CS2 Esports News

The Esports World Cup 2024, hailed as the largest esports event in history, is facing serious allegations regarding unpaid prize money, salaries, and service fees for players, production staff, and on-screen talent. According to Esports.net, multiple anonymous sources have come forward to claim that payments remain outstanding nearly six months after the event concluded. However, readers should note that we at Strafe Esports have not yet been able to verify these sources and claims.  Delayed Payments Across Multiple Games Themore

Just days before ESL Pro League Season 21, Valve has introduced changes to the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) system. These adjustments come just two weeks after 22 Counter-Strike organizations penned an open letter urging Valve to revamp its approach to ranking teams. Key Changes to the VRS System The changes, implemented on February 24, 2025, bring significant modifications to how team rankings are calculated, addressing longstanding concerns from the community. These updates affect forfeits, tournament data recording, match eligibility, andmore

After the thrill that was PGL Cluj-Napoca, Counter-Strike action now continues with ESL Pro League. The 21st edition of the tournament now follows the traditional CS major format, featuring a total of 24 teams. These teams will fight through the three-stage tournament to lift the EPL trophy and the much needed points for the VRS ranking. Let’s take a look at what the tournament has in store for us. ESL Pro League Season 21 Format and Teams: The tournament willmore

In a thrilling series that lasted four maps, MOUZ took down Team Falcons to lift the PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 trophy. Let's take a look at what went down on the final day of the tournament. Astralis takes down FaZe Clan As a prelude to the PGL Cluj-Napoca Grand Finals, Astralis took on FaZe Clan in the 3rd place bo3 decider. The game started on Mirage with both sides going pound for pound, tying up in regulation. The back and forth continuedmore

The PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 continues tomorrow with it's semifinals. The tournament also gives us our Featured Match of the Day between FaZe Clan and Team Falcons. Additionally, we have procured five more matches from across the world of esports. After careful analysis, our team of experts has handpicked the most promising matches in Counter-Strike 2, Valorant and League of Legends with particularly enticing odds for your predictions today. *Best Esports Predictions and Odds for the February 22nd, 2025, as collectedmore

The PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 quarterfinals highlight today's CS2 action with an intriguing clash between The MongolZ and Astralis. The Mongolian squad enters as favorites after their impressive group stage performance where they remained undefeated, only dropping a single map to paiN. Astralis, on the other hand, barely scraped through to the playoffs, securing their spot after five rounds with crucial victories over MIBR and BIG. After careful analysis, our experts team has handpicked the most promising matches in Counter-Strike 2, Valorantmore

A new CS2 IP exploit has surfaced, allowing malicious actors to grab players' IP addresses, potentially exposing them to privacy breaches and targeted attacks. This issue was brought up to figures in the gaming community like Trainwreckstv and Austin "Cooper" Abadir, urging players to take immediate precautions and asking Valve to act quick before more problems occur.   What Is this new CS IP Exploit? The exploit reportedly enables attackers to retrieve players' IP addresses through vulnerabilities in CS2's integrationmore

The PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025 enters its playoff stage on February 21st, 2025, with eight teams still in contention for the ultimate glory. The opening playoffs matches feature a mix of expected favorites and rising challengers, promising interesting clashes as teams have one more challenge to overcome. This preview will preview the four opening matches: paiN vs MOUZ, The MongolZ vs Astralis, Falcons vs Eternal Fire, and FaZe vs SAW. paiN vs MOUZ paiN Gaming and MOUZ face off in amore

The Nuke map in Counter-Strike is a staple in the series, renowned for its intricate design and strategic depth. First introduced in November 1999, it has undergone several redesigns, each adding new layers of complexity. This article delves into the history, layout, and strategies of Nuke, providing a detailed guide for players. Its unique structure and design make it a favorite among players who enjoy complex tactical gameplay. Understanding the evolution of Nuke can provide valuable insights into its currentmore

Counter-Strike 747 is a unique hostage rescue map set inside a hijacked Boeing 747. It features tight corridors, close-quarters combat, and a mix of open and enclosed spaces. Players must adapt their strategies based on the map's design, as ambushes, sniping, and tactical positioning play a huge role in success. Sniper rifles are useful outside the plane, where long sightlines provide an advantage. Inside, shotguns and submachine guns dominate due to the tight spaces. Players can use flashbangs to clearmore

It's time for some League of Legends today with the return of the LCK Cup. Featured matchup of the day is the highly anticipated clash between T1 and Hanwha Life. After an intense 5 weeks of competition, T1 and HLE are set to clash in their first ever face-off of the year. Our analyst team has sat down and collected, what we think, are the best matches for YOU to predict on today. All outcomes for selected matches are moneyline predictions, meaningmore

It’s time for some Counter-Strike action today, as we’re continuing with PGL Cluj-Napoca. The featured matchup of the day is the highly anticipated showdown between FaZe Clan and MOUZ. With both teams eager to get to the playoffs first, all eyes will be on this clash to see who can gain the early momentum. Alongside this marquee matchup, several other exciting games are set to take place, making it a must-watch day for CS fans. Our analyst team has satmore

After 3 years of mediocrity in the Counter-Strike scene, Cloud9 have announced their exit from the space once again. The organization has officially confirmed that they will be exiting for the time being. The news comes on the heels of their final members, Aleksandr "sweety10" Shcherbakov (Team Manager) and Konstantin "groove" Pikiner (Coach), being released from the organization. Cloud9 is Out The North American organization has held a prestigious and long-standing reputation for years in Counter-Strike, going back to some of the mostmore

Counter-Strike time baby. PGL Cluj Napoca is in town and we're into Swiss Stage 2 with the next round of matches. Featured smackdown of the day is The Mongolz taking on Wildcard Gaming. We also have Virtus.Pro, MOUZ, Complexity, FlyQuest and BIG playing today so strap in for a strong day of CS. Our analyst team has sat down and collected, what we think, are the best matches for YOU to predict on today. All outcomes for selected matches aremore

With IEM Katowice coming to an end, and as the Tier-1 teams prepare for PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025, we have some thrilling Tier-2 Counter-Strike matches in the CCT series and YALLA Compass Winter series. Best Counter-Strike Predictions and Odds for the 12th of February, 2025 as collected by the Strafe Esports Content Team. Featured Match of the Day IEM Dallas 2025 Asian Qualifier - Lynn Vision Gaming vs The Huns Esports [10:30 am CET | 4:30 am EST] Lynn Vision Gamingmore

In a shocking turn of events today, PGL announced that their highly anticipated return to Kraków for 2027 has hit a major roadblock as TAURON Arena has cancelled their venue booking. The cancellation comes mere hours after the initial announcement of PGL's planned return to the Polish city. The Cancellation The venue's sudden withdrawal stems from a competing commitment, as TAURON Arena received confirmation that Kraków Municipality had already scheduled the venue for a recurring event scheduled for January thatmore

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has officially confirmed that the inaugural Olympic Esports Games will take place in 2027. This announcement follows months of speculation about potential delays, with initial plans targeting a 2025 launch. The Olympic Esports Games mark a significant milestone in the integration of esports into mainstream global sports. With the backing of the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF) as a Founding Partner, the event aims to create a structured and internationally recognized competition. The announcement comesmore

In a significant move, twenty-two Counter-Strike organizations, including Ninjas in Pyjamas, Fnatic, MOUZ and FURIA, have signed an open letter addressed to Valve, urging significant changes to the current tournament system. While these teams support Valve’s vision of a meritocratic esports landscape, they believe the current system is deeply flawed and threatens the sustainability of the scene. The Open Qualifier Dilemma One of the biggest concerns raised in the letter is the current reliance on open qualifiers (OQs) as themore

PGL Cluj Napoca, the first PGL event of 2025, is set to kick off this Valentine's Day, as 16 of the world's top CS2 teams prepare to battle for a massive $1,250,000 prize pool in Romania. The tournament will run from February 14-23, featuring an exciting mix of established powerhouses and emerging talent. Tournament Structure The competition will unfold across two Romanian cities. The initial group stage takes place at the PGL Studios in Bucharest, while the playoffs will movemore

In a stunning display of skill and teamwork, Team Vitality secured their first-ever IEM Katowice championship with a commanding 3-0 victory over defending champions Team Spirit. The French organization showcased their dominance throughout the series, winning decisively on Dust2 (13-6), Nuke (13-5), and closing out the series on Mirage (13-11). A Historic Achievement The victory marks a significant milestone for Vitality, as it represents their first appearance in a Katowice final. The team's journey through the tournament was remarkable, withmore