LOS ANGELES: The world’s most famous professional Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) teams have united to create Flashpoint, a first of its kind, player run global esports league.
Intended as an esports league for adults, Flashpoint bills itself as an antidote to the financial instability and hectic player schedules in CS:GO. Though it directly competes with other competition brands in the market, Flashpoint will allow competing teams to participate outside of its events, in accordance with rules set by game publisher Valve.
CS:GO is one of the ‘big three’ titles that dominate the billion dollar esports industry alongside Dota 2 and League of Legends, and Flashpoint has been created to safeguard the future of the competitive shooter as a professional esport. Similar to a traditional sports franchise, teams will commit $25,000,000, benefit from direct revenue share and collectively decide on key elements of the league affecting player welfare including format, competition rules, minimum standards and hardware. The league has also been masterminded by some of the most famous commentators in esports to develop a new entertainment product never before seen in esports, inspired by the world’s biggest sports entertainment properties.
Whilst professional CS:GO boasts the most famous esports athletes in the world, and enormous viewership, Flashpoint was created in response to a series of issues threatening its future. The groundbreaking new league was devised by the world’s best teams, experts and broadcast talent in response to the current state of CS:GO esports: a lack of stability and long term investment and the immediate threat of a tournament organiser monopoly. Flashpoint will be played in a live studio environment for two annual six week seasons, each offering a $1,000,000 prize pool, one of the biggest in CS:GO.
The goal for the ultimate esports league is to create an open, diverse league showcasing and celebrating the best CS:GO players on the planet. Flashpoint will be the first CS:GO league where teams invest and have an ownership stake in the league, whilst also maintaining an open circuit championing new talent. The league is founded by ten of the biggest team organizations in the world, including MIBR, Cloud9, OverActive Media, Gen.G, Dignitas, and c0ntact Gaming who have structured the league to provide the highest revenue share potential to franchise holders of any major esport league. Players will also benefit from a revenue share with the league that will result in financial stability for teams and players that only comes with ownership. Flashpoint has retained the services of esports tournament organiser FaceIt who will act as league operator.
Alongside the founding teams, some of the biggest and most respected names in competitive CS:GO have had a direct role in creating Flashpoint, including Duncan “Thorin” Shields who will act as creative director and on-air talent. Christopher ‘MonteCristo’ Mykles will be making his CS:GO casting debut and Auguste “Semmler” Massonnat continues his triumphant return. The lineup also includes CS:GO legends Dan ‘DDK’ Kapadia and James Bardolph, as well as Freya Spiers. The world class line up is completed by Jason “moses” O’Toole, Anders Blume, and Sean Gares. Masterminded by the best broadcast talent in the world, Flashpoint will offer a completely new entertainment product, crafting storylines and building personalities and content never before seen in esports, taking inspiration from the biggest sports entertainment products in the world.
