MSI Beat it! with $100,000 announced

A collaboration between MSI and Fnatic has spawned a new global tournament, MSI Beat it! 2013, which will see $100,000 handed out through various competitions, ending up with LAN Finals in Shanghai, China on November 22-23rd.

Seven teams will be found through six qualifiers on three continents in a process that will lead up to the LAN Finals in Shanghai, China on November 22-23rd.

The overall money handed out by MSI will amount to $100,000, which will be split to $22,000 for the main event, $39,500 for the qualifiers and $38,500 as travel support for the teams.

Prize distribution for the main event:

1. $10,000 + 5x MSI GE70 laptop
2. $7,000
3. $5,000

As reigning MSI Beat it! champions from DH Summer 2011, and due to being the hosts, fnatic have a direct berth for the LAN Finals in China. 7 teams that will join them will fight for their spot through the six qualifiers all around the world:

Here is a general schedule for the qualifiers:

United States – September
Middle Eeast – September
Korea/Japan/Taiwan – September
China – September-October
South East Asia – August-October
Europe – August-TBD

Further info at the moment is only available on the European qualifier, which will essentially be Fnatic FragOut League Season 3 with two spots leading to China. It will have a $5,000 prize purse and will contain 12 teams, ten of which will be directly invited, while the remaining two slots will be up for grabs through additional qualifiers that will start on August 20th.

The list of teams for FFO Season 3, also called Beat it! Main EU Qualifier, contains the following for now, with two invites still remaining to be sent out:

fnatic	NiP
VeryGames	Astana Dragons
Natus Vincere	Lemondogs
ESC Gaming	CPH Wolves
TBD	TBD
Qualifier #1	Qualifier #2

There will be four open qualifiers through which all European teams will be able to clinch one of the final two slots, seeing winners of each qualifier facing off in a Shootout - a pair of best-of-three matches.

Here are the dates of the four Open qualifiers:

August 20th – MSI Beat it! Open EU Qualifier #1 – Sign up now
August 21st – MSI Beat it! Open EU Qualifier #2
August 22nd – MSI Beat it! Open EU Qualifier #3
August 23rd – MSI Beat it! Open EU Qualifier #4
August 24th – MSI Beat it! Open EU Shootout

Fnatic's CGO, Patrik "cArn" Sättermon, is one of the leading people on this project and he issued the following statement on Fnatic.com:

"It's with great excitement that we are today ready to tell the world about MSI Beat it! 2013 - a $100,000 CS:GO tournament with the goal to spread the passion of eSports globally.

From next week we will open up to the door for thousands of gamers from Europe, North America, Middle East and Asia and invite them to compete in this prestigious tournament which will have its final in Shanghai later this year.

Before the November finals we will provide weekly Counter-Strike action featuring the very best teams and players from around the world. MSI Beat it will also put the eSports fans in focus by offering great coverage and broadcasting by some of the best casters in the world, such as Anders, Lurppis, Knochen, and many more.

I would like to send my biggest thanks to MSI for their continuous support of eSports, and in the MSI spirit: “Top gamer, Top choice” we have the ambition to make MSI Beat it 2013 the best Counter-Strike happening for everyone involved."

For more information about the event check out the official announcement. Stay tuned to HLTV.org for any upcoming news about qualifiers, as well as for complete coverage of every part of this tournament.