Valve clarifies CS2 event tiers with new rulebook

Valve has recently unveiled an updated rulebook for tournament organizers, which formally outlines the tiers and prerequisites that an event must meet to be considered the most prestigious in CS2.

The categorization of tournaments into different tiers has been a longstanding tradition in the world of Counter-Strike esports. Identifying whether an event is tier 1 or tier 2 has traditionally been based on factors such as prize pool and the participation of teams. Typically, any Valve-backed event was considered tier 1 while the rest fit into the lower categories. However, with hosts like ESL and BLAST improving,

Now, the developer has outlined clear differences between the top and lower-tier events in CS2, aiming to bring a more organized structure to the game’s esports circuit.

What is a tier 1 event in CS2?

Any CS2 event that has at least 16 top teams in Valve’s Regional Standings across the closed qualifier and main event portion is considered a tier 1 event.

Based on the new rulebook, for an event to be designated tier 1, organizers must invite at least sixteen rosters which would then feed eight teams into the main event. This will ensure that tier 1 events have all the top teams at the time participating, warranting more action for the viewers. Besides this, this rule ties tier 1 events directly with Valve by involving VRS.

Tier 2 events have more flexibility and can choose to invite teams ranked ninth or lower. Additionally, events can optionally include open qualifiers. However, tier 1 events have stricter requirements, including inviting 1.5 times the number of teams that will compete in the main event from the Regional Standings, with half being direct invites and the rest going through closed qualifiers.

All ranked events, which is another new term for already existing events, will also be considered tier 1. This is due to their direct impact on VRS. Ranked events will have to comply with strict rules set by Valve, whereas unranked events can run per usual, with one exception.

New rules lock a minimum amount for CS2 tournaments

New rules prohibit unranked events from exceeding a $100,000 prize pool. Organizer who wishes to offer a bigger prize pool will have to apply for ranked licenses from 2025 and follow Valve’s rules on what teams can be invited to a tier 1 event, and so on.

Tier 1 tournament organizers, however, can hold one wildcard event after completing three tier 1 events. In this tournament, the organizer would be allowed to invite wildcard teams if they meet some requirements. Wildcard teams must have at least three players who were part of a top eight VRS roster or won a tier 1 event in the past year. However, these teams can’t be directly invited to the main event.

The fan reaction to the overall rulebook has mostly been positive, but not everyone is happy about Valve limiting the prize pool for third-party events. This may prevent newer talent from earning more by grinding through lower-tier events that are not licensed by Valve.