The XSE Pro League is a great example of how not to use esports events
Several things are needed to ensure the effectiveness of an esports tournament. Whether it’s preventing hardware crashes, providing adequate practice resources, or making sure power doesn’t go out at a critical time, keeping things on track in front of a sold-out arena is no easy feat.
Counter-Strike the organizers of the tournament saw the unknowns in putting on huge shows with little disruption to the action on stage. While fans are used to a seamless experience, i XSE Pro League polar opposite, showing how they are arranged should not run the Phase 1 tournament.
Malware interferes with Group Stage action
During the group, the BetBoom gun Kirill “Magnojez” Rodnov you have encountered a problem that you should never wake up during the tournament where a bunch of $1 million prizes will be up for grabs. While preparing for the game on the main stage, Magnojez noticed a Trojan agent and a keylogger on the PC being used, throwing the integrity of the tournament into question.
The existence of a keylogger allows external parties to see the input made by the user without being present. From an esports perspective, it gives those with access to the keylogger direct access to personal accounts, leading to hacking, stolen items, and uncompetitiveness.
Thankfully, Magonjez was able to rescue his account and help guide BetBoom to a perfect 3-0 record in the group stage and a spot in the playoffs. While XSE was able to solve this problem, having player accounts compromised due to hardware not optimized for tournament play is not ideal for a tournament, given Valve’s coveted Tier 1 status.
No energy, no event
It’s not just malware-ridden PCs that have influenced the action. During the Group Stage game in between 9 z again SINNERS Sportsthe electrical transformer powering the tournament exploded, causing an hour delay.
Following the issues, XSE issued a statement addressing the issues, admitting to “inadequate preparation” before concluding the final three days of the group action with only minor delays. The statement itself confirms the organizers’ efforts to put the event into Tier 1 status, but it’s clear that the damage has already been done. Fans called the tournament “rubbish” while some distraught viewers believed that the XSE Pro League would be the last major tournament it hosted.
Considering the huge amount of prize money on the line and getting the same status as the Majors and other high-profile events run by the likes of ESL, CONTINUATIONagain The StarLadderthese issues are unacceptable and do not belong in the top tier of Counter-Strike esports.
Remember Sports Paradise? Let’s not repeat that
The Counter-Strike scene has seen its fair share of bad tournaments throughout its storied history. Although the XSE Pro League’s problems have brought irreparable damage to its reputation, its problems are far from the problems it once was. Paradise Games.
Held in 2015 in Dubai, Gaming Paradise attracted several notable names from the Middle East to compete for a $50,000 prize pool. Trucks carrying hardware disappeared, internet connections went weak, and passport confiscations led to widespread criticism of the event before the organizer vanished into thin air.
It’s not just Counter-Strike that has seen the worst tournaments go down in esports history for all the wrong reasons. The 2016 Dota 2 Shanghai Major is widely regarded as one of the most competitive gaming events ever. Valve decided to fire the broadcast talent after opening day, when he was accusedions that soundproof booths emit chemical fumes that have forced players to wear surgical masks to avoid health problems.
The chaos continued once more Team Secret he raised the cup. Hotel staff clean the rooms of players who have lost or lost more than 40 items, from headsets to car keys. Next to Gaming Paradise, the Shanghai Major is still a good example of how they plan should not use the tournament with millions on the line.
An avoidable situation
In XSE, the shambolic Group Stage set a precedent for the rest of the tournament, regardless of whether the organizers were able to correct the mistakes that plagued the first two days of the tournament.
Even if the playoffs go without a hitch, the tournament has every chance of becoming known for malware-ridden PCs and power outages rather than an eventual winner. It remains to be seen if XSE will host another Tier 1 tournament or continue to use the Tier 2 events that continue to play an important role in the Counter-Strike ecosystem.
These incidents also serve as a warning to Valve about the proliferation of Tier 1 status in its tournaments. It’s good to see other advocates joining standardized vocabulary standards, but they need to adhere to the same high standards set by ESL’s. Intel Extreme Masters and BLAST The Prime Minister tournaments that always set the bar for Counter-Strike arena spectacles.
