Counter-Strike remains one of the biggest Esports on the planet and, naturally, one of the most popular for betting on. Join us at Gamelevate as we round up some of the most recent news in the game, including the latest shenanigans going on at EG and the lessons learned from the Roobet and Thunderpick events.
FaZe And VP Domination At Thunderpick 2023
The Thunderpick World Championship returned for 2023, with the 16-tem online EU event organised by GAM3RS and _XGRID this year. Counter Strike betting platforms like GGbet were literally overfilled with FaZe and Virtus.pro fans who were betting on their favorite teams.
Both teams did really well at IEM Sydney 2023 (FaZe) and Roobet 2023 (VP). FaZe had a smooth win because of their strong roster, especially with key players like ropz, broky, and Twistzz, who played exceptionally. VP won the Roobet Cup 2023 against Monte, though they had to settle for 2nd at Thunderpick.
More Chaos At EG
Evil Geniuses recently let go of their current CS:GO team by terminating their contracts. It’s worth noting that the team had already gone through significant downsizing earlier.
A former team member mentioned that the remaining players were quite worn out due to high stress and working hard throughout 2023. He described the overall situation and the interaction between the team and its members as being like a “prison with snacks.”
Interestingly enough, a similar process occurred in November, when the team also announced the termination of contracts with their Dota 2 team. In a recent interview, Richard Lewis revealed that Evil Geniuses is now focusing solely on Riot games. He went on to mention that Counter-Strike will remain unchanged, at least until December.
The Problem With Roobet
The recent CS:GO Roobet Cup tournament and the Thunderpick World Championship 2023 have stirred mixed feelings. Despite offering a substantial cash prize of up to $750,000, both teams and eSports fans found these events somewhat, well, lacking purpose.
To grasp this trend, it’s crucial to weigh the pros and cons of such tournaments. A major issue lies in how players perceive these events. They often appear indifferent, treating these games more like intense practice sessions rather than significant fixtures on the calendar.
The allure of competing in LAN tournaments, such as IEM Sydney 2023, with comparatively lower cash prizes (around $100,000), is more appealing to players. LAN events allow players to showcase their skills, and the direct audience interaction creates a unique pressure that can bring out the best in teams. The legacy, prestige, and atmosphere surrounding LAN events make it challenging for newcomers to establish themselves.
Online tournaments lack the same level of excitement for fans and pose challenges for teams’ promotional efforts. The absence of a live audience diminishes the thrill, and practical issues like internet speed drops or disconnections during online play can disrupt the flow of the game.
Recent tournaments highlighted such problems, causing real havoc. For instance, the Heroic team had to pause their game due to connection issues. Despite these drawbacks, online tournaments can serve as stress tests, pushing providers to resolve issues promptly.
On a positive note, both the Thunderpick World Championship and Roobet Cup showcased exemplary broadcast work. Renowned names like Moses, HenryG, Anders, GrimyRannarr, and Ne0kai all delivered notably solid performances on the mic.
