As a follow up to our World Cup article yesterday, we thought it was worth clarifying exactly what that means for esports, and why it might not mean anything at all. The clamour over the love for the Olympics, and the arguments about whether we need the Olympics has created a number of interesting conversations, but what would you say if we told you the World Cup was happening in England, later this year?
For most of the outside world, esports has one major event, that being the $20m+ International run by Valve in North America, but there are a number of elite games, and Dota 2 might not be the top. Over the course of the year, Counter-Strike has as high a profile as any game out there, and there are not one, but two ‘World Cups’ per year, or Majors as they are known.
What’s more, London is ready to host the first CSGO Major we’ve ever seen on these shores, and the world’s best are all going to be in attendance. September will see all the stars congregate in the capital. As with the World Cup, there will be some teams from smaller nations there, but unlike that event the vast majority of the favourites and former winners will be in attendance too.
The commentators for this Major will be top tier, no Robbie Savage or Michael Owen here to send you to sleep, and unlike a football event there are very few amazing players on teams that have no chance to win the event, or even qualify. Compared to current World Cup hosts, you can also be sure as a gay fan that walking around will not be a risk, and you will not be arrested for the way you were born.
The city has everything
England has long been known as a country that can run a major football event without building a new venue, and of course the same is true for esports. The city has everything you could possibly want to keep yourself entertained, and while it might not be the cheapest, it will offer security, comfort and choice to those travelling from across the world, as well as a lot of interesting things to do once the work day is done.
Recent CS Majors have thrown up their fair share of shocks, without the sort of domination that Germany and Spain have enjoyed over the footballing main events. Gambit and Cloud 9 were both rank outsiders who played some inspired stuff to come out as champions against all the odds, and unlike the Greece team that did the same, they didn't have to play anti-CS and bore the audience stupid to achieve their dream.
We did focus on the lack of ‘official’ events, compared at least to the World Cup, in our article yesterday, but the flip side of that is that we essentially have the inventors of the game involved with the organisation. Compare that to the greasy criminals that walk the halls of FIFA and you realise that not only do we have a FIFA already, but a better option, as Valve are directly motivated to increase the profit and status of the game they own, while the likes of Blatter are in it for the short-term payoff, safe in the knowledge football will never stop making money.
So, all in all, esports not only doesn’t really need the IOC or FIFA, but actually already has their own version, and maybe a better one. A lot of people from this part of the world will have avoided going to the World Cup in Russia for legal or safety reasons, but never fear. You can watch the World Cup of CS right here in England, this September, for a fraction of the price.
