PGL to Host Next CS:GO Major in Stockholm in 2021

Counter-Strike and Dota 2 tournament organizer, PGL, has just announced that it will be hosting the next CS:GO Major, dubbed the PGL MAJOR STOCKHOLM 2021. The event is set to be held between October 23rd and November 7th, 2021, provided that holding LAN events isn't deemed to be a health or security risk at that time. 

Returning to Sweden!

As it stands, the event is planned to be held in front of a live audience at Ericsson Globe in the Fall of 2021. It will be the third Major to be held in Sweden, although the first to be held in Stockholm, with DreamHack Winter 2013 and 2014 having both taken place in Jönköping. The Swedish capital is by no means a stranger to Counter-Strike events, with DreamHack having notably held Masters events in the city.

The PGL Quality

The upcoming Stockholm Major is the third Major PGL will have been involved in, and the second Major held under the PGL name, with the Romanian TO notably holding the PGL Major Kraków 2017. While the company has been away from the CS landscape for some time, it developed a reputation for hosting incredible Dota 2 events over the past few years. PGL innovated in 2017 by being the first tournament organizer to broadcast a Major in 1080p 60fps quality, and it plans to further cement its name in the history books by broadcasting the PGL MAJOR STOCKHOLM 2021 in 4K 60fps. PGL is also planning to bolster its production quality through "innovative Augmented Reality elements, brand new custom HUD and other brand new features." 

HOW MUCH MONEY???

PGL MAJOR STOCKHOLM 2021 is set to have a record-breaking prize pool of $2,000,000. Previously, World Electronic Esports Games (WESG) 2016 and 2017 were tied for the largest prize pools in CS:GO, with both events having $1,500,000 up for grabs. Since the ESL One: Rio 2020 Major was meant to be the only Major of 2020, it was also planned to have a $2M prize pool, but with the event being indefinitely postponed, it seems as though the new prize pool will be passed on to the Stockholm Major. According to previous trends, it's likely that the future Major winners will be splitting $1M between them, which is a hefty amount of pocket change, especially with the added sticker money from Majors. 

So... Come to Brazil?

So, what happens to the ESL One: Rio Major? Well, according to ESL's website, the tournament organizer still plans to hold a Major in Brazil, stating, "Yes, 100%! Together with Valve, we promise to return with a CS:GO Major in Brasil as soon as the global health situation allows us to and we can make sure it's safe for players, talent, and you!" There's no clear timeline regarding the Rio Major, but with the Stockholm Major scheduled in late 2021, it's unlikely that Brazil gets its first Major before 2022. While Valve is yet to comment on the RMR events, the current RMR points will presumably go towards the PGL MAJOR STOCKHOLM 2021. In the last Valve blog post touching on Majors, the publisher stated the following: "So, what's the plan? First, we're going to hold off on scheduling Majors until, at a minimum, Regional Major Ranking (RMR) LAN events are safe to hold around the world. Until then, we expect to continue to hold online RMR events to keep track of the best teams in each region." In that respect, it's also unclear if the next RMR events for the PGL will be held online or as localized LAN events per the blog post. 

A Light at the End of the Tunnel

Things are looking up so far in 2021, and while the Stockholm Major isn't 100% guaranteed, it's certainly something to look forwards to. Though a vaccine is being distributed worldwide, the pandemic is still far from over, and it'll take some time before everyone can get their dose. In that sense, a Fall Major feels possible, as the global situation may very well have improved by then. Still, with a Major held by PGL in Stockholm, broadcasted in 4K 60fps, and with a $2M prize pool, it's hard not to get excited for October.