Best Of Bets

Tag: Esports

  • Is The Finals Esports Ready?

    Is The Finals Esports Ready?

    A new title from Embark has hit the competitive FPS genre with a bang. By rewriting the script for an “extraction shooter” many fans believe The Finals will be the next big Esports title. However, is the game ready for the ultra-competitive scene? Here we will look at all facets of the game – and come to a conclusion and assess what needs to happen to make the game ready for Esports.

    READ MORE: Guild Esports Sign New CS Roster

    Competitive Nature 

    When looking at The Finals, it’s clear there the game is set up to go down the competitive route. With a dedicated “Tournament” mode, players can compete against 16 other teams to get the win. The integration of this is very interesting as there has been no mention of venturing towards Esports just yet. However, features like this show a clear interest in the competitive side of the game. 

    The gameplay itself seems to have a high enough skill ceiling to be viable at the highest level of play. Although the developers are still making changes to the game, whether that be bug fixes or balancing, The Finals shows a lot of potential from a gameplay perspective. The top-level players have become very effective at assessing gameplay situations and knowing when to take fights and when to run.


    As an extraction shooter – The Finals brings a new feel to the competitive FPS genre. Its fast-paced nature and destruction may be seen as overly volatile to be labeled as “competitive”, however, we are now seeing players find effective strategies to mitigate the RNG nature of destruction.

    In-Game Infrastructure

    the-finals-tournament-mode

    Unfortunately, The Finals doesn’t currently feature a “custom game” mode, meaning players can’t create their lobbies and are forced into official lobbies to experience the game. Essentially, this makes it impossible for the game to be Esports-ready in its current state.

    If Embark implemented this feature, it would be a huge step in the right direction for the game. This is arguably the only essential change that needs to be made for The Finals to be Esports-ready. However, there are still a lot of gameplay changes and updates that need to be put in place for the game to feel balanced and competitive from head to foot.

    Playerbase 

    The player base for The Finals is still extremely strong. Although we have seen a large drop since release that is very much expected for a new game. As of writing this, the game is sitting at a similar player base as Rainbow Six Siege and Destiny 2 – both titans of the FPS genre. 

    However, this is for Steam only. The Finals features crossplay capabilities which allow PC and console players to join the same lobbies. Which effectively doubles (or even triples) the player base.

    It seems the community surrounding the finals is also rather supportive. One look at the official discord server and we can see that players are constantly providing direct feedback to the developers. 

    As more updates are released for the game, we will probably see a lot of the player base return and attract new players.

    Is The Finals Esports Ready?

    the-finals-esports-ready

    Put simply… no. However, the future is bright for The Finals. With many claiming this new title has revolutionized the FPS genre we are likely to see the developers support this game for years to come. 

    The game features some Esports familiar components that hint towards a positive future, nonetheless, there are still a lot of changes and updates that need to be made for the game to be Esports-ready, and compete with other massive titles – such as Valorant and CS2.

    NEXT: The Game Awards: All Esports Categories and Nominees

  • The Game Awards: All Esports Categories and Nominees

    The Game Awards: All Esports Categories and Nominees

    The Game Awards are fast approaching. Publishers, teams, and organizations are pushing to gain the support of their fans to be the best in the category for 2024.

    Whether it’s the Game of the Year or the Best Esports Coach, this event has it all! Here’s everything you need to know about the Esports side of the Game Awards and the Nominees you can vote for…

    RELATED: Esports World Cup 2024: Everything you Need to Know!

    The Game Awards: Best Esports Game 

    the game awards esports game of the year

    Nominees:
    Counter-Strike 2
    Dota 2
    League of Legends
    PUBG Mobile
    Valorant

    Of this list, the only title to be released this year is Counter-Strike 2. For this reason alone, we are likely to see CS2 take the win in this category. League of Legends will likely be a close second due to its massive popularity and fan base.

    Valorant has received a small resurgence in popularity after the release of Valve’s Counter-Strike update, however, it’s unlikely Riot’s FPS title will take the top spot. 

    Best Esports Athlete

    Nominees:
    Faker

    Zywoo

    Demon1

    Hydra 

    Ruler 

    ImperialHal

    As much as I would love to see Zywoo take the win here, it’s likely Faker will become the Best Esports Athlete of 2023. Faker’s performance at the League of Legends Worlds was incredible, but Esports fans will be comparing this to Zywoo’s incredible stats at both the Blast.TV Paris Major and Gamers8 2023. 

    Best Esports Team 

    the game awards esports team of the year

    Nominees:

    Evil Geniuses

    Fnatic 

    Gaimin Gladiators 

    JD Gaming 

    Team Vitality 

    Although Zywoo may not take Athlete of the Year, Team Vitality will almost definitely dominate in this category. This French team won the first-ever Counter-Strike major hosted in France, a glorious moment for both the industry and the country. Vitality then went on to win the Gamers8 tournament in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

    Best Esports Coach 

    Nominees:
    Potter
    Zonic
    Gunba
    XTQZZZ
    Homme

    The Winner of the Coach category may come down to personal favorites. It’s likely both Potter and XTQZZZ will perform well here with a Major win in their respective titles.
    The other choices here are interesting and may surprise us when we finally receive the results later this year. 

    RELATED: Top Esports Events in 2024

    The Game Awards: Best Esports Event

    the game awards esports event of the year

    Nominees:
    2023 League of Legends World Championship
    Blast.TV Paris Major

    EVO 2023

    Valorant Champions 2023

    The International Dota 2 Championships 2023

    All of the events here had their own iconic storylines and massive attendance, however, one event here stands out from the rest as one of the greatest in the history of the industry.
    Although the LoL World Championship is one of the largest events on the planet, the Blast.TV Paris Major saw an iconic French team take the win at the first-ever Counter-Strike Major held in France.
    On top of this, the Major had some amazing support and sponsors from companies in France, such as the Alpine F1 team. 

    If you are a fan of F1, you may have seen the Blast.TV logo feature on the Alpine car at the Monaco Grand Prix. 

    Results

    The Game Awards event will take place on December 7th, 2023 at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles. Fans will have up until then to submit their votes for the 30+ categories. 

    Although you may not be interested in voting, showing your support for a particular team or title can help support them to develop a new title or continue competing in tournaments around the world. 

    NEXT: Is CS2 Better Than CSGO?

  • Esports World Cup 2024: Everything you Need to Know! 

    Esports World Cup 2024: Everything you Need to Know! 

    Esports has a plethora of global competitions, from the Overwatch World Cup to the Counter-Strike Majors. However, the recently announced Esports World Cup will bring an entirely new competitive format to the industry with teams competing across multiple genres and titles. 

    The tournament will be hosted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and will take the place of the Gamers8 event that has been hosted in the city over the last 2 years. But will this have an effect on the Esports industry? And what are the major concerns surrounding the event?

    Here’s everything we know so far about the Esports World Cup 2024! 

    RELATED: Top Esports Titles Releasing This Year

    When will the tournament take place? 

    esports world cup 2024

    Unfortunately, all we know right now is the Esports World Cup will take place in “Summer 2024” and will run every year from now on. If you head to the website, it does say more information will be available at the end of 2023, so we’ll have to wait for more details from the tournament organisers around official dates. 

    As the event is taking the place of the Gamers8 tournament we can expect it to run at a similar time to that event. This would mean we could see the tournament running as early as the middle of July and ending at the start of September, giving us a 6-8 week window for teams to compete. 

    What Games are at the Esports World Cup?

    We know which Genres will be available at the Esports World Cup, these include: 

    • Racing
    • FPS (First Person Shooter)
    • RTS (Real Time Strategy)
    • TPS (Third Person Shooter)
    • MOBA (Massive Online Battle Arena)
    • Battle Royale
    • Fighting 
    • Sports

    All these categories cover the most popular games in the world right now. It’s unclear whether it will be a singular title for each genre, but it’s likely we will have a few for each. 

    For example, in the Battle Royale genre, we are likely to see Fortnite, PUBG and Apex. It would be difficult to choose a single title here as they are all as popular as one another in different regions. 

    Another example here is “Sports”. We will definitely see Fifa (EAFC) at the World Cup, but its unclear whether other games such as NBA2K or Madden will be included as they are typically more popular in the US. 

    Who is playing at the Esports World Cup?

    who is competing at the esports world cup 2024

    The Esports World Cup is taking a slightly less conventional route when it comes to a “World Cup” class competition. 

    Instead of Countries competing as whole nations in this World Cup, teams will compete to qualify, similar to other Esports competitions. It is also likely that we will see the biggest teams in the industry receive a direct invite as they will already have complete rosters for all these games. 

    We saw a similar situation at the Gamers8 tournament last year where some teams qualified through a separate tournament, and some teams such as Cloud9, ENCE, G2 and FaZe received a direct invite to the playoffs. 

    It will be interesting to see how the qualifiers/invitations are handled, but for now, we will have to wait for more information from the tournament organisers. 

    NEXT: Top Esports Events in 2024

  • Top Esports Titles Releasing This Year

    Top Esports Titles Releasing This Year

    Although Esports is blooming with titles from First-Person Shooters to Massive Online Battle Arenas, 2023 is a hopeful year with plenty of releases from full game updates to brand-new IP. Whether you’re looking for a new competitive medium or just a platform to have fun, there are plenty of releases happening in 2023.

    Here’s all you can expect from the top Esports titles released this year.

    RELATED: Is CS2 Better Than CSGO?

    The Finals

    top esports titles

    The Finals is an interesting title, drawing a lot of interest through the recent Open Beta. Unlike other Esports games, this game has a large focus on destruction similar to that of the original Battlefield games. This feature, paired with some amazing movement mechanics provides a unique experience for both experienced and new players.

    Unfortunately, the game isn’t officially out yet, but we can hope that the game will be released before the end of the year with some bug fixes and updates. It seems the developers are preparing for a massive push towards Esports with a tournament mode already built into the game.

    This will arguably be one of the biggest Esports titles to release in recent times, and this may change up the ecosystem and pull some pros from other games like Apex Legends and Call of Duty.

    Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3

    Although the new Modern Warfare 3 seems a lot like its predecessor MW2, the developers have introduced some key gameplay updates to improve the game’s competitive nature. The biggest change here comes in the form of an increased time-to-kill putting a bigger focus on aiming rather than reaction time.

    The incredibly fast time-to-kill has been one of the biggest complaints for the last few COD titles. Many fans will be extremely happy to hear about this change and experience this new era of the franchise.

    This will also make a massive change to the Warzone Battle Royale mode where we will also receive a brand-new map to explore.

    Counter-Strike 2

    top esports titles releasing this year

    The release of Counter-Strike 2 has caused a lot of controversy within the community. For years, players wanted an update to CS:GO, however, now we have it there are a lot of changes that players are not enjoying.

    This mainly comes down to new technology with the sub-tick servers which aim to eliminate server lag. Unfortunately, this has had a somewhat opposite effect, and the promise of “what you see is what you get” has not worked as intended.

    If Valve can mitigate these issues and make the new tech work as intended, the game will begin to shine once again – and the new graphics will not be a side note on all the negativity the game is receiving.

    Fortnite OG

    Fortnite is back!

    With this update comes the original map, weapons, and meta of the game from the old days… well, around the middle of 2018. The return of this era of Fortnite brought over 5m concurrent players, smashing all the previous records set by the game back in 2018.

    However, it’s unclear whether this interest has any longevity and we’ll have to wait and see if players stick around in the long run.

    NEXT: Top Esports Events in 2024

     

  • Top Esports Events in 2024

    Top Esports Events in 2024

    We’re closing out the year 2023 with a bang in a return to Sydney in the ESL Intel Extreme Masters 2023 where the top teams in CS2 will battle it out. This is the first time CS2 is played on the global stage and so far the fans are loving it!

    But what does 2024 have in store for Esports? Here’s all you need to know…

    READ MORE: MOUZ Wins ESL Pro League Season 18

    Top Esports events in 2024

    counter-strike 2 first major

    Although the industry has seen some decline over the last few years post-lockdown, 2024 is a beacon of hope for the industry as many titles are looking to get back to the glory days.

    In March the first CS2 Major will take place at the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024. Although this won’t be the first LAN event for CS2, this will be the first Major.

    For League of Legends, we have the LEC Finals hosted in Munich. This is set to take place towards the end of August/beginning of September.

    The Six Invitational will be one of the first majors to take place in 2024 with its launch in February.

    Valve has also stated they are already working on the next Pro Circuit International for 2024. Dota has one of the largest prize pools for any game at the moment, so we can’t wait for this one!

    Other gaming events

    Here’s a list of other gaming events taking place in 2024:

    • New York Game Awards 2024
    • Taipei Game Show 2024
    • Hamburg Games Conference 2024
    • SXSW 2024
    • BIG Festival 2024
    • Gamescom 2024
    • PAX West 2024
    • New Zealand Games Developers Conference 2024

    As you can see, there’s a lot to be excited about in 2024, no matter where you are in the world.

    Although these may not directly be Esports events, they will feature some matches, specifically at Gamescom and SXSW.

    Ending 2023

    MOUZ ESPORTS

    Although we still have 2 months left in 2023, there are few events left as we move into the Holiday season.

    As mentioned previously, IEM Sydney is currently taking place with the top teams in Counter-Strike. However, this isn’t the final Counter-Strike tournament with the BLAST Premier World Final taking place in December.

    Mobile Legends is a huge game in Asia and SEA. If you’re situated in Europe or NA you may not have heard of this game. However, the MLBB Pro League Invitational is scheduled for November with some of the best players from across the globe competing for the title.

    We also have ESI London this weekend with all the biggest names showcasing their latest products and software. Although this isn’t an opportunity for players to compete, it’s a place for industry specialists to connect and develop new opportunities heading into the new year.

    In 2023 we saw some awesome events such as Gamers8. This really opens up new opportunities within the industry with investment from Saudi Arabia helping to push the industry into mainstream media with massive prize pools and production.

    With lots to look forward to, what event are you most excited about in 2024? Let us know on Twitter (X) at BestofBetsUK!

    Next: Is CS2 Better Than CSGO?

  • Is CS2 Better Than CSGO?

    Is CS2 Better Than CSGO?

    With the release of Counter-Strike 2, the community seems divided on the new gameplay changes and updates. CS2 and CS:GO are essentially “the same game” with CS2 being an update, rather than a new release. For this reason, many players are arguing that CS2 is a direct upgrade to its predecessor. However, there are some changes that even the pros find frustrating leaving everyone wondering whether CS2 is better than CS:GO.

    We had the same problem in the past when CS:GO was released and the community did not like the changes. Perhaps it will just take time for everyone to get used to these changes and adapt their playstyle for this next-gen overhaul.

    So… is CS2 better than CS:GO? Here’s everything you need to know!

    Related: CSGO ESL Pro League: Season 18 Playoffs Overview

    Gameplay Updates

    Is CS2 better than CS:GO?

    CS2 features a range of changes from visual and lighting upgrades to complete utility reworks. In the eyes of the developer, these changes will be improvements, but it will take time for the community to appreciate these updates. Here are some of the most notable updates:

    • Volumetric Smoke Grenades
    • Molotov Lighting and Spread Distance
    • Recoil and Spray Control (Shot Deviation)
    • No Skybox Limitations

    There are some other small changes to gameplay, however, these are the notable ones that will make a big difference to day-to-day gameplay. Valve has also made changes to the tech behind Counter-Strike with sub-tick servers being the talk of the town.

    CS2 Sub-Tick Servers

    To fully understand sub-tick, you need a basic understanding of how Counter-Strike servers function. In CS:GO the servers were on “64 tick”. Essentially, this means the servers update 64 times every second. Although this is fast, it does leave some gaps where players feel like their bullets aren’t registered.

    Faceit helped to mitigate this for top-end players with 126 tick servers, doubling how many times the server updated a second. CS2 is attempting to overhaul this system with Valve’s new sub-tick server tech.

    These servers will recognise when players make an input and record the exact time that input was made. This, in theory, should create a much more reliable game and mitigate any issues with desync or hit registration. Unfortunately, some players are noticing some major issues with hit-reg with this new tech.

    There are a few reasons this is happening. Although the game records exactly when an input happens, it still waits until the next server tick to play an animation. This creates a perception of hit reg issues, but it is in fact animation lag. In CS2’s most recent update, Valve has fixed issues with players’ models and hitboxes making the game feel much better and improving the major complaints from across the community.

    What’s Next?

    Valve still has a lot of work to do to bring CS2 up to a competitive standard. Although this may be the case, the upgrade to the new Source engine will allow for further developments to the game and more content for players to enjoy, from maps to cosmetics.

    Whether the game is “better” than CS:GO is still up for debate and really comes down to personal opinion. However, given time, Counter-Strike 2 can put Valve back on top of the FPS genre.

    Next: MOUZ Wins ESL Pro League Season 18

  • MOUZ Wins ESL Pro League Season 18

    MOUZ Wins ESL Pro League Season 18

    Yesterday, the last ever CSGO Pro League FInal took place with MOUZ and NAVI going head to head in a best of 5. Both teams played very well throughout their time in the tournament. However, they took very different paths to make it to the final. NAVI dominated in the group stage and quickly qualified for the quarter-final where they beat Eternal Fire 2-0. They then went on to face Monte in the Semis with another 2-0 win. This set expectations high for the finals… but MOUZ had a different plan.

    More: Counter-Strike 2: Premier Rank System Explained

    MOUZ Group Stages

    MOUZ ESPORTS

    In the group stages, MOUZ started with a 2-1 loss against MIBR. This put them in the Mid Bracket of Group B giving them another chance at the Playoffs. This is where the team rallied together and began one of the greatest runs in Pro League we’ve ever seen.

    The first match against Evil Geniuses was very close despite the 2-0 win. This put them in a match against HEROIC who are currently seeded 4th in the ESL rankings, where they again won 2-0. The final match MOUZ had to play in the Mid Bracket was against MIBR. This was the original team that beat them in the main group bracket. Again, MOUZ went on to beat MIBR 2-0, getting their revenge and going on to the Playoffs in the round of 16.

    MOUZ playoff run

    MOUZ entered the playoff in the Round of 16 alongside other teams who qualified through the Mid and Lower Brackets. A 2-0 win against FURIA Esports set them in good stead for the rest of the tournament. Although MOUZ is seeded above FURIA in the ESL rankings, they are still a formidable opponent with some of the best players in the world.

    Unfortunately, this was the end of the “easy” matches for MOUZ as every team they faced from here onwards was seeded above them with FaZe Clan up next in the Round of 12. With players like Ropz, Broky, and Karrigan, FaZe were expected to dominate MOUZ in a quick sweep, However, MOUZ came out the gates swinging with a 10-16 win in the first match and a 5-16 stomp in the second.

    In the quarter and Semifinals, MOUZ had to face the #2 and #3 seed teams with G2 Esports and ENCE. MOUZ went on to beat both teams 2-1 in a tough bout. In both of these series’ they won the first match giving them a confidence boost to take on these titans in a best of 3.

    MOUZ final against NAVI

    Counter-Strike 2 S1mple MOUZ

    NAVI is one of the top teams in the league. Although seeded 7th, players like S1mple, Aleksib, and JL boast a strong presence in any match. Despite all the odds in favor of NAVI, MOUZ didn’t lose a match with a 3-0 win in a best of 5.

    The first match on Inferno was close,  but MOUZ was able to pick up a lot of rounds on CT, allowing the team to test the waters when on the T side. The second match was a similar story. MOUZ picked up 11 rounds on CT meaning they only had to get 5 when it came to the T side. Unfortunately, NAVI didn’t really stand a chance here as it only took a few rounds to break their economy and pick up some easy wins.

    Finally, map 3 on Mirage went to overtime where MOUZ won 19-15 and didn’t drop a round in overtime. We can’t wait to see what MOUZ has in store for us in the future. With their success in Season 18, the organization has a chance to jump to the top.

    What’s next?

    With the release of Counter-Strike 2 mid-playoffs, it was unclear as to how ESL would proceed. Initially, the community believed they may make a switch to the new game and finish Season 18 on CS2. However, there were numerous issues with competitive integrity and match scoring that would’ve made it difficult for teams to compete.

    As of now, we are waiting for Season 19 of the ESL Pro League, and the next Major is set for March 2024 at PGL Copenhagen.

    Next: Gamers8 2023: Everything You Need To Know

  • CSGO ESL Pro League: Season 18 Playoffs Overview

    CSGO ESL Pro League: Season 18 Playoffs Overview

    The CSGO ESL Pro League Season 18 Playoffs are finally here! Only 16 teams remain with 4 teams already into the Quarterfinal stage. Over the next week, these teams will face on in best of 3 elimination matches to decide who is the best team in the league.

    Here’s everything you need to know about the Season 18 playoffs…

    Teams qualified

    Right now, there are 16 teams in the Playoffs with 8 teams competing in the round of 16. Although this may seem confusing, there are already 4 teams qualified for the round of 12 and another 4 in the Quarterfinals. The image below helps to illustrate this:

    csgo ESL Season 18 Playoffs

    Here’s a full list of the qualified teams:

    • Fnatic
    • Monte
    • Astralis
    • Eternal Fire
    • Virtus.pro
    • 9z Team
    • Mouz Esports
    • FURIA Esports
    • Complexity
    • BIG
    • Movistar Riders
    • FaZe Clan
    • Team Vitality
    • Natus Vincere (NAVI)
    • ENCE
    • G2 Esports

    As we can see, there are some household names here with NAVI, Team Vitality, and Fnatic. However, there are also a few names you may not recognise if you’re not deep in the CS:GO Esports scene.

    9z Team has been performing very well with consecutive wins at B-Tier tournaments such as the CCT South America Series #8 and KaBuM! Legends. both taking place earlier this year in July. Unfortunately, when it comes to A-Tier tournaments, the team has had multiple Semi-Final finishes, narrowly losing out to Virtus.pro, FURIA Esports, and Team Spirit.

    Movistar Riders is another team that performs very well at B-Tier tournaments, however, recently they have pulled through when it comes to top-end tournaments and majors with a win at ESL Challenger at DreamHack Melbourne 2023. We can’t wait to see who they face in the Round of 12.

    Current matches

    At the moment, only 4 matches are decided in the Round of 16, this is due to the tournament structure immediately qualifying teams into the Round of 12 and Quarterfinals.

    The matches currently scheduled are:

    • Fnatic v Monte
    • Astralis v Eternal Fire
    • Virtus.pro v 9z Team
    • MOUZ v FURIA Esports

    If you want to watch these matches live, tune in to the ESL CSGO Twitch on September 26th, with the first match starting at 14:30 BST. Although the teams here are not necessarily the “best”, the path they have taken to get here is very interesting.

    For example, Monte had to go head to head against HEROIC, a team seeded #4 in the CS:GO World Ranking. Similarly, MOUZ beat Evil Geniuses, HEROIC, and MIBR in their mid-bracket run to make it to the Round of 16.

    Astralis is currently the highest-seeded team (#8) in the Round of 16. It’s likely we will see them progress into the Quarterfinals to play NAVI if they can beat Eternal Fire and BIG.

    CSGO ESL Pro League: Top four teams

    There are 2 ways to determine the top 4 teams currently competing in the Season 18 playoffs, however, no matter how you look at it, you will find the same teams at the top.

    When can look at the top 4 teams that immediately qualified for the Quarterfinals, we find some absolute powerhouse organisations; Team Vitality, Natus Vincere, ENCE, and G2 Esports. If we compare this to the current seeding ladder, it becomes obvious as to why these 4 teams specifically made it to this point in the tournament.

    csgo ESL season 18 playoffs

    When we look at the World Rankings, the top 4 teams currently remaining in the CSGO ESL Pro League have all made it to the playoffs. The only outlier here is NAVI. Everyone expected HEROIC to go much further in this tournament, however, S1mple and his team have dominated in the group stages to get to the playoffs.

    We will have to wait and see who makes playoffs (final 4 teams) but it will be interesting to see if any of these 4 teams don’t make it through to the Semi-Finals.

     

  • Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test: How to get Access

    Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test: How to get Access

    The Counter-Strike 2 limited test is now available to a lot of the Counter-Strike player base. Unfortunately, there are a few requirements you will need to fulfill before being sent an invitation to this next-gen version of Counter-Strike. In this guide, we will cover everything players need to consider to gain access to the CS2 limited test – from the small factors to the essential Steam account details.

    Here’s everything you need to know…

    Related: Gamers8 2023: Everything You Need To Know

    Getting a Competitive Rank in CS:GO

    counter-strike 2 CS:GO comparison

    To begin, players need to gain a competitive matchmaking rank in CS:GO. It doesn’t matter if this is Silver 1 or Global Elite, getting a rank will help to show that you actively play Counter-Strike.

    Although the community has made assumptions about higher ranks getting access first, this is not the case. Valve wants a wide variety of players to try the game as this gives a more realistic player base to test the early access version of the game.

    Play Time

    Playtime is probably the biggest factor when it comes to the players who still don’t have access. With all the recent news, a lot of players are jumping on CS:GO to get a matchmaking rank and then hoping for the best. If you want a much better chance, you can simply play a few more games in the following days to show Valve a commitment to the game. It’s also good to know that this doesn’t necessarily take into account your total playtime, but your recent hours in live Counter-Strike servers.

    Unfortunately, there is no black-and-white cut-off for how much you should play, however, it will only help your chances of gaining access to the limited test.

    Counter-Strike 2 Limited Test Regions

    Players must also play in a region where CS2 is available. As of now, this is most of the world including NA, EU, AS, OCE, and SA. Although this looks simple, players must play the majority of their games on ONE of these servers. Switching between NA and SA (for example) to complete your matches will not help you get access to the limited test.

    Valve are constantly releasing updates on the release on the limited test and regional updates, so keep an eye on the Steam page or the Counter-Strike web page for more info.

    Prime Status

    This feature was introduced to Counter-Strike back in 2018 when the game went free-to-play. This meant anyone could play the game without needing to purchase a copy from Steam. However, this meant Valve had to cater to the community that had already purchased CS:GO. These players gained something called Prime Status.

    Prime Status essentially gives the account a higher priority when it comes to matchmaking. Now, it will also prioritise the account for access to the Counter-Strike 2 limited test.

    Counter-Strike Account Standing

    Account Standing is essential for access to the limited test. If a player has a VAC ban on their account (ban for cheating) it is very unlikely they will get access to CS2 until the game is fully released. Recently, a lot of top-end and pro players have found cheaters in CS2, meaning Valve will likely crack down on this issue with a harsh improvement to the new anti-cheat software.

    Next: Esports Team Profile: Team Vitality

  • CS2: Top 5 Pros in Counter-Strike 2

    CS2: Top 5 Pros in Counter-Strike 2

    The release of Counter-Strike 2 is right around the corner, with many fans getting access through an early invitation from Valve. The Pros are beginning to make the transition from Global Offensive to this new competitive medium of CS2 with an updated engine, graphics, and gameplay features.

    At a basic level, Counter-Strike 2 is effectively the same game as its predecessor, CS:GO, meaning we will probably see the same names in the pro scene at the first major tournament. Right now, there are a few names standing out from the rest. Here are the top 5 professional players in CS2.

    Related: London Royal Ravens Move to Carolina

    Ropz

    CS2 Ropz

    Full Name: Robin Kool

    Nationality: Estonia

    Current Team: FaZe Clan

    Role: Rifler (Lurker)

    Total Winnings: $1,181,327

    Ropz spent years trying to conquer CS:GO. Through cheating accusations and tough tournaments, this incredible player’s talent shone through even at times when his team fell short. A win at the PGL Antwerp Major in 2022 set his name in stone as one of the greatest to ever touch the Counter-Strike franchise.

    Robin Cool represents a new generation of CS players. He started playing at 15 and found inspiration watching tournaments and saw that the original players starting to get… “old”. With a start making content in Call of Duty and the original Count-Strike, he showed he was able to compete with the best through Faceit.

    Ropz now competes alongside his FaZe clan teammates and dominates the pro scene, whilst creating awesome content on both YouTube and Twitch.

    broky

    Counter-Strike 2 broky

    Full Name: Helvijs Saukants

    Nationality: Latvia

    Current Team: FaZe Clan

    Role: AWPer

    Total Winnings: $827,615

    If you’re a fan of Counter-Strike, it’s likely you will have heard broky’s name. He broke onto the pro scene at only 19 and quickly became one of the most dominant players in the game. As an AWPer, he plays his best in clutch situations where every shot counts. However, before he made a name at the top of the professional ladder, he was dominating in lower-tier CS tournaments and Faceit games.

    Like many other Counter-Strike pros, broky began to make a name playing in local tournaments and competing for amateur teams such as Wolfsung Esports, a Latvian team.

    Broky now plays alongside Ropz on FaZe Clan‘s roster. The team recently won the Intel Grand Slam Season 4 and the ESL Pro League Season 17. We can’t wait to see this young star transfer over to CS2 and show off some of his incredible skills in this new era of Counter-Strike.

    ZywOo

    CS2 ZywOo

    Full Name: Mathieu Herbaut

    Nationality: France

    Current Team: Team Vitality

    Role: AWPer

    Total Winnings: $811,974

    ZywOo may be the fastest-growing player in Counter-Strike history… maybe even the history of Esports. The French Counter-Strike scene quickly became a force to be reckoned with and names like Kenny S and screaM put the French rosters on the map. However, constant news of internal problems led to a lot of teams collapsing the the French scene became stagnant and changes were simply a case of “too little, too late”.

    This left a vacuum in France for small teams to fill. This is where ZywOo made his name. Hailed as “The Chosen One” expectations were extremely high for him to be the best of the best and compete at the top.

    It’s safe to say the recent dominance of Team Vitality at the BLAST.tv Paris Major and Gamers8 2023 has cemented ZywOo as one of the GOATs of Counter-Strike.

    m0NESY

    Counter-Strike 2 m0NESY

    Full Name: Ilya Osipov (Илья Осипов)

    Nationality: Russia

    Current Team: G2 Esports

    Role: AWPer

    Total Winnings: $393,022

    m0NESY plays for G2 Esports, one of the biggest organizations in Esports to date. However, the young pro started playing on the NAVI junior roster and was expected to join the main roster alongside S1mple. Unfortunately, Ilya had other plans to define his own path.

    The Russian pro was quickly told he would be the next S1mple. Although this may be a lot of pressure, he was confident in his skills. As a Global Elite at age 10, it’s easy to see why.

    S1mple

    CS2 S1mple

    Full Name: Oleksandr Kostyljev (Олександр Олегович Костилєв)

    Nationality: Ukraine

    Current Team: NAVI (Natus Vincere)

    Role: AWPer

    Total Winnings: $1,708,047

    S1mple is quite literally the greatest Counter-Strike player ever. When S1mple joined NAVI, he began to grow as one of the best and in 2020 he was expected to win his first Major tournament alongside a dominant roster. Unfortunately, the COVID lockdown put a halt to this chance and the community thought it may be over for him.

    This couldn’t be more wrong. During PGL Stockholm 2021, S1mple dominated G2 in the finals with a 2-0 win. He then went on to win the BLAST Premier Fall Finals and the World Finals in that same year.

    NAVI and S1mple will return in CS2, but only time will tell if he can continue to be the GOAT of Counter-Strike.

    Next: Esports Team Profile: Fnatic