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TEG has this week confirmed that the Intel® Extreme Masters (IEM), Australia’s biggest eSports event, will return to Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena from 4th to 6th May with a record prize pool of $310,000.

2018 will see the expansion of IEM, the world’s longest running global pro gaming tour, with 16 world-class Counter-Strike: Global Offensive teams compete live.

The line-up of top teams invited to compete at IEM Sydney will also be fighting for another point towards the Intel® Grand Slam, which will reward US$1,000,000 to the first team that wins four of the last 10 Counter-Strike: Global Offensive competitions hosted by ESL and DreamHack.

Four teams already have at least one or more wins under their belt that count toward the Intel Grand Slam, with SK Gaming leading in the challenge with two wins that bring them closer to being the first Intel Grand Slam Champions.

Following on from last year’s inaugural event, Michal Blicharz, ESL’s Vice President Pro Gaming stated “what happened at last year’s Intel Extreme Masters Sydney event completely blew us away.

“The Australian eSports audience was extremely engaged in the event and became a part of the show. That type of atmosphere is very rare.”

ESL Australia Managing Director Nick Vanzetti added “last year’s IEM Sydney event marked a watershed moment for the landscape of Australian eSports, proving that this region has a huge appetite for the best eSports content.

“Fans turned up in droves to experience the magic of the arena spectacle; the competition on stage was fierce and the crowd was electric. In Australia, the eSports audience is growing exponentially year on year, and IEM Sydney 2018 hopes to raise the bar once again for fans and spectators the world over.”

Last year, IEM Sydney drew crowds of over 7,000 esports fans each day to the Qudos Bank Arena across two main event days, while nearly 8 million viewers watched the tournament online. It was the largest esports event ever held in Australia.

Attendees of Intel® Extreme Masters Sydney this year will have the chance to experience a wider range of side-events and other attractions at the Expo, as the event expands to three days. As well as being able to view the world’s best Counter-Strike: Global Offensive players live in an arena setting, fans will have the chance to meet their esports idols face-to-face at signing sessions, and participate in giveaways from partners and sponsors. A must-see showcase at all IEM events is the Intel® Experience Area featuring the latest 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 and Intel® Core™ i9 processors. The immersive gaming and esports experience features the latest PC games, VR games, and Intel’s leading gaming technology.

For more information visit the official IEM Sydney website at iem.gg/sydney2018 

Images: IEM eSports event at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena in 2017.

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