The Minors Circuit - Columbus
These tournaments are a new implementation in the form of an event where small teams compete against each other in the race for first place. Not only does the victor receive a sizeable amount of money, they are also granted a spot in the qualifiers for the next major event.
The eight participating teams at each of the regional tournaments will be split into two groups, A and B. The group stage adheres to single elimination, with two winners from each group proceeding to the playoffs. The tournaments will feature the classic selection of seven maps that consists of de_dust2, de_cache, de_cobblestone, de_inferno, de_overpass, de_train and de_mirage.
Americas Minor Championship - Columbus
Date: January 15th - 17th
Venue: TBA, Columbus, Ohio, USA
Prize pool: $50,000
This will be the Americas constituent of the Minor Championship circuit. Eight teams from North and South America will be fighting it out for a chance to face top tier teams at the upcoming major tournament.
Below is a list of the six teams that have already qualified for the regional Minor Championship:
Enemy
Dogmen
Winterfox
Obey.Trifecta
Team Alientech.BR
SiteCS
CIS Minor Championship - Columbus
Date: January 22nd - 24th
Venue: TBA, Minsk, Belarus
Prize pool: $50,000
This tournament will host all of the small team coming from the CIS region. Eight teams from the region will participate in attempt to win the prize money along with a slot at the major qualifiers.
So far the following six teams have been announced and will participate at the event:
Arcade eSports
PiTER
Rebels
Team YP
Headshot.GG
420pm
European Minor Championship - Columbus
Date: January 29th - 31st
Venue: TBA, Bucharest, Romania
Prize pool: $50,000
The tournament in Bucharest will host teams that represent the European continent. No information has been released as to the teams that have qualified for the event yet, as the qualifiers for the event have yet to start.
DreamHack Leipzig 2016
Date: January 22nd - 24th
Venue: Leipziger Messe, Leipzig, Germany
Prize pool: $100,000
DreamHack Liepzig will be one of the first large tournaments of 2016. A total of eight teams will be participating at the event with six of the eight already announced, namely:
Virtus.Pro
Luminosity Gaming
Natus Vincere
Team Question Mark
G2 Esports
Mousesports
The eight teams will be split into two groups, A and B, where they will go through a group stage, playing out BO1 matches against each other to decide teams that proceed to the playoffs. During the playoffs we will see BO3 matches played out, including the grand final.
Intel Extreme Masters 10 – World Championship
Date: March 4th - 6th
Venue: Spodek Arena, Katowice, Poland
Prize pool: $250,000
IEM Masters 10 will be the first tournament of the year to feature a whopping $250,000 prize pool. Eight teams will participate at the event, none of which have been decided to date. The tournament will feature a single elimination BO3 format.
MLG Major Championship: Columbus
Date: March 29th - April 3rd
Venue: MLG Arena, Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio, USA
Prize pool: $250,000
The MLG Major Championship: Columbus will be the first major event of the year, featuring a massive $250,000 prize pool as well as a total of sixteen teams. Eight of the teams are the top eight finishers from the previous major, DreamHack Cluj-Napoca 2015, namely:
Fnatic
Virtus.Pro
G2 Esports
Ninjas in Pyjamas
Team Question Mark
Luminosity Gaming
Natus Vincere
Team EnVyUs
The rest of the eight teams will be decided through an offline qualifier for the event. The sixteen teams will be split into four groups: A, B, C and D. Upon conclusion of the group stage, eight teams will proceed to the playoffs stage, where they will challenge each other in pursuit of securing the throne. The tournament will feature the classic selection of seven maps that consists of de_dust2, de_cache, de_cobblestone, de_inferno, de_overpass, de_train and de_mirage.
Prize distribution for the MLG Major Championship: Columbus is as follows:
1st place - $100,000 + ‘’Legend’’ status
2nd place - $50,000 + ‘’Legend’’ status
3rd and 4th place - $22,000 + ‘’Legend’’ status
5th through 8th place - $10,000 + ‘’Legend’’ status
9th through 16th place - $2,000
*Legend status simply means the team will be eligible for a direct invite to the next major tournament.
ESL One: Cologne 2016
Date: July 8th - 10th
Venue: Laxness Arena, Cologne, Germany
Prize pool: $250,000
A large tournament to look out for during the summer of 2016. $250,000 up for grabs, split between a total of eight teams, none of which have yet been decided. The grandiose event will be held once again at the amazing Laxness Arena in Cologne, Germany.
This will be a much anticipated tournament, as the one we saw in 2015 broke multiple viewership records, meaning the upcoming 2016 version of it must at least live up to its successor, if not supersede it.
DreamHack Valencia 2016
Date: July 14th - 17th
Venue: TBA, Valencia, Spain
Prize pool: TBA
Currently very little information has been posted on this event; however we do know that a total of eight teams will be participating. Said teams will be split into groups A and B. We will see a Bo1 format for the groups stage and Bo3 for playoffs.
It is also worth mentioning that Valencia is a beautiful coastal city that hugs the Balearic Sea, meaning the pros will be able to get some beach action as well as, hopefully, a successful run at the DreamHack Valencia 2016 tournament.
DreamHack Cluj-Napoca 2016
Date: October 28th-30th
Venue: TBA, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Prize pool: TBA
DreamHack Cluj-Napoca 2016 will be very similar to the Valencia event held in July. Eight teams split into two groups, Bo1 groups stage and Bo3 playoffs.
DreamHack Cluj-Napoca 2015 was one of the most impressive events CS:GO has had to offer over its existance. The production and organisation team at DreamHack have demonstrated what they are capable of and no doubt this event will be one of the highlights of 2016.
Make sure to stay tuned to GosuGamers as we will be updating all relevant information that is missing from these events upon release.
Columbus image source; Bucharest image source; Leipziger Messe image source; Spodek Arena image source; MLG Major: Columbus image source; Valencia image source; Cluj-Napoca image source
