ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has published updated co-streaming guidelines for the 2026 season, and the changes are significant. The new rules tighten what creators can and cannot do while broadcasting EFG events like the CS2 IEM circuit, with strict requirements around sponsor visibility, overlay sizes, and a controversial “Always-On” coverage mandate that prevents co-streamers from switching away from the official feed during live broadcasts.

With co-streaming becoming a bigger and bigger part of our events, today we’re updating our co-streaming guidelines for 2026 and beyond.

Check out the full guidelines on our website!https://t.co/ngCIJk91BJ pic.twitter.com/xVGxwerUYz

— ESL (@ESL) April 10, 2026

What The New Guidelines Actually Say

The core principle driving the 2026 rules is what EFG calls “Commercial Inheritance.” In simple terms, every sponsor integration baked into the official ESL broadcast, from in-game logo rotations and banners to lower thirds, break screens, and commercial ad segments, must remain fully visible and unaltered on any co-streamer’s feed. Co-streamers cannot hide, cover, or mute any of it.

On top of that, creators are barred from running their own commercial sponsors during ESL broadcasts without prior written approval. The restrictions go deep: overlays, webcam backgrounds, Twitch panels, chatbot messages, social media posts related to the event, and even voice shout-outs are all covered. EFG has also reserved a long list of sponsor categories exclusively for itself, including hardware (CPUs, GPUs, monitors, peripherals), beverages (energy drinks, soft drinks), gaming platforms, betting, crypto, and collectibles. Promoting anything in those categories during a co-stream is off-limits.

The “Always-On” Rule That Has Everyone Talking

The section generating the most community reaction is “Always-On Coverage.” Under the new guidelines, co-streamers must maintain a continuous, uninterrupted broadcast once they go live. Switching away to other streams, gameplay, or “Just Chatting” segments while the ESL tournament is running is explicitly prohibited. During live gameplay, ESL’s audio must remain audible and the co-streamer’s webcam is capped at roughly 5% of total screen space. During interstitial segments like analyst desks, walkouts, and interviews, ESL audio must still be audible, and overlay elements can take up a maximum of 33% of the screen.

The only windows where co-streamers get full creative freedom are pre-show (before the countdown clock hits zero) and post-show (after the trophy ceremony and legal lines). During those periods, creators can do full-screen takeovers with their own audio.

Read More: Playing VALORANT In CS2 Is Now Possible With Project Phoenix

Read More: IEM Rio 2026 Groups and Opening Matchups Revealed Ahead of April Showdown

The 5% Webcam Rule And Overlay Restrictions

EFG has laid out precise spatial requirements for what co-streamers can display on screen. The webcam overlay must occupy 5% or less of the total screen during gameplay and interstitials, and it has to be positioned so it doesn’t cover in-game HUDs or sponsor placements. Chat feeds must be transparent and take up less than 3% of screen space. Social handles are limited to under 2%. No additional commercial overlays of any kind are permitted during the full broadcast.

Platform Lock, Data Sharing, And Likeness Rights

Co-streams are permitted exclusively on Twitch. Any other platform, whether that’s YouTube, TikTok, or Facebook, requires express written exemption from EFG. Creators approved for YouTube must also be whitelisted for copyright purposes before going live, and EFG takes no responsibility for DMCA claims that arise outside the approval process.

Beyond platform restrictions, co-streamers must share all viewership data with EFG upon request after each event. They also grant EFG a perpetual, royalty-free licence to use their likeness, voice, and broadcast excerpts for marketing and promotional purposes. Any guests or co-hosts appearing for a significant portion of the broadcast need advance approval via email.

Community Reaction Is Split

The CS2 community response has been mixed. A significant portion of the Reddit discussion around the announcement focused on the practical implications of the Always-On rule, particularly for creators like fl0m and ohnePixel who are known for filling time between maps with their own content, whether that’s GeoGuessr, case openings, or casual chat with viewers.

Some fans flagged that the wording initially seemed to require co-streamers to broadcast the entire show day from start to finish, which would be impractical for creators in different time zones. An ESL staff member responded directly on Reddit to clarify that this is not the case. The rule is about maintaining an uninterrupted experience during the co-streamer’s own broadcast, not forcing them to be live for every minute of a show day.

Others pointed out the elephant in the room: the Always-On rule is fundamentally about ad delivery. When co-streamers switch away from the official feed during breaks, those viewers effectively vanish from ESL’s sponsor metrics. As one commenter put it, ESL cannot count a co-streamer’s audience as their own if that audience is watching someone play GeoGuessr instead of the analyst desk and its accompanying sponsor segments.

There is also concern about what this means for co-streamers who have existing relationships with gambling-adjacent sponsors. The guidelines explicitly prohibit betting and skin gambling promotion, which could create contractual conflicts for creators who are already partnered with those kinds of brands.

Why EFG Is Tightening The Rules Now

EFG framed the guidelines as a shared responsibility model. The opening of the document explicitly states that brand partners are what fund the prize pools, arena experiences, and production quality that the community expects. From EFG’s perspective, co-streamers are “parallel distribution hubs,” and if those hubs are not delivering the full sponsor package, the commercial model that sustains CS2 esports starts to break down.

Whether the community sees this as a reasonable trade-off or a step too far will likely depend on how strictly EFG enforces the rules in practice, and whether the co-streamers who draw tens of thousands of viewers decide the conditions are worth it. EFG retains the right to terminate access and revoke broadcasting rights in real time for any violation, so the leverage sits firmly on the tournament organiser’s side.

The post ESL New Co-Streaming Rules for 2026 Crack Down on Creator Freedom During Broadcasts appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

ESL FACEIT Group has expanded its ZOWIE partnership, confirming the gaming brand as the exclusive Official Monitor Supplier for its major Counter-Strike 2 tournaments across 2026 and 2027. If you watch or follow IEM or ESL Pro League, this deal directly affects the hardware powering the biggest matches on the calendar.

The renewed agreement builds on an initial collaboration in 2025 and now locks in ZOWIE’s flagship XL2586X+ monitors across the full ESL Pro Tour ecosystem for the next two years.

ZOWIE Named Exclusive Monitor Supplier For Major CS2 Events

Under the expanded deal, ZOWIE will serve as the exclusive official monitor supplier for Intel Extreme Masters and ESL Pro League events worldwide throughout 2026 and 2027. That means every major Counter-Strike 2 tournament run by ESL FACEIT Group in that window will use the same display setup on stage.

At the centre of the agreement is the ZOWIE XL2586X+, a 600Hz monitor designed specifically for competitive FPS play. The model was already deployed at IEM events in 2025, and its continued use signals a longer-term alignment between the tournament organiser and the BenQ-owned esports brand.

According to the official release, the monitors will power all major CS2 tournaments within ESL FACEIT Group’s ecosystem, aiming to deliver both elite competitive performance for players and a premium viewing experience for fans.

Events Covered Across The ESL Pro Tour

The expanded partnership stretches across the full ESL Pro Tour circuit. That includes Intel Extreme Masters events in Cologne, China, Rio, Atlanta and Kraków across 2026 and 2027.

It also covers ESL Pro League Seasons 23 and 24 in 2026, followed by Seasons 25 and 26 in 2027. Season 23 is scheduled to begin on March 1st, marking one of the first major competitions under the renewed agreement.

In addition, reporting confirms that ZOWIE will supply its XL2586X+ monitors for all IEM events taking place this year and next year, including June’s IEM Cologne Major, one of the most prestigious tournaments in the Counter-Strike calendar.

Earlier in 2026, the two companies had already worked together at IEM Kraków, ESL FACEIT Group’s first Tier 1 event of the year, setting the tone for this broader renewal.

What The 600Hz Monitor Means For Pro Play

The XL2586X+ monitor is built around a 600Hz refresh rate, positioning it at the cutting edge of esports display technology. For professional Counter-Strike 2 players, higher refresh rates can translate to smoother motion clarity and more responsive on-screen feedback, particularly in fast-paced aim duels.

Andreas Jernberg, VP of Brand Partnership Development at ESL FACEIT Group, said the expanded partnership allows the organiser to continue delivering top-tier competition environments. He highlighted the 600Hz refresh rate and visual clarity of the XL2586X+ as being at the forefront of esports technology across the 2026 and 2027 CS2 calendar.

Jay Wu, President of BenQ Europe B.V., added that ZOWIE’s mission remains focused on performance-driven equipment for competitive players. He said the extended partnership enables the brand to contribute meaningfully to the Counter-Strike ecosystem by delivering consistent, high-performance tournament environments worldwide.

Broadcast Integration And Fan Activations

Beyond simply supplying monitors, ZOWIE will be integrated across event broadcasts and on-site activations. That includes brand exposure on livestreams, stage takeovers at events, and in-person product experiences.

Fans can also expect ticket giveaways and chances to win ZOWIE products during upcoming tournaments. These activations are designed to connect the hardware seen on stage with the wider Counter-Strike community watching online or attending in person.

ZOWIE’s Wider Presence In Counter-Strike

The partnership expansion fits into a broader push from ZOWIE within the Counter-Strike scene. In February, the brand partnered with Team Vitality’s in-game leader Dan “apEX” Madesclaire. As part of that deal, the four-time Major winner is set to assist with product development and participate in sports science testing.

ZOWIE has also collaborated with tournament organisers such as StarLadder in similar agreements, providing peripherals for use at competitive events.

With ESL FACEIT Group locking in ZOWIE as its exclusive monitor supplier through 2027, the visual standard for top-tier Counter-Strike 2 events now looks firmly set. For players, it means consistent tournament setups. For fans, it means the same high-refresh hardware powering every big moment across the next two seasons.

The post ESL Expands ZOWIE Partnership For All CS2 Events Through 2027 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Brazil’s FURIA have done it again, storming their way into the Intel Extreme Masters Chengdu 2025 Grand Final after a commanding 2–0 victory over Falcons, marking their third consecutive win against the European side and their third grand final appearance in four events.

FURIA advance to the IEM Chengdu Grand Final after third consecutive victory over Falcons 👏🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/TRFnjpt8Nq

— HLTV.org (@HLTVorg) November 8, 2025

A Dominant Start on Inferno

The series kicked off on Inferno, and FURIA wasted no time taking control. Under the leadership of Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo, the Brazilian side exploited Falcons’ defensive weaknesses with a flawless first-half strategy. FalleN and Yuri “yuurih” Santos anchored the A site superbly, while Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis’s relentless aggression on B repeatedly caught the Falcons off guard.

By halftime, FURIA had already built a 10–2 CT-side lead, leaving Falcons scrambling to respond. Even though Falcons managed to take the second-half pistol round, it barely dented the Brazilians’ momentum. FURIA sealed the map 13–5, setting the tone for the rest of the match.

Mirage: Falcons Fight Back, But FURIA Hold Firm

Falcons found some rhythm on Mirage, opening with a strong T side and heading into the switch 7–5 ahead. Rising star Maxim “kyousuke” Lukin even pulled off a stunning ace to keep his team in contention, but FURIA’s resilience proved too much once again.

Despite kyousuke’s heroic 26 kills and a team-high 1.33 rating, his teammates struggled to follow suit. FURIA clawed their way back, and in the final round, Falcons’ inability to convert a 2vs4 advantage cost them the map 11–13, and the series 0–2 overall.

Falcons’ Struggles Continue

After going undefeated in the group stage, Falcons once again faltered when it mattered most. The team’s coordination broke down in key moments, with star riflers Nikola “NiKo” Kovač and Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov unable to match the consistency of their Brazilian opponents.

Coach Danny “zonic” Sørensen acknowledged the team’s issues after the match, saying,

“I have to give credit to FURIA, they are playing really good CS. Especially on Inferno, it felt like we were getting read. We couldn’t transition the atmosphere or the level that we showed in the group stage.”

The loss marks another frustrating playoff exit for Falcons, whose inability to close out man-advantage situations remains a recurring weakness.

FURIA’s Consistency and Star Power

FURIA’s success has been built on experience, structure, and an explosive balance of aggression and control. yuurih stood out as the match MVP, topping the scoreboard with a 1.42 rating and 92 ADR, while YEKINDAR and KSCERATO added crucial multi-kills in tight rounds.

This result sends FURIA into the IEM Chengdu Grand Final against Team Vitality, where they’ll compete in a best-of-five showdown for the championship title. Meanwhile, Falcons will look to salvage their campaign in the third-place decider against MOUZ.

What’s Next

With FURIA riding high on momentum and FalleN’s leadership proving invaluable, their clash with Vitality promises to be a thrilling end to the Chengdu event. A win would not only secure another international title for Brazil but also reaffirm FURIA’s place among the world’s elite Counter-Strike teams.

The post FURIA Charge Into IEM Chengdu Grand Final After Beating Falcons Again appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

A comeback for the ages sees the French powerhouse edge out MOUZ once again.

Revenge Served Hot in Chengdu

Team Vitality have booked their spot in yet another grand final, taking down MOUZ 2-1 in a thrilling semi-final at IEM Chengdu 2025. The French-led squad turned the tables on their rivals after suffering a loss to them earlier in the group stage, securing a much-needed revenge victory to claim their 10th grand final appearance of the year.

Vitality exact revenge on MOUZ to book their 10th grand final of the year 🔥🐝 pic.twitter.com/09qv8WUnBB

— HLTV.org (@HLTVorg) November 8, 2025

The match was every bit the blockbuster fans expected. Both sides have developed one of Counter-Strike’s most intense rivalries throughout 2025, meeting ten times this year alone. While Vitality dominated early in the season, MOUZ had clawed their way back in recent months, including a win at IEM Cologne that ended Vitality’s hot streak.

After the Chengdu clash, Shahar “flameZ” Shushan summed it up best:

“We worked a lot to beat them, to get revenge for the group stage, and now this means that their win in the group stage is quite nothing. It makes us happy.”

A Nuke Comeback to Remember

The series kicked off on Nuke, and it looked like MOUZ had the upper hand early on, racing to a 12-4 lead. But in true Vitality fashion, Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut switched into overdrive. The French superstar dropped 30 kills, including two incredible quad-kills that sparked an 11-round run to flip the script.

Alongside captain Dan “apEX” Madesclaire, ZywOo led one of the most remarkable comebacks of the season, with Vitality closing out the opener 16-13.

MOUZ Respond on Train

MOUZ refused to back down and found their rhythm on Train. Down 4-8 at the half, Ludvig “Brollan” Brolin rallied his team, calling their CT side “the best in the world”, and he wasn’t wrong. The squad tightened up defensively, shutting down Vitality’s pushes and taking the map 13-11 to even the series.

The win showed MOUZ’s resilience, with Jimi “Jimpphat” Salo and Dorian “xertioN” Berman putting up key multi-kill rounds to keep the dream alive.

Inferno Decider Brings the Chaos

It all came down to Inferno, and both teams came out swinging. Every round felt like a chess match, filled with counter-strats and unpredictable plays. MOUZ’s xertioN looked unstoppable on Banana, stringing together a four-round streak that nearly broke Vitality’s economy late in the game.

But Vitality didn’t flinch. apEX called the perfect stack and bait setup to snatch back control, while ZywOo landed a devastating collateral shot that sealed MOUZ’s fate. The final map ended 13-10, sending Vitality roaring into the grand final.

Star Performances

Vitality’s star trio led the way:

• ZywOo – 63 kills, 1.39 rating
• ropz – 59 kills, 1.40 rating
• flameZ – 56 kills, 1.21 rating

Meanwhile, MOUZ’s xertioN fought valiantly with 52 kills, but it wasn’t enough to stop Vitality’s late surge.

Grand Final Awaits

With this win, Team Vitality advance to the IEM Chengdu 2025 Grand Final, where they’ll face the winner of Falcons vs FURIA. The championship match is set for Sunday, November 9, and fans can expect another high-octane showdown as Vitality look to cap off their dominant year with another trophy.

The post Vitality Strike Back to Reach IEM Chengdu 2025 Grand Final appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

North America’s Premier CS2 Tournament Finds a New Home

ESL has officially announced that next year’s Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) event in North America will move from Dallas to Atlanta. Scheduled for May 11 to 17, 2026, the event will take place at the Georgia World Congress Center as part of the DreamHack Atlanta festival.

The announcement was made via ESL’s social media channels, confirming that #IEMAtlanta2026 will replace the usual Dallas stop in the Counter-Strike circuit. Ticket sales are already live, with a limited flash sale offering early buyers the lowest prices.

Tickets to #IEM Atlanta 2026 are LIVE!

Get them at the lowest possible price in the FLASH SALE! 👇https://t.co/LrKYJuWSwg

— ESL Counter-Strike (@ESLCS) November 2, 2025

Why the Move from Dallas to Atlanta?

The decision to relocate follows the ongoing renovation of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, which is expected to be completed in 2029. The venue had hosted several successful IEM Dallas editions, but with construction underway, ESL needed a new North American home for 2026.

Atlanta was a natural choice. The city recently hosted DreamHack Knockout 2025, where M80 earned their spot in the ESL Pro League, proving its ability to attract passionate fans and deliver top-tier esports experiences.

A Return to a Legendary CS City

Atlanta isn’t new to the Counter-Strike scene. The city famously hosted multiple ELEAGUE events, including the 2017 Major, where Astralis claimed the first of their four Major titles. With that history, it’s fitting that the city will once again take centre stage for one of CS2’s biggest annual events.

This time, the action will unfold as part of DreamHack Atlanta, blending Counter-Strike with a weekend packed full of gaming culture, cosplay, and other esports showcases, including a Call of Duty Major running alongside IEM.

$1,000,000 on the Line

IEM Atlanta 2026 will feature a $1 million prize pool, following ESL’s familiar structure of two 8-team groups feeding into a 6-team playoff bracket. Eleven of the participating teams will receive direct invitations based on the global Valve Regional Standings (VRS) as of February 2, while the remaining five slots will go to teams from North America, South America, and open qualifiers.

Although the full team list has not yet been revealed, fans can expect to see some of the biggest names in Counter-Strike 2 competing for both prestige and a major share of the prize.

A Busy Year for ESL and IEM

IEM Atlanta is just one of several major Counter-Strike 2 events planned for 2026. ESL will also host tournaments in Krakow, Brazil, and China, alongside flagship competitions such as the Cologne Major and the Esports World Cup.

With so many international events on the calendar, IEM Atlanta will stand as the main North American battleground of the year, keeping the region firmly in the global Counter-Strike spotlight.

What to Expect Next

More details about the team invites, schedule, and broadcast talent will be shared closer to the event. For now, ESL is encouraging fans to secure their tickets early through DreamHack’s website and prepare for what promises to be one of 2026’s biggest esports weekends.

The post ESL Brings IEM Counter-Strike to Atlanta in 2026 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

“We want to prove them they’re wrong” – MIBR fer

After a roster shake up and missing playoffs at Blast Pro Series Los Angeles, MIBR looked to redeem themselves at IEM Chicago 2019.

They were able to beat G2 Esports in a tiebreaker match at the end of group stage play in a close 2-1 series. After making the bracket stage, MIBR came out swinging against ENCE on Mirage but ended up falling to ENCE in another 2-1 series. After the match, I caught up with MIBR’s fer to discuss the team’s growth and their plan is going forward to the Berlin Major.

When asked about the team’s performance at Blast Pro Series Los Angeles and IEM Chicago, fer said the team had low expectations since it was their first tournament with zews in the starting roster. However, they were pleased to have a close series with FaZe Clan and at least pick up a win and a draw. Looking forward to IEM Chicago and the StarLadder Major Berlin, fer mentioned the team just wants to have fun, play more games with zews and become Legends once again. When I asked fer about zews’ transition to the active roster, he said that it is zews’ dream to play at a major just like every player and the team is going to work hard to keep that Legends spot.

The last question was about the growth of CS:GO and his opinion on what it takes to make CS:GO the best esport. Fer states the big tournaments and majors make everyone very exited to watch and play the game especially with the format of the StarLadder Major Berlin. He believes Blast Pro Series is helping CS:GO gain visibility with the increase in number of tournaments and the vast media coverage across multiple countries when the events are played. With the increased coverage and increased presence of major tournaments, fer believes this will help people who never watched CS:GO or esports get involved and at least enjoy the events.

“We want to prove them they’re wrong.” That was fer’s comment regarding the haters of his team. He loves the support from his fans and family and thanks all of them including the haters for all the support. The team comradery from MIBR is definitely there as it means everything to fer. MIBR will be training hard and will be back in action at the StarLadder Major in Berlin, Germany August 28th – September 8th, 2019.

Interview was conducted at the IEM ESL Champs in Chicago 2019.

The post IEM Interview w. MIBR appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) Sydney, Australia’s biggest esports tournament, is now in the history books, with Team Liquid winning the tournament and taking home the lion’s share of US$250,000 in front of a packed Qudos Bank Arena. In an intense final lasting five maps, Team Liquid took the win over Fnatic to secure themselves a spot in esports history as champions at the tournament’s third stop in Sydney, and 75th stop globally since its inception in 2006.

This year’s event, held across May 3rd to the 5th, 2019, surpassed all previous viewership records for an esports tournament held in Australia, with over 20 million viewers tuning in across the duration of the event. Counter-Strike fans across the world watched almost 10 million hours of content over the course of the event, up 16% vs. 2018.

On social media, users made over 36,000 tweets related to IEM Sydney 2019, while content surrounding the tournament was viewed over 55 million times across all platforms.

“IEM Sydney is a truly world-class event, and seeing our broadcast reach over 20 million people around the world is a testament to the quality of the tournament.” said Nick Vanzetti, MD & Senior Vice President of ESL APJ. “Between those who watched online and the 7,500 fans who attended each day of the main event, there is a growing appetite in Australia for the highest level of Counter-Strike.”

“We owe the continued success of Intel Extreme Masters Sydney to the esports community in Australia and around the world, which continues to grow at an incredible pace,” said John Bonini, Vice President and General Manager of VR, Gaming and Esports at Intel. “This community is why Intel keeps fuelling this growth with more esports, more great content for PC gamers and more innovation when it comes to performance and power.”

Attendees at the event were able to immerse themselves in the latest PC gaming technology and titles. The Intel Showcase featured the latest 9th Gen Intel Core i7 and Intel® Core i9 processors for gaming and VR. Attendees also had the chance to purchase the latest PC gaming products from Intel partners and engage in competitive gaming on Intel’s leading gaming technology, including the Intel Hades Canyon NUC at the Intel Channel Pavilion.

You can check out our coverage of IEM Sydney 2019 HERE.

The post Intel Extreme Masters Sydney Sets New Record appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The Intel Extreme Masters roared in to Sydney on the first weekend of May as thousands of PC Gamers and eSports enthusiasts packed into Sydbey’s Olympic Park Stadium to support their favourite teams.

STG was a guest of Intel and during our coverage of the event, Shane was invited to have a sit down and chat with Lee Machen, the General Manager of Gaming and VR / AR at Intel.

Lee Machen – General Manager – Video Gaming, VR / AR @ Intel

Shane: Hi Lee, thanks for sitting down and talking to us here at STG. Can you tell us how you ended up in the Video Gaming / eSports side of Intel?

Lee: I have been it until for 23 years. And for roughly the first half of that time, I was in different positions in engineering and marketing. I’ve worked in our data center products, I’ve worked in our, sort of, embedded products, I tried to put chips in cars a long time ago before, it’s actually going to work this time. But that time, we were too early. But I was working in the in a software group.

Back when we started building our previous attempt at getting into discrete graphics, we were working on a high end distant desktop graphics card, codenamed Larrabee, and in the software group, we realized that, in order for people to get the value out of that graphics card, we had to make sure that the key pieces of software, were ready to go for the unique architecture that we were building. And so since graphics cards are aimed at gamers, we acquired a physics company in Ireland called Havoc. And after we acquired them, I went to go live in Ireland and basically work with Havoc, and help them achieve the goals that we had set for them after they joined us at Intel, and how it was entirely a game focused company.

So, they sell the physics middleware into all of the major game makers in the world. Their customers, include Ubisoft, EA, Take Two, you know, all the major game companies. And so that’s really where I for the first time got immersed in gaming, and really got to understand how the gaming business works primarily from the software side, but there was, you know, a fair amount of hardware involved there as well. So then I expanded my role to be managing a team within within Intel, that worked with all of the game middleware companies, as well as the major game publishers in the world. So we were sort of the Developer Relations team. I had someone on my team who worked with EA and someone on my team who worked with Ubisoft, and someone on my team that worked with Epic and Valve and everybody else you can think of. And so I really got to understand the games industry through working with those publishers, and trying to, you know, help them align with the hardware that we were bringing to market.

So the primary role of Developer Relations in a hardware company, is to make sure that when your hardware comes out, the software needs to be ready to take advantage of it and show the benefits of that hardware. And so that’s how I got involved in gaming. And I did that for about 10 years. And then a few years ago, I joined the the sales side of gaming, and shifted my focus a bit from focusing only on software developers, to now focusing on OEM our customers.

But in order to help our OEM, you also need to focus on the end user path to market. So retail, online retail customers that buy from system builders or build their own PCs, there’s a bunch of different ways that gaming hardware gets to the end user. And we have to work to make sure all of that works as efficiently as possible to sell CPUs, you know, like a box to CPU directly to the consumer, or to help make sure that Dell or HP, that the PCs they’re building, also make it to the end consumer. So that was sort of my path into gaming, right. And I’ve now been involved in gaming for, you know, 12 years or something like that. And I hope to never leave gaming, because it’s a really unique place to be. You get to know the ecosystem, you get to know people in the game studios, and a lot of them switch companies, but a lot of but most of them never leave the games industry, because it’s a pretty amazing place to work.

Shane: Are you a gamer yourself?

Lee: I am a over 40 parent gamer, which means I’m a gamer that doesn’t game very much at all. And I don’t have a lot of time to actually learn new games. So when I do have time to play, I tend to play the games that I already know, rather than spending hours and hours learning new mechanics and that sort of thing. And a couple of years ago, my kids and I really got into PUBG. So we have we have a room set up with three PCs. And the three of us play PUBG together whenever we have the time.

Shane: So Intel, from CPUs to major eSports competitions how did this transition come about?

Lee: Well, some of this I’m going to be talking about based on what I’ve been told, because I wasn’t there when it started. But I was at Intel, I just wasn’t focused on gaming at the time. So ESL was based in Germany, I think they’re still based in Germany. And some of those guys got to know some of the folks on our German side, you know, local sales team. And they started working on ‘Hey, wouldn’t it be cool to have, you know, if Intel sponsored an Intel gaming night’ or something like that. And so this is, in the very early days, not the ESL that we have now that puts on major Stadium events all over the world, right?

We were still starting out in gaming, they were basically just getting started and the world wasn’t ready for Stadium events. Anyway, Twitch didn’t exist. You know, most people didn’t have very fast network connections at home. So multiplayer gaming, unless you were located in a single room wasn’t really possible. So you know, they basically started putting together I think it was called Intel Game Night or something like that, in Germany, and it all basically grew from there. Then they started putting on bigger and bigger Competitions with adding the ability for people to watch. on what was peer to peer type software that was very low resolution. And it only worked with like, hundreds, or maybe a couple thousand people watching at a time, nothing like nothing like what we have now. And fortunately for us, we decided to stick with it year after year and add more events and you know, constantly tweak the format of those events and the location of those events. Then in about 2006, I think, we started calling it Extreme Masters. And we’re now in Season 14 of that. And in those 14 years We’ve done 75 different IEM events, in all in places all around the world. If you just give me one second, there’s a couple other statistics I am that are pretty interesting.

Yeah, 75 events, 14 years, 15 countries, 31 different cities that we’ve been able to do this. So I look at how big companies allocate their budgets. And I think it’s, it’s great that we had enough leaders with enough understanding of how important this was that we stuck with it, and we’re able to help work with ESL to grow to this level.

Intel Extreme Masters 2019, Sydney Olympic Park – (Photo by Andrea Francolini)

Shane: What do you think the future of IEM will be and where do you see it evolving to?

Lee: I’m not much of a futurist, but there is definitely a lot of demand for more events and more places. Since I’ve been involved in it, for the past four or five years, something like that, we’ve primarily used Counter Strike as our as our main game and it also feels like we’re starting to see interest in a broad, wider variety of games.

At the beginning, we were sort of split using Counter Strike half the time in league legends half the time, League of Legends, which basically, are private with their own tournaments. And since then we’ve been focused on Counter Strike, and one of the things I always worry about is, is it just going to be Counter Strike forever? I mean, is that going to be the only game that we have access to that people are interested in?

And the answer is no, we’ve seen a lot of games come and go, well come and then you know, maybe not last, but there seems to be a lot of games, entering the eSports scene every year, right, the Apex Legends is a possibility Fortnite a possibility, I think there’s still some  energy left and PUBG in certain parts of the world. We’ve done some great events with DOTA. So Rainbow Six is another one.

So I’m very encouraged by the number of games that are making an attempt to enter eSports, some of them successfully, and a bunch of them are certainly finding an audience. So what I think is going to happen with PC based eSports overall, is that we need to figure out a way to bring a broader variety of Competitions to a wider variety of places. I mentioned it yesterday that we did a ESL event in India two weeks ago. And it’s the first time they’ve ever had a Stadium level eSports event, right? This is the second biggest country in the world.

And there’s countries like that all over the place that aren’t getting the level of investment in gaming, that they probably deserve, given the amount of gaming interest in those nations. There’s a huge opportunity for us and ESL and anybody else in eSports to grow the market. Because right now, there is a huge unmet desire among fans in countries all over the world, to go to events like what we have here, and we just have a very small inventory of ability to put on these events around the world. So more more events in more places with you know, a bigger variety of titles, is I think, what’s going to happen, at least in the in the short term, you know, three to five year timeframe. Beyond that, my crystal ball is no good.

Intel Extreme Masters 2019, Sydney Olympic Park – (Photo by Andrea Francolini)

Shane: Why do you think eSports is important for the video gaming industry, why is Intel’s involvement important to eSports as a whole as a whole?

Lee: Putting it very simply, I think eSports needs major sponsors like us to continue to grow. It’s not entirely clear to me what the long term primary source of revenue for eSports is going to be. In traditional sports is broadcasting, right? Most of the money comes from the TV channels.

Of course, that’s what’s going to have to happen in eSports, it’s going to be Twitch writing giant cheques to broadcast IEM or something like that. Maybe that will happen or maybe it will mostly be funded on the back of sponsorships.

Because for companies like us, one of the main reasons where we invest in eSports is because the people watching who are also gamers who are likely to buy Core i7s and Core i9s, and our investment looks like a very good place to place our bets because we’re getting the ROI based on hardware sales.

And without that, you know, these these events, I don’t think would be possible, right? You have to sort of look at where the funding comes from. In the case of the League Championship Series from League of Legends, the sponsorship comes from Riot Games, because they’re the ones getting the getting the return on that investment because of more people playing League.

So right now it’s mostly funded by the people that make the games and the people that make the hardware that you play those games on. We’re seeing an additional influx of sponsorships from what we call non endemic brands like soft drinks and Red Bull. And I think we have Hyundai over here at the at the show. So there’s everybody recognizing the young and enormous audience that we have at eSports. So naturally, everybody wants to get their brands in front of that audience as well. And I hope that they get a great return on that investment.

But I think the sponsorships right now are the thing that’s that’s providing most of the ability for this scene to continue to grow. And for a company like us that’s been invested in it from very early on it’s not just that we’re investing but it’s also that we’re continually improving our products to allow the games themselves to be competed at an even higher level. So that was a long winded answer, but I think it’s important. I think it’s important that companies like us continue to invest to allow this forum to grow.

Shane: Fantastic, thank you Lee. For more coverage on the Intel Extreme Masters Champs in Sydney Australia, check out our coverage HERE.

The post Interview with Lee Machen @ IEM Sydney 2019 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Lights, cameras, keyboards!

Sydney’s Olympic Park was home to intel’s extreme eSports extravaganza, the Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) for the first weekend of May 2019, and STG was a guest of Intel to witness the drama, action and nail-biting gameplay from the onset to the clincher finals.

Spread across the stadium floors was hands-on with the latest and greatest gameplay for already released and upcoming PC titles making use of Intels 9th Generation i7 processors, flexing their might, crunching the fierce action as gamers from around the Globe experienced everything from VR (Virtual Reality) through to hardcore FPS (First Person Shooters).

Intel Extreme Masters 2019, Sydney Olympic Park – (Photo by Andrea Francolini)

Intel’s NUCs proved once again that being compact does not mean they are light-weights in the gaming department. Having high end games seamlessly running over the three days.

Beat Sabre being a favourite amongst the attendees for the VR experience aswell as a full motion chair setup in the Predator booth. Bethesda showcasing the upcoming Rage 2.

MSI, Legion by Lenovo, ASUS, Acer, HP Omen and more took part with the free play having multiple laptops and desktops ready for endless bouts and friendly competitions.

SteelSeries, CoolerMaster and Razer showcased their RGB and mobile peripherals across three floors, with an area almost entirely dedicated to PC Mods and some killer RIGs on display.

Intel Extreme Masters 2019, Sydney Olympic Park – (Photo by Andrea Francolini)

But it wasn’t just the free-to-play areas that the gamers had come for. IEM is all about eSports and the flavour of the weekend was CS:GO (Counter Strike).

The long standing franchise was the weapon of choice for the International Competitor teams as they played off with best out of 5 across 30 Rounds each.

In the arena the crowds were treated to some seat and adrenaline fueled action.

With a brief Overwatch contender event, all eyes were on the teams for the grand prize, strategically working as a team to take out their opponents in CS:GO, two teams faced off in the Finals; FNATIC vs. Team Liquid.

Intel Extreme Masters 2019, Sydney Olympic Park – (Photo by Andrea Francolini)

While it appeared throughout the hours of play FNATIC had it in the bag, Team Liquid rose like a phoenix and scooped the prize. Winners of IEM Sydney 2019.

A huge achievement for Team Liquid who had been suffering from a losing streak, this was a win that they sorely needed to take them to the Majors later this year.

IEM ESL 2019 was THE eSports competition of this year, so far. With the glitz, glamour and tension of any high profile sports match, the seriously engaged audience had been treated to a showdown.

With eSports on the up Intel have heavily invested not only funds, but high end equipment in to this phenomenal gaming platform. Going from makers of CPU’s through to top shelf small form factors, high rendering GPU’s and more, Intel are proving that they themselves are the masters of eSports.

IEM ESL Gallery

The post IEM Sydney 2019 appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

After claiming runner-up finishes at the past three playoff events, the ORDER team was out to prove itself when it took on defending three-peat champions, the Sydney Drop Bears, at the Overwatch Contenders Australia Season 1 Final at IEM Sydney over the weekend.

ORDER beat third-seeded Blank Esports in its semi-final 3-0, before moving on to defeat the Sydney Drop Bears 4-1 in a thrilling grand final series.

The victory was an emotional one for ORDER, shaking the team’s LAN curse and wrestling the Overwatch Contenders Australia trophy away from the Sydney Drop Bears. In doing so, ORDER took home its share of the $100,000 USD prize pool, and secured the coveted invitation to progress and take on the best regional Contenders teams at the Overwatch Pacific Showdown, which will be held in Shanghai later this month.

Sunday’s final kicked off with the Sydney Drop Bears stumbling on Oasis under the weight of aggressive play from ORDER. With the wind suddenly at its back, ORDER’s Adam “Adam” Soong’s strong D.Va play led to a full hold on King’s Row and another point for the team. Horizon Lunar Colony saw the Sydney Drop Bears find its footing, but it came too late to claim the map. With the championship title on the line, the Sydney Drop Bears defended superbly on Watchpoint: Gibraltar, fending off an electrifying final push from ORDER, to take the series to 3-1.

Heading into the fifth map, Nepal, ORDER was ready to pounce. A massive Earthshatter/Self Destruct combo from Sam “Quatz” Dennis and “Adam” clinched a crucial first-round victory, and helped ORDER secure the final map to claim the Overwatch Contenders Australia Season 1 victory.

Congratulations to ORDER on a well-deserved win!

Catch the Pacific Showdown live on Twitch from 24th –26th of May, 2019. ORDER will face top teams from China, Korea, and the Pacific in an intense double-elimination bracket tournament

The post ORDER claims first Overwatch Contenders @ IEM Sydney appeared first on Shane the Gamer.