Wildz has announced its highly anticipated entry into the Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) esports scene with the inaugural Wildz Invitational tournament set for December 2024. In collaboration with Alliance and Challengermode, this event promises an exciting competition for European teams and boasts an impressive prize pool of €25,000.
Wildz debuts Counter-Strike 2 Invitational tournament:
According to European Gaming, Nathan Bonello, Esports Specialist at Wildz, expressed the company’s enthusiasm for the tournament: “We at Wildz have been huge fans of Counter-Strike for many years. When the opportunity arose, everyone at Wildz jumped at the idea of being able to sponsor and host a tournament to showcase Europe’s top CS teams. This is just the first of many Wildz esports activities to come, we hope that the CS players and fans worldwide can enjoy our first-ever Wildz Invitational tournament together. May the best team win!”
The Wildz Invitational will follow a structured competition designed to include a mix of invited teams and those who qualify through open tournaments:
– Invited Teams: Four pre-selected teams, including Alliance and JANO, will secure direct spots in the playoffs.
– Open Qualifiers: Two online qualifying events will determine the remaining four playoff teams. Each qualifier will follow a single-elimination bracket format, with all matches played as best-of-one (BO1).
– Playoffs: The final stage will bring together eight teams to compete in a single-elimination bracket over two days, with all matches conducted as best-of-three (BO3).
The tournament will kick off with two qualifying rounds, with the first qualifier scheduled for December 1, 2024, at 15:00 CET, followed by the second qualifier on December 8, 2024, at the same time. The playoffs will then take place over two days, beginning with Playoffs Day 1 on December 21, 2024, starting at 15:00 CET, and concluding with Playoffs Day 2 on December 22, 2024, also starting at 15:00 CET.
Prize distribution and live streaming:
The total prize pool of €25,000 will be divided among the top three teams. The first-place team will take home €16,250, while the second-place winners will receive €6,250. The team finishing in third place will earn €2,500.
Fans can catch all the action on the official Wildz Esports Twitch channel, with additional community streams announced closer to the playoffs. Three ambassadors, Aleksi “allu” Jalli, Jyri “jyppe” Karvanen, and Anssi “AndyPyro” Huovinen, will provide coverage during the qualifiers and join the studio broadcasts for the playoffs.
This tournament is part of Wildz’s broader effort to integrate esports into its recently launched Wildz Sports platform. By offering a dedicated esports section alongside its online casino and sportsbook, Wildz is carving out a niche for fans of competitive gaming.