ESL to host its 33rd SC2 competition which sees 76 global players to compete for their share of a US$ 400,000 prize pool in Katowice, Poland

(Cologne) 29 October 2019 – ESL, the world’s largest esports company, together with Intel® and Blizzard Entertainment announces the return of StarCraft® II (SC2) to Intel® Extreme Masters Katowice in 2020. This tournament will mark the 10th anniversary of StarCraft as a leading title on IEM and will again invite the world’s best SC2 players to compete in Poland this winter for their share of a US $400,000 prize pool. The tournament takes place starting on February 24, culminating in the legendary Spodek Arena on March 1st.

“For ten years, StarCraft II has delivered some of the most legendary moments on our stages,” said Michal Blicharz, VP of Pro Gaming at ESL. “Blizzard titles have always been a part of the Intel® Extreme Masters DNA, and legacy is something that’s incredibly important to us to maintain and develop. SC2 helps us cultivate a living thread back to the very first years of Intel® Extreme Masters.”

“StarCraft II ushered in a new era of esports, and Intel® Extreme Masters has been an essential partner in the growth of the StarCraft II global scene over the past decade,” said Sam Braithwaite, Global Director of Hearthstone, World of Warcraft & Classic Games Esports at Blizzard Entertainment. “Katowice is the only place we could imagine beginning 2020 to celebrate the legacy and continued impact of StarCraft II on the past, present, and future of live competitive entertainment.” 

Players from all over the world are invited to join the journey to the Spodek Arena beginning from online qualification starting in January 2020. Qualifiers will lead to the first stages of offline competition in late February. 

• Round-of-76 (Feb 24 – Feb 25): 64 players, based on the 2019 WCS World Ranking, will compete across two days for advancement into the Round-of-24 (Ro24). Twelve players will proceed to the Ro24 where the 2019 WCS Global Champion and eleven online qualified players will await them. The competition will be broadcast from the studio at ESL Arena Katowice.

• Round-of-24 (Feb 27 – Feb 29): The IEM Expo will host the Ro24 for three days. Visitors are welcome to watch this round live across February 28 and 29.

• Top Four and Grand Finals (March 1st): The top four players resulting from the Ro24 will play live in front of thousands of spectators in the prestigious Spodek Arena, home of esports, for their share of the US $400,000 prize money.

Tickets will go public on October 31st. Premium tickets to the StarCraft II tournament Feb 28 – Mar 1 will be available for 500PLN, including a goodie bag, free drinks during the matches (only non-alcoholic, Spodek Arena only) and seating in the front row to guarantee visitors a premium viewing experience.

Tickets for the whole CS:GO experience at IEM Katowice range in price between 70PLN for a day-ticket and 650PLN for the Premium ticket, giving access to the event on all three tournament days and much more.

To stay up-to-date with the tournament and upcoming qualifiers, follow StarCraft II on Twitter and Facebook and visit the official website: intelextrememasters.com.