Intel Extreme Masters – Dallas 2023: Everything You Need To Know

The world of eSports is an ever-growing and expanding one, with tournaments being played globally with huge cash prizes being offered to the best players and teams that compete.

German eSports organizer and production company, ESL, has been at the forefront of this industry for two decades, having left an indelible mark on the industry. One way in which they have changed the scene is in regard to the longest-running global pro gaming tour in the world: the Intel Extreme Masters competition.

How will the tournament work?

On May 29, the next edition of the Intel Extreme Masters tournament will begin, as the world’s best Counter-Strike: Global Offensive players will compete against each other for the right to earn a share of the $250,000 prize pool that is being offered. Players will all compete in Dallas and will be required to go through various stages if they are to have the opportunity to win the cash on offer, with the final taking place on June 4. We have already had the Rio and Katowice editions of the event.

The competition in Dallas will see a total of 16 teams compete, with each of them having five players and a coach. The tournament will be separated into two groups, meaning eight will be placed in each one.

Once the groups have been formed, teams will compete against each other in a two-double elimination format. This means that one elimination will not be the be-all and end-all, as they will have another chance to compete and win. The opening game will be played as a Best-of-One series, while all remaining games thereafter will be played under a Best-of-Three series. This includes the stages beyond the Group Stage.

In order to reach the playoffs, teams will need to finish in the top three of their respective group. This will then mean six teams will be competing in the knockout stage. However, depending on their position, they will be seeded differently.

The teams that finish top of their respective group will be automatically placed in the Semifinal section of the bracket, while the teams to finish second and third will be entered into the Quarterfinal stage. Second will be placed as the ‘High Seed’, while third will be categorized as the ‘Low Seed’. They will then need to compete with each other in a single-elimination bracket tournament in order to reach the final.

How is the prize pool split?

With $250,000 on offer, the top six teams are able to take home a share of the prize pot. The following breakdown has been determined:

• Winner: $100,000
• Runner-up: $42,000
• 3rd-4th: $20,000 each
• 5th-6th: $10,000 each

Will the tournament attract a big audience?

eSports have exploded in popularity in recent years, as fans have found it as a way of being able to get more out of their passions for gaming and sports. Some have even enhanced the activity by placing bets on the events that take place.

Betting online platforms have started to offer a number of markets due to the rise in interest that has been experienced, with many of them now giving punters the opportunity to place bets on various outcomes that are possible, especially when the biggest tournaments like the Intel Extreme Masters competition take place.

According to the figures, the 2023 Katowice event had achieved 235,623 average viewers, thus suggesting that there could be a number of eyes fixated on the event that will be held in Dallas over the course of a week across May and June.

Who won the 2023 Katowice and 2023 Rio tournaments?

Ahead of the Dallas edition of the tournament, it could be worth taking a look at how the previous editions of this event went.

Katowice 2023 – which was held at the beginning of the year in February – saw G2 Esports come out victorious. They were able to defeat Heroic in the grand final, where they were able to win $400,000 and secure qualification for the Cologne competition, which will be held across July and August with a $1 million prize pool up for grabs.

Rio 2023 was held most recently in April and saw Team Vitality take home the honors as the winner of this event. They received $100,000 and a place in the tournament held in Cologne. They managed to defeat Heroic in the final, as well.

Will it be third time lucky for Heroic?

Could Heroic make it third time lucky? There will be some that will feel they could, although the field does look extremely competitive, hence why so many continue to watch eSports and the action unfold in these huge tournaments.