Counter-Strike returns to IEM

Counter-Strike played an instrumental role in the growth of the Intel Extreme Masters but it was dropped before the start of season 7 following the game's decline as a global product.

In March 2014, Michal "Carmac" Blicharz, ESL's pro gaming managing director, claimed that the CS:GO still did not fit the IEM concept due to the lack of interest from regions like Southeast Asia and China in the game.

ESC Gaming, now known as Virtus.pro, won the last IEM Counter-Strike tournament 

But the constant growth of CS:GO in the last 18 months and the success of ESL One Katowice, which broke all sorts of records, have convinced ESL to make Counter-Strike its third official game for the new IEM season, alongside StarCraft II and League of Legends.

"The success and the legacy of the Intel Extreme Masters was built on Counter-Strike, and it’s a great feeling to go into the tenth season of the circuit with CS:GO back in it," said Michal Blicharz, managing director of pro gaming at ESL.

"Adding a third game makes this IEM season the largest in years!"

Below are all the stops that will comprise IEM Season 10's circuit:

• IEM Shenzhen - July 16-20
•  IEM Cologne - August 5-9
•  IEM San Jose - November 21-22
•  IEM Cologne - December
•  IEM Asia - Dates and location to be announced
•  IEM Katowice World Championship - March 2016

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