ESL Gaming, formerly known as Electronic Sports League, is a German-owned esports organization and production that created the most popular video games competitions worldwide. It is considered one of the world’s leading esports companies.
And for more than two decades, ESL Gaming has been creating a systematic gaming innovation in the world for the most popular video games that created a community of players and fans to interact with each other. It is also is a company that has given the community stories and opportunity to grow beyond what other organizations in the world could offer. ESL Gaming is not just your typical esports company, it’s more of a community.
With ESL Gaming’s dedication for more than two decades, it has developed and introduced game brands to showcase the best of the best players and teams the world has to know about. ESL Gaming has different gaming categories, online or offline competitions, and other gaming lifestyle festivals.
The top brands this company offers are ESL Pro Tour, DreamHack, ESL Mobile, and Intel Extreme Masters ESL. However, other smaller brands ESL Gaming. includes ESL Pro League, ESL National Championship, ESL One, Inter Grand Slam, ESEA, CSGO Hub Beta, CSGO Stats, DreamHack Open, Gaming for Good, and many more.
Created in 2007, Intel Extreme Masters is a series of competitive esports tournaments worldwide. It is sponsored by ESL Gaming that hosts Counter-Stike: Global Offensive and Starcraft II and other sponsors for this event include Predator, 1XBET, Coinbase, US Air Force, and DHL. The Inter Extreme Masters Season XVI – Katowice is one of the anticipated tournaments for this year that will start on February 15, 2023, and ends on February 27, 2023. It will be held in Katowice, Poland in Spodek multipurpose arena and will be an offline event. Intel Extreme Masters Season XVI – Katowice will have a whopping $1,000,000 prize pool and is a historic event as it goes double for Counter-Strike. And this major event is another point for the Inter Grand Slam.
More About Extreme Masters XVI – Katowice
Since February is fast approaching, here is some information about Extreme Masters XVI – Katowice event that fans should know and what to expect.
EPT Points & Prize Pool
| Points | Prize Money | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1,800 | $400,000 |
| 2nd | 1,400 | $180,000 |
| 3rd-4th | 1,100 | $80,000 |
| 5th-6th | 825 | $40,000 |
| 7th-8th | 575 | $24,000 |
| 9th-12th | 325 | $16,000 |
| 13th-16th | 125 | $10,000 |
| 17th-20th | 60 | $4,500 |
| 21st-24th | 0 | $,2500 |
| Total | 10,240 | $1,000,000 |
GamePlay Format
Extreme Masters XVI – Katowice has three stages during the whole season game. These stages are Play-In, Group Stage, and Playoffs. Here is the information for each stage that might be helpful.
Play-In
- Schedule: February 15 to 16, 2023
- Sixteen Teams to compete for Double Elimination
- Opening Matches will be Best-of-One
- All remaining matches will be Best-of-Three
- The top eight teams will forward to the main event
Group Stage
- Schedule: February 17 to 20, 2023
- Double Elimination format for GSL Groups that each group has eight teams and all matches will be Best-of-Three
- Top three teams from each group will advance to the Playoffs (Group Stage winners advance to the Semifinals, Group Stage runners-up to the Quarterfinals in the High Seeds and Group stage 3rd placer to Quarterfinals in the Low Seeds
Playoffs
- Schedule: February 25 to 27, 2023
- Two teams will be forward directly to semifinals
- Four teams to Quarterfinals
- Single Bracket Elimination
- All matches are Best-of-Three
- Grand Final will be Best-of-Five
Teams Participating
Extreme Masters XVI – Katowice is one anticipated team the esports community is excited about. Here are some of the teams and representing players that will showcase their skills for this event.
| Team | Players | Status/Game Stage | Points Garnered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natus Vincere | S1mple, electroNic, Booml4, Perfecto, b1t, B1ad3 | Directly Qualifying Team – Road to Katowice EU #1 | 6222,50 |
| Gambit Esports | Nafany, sh1ro, internz, Ax1Le, HObbit, groove | Directly Qualifying Team – Road to Katowice EU #2 | 5955,00 |
| G2 Sports | JACKZ, hunter-, NiKo, m0NESY, Aleksib, XTQZZ | Directly Qualifying Team – Road to Katowice EU #3 | 4690,00 |
| Team Vitality | apEX, ZywOo, misutaaa, dupreeh, Magisk, zonic | Directly Qualifying Team – Road to Katowice EU #4 | 4087,50 |
| Heroic | stavn, cadiaN, TeSeS, refresh, sjuush, Xizt | Directly Qualifying Team – Road to Katowice EU #5 | 3675,00 |
| Vitrus.pro | buster, Qikert, jame, YEKINDAR, FL1T, dastan | Directly Qualifying Team – Road to Katowice EU #6 | 3630,00 |
| FURIA Esports | yuurih, arT, KSCERATO, drop, saffee, guerri | Directly Qualifying Team – Road to Katowice NA #1 | 2325,00 |
| Team Liquid | EliGE, NAF, oSee, shox, nitr0, adreN | Directly Qualifying Team – Road to Katowice NA #2 | 2085,0 |
| Ninjas in Pyjamas | REZ, Plopski, hampus, dev1ce, es3tag, djL | Play-In Team – Road to Katowice EU #7 | 3410,00 |
| Astralis | Xyp9x, gla1ve, Lucky, k0nfig, blameF, ave | Play-In Team – Road to Katowice EU #8 | 2625,00 |
| FaZe Clan | rain, broky, Twistzz, karrigan, ropz, RobbaN | Play-In Team – Road to Katowice EU #9 | 1877,50 |
| GODSENT | TACO, felps, latto, b4rtin, dumau, cky | Play-In Team – Road to Katowice NA #3 | 755,00 |
| Complexity | JT, FaNg, floppy, Grim, junior, T.c | Play-In Team – Road to Katowice NA #4 | 470,00 |
| MIBR | chelo, exit, WOOD7, Tuurtle, JOTA | Play-In Team – Road to Katowice SA #1 | 205,00 |
| Renegades | Sico, INS, Hatz, aliStair, Kingfisher | Play-In Team – Road to Katowice OCE #1 | 540,00 |
| TYLOO | somebody, Summer, Attacker, SLOWLY, DANK1NG, Karsa | Play-In Team – Road to Katowice AS #1 | 205,00 |
| BIG | tabseN, tiziaN, syrsoN, k1to, faveN, enkayJ | ESL World Ranking | 1085,50 |
| Entropiq | El1an, Lack1, NickelBack, Krad, Forester, hooch | ESL World Ranking | 710,00 |
| OG | valde, mantuu, niko, flameZ, nexa, ruggah | ESL World Ranking | 1852,50 |
| CPH Flames | Jabbi, nicoodoz, roeJ, HooXi, Zyphon, vorborg | ESL World Ranking | 430,00 |
| Fnatic | KRIMZ, Brollan, ALEX, mezli, smooya, keita | ESL World Ranking | 575,00 |
| ENCE | Snappi, Spinx, dycha, hades, maden, sAw | ESL World Ranking | 1085,00 |
| MOUZ | Frozen, Bymas, dexter, torzsi, NBK-, sycrone | ESL World Ranking | 747,50 |
| Wisła Kraków | SZPERO, jedqr, Goofy, snatchie, Sobol, Loord | Mistrzostwa Polski | 575,00 |
Live Match Ticketing Game Information
Even with the current world situation right now, Extreme Masters XVI – Katowice offers live audience participation on Spodek Arena, where all the action will happen. However, this privilege will only be available for the following ticket holder:
- God Mode (The whole experience package) that includes a CS:GO Tournament Ticket, Guaranteed seating close to the stage, Premium Good bag, Premium attendee badge, Free non-alcoholic drinks, hotel room stay between Feb. 24-28 at Courtyard Hotel by Marriot, VIP is accessed with catering and a dedicated entrance.
- Premium Tickets (Close to the Players) which includes CS:GO Tournament Ticket, Guaranteed seating close to the stage, Premium Good bag only for a full 3-day weekend ticket, Premium attendee badge, and Free non-alcoholic drinks.
- Lower Rank Tickets (Better View) which includes CS:GO Tournament Ticket and Guaranteed seating in lower ranks.
- Upper Rank Tickets (Blue Area) which includes CS:GO Tournament Ticket and Guaranteed seating in blue area upper ranks.
- Upper-Rank Tickets (Yellow Area) which includes CS:GO Tournament Ticket and Guaranteed seating in yellow area upper ranks.
Fans who want to watch it live should be at least 16 years old and older. However, for those who are below 13 years old, they will be allowed as long as accompanied by the parents and with written consent.
