The commitment of certain European countries to video games and esports is growing at a rapid pace. Both Poland and Denmark are taking the lead in the Old Continent with various beneficial initiatives. Yesterday, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Danish Prime Minister, played Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) at the Astralis headquarters. During his visit, he also made an announcement of a national strategy for esports.
The goal of the Danish government is to create an ” eSports panel ” that ensures the integrity of electronic sports while fighting against cheats and illegal operations. Motherboard, a North American page, broadcasted Rasmussen’s meeting at Astralis headquarters. The panel agreed to a strategy that involves closing 25 esports betting websites that are operating illegally in Denmark.
Esports as a model for young people
According to the North American portal, the Danish minister said in a press conference that they aim to establish a ” good framework ” for esports. It will ensure that the industry could grow strong and fully develop in the region. There is also another interview of Rasmussen where he talks about the growing population who regularly play games in Denmark. According to the recent statistics, he believes that 96 percent of Danish guys play games at least twice a week.
Media day at the office. Also a visit from the Danish Prime Minister where he tried out Counter-Strike for the first time.@larsloekke controlling the ?️ and @zonic_cs the ⌨️#ToTheStars pic.twitter.com/iZjF6lQh9G
— Astralis (@astralisgg) April 30, 2019
One of the objectives is to show the framework of Astralis. It justifies that the eSports industry is playing a critical role in the development of society. Rasmussen said that video games teach a lot about meeting people in real life. The pro players have a good sleeping schedule which also includes eating healthy and participating in physical activities. Professional players have the right to act as role models for young people. Of course, initiatives like these will help the esports sector to shake off many prejudices that have been haunting video games industry since its inception.
New Schedule Arrives!
Meanwhile a few hours ago, Valve has distributed schedules for 2020 and 2021 competitive circuit. The developers decided to limit the Premier level competitions to two tournaments and have also changed the dates of the events. Now the first major season will take place in May, and the second – in November.
Representatives of Valve also noted that the championships should be held at a convenient time for most players. They have highlighted that the main matches should kick off before midnight. In 2020, the tournaments will last for just two weeks, less than the majors of the current season. Intel Extreme Masters Season XIII – Katowice Major 2019 took place from February 13 to March 3 (19 days). While StarLadder Major in Berlin will take place from August 20 to September 8 (20 days).
Thank you @csgo_dev for listening to the concerns around the dates of the Majors and taking our feedback into consideration.
— Counter-Strike Professional Players’ Association (@CSPPAgg) May 2, 2019
When the organizers submitted major dates from StarLadder, many players were unhappy with the schedule. According to the athletes, the tournament starts too early and does not give teams time to rest after the season. Valve has solved this problem for the next year by introducing a flexible schedule.
