Moscow-based event organizer Epic Esports Events has announced EPICENTER 2019 will take place December 17-22 at the Crocus Expo with a $500,000 prize pool up for grabs.
Na’Vi, Evil Geniuses, AVANGAR and Team Vitality have been invited to EPICENTER 2019 (Image via EPICENTER/Twitter)
The 2019 edition of EPICENTER will offer its highest prize yet and host eight of Counter-Strike’s best teams – five of which will be directly invited while the remaining three will fight for their spot through regional qualifiers in Europe, China and the CIS.
Thus far, four out of the five invited teams have been announced: Berlin Major grand finalists AVANGAR, ESL New York champions Evil Geniuses, French five Team Vitality and ninth-ranked Na’Vi. Both Na’Vi and AVANGAR will return as respective finalists and semi-finalists from EPICENTER 2018 while Evil Geniuses and Team Vitality will arrive in Moscow as newcomers to the tournament series.
As for the qualifiers, Europe will be held October 28-31, while both the CIS open and closed qualifiers will be hosted on November 21-24. Epic Esports Events has yet to outline details around the Chinese qualifier.
EPICENTER 2019 will feature its group stage December 17-19 prior to the tournament taking ship inside the Crocus Expo for the playoffs December 21-22. The tournament’s format has yet to be formally announced, although if it matches that of its 2016 & 2017 edition, EPICENTER 2019 will utilize a double-elimination GSL format with the leading team in each group advancing straight into the semifinals.
