FACEIT launches new $100,000 path to pro as CS2 becomes playable on its platform

FACEIT has added several new features in its CS2 update, including a new server selector in Europe.

FACEIT has announced that Counter-Strike 2 is now playable on its platform with an array of changes. For starters, the first FACEIT season following the release of the new game will culminate with the FPL Proving Grounds: The Ultimate Path to Pro, which will have a $100,000 prize pool and a direct invite to FPL for the highest-ranked 'challengers'.

'Challenger' is a new rank on FACEIT, introduced for the top 1,000 players in Europe, South America, and North America. Additionally, the top three players of the FPL Proving Grounds will earn a direct invite to the FPL and a monthly stipend to support them on their path to pro.

FPL Proving Grounds will take place every four months and will act as a new way to qualify for FPL. Its first iteration will serve as the grand finale of FACEIT Season 1, replacing FPL-C Hubs and FPL-C Qualifiers. The path to FPL is now free and directly connects to the elo leaderboards in Europe, North America, and South America.

FACEIT has also rolled out a server selector feature for European players, which offers an array of server locations to choose from including Moscow, Germany, Finland, Sweden, Netherlands, UK, and France.

The idea behind the server-picker is to enhance connectivity while also minimizing language barriers at scale by more effectively clustering Western and Eastern European players. To support this expansion without affecting queue times, FACEIT has raised the minimum map selection requirement for premium subscribers.

Other quality-of-life updates have been added, some free and others for paying subscribers. One of them is a further crackdown on multi-accounts by expanding the enforcement of ID verification for suspicious accounts. Verified accounts will be prioritized in matchmaking, and scaled elo penalties have been introduced for parties with large elo gaps.

There have also been changes to the elo system, which has undergone a soft reset to make the climb from low elo smoother and reaching the higher levels more challenging. The soft calibration will become a seasonal feature.

"Over the past decade, we have had the honor of collaborating with the CS community to build FACEIT, a platform capable of bolstering the entire CS ecosystem and its sporting scene. CS2 is an incredibly exciting new chapter that gives us the chance to reinforce our commitment to this mission on an even grander scale," said Niccolo Maisto, co-CEO of the ESL FACEIT Group.

"We seize this moment to extend a warm welcome to all players, organizers, teams, and creators who, like us, have a profound passion for competitive Counter-Strike and want to contribute to growing this great scene even further."

For more information on all of the changes click here.