recent tales to inform. That’s thrilling as a result of that’s what we do, we’re storytellers. The sport has been up to date so it’s refreshed and improved. We count on to be seeing an inflow of recent curiosity from throughout, which we’re very assured will convert into a brand new wave of aggressive gamers and groups in time. 

Right this moment, whereas the sport is similar to the bare eye, there are variations to it and we count on that the taking part in discipline that the present skilled gamers are taking part in on is gonna change. Over time, we might even see a brand new star coming into the sport. It’s an unpredictable future however definitely thrilling and I feel that fuels a variety of our pleasure.”

Supply: Valve

A New Recreation Means a New Participant Base

Gamers have been hitting the brand new CS2 servers laborious. That is one thing Shaun Clark and the workforce anticipated. However they’re not about to let CS2 burn brief and sizzling. The present technique for FACEIT is all about retaining the brand new gamers and fostering new skills inside the scene.

“I feel a variety of our technique in the mean time is predicated on retention. As a result of there may be a variety of new curiosity, the query is how can we seize that curiosity? And never essentially simply from gamers however from companies and different match organizers which might be desirous to get into the house with us.

Counter-Strike is an incredible esport. As lots of people on the firm would say, it’s the right esport. It’s so easy however on the identical time, it’s so advanced and detailed on the highest degree. The truth that you’re in a workforce of 5 and that you must be synergised. Every little thing is affected on the highest degree so we wish to hope that Counter-Strike as a sport itself is that defining issue and we’re the enabler. We’re right here to assist present alternatives to hitch us on this journey, the trail to professional you can say.”

Not solely are ESL well-known for his or her IEM tournaments in Dallas and Rio, however there are but extra plans to develop. IEM is about to return to China and Asia in 2024, that means that they are going to have tournaments operating on 5 separate continents. That is no imply feat and requires an enormous workforce of devoted individuals to make it work.

Supply: ESL

ESL and Shaun Clark Have Been Getting ready for Months

Whereas Valve could have missed the mark on the Summer season 2023 launch, they didn’t hold followers ready too lengthy. CS2 formally dropped on September twenty seventh after a lot hypothesis on-line. Nonetheless, Shaun and the remainder of ESL have been making ready for the change for lots longer.

“From our aspect, we’ve been making ready for this present day for a very long time. I’d say 2 months in the past, once we first entered into ESL Professional League, that we simply completed up a few days again, we had been on the sting of our seats ready for CS2 to drop at that time. As soon as it did drop, it was all fingers on deck. Our workforce has labored so extremely laborious within the background to ensure that we’re capable of execute on an analogous degree of product as we might on CS:GO. We really feel snug and assured that our instruments are working. We really feel really fairly good with the state of the sport.”

There have been some vocal critics of the brand new CS2 sport since launch. It’s troublesome to gauge how this displays the participant base’s actual opinion. However whereas ESL does count on there to be some bumps within the street going forwards, they’re greater than able to face the problem.

MR12 Format Adjustments

MR12 has been entrance and centre of the CS2 dialogue since its launch. This format implies that gamers will play a most of 24 rounds per sport as an alternative of 30. Some have raised considerations that this can negatively have an effect on groups’ potential to make a comeback. However match organizers like ESL have welcomed the change.

“The MR12 change is nice and really welcome. Numerous that being as a result of I feel it addresses one of many more durable elements of Counter-Strike, particularly in relation to the ultimate phases of a match, which is the period {that a} day can take. 

We’ve 2 tournaments a yr in stadiums which might be better of 5 finals. They will go between 4-7 hours, which is de facto lengthy. Nonetheless, with the MR12 adjustments, although it’s very contemporary and we haven’t had an expert competitors on it but, we’re seeing that the video games are working quicker.”

One necessary factor to recollect although is that as a result of CS2 is so new, we’re actually in a testing interval in the mean time. It appears clear that’s MR12 impacts the professional scene too negatively, followers and gamers received’t be caught like that eternally.

“I consider that if there’s something basically flawed with MR12, that the sport isn’t taking part in out that nicely, I’d think about that Valve would look to make changes on their aspect quite than the tournaments altering on their aspect. We’ve seen that earlier than with Valve after they haven’t been tremendous pleased with the way in which that the sport is taking part in out or the way in which the economic system works, they’ve stepped in and made changes to iron it out so I’d think about that’s the most certainly situation wanting ahead.”

IEM Cologne was the final enormous match to be performed on CS:GO. IEM Sydney will proceed the story. The match, as a result of start on October sixteenth, marks the dawning of a brand new period {of professional} Counter-Strike.