The first events to determine the Regional Major Rankings for the Stockholm CS:GO Major will reportedly be held in late May. The first NA tournament will be hosted by Beyond the Summit, while the first EU event will be hosted by Flashpoint, according to Ryan Friend of Rush B Media.
The Regional Major Rankings are the system implemented by Valve to determine which teams will qualify for the next CS:GO Major. The rankings were originally set to be used for the 2020 Major in Rio de Janiero, Brazil before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the event to be canceled. Prior to the RMR, teams qualified for Majors based on their placement at the previous Major, while the rest of the field was determined by regional qualifiers.
Beyond the Summit has hosted numerous esports events and tournaments over the years, namely in Dota 2, CS:GO, Rocket League, and Smash Bros. Its Counter-Strike tournament series, cs_summit, is well known for its casual, laid-back atmosphere and fun segments. Cs_summit 8, which is set to take place in late May, will be the first North American event to shape the 2021 Regional Major Rankings.
Flashpoint is a team-owned league and tournament organizer that was formed in 2020 and is operated by FACEIT. It’s hosted two seasons of competition so far and has an excellent collection of signed on-screen talent. But public perception of the league has taken a dip recently after former creative director Duncan “Thorin” Shields’ departure and with half of the partner teams not actively competing in CS:GO.
It’s been over a year and half since the last CS:GO Major, StarLadder Berlin 2019, where Astralis defeated AVANGAR to complete their Major three-peat. Counter-Strike has certainly changed plenty since then, but the return of Majors will be a welcome sight to any fan.
