Today, Intel Extreme Masters announced the full lineup of teams that would be competing at IEM Sydney.
IEM Sydney will take place at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on May 6th and 7th. A prize pool of $260,000 AUD will be up for grabs. Collectively, these six teams have been earned over US $3.8 million dollars, which is absolutely ridiculous.
In addition to these international teams, there will be one ANZ team and one Chinese team to fill out the final two spots. These teams will be decided in a qualifier taking place in early April.
OPTIC GAMING: Just entered the CS:GO scene picking up Canadian team Conquest for their ELEAGUE Road to Vegas finals, which they won. The organisation is highly esteemed in esports and won the Esports Team of the Year Awards in 2015. CS:GO Career earnings: $844,200
ASTRALIS: Come to Sydney as the most current champions after a major victory at IEM Katowice in February 2017. The mostly Danish team has competed in every major to date and finished first once. They are one of the first player-made organisations in CS:GO; the five original members are co-owners. CS:GO Career earnings: $1,421,785.48 from 26 Tournaments.
RENEGADES: The story of Australian players making it on the world stage. The CS:GO squad moved to the US to play under the Renegades banner, with the organisation now owned by NBA player and Boston Celtics owner Jonas Jerebko. At major event ESL One: Cologne 2016, Jks was crowned the first player ever to have 9 or less deaths on a 27+ round map. CS:GO Career earnings: $183,878
SK GAMING: One of esports’ largest and most revered organisations. Founded in Oberhausen, Germany in 1997, the current CS:GO squad have been to seven recent majors and won two. Valve, maker of CS:GO, recently added graffiti in game commemorating a startling achievement by player Mirage, who took out two opponents with one shot in the throes of top level competition. CS:GO Career earnings: $1,172,813.18
FAZE CLAN: A mixture of “star rejects”. Famous top level teams have featured these players, but dropped each of them from the roster. Now, together, the squad is equally as or more successful than any of their former teams. CS:GO Career earnings: $386,599.22
NORTH: Represent the esports division of Danish Football Club, Copenhagen, who signed the ex-Dignitas lineup as their CS:GO team. Long considered the second place team in Danish CS behind Astralis, their win at Epicenter provided them the legitimacy as top team in that scene. CS:GO Career earnings: $578,000
