Global esports tournament organizer ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) and international technology company Intel announced Tuesday that they have renewed their partnership to continue supporting global Counter-Strike 2 competitions in a new multi-year deal.
Financial terms of this renewed deal were not disclosed, but the continuation of this key partnership isn’t surprising; Intel and EFG have been working together on Counter-Strike esports for 24 years.
“This is more than just a renewal, it’s a strategic partnership that exemplifies the kind of collaborations we value most,” said Rodrigo Samwell, chief commercial officer, EFG. “Over time, Intel has become the most respected brand in esports because they’ve been with us, building this industry from the ground up. You simply cannot touch the pedigree that Intel has earned with the esports and gaming communities. Together, we’re excited to continue delivering unparalleled experiences and celebrating IEM champions for years to come.”
Under this new multi-year deal Intel will continue to be the marquee sponsor of EFG’s Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) and ESL Pro Tour tournament series. The news was revealed ahead of the Grand Finals of IEM Katowice, which will take place at the Spodek Arena in Katowice, Poland, from Feb. 7-9, and will feature 24 of the world’s top Counter-Strike 2 teams competing for part of a total prize pool of $1.25M USD.
While Intel is a top-shelf, marquee sponsor for EFG, the company has other major partners including ACER Predator, DHL, Qididiya Gaming (a Saudi Arabian government owned city project), 1XBet, and Zowie, among others.
EFG is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Savvy Games Group—which in turn is owned by the Saudi government’s Public Investment Fund and its chairman of the board is Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler HRH Crown Prince MBS. EFG is home to tournament organizer ESL, Esports Engine, competition platform FACEIT, and esports and gaming festival company DreamHack.