Intel Extreme Masters Comes to Sydney for the First Time

World’s best Counter Strike players heading down under.

By Luke Reilly

Intel Extreme Masters, the world’s longest running pro gaming tour, is headed to Australia for the first time this May.

On May 6-7 six of the world’s best Counter-Strike: Global Offensive teams will face off at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena for a slice of a $260,000 prize pool – the largest ever prize pool for an Australian esports event.

Teams confirmed so far include SK Gaming (the best team of 2016 and winner of two $US1 million CS:GO Majors to date) and local team Renegades.

Sydney will be the first stop on IEM’s global tour for its 12th season and ESL is promising an event on par with the “spectacle synonymous with major European, North American and Asian events.”

“Having been to five different continents is a badge of honour for our historic competition,” said Michal Blicharz, VP Pro Gaming at ESL. “Australia has been an attractive market for us as part of our global expansion of the Intel Extreme Masters brand. We look forward to bringing Intel Extreme Masters to new global audiences and making history for esports in Australia.”

US-based team Renegades acquired the Australian CS:GO team Vox Eminor in 2015.

Founded in 2006 by ESL, Intel Extreme Masters is the world’s oldest global pro gaming tour and reaches over 40 million viewers on Twitch each season. The competition features Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, StarCraft II, and League of Legends tournaments across Europe, Asia, and North and South America.

An exclusive 48-hour pre-sale for Telstra customers will run from 9am Thursday March 9 to 8pm Sunday March 12, 2017. Tickets for the general public will be available from 10am AEDT Monday March 13, 2017 via Ticketek.

Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter @MrLukeReilly.

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