According to the statement, the main reason for Cloud9 parting ways with Woxic was due to the team being unable to overcome a couple of challenges which involved his performance. Some of them being unreliable ping/unstable internet, and a feasible time zone. After review of these obstacles, the team has decided to terminate Woxic’s contract, which allows him to focus on what he wants to pursue next.
Credits: DreamHack
The Cloud9 roster was finalized back in October, where they announced that es3tag was transferring from Astralis. However recently we had news which included Cloud9 parting ways with their CS:GO coach, Kassad. The team has only participated in a handful of events, most notably: Flashpoint Season 2, and BLAST Premier Fall 2020 Showdown.
Flashpoint Season 2 was a huge disappointment, as the team ended up finishing in 11th/12th place. Then at DreamHack, the team improved their performance and finished in 5th-8th. And lastly, their best result so far was a 3rd/4th finish at Nine to Five#7
What’s next for Woxic?
In his latest statement regarding his departure from Cloud9, Woxic mentions that he will address his upcoming plans shortly. He will most probably be looking for a new European team which is in desperate need of someone with his experience. But until then, be sure to keep yourself updated on all the latest esports news by tuning into www.esportsguide.com!
Today we’ll be seeing professional CS:GO return in Europe as the BLAST Premier Global Final 2020 kicks off this afternoon. Here’s all the details you need to know, and how to watch it!
— BLAST Premier GLOBAL FINALS TODAY 💥 (@BLASTPremier) January 19, 2021
Tournament’s background
BLAST is quite a familiar name when it comes to tournaments and events for CS:GO. Some of their most popular events were the BLAST Pro Series, which featured events at several cities around the world. Last year and this year, BLAST have created this BLAST Premier which revolves around online CS:GO, and have also brought on North American teams to participate in Europe.
How to qualify for the main event
The majority of the teams participating at the BLAST Premier Global Final 2020 have qualified through the BLAST Premier Circuit. Other teams have passed through regional Spring Finals, (European/American), whereas one other team has earned its spot, via the Fall Finals in 2020.
Credits: BLAST
Prize Pool
There will be a total of $1,000,000 USD to be distributed between all teams. Here below is the prize pool distribution list:
1st – $600,000
2nd – $200,000
3rd – $80,000
4th – $50,000
5th-6th – $20,000
7th-8th – $15,000
Tournament format
The BLAST Premier Global Final 2020 follows a pretty standard procedure when it comes to tournament format.
Playoffs:
Double-Elimination bracket
All matches set in a best of 3 format
Teams Participating
There will be a total of 8 teams participating, and they will all be fighting through to climb the bracket to reach the Grand Finals. Here is the full team participation list:
The event is set to take place between the 19th and 24th of January. These following days are going to be action-packed with CS:GO so be sure to clear your dates if you’re interested in watching. Here are some of the first few matches:
Upper Bracket Qualifications – 19th January 2021
16:30 CET – Astralis vs Evil Geniuses
19:30 CET – G2 Esports vs FURIA Esports
Upper Bracket Qualifications – 20th January 2021
16:30 CET – Team Vitality vs Complexity
19:30 CET – Natus Vincere vs Team Liquid
Upper Bracket Semifinals – 21st January 2021
16:30 CET – Winner of Astralis/EG vs Winner of G2/FURIA
19:30 CET – Winner of Vitality/CoL vs Winner of NaVi/Liquid
Credits: BLAST
Streaming platform list
The BLAST Premier Global Final 2020 event will be live streamed on the official BLAST Premier Twitch and Youtube channel. The event will also be broadcast in a variety of languages, head over to the liquipedia link here to find out more.
Watch the BLAST Premier Global Final 2020 live stream on esportsguide.com
You can also watch the BLAST Premier Global Final 2020 live stream via our very own website. Providing an extensive list of the biggest esports together with streams for each esports match live today or upcoming matches.
With so many talented teams at the event, it’s going to be very hard to pick out a clear winner. However, to point out some noteworthy stuff; FURIA have recently added honda to their team, Complexity have temporarily signed JUGi for the tournament, and we’ll also be seeing Team Liquid’s first appearance with FalleN in the roster! Ofcourse, with these changes it would be an even tougher choice to choose the team that will come out victorious. However, it’s fair to say that Team Vitality and Astralis are still looking fresh and strong, and will definitely be the favourites heading into the event.
Be sure to keep yourself updated with www.esportsguide.com for more esports news!
It’s definitely been a while since our last StateoftheCommunityepisode. Indeed, with so many scenes undergoing drastic changes of platform, it didn’t seem fair to offer a critical narrative in this regard. However, many months later we can now begin to observe which esports faired better. Unfortunately, it seems that online CS:GO struggling has some reasoning behind it – let’s dive in!
Possibly the Greatest Cheating Scandal in Esports History
I’m not sure if this is justified to say, but last year CS:GO suffered one of the greatest cheating scandals in esports history. As extensively covered by us, teams upon teams upon teams were exposd to have cheated through coaches manipulating exploits and not reporting them.
Credits: DreamHack
Accordingly, online CS:GO struggling was no surprise. Coach after coach either confessed or simply left the scene, while many achievements were simply questioned. Indeed, this scandal had serious repercussions on the fabric of the community, throwing the competitive scene into a whirlwind of accusations and speculation.
Yet, that’s in the past – what else could be contribute to online CS:GO struggling?
Stream Sniping at ESIC – Really?
Another scandal, though more present and less serious, was that of stream sniping at the ESIC event last year in December. Here’s a Tweet to dig in, where ESIC simply says ‘they’d had enough’:
ESIC reinforces prohibition on stream sniping in CSGO with its notification of a zero tolerance policy.
“ESIC has received and assessed compelling evidence depicting that this behavior has been taking place on an alarmingly regular basis and at all levels of competition.” (1/2) pic.twitter.com/ExYLGUkh9S
Obviously, ESIC knew something was up and reported that certain teams were up to no good. Specifically, the community has pinpointed MIBR’s performance early in the tournament as replicative of this.
And all of this is taking place with a title like VALORANT quickly gaining support. With the title on the horizon, a few teams decided to build their reputation in an unethical way.
Online CS:GO Struggling – Match-Fixing Before the Swap
Another scandal? Yes, you guessed it. Online CS:GO Struggling’s final chapter comes in the form of match-fixing which was allegedly taking place in September. Accordingly, what was taking place was that a cohort of competitive CS:GO players decided to match-fix tournament outcomes. In doing so, they would appear as stronger competitors to assure themselves a spot on a VALORANT roster.
Once again, ESIC got it’s hands dirty with another investigation:
ESIC Update on MDL Match Fixing Investigation.
ESIC Investigation to conclude in the next four weeks with determination to be issued upon conclusion.
Although taking place in lower leagues, this is still a massive hit to the community once again. While investigations are still underway, it doesn’t look to bright.
Organizations Complaining About Viability
Bearing all this in mind, and the fact that online CS:GO is already in itself a difficult thing to host, there’s more to come. With the online switch, events were simply less competitively viable due to how badly internet could affect the fast-paced action.
With the main bulk of struggle in the North American region, organizations such as Team Envy have stepped away from the scene with the following inflammatory tweet:
Actually, operating almost any CS team is lighting money on fire right now. There are no underlying assets that support the spend where top player salaries are. I’m sure you could run a fantastic team if you had unlimited cash, but what happens when you can’t cover your cost?
Such strong words are worth considering. Esports organizations in NA are struggling to field a CS:GO roster in its current state – saying it’s not viable. However, not every owner is having this experience as countered by Triumph Gaming’s CEO:
Nothing but respect for @hastr0 and Envy. Truly a blueprint in our industry.
With that being said, Triumph managed to build a successful CSGO program in 2020. Top 5 in NA with victories over C9/Liquid all while virtually breaking even financially during a pandemic.
I’m aware that I’ve painted a pretty bleak picture but that’s not the end. Yes, the scene is having some trouble right now, but it’ll rebound.
In order to do this, Valve and event organizers have to work together to make the online platform more competitively viable and fair. At the same time, these little issues must be resolved before they get even more serious.
PGL hosting the Stockholm CS:GO Major in 2021 – When will it take place?
As of right now, the dates for the PGL Major are from the 23rd of October till the 7th of November in 2021. With the pandemic, anything can happen, so do take these dates with a grain of salt. However, be sure that if it does take place, all safety conditions and measures are going to be a priority to ensure the healthiest and safest atmosphere possible.
Prize Pool
The PGL Major in Stockholm will consist of the largest prize pool that Counter-Strike has ever seen. PGL announced that the teams competing at the Major will fight for a total of $2,000,000 in prize pool.
This is what CEO of PGL, Silviu Stroie had to say about the announcement:
“First of all, my colleagues and I are passionate fans of CS. We grew up and watched this game getting bigger and bigger, just at the same pace as our development as a company. We have timeless memories with our past Counter-Strike shows, and, honestly, we owe a lot to this game, as players and as a company. Our goal is to celebrate the game in the best way possible, and we will work hard for this”
The Stockholm PGL Major will be the third major that PGL will be hosting. As they have previously organised Cluj-Napoca 2015 and Kraków 2017. We’re all eager to witness another event full of spectacular Counter-Strike, and with so many teams improving over the course of last year, we just cannot wait to see which team will take the trophy home!
Be sure to keep yourself updated on www.esportsguide.com for all your esports news!
Fnatic adding Jackinho to CS:GO roster – Who is he?
21-year-old Jack “Jackinho” Ström Mattson started his professional CS:GO career in 2016 under team Nordic Knights. He’s played under numerous Swedish teams, most notably: Property, visomvet, and Prima Esport. While he hasn’t achieved much on an international level, he has certainly made a name for himself in Sweden. Here are some of his best achievements:
1st at the Svenska Elitserien Spring 2020 – 31st May 2020 – $13,765.42
First at Yalla Cup Winter 2020 – 20th December 2020 – $3,035.48
1st at the Doritos CS:GO Open Season 2 – 31st October 2020 – $2,810.93
Image of Jackinho Credits: Fragbite
This is what Jackinho had to say about him joining Fnatic:
“A big thank you to Fnatic for the chance to play for such a legendary organization and thank you to Prima Esport for my time with them. A big thank you to my agent Eduardo and my agency GLHF Agency I could not have asked for better representation. Lastly a big thanks to Pita for being there and helping me with anything both outside and inside of the game.”
We first revealed that this move would happen, with the announcement of Flusha’s departure from Fnatic. While it’s sad to see such a legendary figure step away from the black and orange, it’s definitely heart-warming to see another swedish talent learning from the best under Fnatic.
Be sure to keep yourself updated with www.esportsguide.com for all your esports news!
OFFSET reveal CS:GO roster – Who did they pick up?
To first kick off their announcement, OFFSET had announced that legendary CS:GO talent Ricardo “Fox“ Pacheco was joining the team. Fox has been competing in Counter-Strike since 2003 and has been on several roster since then. Most notably, FaZe Clan, and SK Gaming.
It’s going to be very exciting to see this Portuguese roster perform in 2021. With a new organization at the helm, the team should be taking this as a second opportunity at claiming themselves as the best Portuguese team.
Be sure to keep yourself updated on www.esportsguide.com for all your esports news!
The team’s disappointing results over the course of the 2020 season is quite transparent. Last year, the team made at least 11 roster changes, including their coaches. The team was definitely unstable in terms of performance, and it can be blatantly seen in their past events. In Flashpoint Season 2, the team placed 7th-8th, and in cs_Summit 6, the team had an upsetting placement of 12th/13th.
Credits: Envy
Envy has had quite a long history when it comes to CS:GO. But as described by Hastr0, Team Envy’s CEO, having a Counter-Strike team is like lighting money on fire right now.
Actually, operating almost any CS team is lighting money on fire right now. There are no underlying assets that support the spend where top player salaries are. I’m sure you could run a fantastic team if you had unlimited cash, but what happens when you can’t cover your cost?
It’s disheartening to see an organization like Envy part ways with CS:GO for the time being. But who’s to say that they won’t bounce back with an even stronger team in the near future. With so many players available and up for grabs, anything can happen, especially with a majority of the CS:GO scene being in Europe.
Make sure you keep yourself updated on all the important esports news by tuning in to www.esportsguide.com!
Fnatic have announced that they will be benching Flusha from their main roster. Here below is their announcement:
Fnatic CS:GO — Roster Update
Robin "@flusha" Rönnquist has been transferred to the inactive roster of our CS:GO team, allowing him to explore his options and discuss offers with other teams.
It’s quite clear that Fnatic haven’t had the best results in recent events. Despite Flusha not being the weakest in the squad, they’ve benched him as they have a new project set for the team in 2021.
Flusha’s history with Fnatic
Robin “Flusha” Rönnquist first joined Fnatic back in 2013. Where he and his squad created one of the most legendary teams to date. Winning the DreamHack Winter 2013, ESL One: Katowice 2015, and ESL One: Cologne 2015 majors. Then in 2016, he left the black and orange to play for Godsent, where he did not manage to replicate his success. He returned back to Fnatic in 2017, and left them once more in late 2018 to represent Cloud9. After not being able to win with a roster shuffled Cloud9, he decided to return to Fnatic in 2019.
Credits: DreamHack
This is what Fnatic coach, Andreas Samuelsson had to say about the roster move:
“Looking to the future of FnaticCS:GO we’ve had to make some tough decisions about our roster and our legendary players. Robin is an amazingly talented player and I’m sure he will find a place in a top tier team very quickly. Flusha dropping to our inactive roster opens up a place on our active roster that we will use to rejuvenate our team for the 2021 season.”
Rumors that have recently surfaced indicate that up and coming Jack “Jackinho” Ström Mattson will be replacing Señor VAC. He has only ever played in semi-professional CS and is looking to make his professional debut with Fnatic.
Image of Jackinho Credits: Fragbite
Be sure to keep yourself updated with www.esportsguide.com for all your esports news!
We’ve got a breaking new roster change for competitiveCS:GO. Indeed, following the Christmas break, multiple teams are looking to prepare for the next year of competition. Accordingly, it’s massive news when a player like “FalleN” makes a move to Team Liquid. Let’s dive into Team Liquid FalleN!
The star-studded player has been on multiple rosters: including Luminosity, SK Gaming and most recently MIBR. In the past few years, the player has found multiple victories and has always played a key role for his team. However, the past year has been rather dry for the player, being inactive since September of last here. That’s why Team Liquid FalleN is no surprise.
It’s quite shock in the community. Team Liquid now looks stronger than ever with the Brazilian star on the lineup. Let’s the see the reasoning behind his choice:
I chose Liquid because I played against them many years, I know their strengths and I know how well they can play and I think that, with my abilities and the way I think about the game, I can be helpful.
I think that what I bring to the team are my capabilities with the AWP. Liquid are known for not having a specific AWPer for a long time and still succeeding, but it feels like the team was looking for someone to fulfil that role, and I am very happy that they chose me to do that.”
18-year-old Thomas “TMB” Bundsbæk on the other hand is an up and coming Danish player, which is yet to prove his abilities at the highest level of Counter-Strike. He has played under the Copenhagen Flames, and is currently representing AGF Esport. He is best known for his victory at the United Masters League Season 2 with Copenhagen Flames, where the team took down Sprout and got $50,000 in prize pool.
It’s hard to say out of speculation, however, these 2 players know what to do to get a team to the top. All in all, we need to see if the deal does eventually go through, and if Ence can gain back their reputation as one of the best teams in the World.
Until then, be sure to keep yourself updated on www.esportsguide.com for more esports news!
