Key Points:
- International powerhouses NIP, BIG, ENCE, and Team Liquid secure direct invitations to Skyesports Masters 2024.
- Four additional teams will complete the tournament roster.
- Skyesports Masters 2024, a seven-day LAN extravaganza, is slated for April 8th to 14th, 2024.
Skyesports, a prominent figure in India's esports landscape, has disclosed that four elite international Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) squads, namely Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP), Team Liquid, ENCE, and BIG, will grace the country's shores to partake in the forthcoming LAN spectacle, Skyesports Masters 2024. The tournament boasts a substantial prize pool of $350,000 USD (INR 2,90,02,785).
Scheduled to unfold over a week, from April 8th to 14th, the event's precise venue is yet to be unveiled. In addition to the quartet of overseas luminaries, the final quartet of teams remains to be determined.
Skyesports Masters 2024: Liquid, NIP, BIG, ENCE Unveiled as Inaugural International Selections
Initially inaugurated last year with an exclusively Indian roster, Skyesports Masters featured a regular season culminating in a LAN finale held at Bengaluru's Koramangala Indoor Stadium.
Gods Reign emerged triumphant in front of an enthusiastic live audience, aiming to clinch qualification for the upcoming main event to defend their crown.
Renowned globally, Team Liquid's revamped CS2 lineup has secured multiple international tournament qualifications thus far in 2024.
Meanwhile, NIP has encountered adversity in 2024, with only two active players remaining following an unsuccessful bid to qualify for the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024, resulting in the benching of other team members.
Hailing from Germany, BIG boasts a storied eight-year history in esports and Counter-Strike competition. The team aims to reverse its fortunes following a challenging start to 2024.
Similarly, ENCE, satisfied with its current performance trajectory, eyes victory to further elevate its standing. Having successfully qualified for the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024, the team approaches the tournament with renewed vigor.
Skyesports Masters 2024: International Invitations
Skyesports Masters 2024 is set to unfold from April 8th to 14th, 2024, coinciding with IEM Chengdu 2024. However, this scheduling alignment presents a silver lining, affording the organizers the opportunity to extend invitations to international teams unable to partake in the Chinese tournament, a mutually beneficial arrangement.
An additional quartet of teams, comprising two direct invites and one each from European and Indian qualifiers, will join the esteemed roster:
- BIG
- ENCE
- Team Liquid
- Ninjas in Pyjamas
- TBD - Direct Invite
- TBD - Direct Invite
- TBD - European Qualifier
- TBD - Indian Qualifier
Anticipation is palpable among both the invited teams and the South Asian community, eager to witness the clash of titans on Indian soil.
With excitement building, all eyes are on the horizon, eagerly awaiting the unfolding drama and the opportunity for Indian teams to lock horns with their illustrious counterparts.
