- The Intel® Extreme Masters Chengdu 2024 Counter-Strike 2 tournament began on April 8, with Playoffs held live at the Chengdu Performing Arts Centre in Chengdu, China, on April 12 – 14.
- The exhilarating final three days saw the top six teams – Astralis, FaZe Clan, G2 Esports, MOUZ, Team Liquid, Virtus.pro – battle it out live in front of their fans for the coveted trophy
- FaZe Clan has been crowned Champions, gaining a second point in the race to Intel® Grand Slam V and winning $100,000 of the $250,000 total prize pool, as well as a spot in the IEM Cologne Group Stage this summer.
- The EPT DHL MVP award went to Helvijs “broky” Saukants of FaZe Clan for a second time, after previously receiving the award at IEM Katowice 2022.
- After returning to Chengdu for the first time since 2009, the tournament saw a peak viewership of over 330,000*
April 14, 2024, Chengdu – The Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM) Chengdu 2024 Grand Finals have reached its climax, with FaZe Clan being crowned champions and claiming the trophy.
Despite FaZe Clan’s rocky beginning during the Group Stage, the team showed that they truly thrive on a big stage. Fueled by the support and energy of the audience, they took their competition by storm, dominating their opponents during the Playoffs, pushing through the lower bracket of the Group Stage, and coming out on top in the Grand Final.
Returning to Chengdu for the first time since 2009, the event saw a peak viewership of over 330,000*. Fans from China and beyond had the opportunity to come to the Chengdu Performing Arts Centre and experience the excitement of the competition live across 3 days during the Playoff Stage.
Group Stage
The tournament commenced on April 8 with the Group Stage, during which 16 teams were split into two groups of eight, where the top two teams from the upper bracket and the top team from the lower bracket advanced to the Playoffs. Among strong international teams, the competition saw a great representation of local heroes from Lynn Vision Gaming, TYLOO, and Steel Helmet in their attempt to secure the coveted trophy in their homeland.
In Group A, the German organization MOUZ secured the top spot in the upper bracket, conceding just one game in the Semifinals against FURIA Esports. Team Liquid took second place in the upper bracket, and G2 Esports beat out HEROIC in the lower bracket Final to secure third place and reach the Playoffs.
Group B saw Astralis, the IEM Beijing 2019 Champions, showcase their prowess once again in China by dominating the upper bracket flawlessly, winning every game. Virtus.pro came second, and FaZe Clan put up an impressive performance in the lower bracket, emerging victorious and securing the third spot in the Playoffs.
Playoffs
The final stage of the competition kicked off on Friday, April 12, with a quarter-final clash between IEM Cologne 2023 Champions, G2 Esports, and Virtus.pro. A stellar performance by G2 Esports saw them advance to the semi-final with a 2-0 win. The second quarter-final saw IEM Katowice 2024 runners-up FaZe Clan face off against the NA powerhouse Team Liquid in a tight battle. After a high performance from both teams, FaZe Clan proved their dominance over Team Liquid on Mirage, advancing into the semi-final with a 2-1 score.
Saturday, April 13, saw the semi-final take place in a filled-out arena, with fans at the edge of their seats watching four teams go neck to neck, eager to see which two will face off during the IEM Chengdu Final. MOUZ was the first one to score a close 3-2 victory over G2, eliminating the crowd’s favorites and securing the coveted spot in the Grand Final. The second team to join them was FaZe Clan, sending their rivals Astralis home with a 3-2 win after a heated battle.
Grand Final
After a close race against their opponents during the Playoffs, both FaZe Clan and MOUZ each won a place in the Grand Final, eliminating some of the top squads along the way. The last time these teams went head-to-head was during the IEM Katowice 2024 semi-final, where FaZe Clan sent home MOUZ with a clean 2-0 victory, leaving them hungry for revenge.
The first game on MOUZ’s map pick, Overpass, saw FaZe Clan leading 8-4 at halftime. MOUZ put up a good fight in the second half, claiming 6 rounds, but ultimately lost to FaZe Clan, who secured a 13-10 victory.
The second game started out similarly to the first, with FaZe Clan once again leading 8-4 at halftime. MOUZ fought hard but couldn’t catch up, and a dominating performance from FaZe Clan saw them win 13-6, claiming the best-of-three victory and taking the title of Champions at IEM Chengdu 2024.
“We played really really good CS today. I think Overpass was one of the best we’ve had. Nuke was also very solid” said Filip “NEO” Kubski, coach of FaZe Clan. “I feel honoured, it’s an incredible team. So much talent around. Very smart guys, hard working guys. It’s been a great ride so far.”
With their win, FaZe Clan takes home $100,000 of the $250,000 total prize pool, while also securing their spot in the IEM Cologne 2024 Group Stage and a second point in the race to secure the Intel Grand Slam V.
Helvijs “broky” Saukants was also awarded the EPT DHL MVP award for his excellent performance throughout the tournament and in the Grand Final.
Qiddiya All-Stars Showmatch
The final day of the competition kicked off with the Qiddiya All-Stars Showmatch. Some of the fan’s favorite players joined two teams to face off, bringing the crowd a one-of-a-kind experience ahead of the final showdown between FaZe Clan and MOUZ. The team led by capitanMo (Steel Helmet) included Hugo, Dank1ng (TYLOO), norber7 (Virtus.pro), and NAF (Team Liquid), went against Harry, qiez, Fame (Virtus.pro), and stunna under the leadership of DD (Steel Helmet). With both teams storming through some unpredictable rounds, it was team capitanMo that swept away their rivals with a 13-9 score.
The ESL Pro Tour (EPT) for Counter-Strike continues with ESL Pro League on April 23 – May 12, and IEM Dallas 2024 taking place on May 31 – June 2.
For more information and the latest updates about ESL’s Counter-Strike esports ecosystem, head to the official ESL Pro Tour website, and follow ESL CS on X, Instagram, and Facebook.
For more information about ESL FACEIT Group, go to the official website and follow EFG on LinkedIn.
*According to escharts.com
About ESL FACEIT Group
ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) is the leading esports and video game entertainment company dedicated to creating worlds beyond gameplay where players and fans become community. EFG is built on a legacy of world-renowned brands including ESL, FACEIT, DreamHack and DreamHack Sports Games, providing innovative ecosystems for global communities of players, fans and creators around the games they love. Working alongside leading partners, brands and global IPs, EFG operates an unmatched portfolio of live events, digital platforms and developer tools that reach and engage millions of gamers worldwide. For more information visit www.eslfaceitgroup.com.
About ESL
ESL creates a world where everybody can be somebody. For more than two decades, we have been shaping the industry and leading esports and gaming innovation globally across the most popular video games, creating a comprehensive ecosystem with opportunities for players to go from zero to hero and for fans to witness the best stories esports has to offer. The ESL portfolio consists of high-profile products such as the ESL Pro Tour, Intel® Extreme Masters, the Snapdragon Pro Series, and many more, ranging from grassroots to global elite competitions. ESL is part of ESL FACEIT Group, the leading competitive games and esports company.
About Intel® Extreme Masters
Intel® Extreme Masters is the longest-running global professional esports tournament circuit in the world. Started in 2006 by Intel® and ESL, the competition features the world’s best gamers in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, StarCraft® II, and other esport titles. Approaching two decades of history and many record-breaking events in terms of viewership and stadium attendance, IEM is widely considered one of the most prestigious and traditional esports tournaments in the world (www.intelextrememasters.com).
