The COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc in Europe and America as the number of cases rises daily, with Western countries like Italy, the USA, and Spain becoming new hotspots. COVID-19 is having a significant impact on every aspect of life, and Esports in general, as well as CS:GO in particular, are no exceptions. Back in February, IEM Katowice 2020 had to hold its playoff matches without an audience, and earlier this month, both the ESL Pro League Season 11 and Flashpoint tournaments had to switch to an online format to avoid the risk of spreading the virus.
Amidst a wave of tournament cancellations or format changes, many were concerned about the future of Major ESL One Rio, which was originally scheduled for May, especially after Valve canceled EPICENTER 2020, a Major-level Dota 2 tournament set for around the same time. These concerns became reality last night when ESL officially announced the postponement of Major ESL One Rio to November, replacing the second Major of the year. This marks the first time since 2013 that only one Major will be held in a year, and with this change, the prize pool for ESL One Rio has been raised to $2,000,000 – a record prize in the history of CS:GO.
The specific dates and locations for the Minor and the first two rounds of the Major have not been disclosed, but the Champion Stage will be held at Jeunesse Arena from November 19-22. Additionally, this Major will still count as part of the Intel Grand Slam system, and we may see a new champion crowned for Grand Slam Season 3 on the Major stage.
“This is a very difficult decision for us, but the health and safety of the audience and staff must come first. We hope all of you stay safe, and we look forward to continuing to bring you quality CS:GO matches as we prepare for the Rio Major in November.” – Ulrich Schulze, Vice President of Production at ESL, shared.
This is undoubtedly a wise decision by ESL given the current complex pandemic situation, and we hope that by November we will witness top-tier CS:GO matches with the support of the passionate and enthusiastic Brazilian audience.