The Counter-Strike Major qualification system is about to get a rework. After Outsiders emerged victorious in the IEM Rio Major 2022, Valve decided the current Major qualification route is better on a different path.
The soon-to-be-changed qualification method saw teams entering an RMR through direct invites. Players could also go through a collection of qualifiers to make their way to the main event, but now Valve wants a different system.
The CS:GO devs released a blog post detailing the upcoming change. “In the coming weeks, we’ll reveal more detail about the new Regional Standings processes,” they wrote.
But for now, all we know is the top-ranked Counter-Strike teams that “consistently perform well in Valve and third-party events will be directly invited to a close qualifier.” Some teams will still be directly invited, Dot Esports understands.
This new-and-improved system will come into effect ahead of the 2023 Paris Major.
The blog post also detailed the new “champions autograph capsule.” Counter-Strike’s newest Major winners, Outsiders, will all have their names on glitter, holo, and gold stickers to place on in-game CS:GO weapons.
These changes would’ve been handy for teams like G2 Esports and Astralis who performed well in previous events, potentially solidifying their major attendance. With any luck, it’ll remove the chance of being upset if you’re a stronger roster.
We’ll have to wait to see what Valve has in store for eager Counter-Strike fans. Fortunately, there are only a few weeks till we find out more ahead of Paris in 2023.
