The Esports Championship Series returns for Season 4, and gets underway tomorrow. The tournament has now revealed the full lineup of teams across the European division and also the North American division ahead of the action commencing on YouTube Gaming shortly. The tournament is of course FACEIT’s premier CS:GO tournament.
Season 4 will of course see the return of the winners of the third season, SK Gaming, who beat FaZe Clan in a crazy final at the SSE Wembley Arena, London earlier this year. Furthermore, the winners of both the inaugural season and the second season, G2 Esports and Astralis will also compete.
The prize pool for the tournament is no less than $750,000 (£570,000) and the venue for the eventual finals is still yet to be revealed. ECS has confirmed that the finals of the fifth season will take place at Wembley Arena, yet the fourth season’s LAN venue is still TBC.
With regards to the teams set to compete, there’s been a slight shake-up in the European division whilst the North American side has remained the same as last season. Virtus.pro who have been perennially under performing managed to retain their spot after beating Space Soldiers, whilst Heroic dispatched last season’s worst performer Team Dignitas to snatch their spot. In America, Luminosity beat Misfits and Ghost Gaming beat Tempo Storm meaning that the lineup for North America hasn’t changed at all.
European teams: Astralis, EnVyUs, FaZe Clan, G2, GODSENT, mousesports, NiP, Fnatic, Heroic, Virtus.pro.
North American teams: SK Gaming, Cloud9, OpTic Gaming, Immortals, CLG, Team Liquid, NRG, Renegades, Luminosity Gaming, Ghost.
Those who are new to participate in the fourth season of ECS have the opportunity to sign up for co-ownership in the league and the opportunity to have representation on the league’s governing committee. In total, $1.25 million will be provided for Season 4 that goes towards both the prize pool and supportive funds that will “provide player and team stability”. It includes helping organisations provide better salaries, facilities and equipment as well as improving the overall welfare for players plus providing a more structured framework for the ECS to operate within.
Esports Insider says: A stacked ECS for the fourth season, with VP even retaining their slot. As we mentioned, the venue has not yet been revealed so we’re excited to see where it goes. Will it be somewhere else in the UK or are we off somewhere else?