Valve sets end of June as deadline for 2023 Major proposals

The game developer is looking to decide on the next two Major organizers by the end of the month.

Valve announced that they will be accepting proposals for the May and November 2023 Majors until June 21 via an email to tournament organizers that was obtained by HLTV.org. The game developer also revealed that they have targeted June 28 as the date by which they plan to select the upcoming Major events.

The email is a follow-up to their request for 2022-2023 Major proposals dating back to May 2021. Alongside the dates, Valve included a few updates, such as references to the supplemental rulebook, requirements regarding RMR tournaments, and additional pointers for tournament organizers.

In the latest email, Valve points out that the tournament organizer that hosts the Major will be responsible for any regional qualifying events leading up to it such as RMRs and open qualifiers — which must be completed no less than two, but ideally three weeks prior to the Major.

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Valve targets two Majors in 2022, 2023

As previously announced, Valve intends to host two Majors in 2023, one in May (weeks 19 and 20) and one in November (weeks 44 and 45), following the schedule that was used in 2022. The Majors will also be based on the supplemental rulebook which was revealed in February, but Valve notes that they are open to revisions of the document based on feedback.

The developer added a number of additional points to take into consideration for tournament organizer proposals:

Given the ongoing uncertainty in travel restrictions, we will prioritize events that take place in regions where the TO has previously operated successful events. If possible, please identify a backup venue in case travel restrictions make the original location inaccessible.

As with previous Major Championships, our primary goal is to identify an event that will provide the greatest entertainment value to existing CS:GO customers, so please be specific when describing the services or features of your event.
Note that in general, we do not weigh heavily on any features that are untested, new, or in development. If you are proposing novel features for your event, consider providing additional detail explaining how those features will be developed and tested, and what alternatives you'll consider if they cannot be executed as planned.

The vast majority of spectators for your event will be viewing games through streams. Your proposal should include a distribution plan including the expected streaming platforms, languages available, schedule, etc.

The event should be in a time zone convenient for a significant proportion of CS:GO customers (CS:GO has two prime times, one at 16:00 CET and one at 21:00 CET).

To allow us to properly evaluate your proposal, please include a link to footage of events you have run recently that are of comparable production quality to the event you are proposing.

For both the Major and RMRs, Valve will provide support for the prize pool and players’ travel and accommodation.

While the email notes June 28th as the target for Valve selecting events for the 2023 Major cycle, based on previous cases, it is unlikely that the Majors would be announced to the public until a date closer to the events taking place.

The upcoming Major, IEM Rio, was announced in May and is set to take place in Brazil this November. The event was originally planned as the first Major of 2020, but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Find out more about IEM Rio here.