A summer of opportunity for Cloud9 and FURIA find their footing

NaVi a win away from the top and G2 stumbling at the starting line

ESL Pro League Season 15 Quarterfinalists

America Fights for Survival and The Danes Double Up
EPL Playoff Preview

FaZe faces elimination and Fnatic write their Cinderella story
EPL Playoff Preview

NaVi s1mple at IEM Katowice:
"It was hard to get back"

forZe: "We are like beasts and we can rule the mountains" forZe: "We are like beasts and we can rule the mountains"

forZe: "We are like beasts and we can rule the mountains"

Counter-Strike
|
Interviews
|
Grady Hooker
We talked to Jerry and zorte from forZe ahead of their game against ENCE in the ESL Pro League Season 14. The topics we touched on included getting that crucial tier-one experience against the top teams and zorte's debut on a big stage.
counter-strike character
Fnatic: "I'm confident that we can win [against Liquid]" Fnatic: "I'm confident that we can win [against Liquid]"

Fnatic: "I'm confident that we can win [against Liquid]"

Counter-Strike
|
Interviews
|
Grady Hooker
Fnatic are preparing to go up against Team Liquid in the first round of the ESL Pro League Season 14 group stage and we got some time to talk to them about going from a full Swedish roster into an international team, as well as their confidence levels coming into their game.
counter-strike character
ENCE: "I would prefer to play NaVi out of all the teams, because I just want to beat simple" ENCE: "I would prefer to play NaVi out of all the teams, because I just want to beat simple"

ENCE: "I would prefer to play NaVi out of all the teams, because I just want to beat simple"

Counter-Strike
|
Interviews
|
Grady Hooker
For the first interview of ESL Pro League Season 14 both Grady and Josh sit down with the guys from ENCE to discuss the big differences between Tier-1 and Tier-2 Counter-Strike and the challenges to bust up into the top tier.
counter-strike character
IEM Cologne Play-Off Teams: What do you think of Ancient? IEM Cologne Play-Off Teams: What do you think of Ancient?

IEM Cologne Play-Off Teams: What do you think of Ancient?

Counter-Strike
|
Interviews
|
Grady Hooker
All the teams had a chance to play Ancient in an official match at this point of the tournament so it felt fitting to see what the overall opinion was from the playoff teams to the new map. What did they like? What did they hate? and what would they like to change about it?
counter-strike character
IEM Cologne Play-Off Teams: Which teams surprised you? IEM Cologne Play-Off Teams: Which teams surprised you?

IEM Cologne Play-Off Teams: Which teams surprised you?

Counter-Strike
|
Interviews
|
Grady Hooker
Before the playoffs we talked to all six teams featured; Astralis, NaVi, Gambit, VirtusPro, G2, and FaZe about which teams surprised them in this tournament. Either performed way better than they were expecting coming into it, or that underperformed and needed to pick up their game.
counter-strike character
Counter-Strike Tier Rankings: IEM Cologne 2021 Counter-Strike Tier Rankings: IEM Cologne 2021

Counter-Strike Tier Rankings: IEM Cologne 2021

Counter-Strike
|
Tier Rankings
|
The Esports Kingdom team
The first LAN event in over 16months, IEM Cologne, has come to a conclusion and now it is time to see where teams fall in our Tier Rankings. There has been some massive shake-ups as some teams surprise us with their performance and some teams underperformed in the recent event.
counter-strike character
Heroic: "We don't want anybody who's not wanting to kick ass" Heroic: "We don't want anybody who's not wanting to kick ass"

Heroic: "We don't want anybody who's not wanting to kick ass"

Counter-Strike
|
Interviews
|
Grady Hooker
Ahead of their clash with Team Spirit, we got to talk to cadiaN, TeSeS, refrezh, stavn from Heroic alongside their mental coach Troels Robl and physiotherapist Kasper Straube. We get all of the insights about how the performance team helps out the squad in preparing for their games.
counter-strike character
Astralis: "I was really aggressive before, but I think I've tuned down that a little bit" Astralis: "I was really aggressive before, but I think I've tuned down that a little bit"

Astralis: "I was really aggressive before, but I think I've tuned down that a little bit"

Counter-Strike
|
Interviews
|
Grady Hooker
In a brief session, Josh got to talk Bubzkji & Xyp9x from Astralis. They talked about the other Danish teams rising into the top echelon of CSGO teams, and how Bubzkji has adapted into the Astralis style after coming over from MAD Lions.
counter-strike character
NaVi: "I feel like all our players finally feel the power that we have" NaVi: "I feel like all our players finally feel the power that we have"

NaVi: "I feel like all our players finally feel the power that we have"

Counter-Strike
|
Interviews
|
Grady Hooker
We talk to s1mple & b1ad3 from Natus Vincere about the other CIS teams that have shown great skill in the online era, the conditions that they have to play in their hotel rooms, and the important of the momentum from their win in the RMR tournament.
counter-strike character
Virtus.Pro: "[Cologne] is the most important tournament even if it's not a major" Virtus.Pro: "[Cologne] is the most important tournament even if it's not a major"

Virtus.Pro: "[Cologne] is the most important tournament even if it's not a major"

Counter-Strike
|
Interviews
|
Grady Hooker
Coming off a tough tournament, we talked to YEKINDAR, Jame, and dastan from Virtus.Pro about how easy it is to reset mentally coming into IEM Cologne. We also get some insight into AVANGAR's 2019 run compared to their current run.
counter-strike character
Team Liquid: "It's really hard to easily replace the chemistry" Team Liquid: "It's really hard to easily replace the chemistry"

Team Liquid: "It's really hard to easily replace the chemistry"

Counter-Strike
|
Interviews
|
Grady Hooker
There have been some roster changes since Team Liquid was at it's peak and we talk to EliGE about the difference of the variations, we also get adreN's opinion on skipping the play-in stage, and round it out with a talk about the best NA rising talent.
counter-strike character
Gambit: "We need to create our meta because we're on the top" Gambit: "We need to create our meta because we're on the top"

Gambit: "We need to create our meta because we're on the top"

Counter-Strike
|
Interviews
|
Grady Hooker
We got a chance to talk to the top team in the world right now, Gambit. nafany gives us some insights on getting to the number one spot versus trying to stay there and then Hobbit chats to us about the differences between 2017 Gambit and this team.
counter-strike character
G2 Esports: "There hasn't been any issues ever since I joined" G2 Esports: "There hasn't been any issues ever since I joined"

G2 Esports: "There hasn't been any issues ever since I joined"

Counter-Strike
|
Interviews
|
Grady Hooker
Directly into the Group Stage is G2 Esports and we talk about whether that is a positive or a negative with NiKo, huNter-, and JaCkz. We also talk to the cousins about playing together after 6months and to JaCkz about his time on the bench.
counter-strike character
MIBR: "We have a potential to be the best Brazilian team" MIBR: "We have a potential to be the best Brazilian team"

MIBR: "We have a potential to be the best Brazilian team"

Counter-Strike
|
Interviews
|
Grady Hooker
We have seen some changes around MIBR and Josh and Grady delve into that with yel, exit, and Apoka to find out the biggest changes of exist joining, their feeling surrounding the RMR reset, and how they view the entire Brazilian scene.
counter-strike character
Team One: "We wanted to give a chance to a new Brazilian upcoming player" Team One: "We wanted to give a chance to a new Brazilian upcoming player"

Team One: "We wanted to give a chance to a new Brazilian upcoming player"

Counter-Strike
|
Interviews
|
Grady Hooker
People might be sleeping on Team One, but we got the chance to talk to malbsMd, pesadelo, and righi before they compete at IEM Cologne. We talked about the addition of xns, the difference of playing in Europe, and how they have found Ancient so far.
counter-strike character
Vitality: "It's always tough to be that low when you were that high" Vitality: "It's always tough to be that low when you were that high"

Vitality: "It's always tough to be that low when you were that high"

Counter-Strike
|
Interviews
|
Grady Hooker
We got the chance to talk to apeX and misutaaa from Team Vitality before they have to play at IEM Cologne. We got to ask about what they need to do to reclaim the number one spot, what they think of Double Poney, and discuss momentum of winning your first games.
counter-strike character
Team LDLC: "With Keoz and Maka I feel like we are more on the same page" Team LDLC: "With Keoz and Maka I feel like we are more on the same page"

Team LDLC: "With Keoz and Maka I feel like we are more on the same page"

Counter-Strike
|
Interviews
|
Grady Hooker
What is going through Team LDLC's head as they prepare for IEM Cologne? We chat to hAdji, Keoz, and SIXER about this lineup and their recent rosters changes, preparing for a LAN tournament, and compare the current lineup to ones from the past few years.
counter-strike character
FaZe: "I think it's one of the best iterations of FaZe" FaZe: "I think it's one of the best iterations of FaZe"

FaZe: "I think it's one of the best iterations of FaZe"

Counter-Strike
|
Interviews
|
Grady Hooker
FaZe Clan have seen a drop in the rankings lately and are looking to prove that their current line-up can stand with the titans of Counter-Strike right now. We talk to rain & karrigan about their aspirations, how this roster compares to previous ones, and what the rankings mean to them.
counter-strike character
mousesports: "We wanted to go with a younger lineup" mousesports: "We wanted to go with a younger lineup"

mousesports: "We wanted to go with a younger lineup"

Counter-Strike
|
Interviews
|
Grady Hooker
Grady and Josh get the chance to talk to ropz, Bymas, dexter, and mithR from mousesports ahead of their IEM Cologne adventure about bringing dexter in as the IGL, Bymas' expectations around a tier-one LAN, and what their goals are here at the tournament.
counter-strike character
Bad News Bears: "Every single team we're going to play thinks we're garbage" Bad News Bears: "Every single team we're going to play thinks we're garbage"

Bad News Bears: "Every single team we're going to play thinks we're garbage"

Counter-Strike
|
Interviews
|
Grady Hooker
Bad News Bears are the saviours of NACS and looking to make a big impact here at IEM Cologne. We talk to Shakezullah, ptr, and Jonji about being orgless, their aims with the team and recent roster movements, and the sweet sweet merch!
counter-strike character