Ukrainian tournament organizer StarLadder might be hosting the next CS:GO Valve Major after IEM Katowice.
StarLadder was reportedly awarded the 15th Major by Valve, according to Dexerto. The tournament organizer will apparently be holding the next $1 million Valve Major in Berlin, marking the return of Counter-Strike Majors in Germany.
Related: Stickers for the CS:GO IEM Katowice Major are now available, along with a new viewer pass
The last time a CS:GO Major was held in Germany was ESL One Cologne in 2016. Over the past few years, the prestigious tournament bounced from North America, to Poland, and to England. Cologne, Germany has been touted by tournament organizer ESL as the “Cathedral of Counter-Strike,” and StarLadder may be aiming to make their mark in the same way in Berlin.
StarLadder is known for its $300,000 premier tournaments hosted in Ukraine, notably the 16-team StarSeries. In 2018, StarLadder hosted seasons four through six, with broadcasts available in numerous languages like English, Russian, and Chinese.
It’s unclear whether the time frame for the potential StarLadder Major will be the same as FACEIT London, since it’s the second Valve-backed event of the year. Last year, the London tournament followed the August player break and began in September. Many professional players, however, have been asking that Valve move the competition to before the break. This would help teams relax and vacation after their hard work is done, instead of before.
The current Valve Major cycle at IEM Katowice ends March 3, following the conclusion of the New Champions stage.
