The Intel Extreme Masters is perhaps the most respected and well-known series of eSports tournaments on the pro gaming calendar. Players from around the globe compete in a series of events scattered around the world, with tournaments taking place across the globe, events on nearly every continent, and an epic final in Poland.
Sponsored by Intel and organised and sanctioned by the Electronic Sports League (ESL), the Intel Extreme Masters covers all the biggest and best games on the pro gaming scene, including CS2 and Starcraft II.
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History of the Intel Extreme Masters
ESL first introduced the Intel Extreme Masters to the world in 2006 following a number of successful albeit smaller European tournaments. Intel, extremely pleased by the performance and fan interest of the events, sponsored the event’s expansion, leading to the creation of the “Extreme Masters” from what was initially individually-named events.
The very first Intel Extreme Masters took place in 2007, with smaller qualifying events leading into an epic final. This structure remains today, although the final has moved from the CeBIT trade show in Hanover, Germany, to Katowice in Poland.
Those beginning seasons were small and limited in scope: the only game being played back in 2008 was Counter Strike 1.6. As history would show, this quickly expanded to become a lineup of five before retracting back to the two main titles, Counter-Strike and Starcraft II.
Intel Extreme Masters Events in 2024
Intel Extreme Masters Games
The Intel Extreme Masters has experimented with a number of different games throughout the years. Counter-Strike 1.6 was used in the tournament’s early years, while both Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos and Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne lasted for three years from the event’s inception. Quake Live managed to last two seasons before essentially falling off the eSports map, replaced by the likes of StarCraft II, League of Legends and Overwatch.
These are the games that have been played during each season of the Intel Extreme Masters:
Season 1
- Counter-Strike 1.6
- Warcraft
Season 2
- Counter-Strike 1.6
- Warcraft
Season 3
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
- Warcraft
- World Of Warcraft
Season 4
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
- World of Warcraft
- Quake Live
- Dota
Season 5
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
- Warcraft
- Dota
- StarCraft II
- Quake Live
Season 6
- League of Legends
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
- StarCraft II
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Season 7
- League of Legends
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
- StarCraft II
Season 8
- StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
- Heartstone: Heroes of Warcraft
Season 9
- StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
- League of Legends
- Heartstone: Heroes of Warcraft
Season 10
- StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm
- League of Legends
- Heartstone: Heroes of Warcraft
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Season 11
- Overwatch
- League of Legends
- StarCraft II
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Season 12
- StarCraft II
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
- PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
Season 13
- StarCraft II
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
- Fortnite: Battle Royale
- Dota 2
Season 14
- StarCraft II
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Season 15
- StarCraft II
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Season 16
- StarCraft II
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
2022
- StarCraft II
- Counter-Strike 2
2023
- StarCraft II
- Counter-Strike 2
2024
- StarCraft II
- Counter-Strike 2
Format of the Intel Extreme Masters
The Intel Extreme Masters relies on a qualifying season by which teams compete in an offline environment. Qualifiers tend to move around the globe, with the most recent 2023 qualifiers held in Rio de Janeiro, Dallas and Sydney.
Teams that qualify from these rounds are placed into the finals, where two groups of six teams are made, with the top two advancing to the grand final. The first placed team of each group will go directly to the semifinals, while second and third place go into the knock-out quarter finals.
Intel Extreme Masters Prize Money
The prize money on offer for the Intel Extreme Masters has fluctuated, but it still remains one of the most lucrative events on the pro gaming calendar. The current season offers a US$2.75 million prize pool in total, with both the IEM Katowice and IEM Cologne events having a prize pool of US$1,000,000.
Top Intel Extreme Masters earning players
- Joona Sotala (StarCraft II) | US$427,300
- Nikola “NiKo” Kovac (Counter-Strike) | US$373,400
- Havard “rain” Nygaard (Counter-Strike) | US$372,950
- Byung “Rogue” Ryul Lee (Starcraft II) | US$365,700
- Finn “karrigan” Andersen (Counter-Strike) | US$360,286
Top Intel Extreme Masters earning teams
- FaZe Clan | US$1,946,000
- Astralis | US$1,598,500
- G2 Esports | US$1,550,500
- Natus Vincere | US$1,549,200
- Team Liquid | US$982,000
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- FaZe Clan | US$1,946,000
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