IEM Rio kicks off next Intel Grand Slam season

$4,000,000 has been handed out so far, and season five of the Intel Grand Slam will run into CS2.

Intel have announced season five of the $1,000,000 Intel Grand Slam, stating it will commence with IEM Rio 2023 on April 17.

With CS2 on the horizon it was also confirmed that the Grand Slam season will run into the new game, meaning any teams that take wins in tournaments in CS:GO can complete their Grand Slam with wins in CS2.

The Intel Grand Slam V will operate much the same way as the previous, and can be completed by winning three ESL Pro Tour Masters and one Championship tournament inside a span of ten consecutive events. A list of eligible events will be available at the Intel Grand Slam website.

There is also a $100,000 "giant killer bonus" available to any team that denies a Grand Slam in the final of the last tournament. For example, Cloud9 had the opportunity to take that bounty by denying FaZe at ESL Pro League.

There have been four editions of the competition previously, including the most recent iteration which was won by FaZe at ESL Pro League. Astralis claimed the first right at the start of their era, completing it with a win at ESL Pro League Season 8 Finals. Next came Liquid who stormed to their $1,000,000 via a spree of four straight tournament wins over three months, ending it with ESL One Cologne 2019. Natus Vincere took the Grand Slam win prior to FaZe, doing so with their triumph in ESL Pro League Season 14.