Fortnite is on the menu at Katowice this year for the first time, with Epic Games and ESL joining forces to run not one, but two tournaments across multiple weekends in February and March.
On February 23-24th, a $100,000 (~£77,000) prize pool will be up for grabs at the Polish edition which will feature the top 100 Polish players and influencers. The second weekend will feature $500,000 (~£383,000) in prize money and welcome 100 influencers and professional players from across the world over three days of competition.
In addition to the esports action, a playing area encompassing 100 PCs and 100 PS4s spread over 2,500 metres squared will welcome Fortnite fans into the IEM Expo across both weekends. It will provide an opportunity for fans to play and be in with a chance ot winning material prizes worth over $50,000.
“ESL Katowice Royale – Featuring Fortnite will be our first international Fortnite competition and we couldn’t be more excited,” said Sebastian Weishaar, Chief Product Officer at ESL. “Fans from all over the world know our Katowice event and bringing Fortnite as one of the world’s largest games to them feels like a great fit!”
“Fortnite is a global game, and there are amazing, passionate players all around the globe,” added Rob Hodson, Esports Manager at Epic Games. “Partnering with ESL in Katowice gives us the chance to showcase some of these incredible international competitors.”
Esports Insider says: It was only a matter of time before Fortnite hit the big stage at an ESL event but here we are – and it’s coming to none other than Katowice. Not only is there a whopping $500,000 on the line for the international players, there’s $100,000 on the line for local Polish talent too which is undoubtedly great for the local community. We’re excited to watch Tfue and the like take to the stage in Poland alongside other great esports titles like CS:GO and Dota 2.