What’s Next For Competitive CS:GO After IEM Cologne 2023?

After the conclusion of IEM Cologne 2023, followers are eager to find the way forward for CS:GO within the aggressive scene. We’re right here to debate what aggressive CS:GO has in retailer for the remainder of 2023!

Subsequent Tournaments

For a lot of IEM Cologne 2023, it was touted because the “final CS:GO match” for Tier-1 groups. With CS2’s launch date nonetheless unclear (regardless of the “Summer time 2023” deadline), the way forward for CS:GO stays shrouded in thriller. Nevertheless, we will infer some info from what we do know for certain.

Credit score: Adela Sznajder | © ESL

The subsequent deliberate aggressive CS:GO match is Gamers8 2023, with 16 groups competing in Saudi Arabia for an enormous prize pool of $1,000,000. It’s fully attainable that Gamers8 2023 shall be performed on CS:GO no matter whether or not the brand new sport releases or not, given the large prize fund on supply. It could be a massively controversial alternative to change video games with so little discover at this level.

It’s ironic to assume that regardless of the likes of ESL and BLAST sustaining dominance over the aggressive CS:GO scene, the ultimate match of the sport may as a substitute be held by Gamers8.

Trying one step additional into the potential way forward for CS:GO, we discover ESL Professional League Season 18. After IEM Cologne 2023, Professional League is probably what most would think about the subsequent “large” aggressive CS:GO match. Starting August thirtieth, there’s a very good likelihood now we have a full launch of Counter-Strike 2 by then. ESL Professional League Season 18 is a complete toss of the coin. On account of it ending on October 1st, it’s over a month of aggressive Counter-Strike to decide to.

There are positives and negatives to each side. Persist with CS:GO, and you recognize you’ll see a excessive stage of play, but it surely’s outdated information! Transfer to CS2, and never each strat will work precisely the identical, which may end in worse matches. Nevertheless, because of its lengthy size, it will be an actual crash course of aggressive play for the brand new sport. Our recent interview with EPL Commissioner Alex Inglot hinted that he believes little will change within the aggressive scene, and will probably be attention-grabbing to see if that involves fruition.

Intel Grand Slam

Even with all of this, there’s nonetheless the small matter of the Intel Grand Slam for aggressive CS:GO to acknowledge. Even when we did transfer over to CS2 with fast impact, all of Vitality, ENCE, and G2 have one notch on Intel Grand Slam Season 5.

Credit score: Helena Kristiansson | © ESL

Whereas nothing is formally confirmed at this second, it’s presumed that these Grand Slam factors will carry over to Counter-Strike 2. They definitely wouldn’t wipe the slate clear, given the potential monetary worth of the Intel Grand Slam.

What shall be extra attention-grabbing is the impact of the brand new sport on the longer term winners. The brand new mechanics of CS2 may end in different groups bettering at a swift fee, which might imply new names competing within the Intel Grand Slam. Aggressive CS:GO was already shut sufficient, and time will inform if CS2 will shut that hole additional.