This year’s tournament comes with some notable changes. First, the event has moved from the Mediterranean island of Malta to ESL’s studios in Stockholm. This means that unlike previous editions, there won’t be a live crowd for the playoffs.
Another major shake-up is the new format. ESL has ditched its previous system in favor of two Swiss-style group stages, leading into an eight-team playoff bracket. Every match in the tournament will be a best-of-three, except for the grand final, which will be a best-of-five. Notably, there will be no third-place decider match this time around.
Seeding for the tournament was determined through a peer-voting system, similar to the method used in the IEM Katowice 2019 Major. This system had an especially big impact on paiN, who benefited the most in Stage 1, jumping up three places to land just below top-seeded Eternal Fire.
One of the biggest talking points this season is the absence of FaZe, who declined their invite to the Swedish studio event. On the flip side, some of the biggest names in Counter-Strike – Spirit, Vitality, G2, Natus Vincere, and Liquid – are all making their return after sitting out PGL Cluj-Napoca.
One of the more intriguing stories this season is HEROIC, who have made it to the event after acquiring the core roster of Sangal, the team that won ECL48 in Europe. Meanwhile, Housebets and Mindfreak will bring an Australian presence to the event, getting a chance to test themselves against top-tier international competition.
The Play-In stage runs from March 1-5, with eight spots in Stage 2 up for grabs. Once that’s settled, the main event kicks off on March 7, running through March 16.
The group stage will feature two simultaneous streams, ensuring fans don’t miss out on any of the action. We can expect four best-of-three matches per day, with games starting at 14:30 CET.
Eternal Fire is set to kick off the tournament’s Stage 1 Play-In with a showdown against Mindfreak on March 1.
CS2 knives are some of the most appreciated items in the game. Although guns are usually the idea you have in your head when you think about CS2, knives are also great because they provide melee benefits for the players. However, some of the best knives in the game have a discouraging price tag, while the cheaper ones are something players avoid as they consider them lower quality. But if you know where to look and you’re in desperate need of this item, finding the cheapest CS2 knife will let you enjoy the fun without breaking the bank. This post will reveal the most affordable CS2 knives you can buy this year.
![CS2 Rank Distribution in [year]](/imgs/news_7959/20241011/cache/1728647520_6b5a528dc8c6fd1dcfb1___308_174.jpg "CS2 Rank Distribution in [year]")
![Top CSGO Crosshair Codes Used by Players in [year]](/imgs/news_7957/20241010/cache/1728566058_2944e6c64e1e22736e24___308_174.jpg "Top CSGO Crosshair Codes Used by Players in [year]")
