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- The Intel Extreme Masters Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament series will hold an event in Beijing’s Haidian district.
- The $250K USD competition will be held on Nov. 9-10 with eight total teams, including Astralis and Team Liquid.
- IEM Beijing-Haidian will mark the series 10th anniversary with its 77th tournament to date.
ESL and Intel will bring the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) tournament series to China this November with IEM Beijing-Haidian, which will take place in the Haidian district of Beijing.
The Counter-Strike: Global Offensive competition will be held at the Beijing University Students’ Gymnasium of Capital University of Physical Education and Sports on Nov. 9-10, with a $250K total prize pool. The winning team will also earn a point towards the Intel Grand Slam, which awards a $1M bonus to a team that wins a certain number of tournaments within 10 straight qualifying events.
Eight teams will compete, with five teams invited, and the other three earning entry by winning online qualifiers. Team Liquid and Astralis, the two previous Intel Grand Slam winners, are the only confirmed teams at this point.
IEM Beijing-Haidian will also mark the 10th anniversary of Intel Extreme Masters. This is the events series’ 77th competition to date, and the brand has awarded more than $11.5M to date in prizing. According to ESL, this is the first IEM event in China to be held as a standalone event.
“Over years of hosting IEM in China, we have seen the Chinese esports community grow to be one of the most dedicated in the world,” said ESL vice president of pro gaming Michal Blicharz, in a release. “We are honored to crown our journey in China through creating such a historic milestone by bringing our prestigious IEM tournament for a remarkable anniversary to China’s capital, Beijing. To celebrate this huge accomplishment, we are excited to fill renowned venues and stadiums around the world instead of trade fairs, and we are proud to bring our tournament to some of the most coveted fans. This is just the kick-off for many more great esports moments throughout Asia and especially China.”
