Counter-Strike 2
Counter-Strike 2: its teams, tournaments, transfers and the business around them.
Valve adds a three-month rule on region changes for Major invites
Valve amended its Major rulebook on October 6, 2026: a roster seen in another region's standings in the last three months gets no regional place. BC.Game won an exception a day later.
CreatorsWho is on a CS2 broadcast: hosts, analysts, casters and sideline
A Counter-Strike 2 broadcast can put 9 to 20 people on air. What each seat does, from desk hosts and analysts to casting duos, B streams, remote commentary and stage reporters.
RankingsValve's October standings: Spirit stay first as Legacy climb to second
The Valve Regional Standings of October 5, 2026 keep Spirit on top with 2046 points, lift Legacy from sixth to second and set the invitations to BLAST Rivals and PGL Bucharest 2027.
InvestmentCourtois and NXTPLAY invest in Astralis owner Fusion Esports Group
Astralis says Thibaut Courtois and Gonzalo Vila have joined its owner, Fusion Esports Group, as investors through NXTPLAY. The terms are not disclosed; Danish filings give the context.
TechnologyCS2 statistics site updates Rating 3.0 with Cache data and bomb timer
A Counter-Strike statistics site retuned its Rating 3.0 player rating on October 1, 2026, with fresh win probabilities, Cache data and a rule for kills after a round is settled.
VenuesIEM Cologne 2027 gets four days at the LANXESS arena and a 360 stage
ESL sets IEM Cologne 2027 for August 4 to 15: eight teams in the arena playoffs over four days, a central 360-degree stage, and a first ticket wave on October 15.
RankingsSingapore Major invites a month away: where NAVI, FaZe and paiN stand
With the November 2 standings set to decide the 32 places, Natus Vincere sit 19th in Europe, FaZe 11th and paiN well outside the Americas places, HLTV's review shows.
OrganizationsEnvy return to Counter-Strike with the former 3DMAX roster
Envy announced its return to Counter-Strike by signing the five French players who played as 3DMAX, HLTV reported on September 29, five weeks before the Major cut-off.
RostersThe MongolZ bench DarkMeister and tikuak, leaving three active players
The MongolZ moved DarkMeister and tikuak to the bench on September 15, two months after adding them. Three players are active before PGL Masters Bucharest in October.
TransfersNinjas in Pyjamas sign adamb from OG and field a full five again
NIP signed Swedish rifler adamb from OG on September 14, twelve days after taking Krimbo on loan from BIG. The team goes to Warsaw with five players and no stand-in.
RankingsValve's September CS2 standings arrive a day late and backdated
Valve released its September 2026 standings on a Tuesday, dated them to the Monday and then removed events unfinished on that day, leaving organizers with invite dates to reconcile.
RostersNinjas in Pyjamas move Snappi out of the five and seek a new leader
Ninjas in Pyjamas announced on August 31 that in-game leader Snappi has stepped down from the active roster by mutual agreement. No replacement has been named.
Salaries3DMAX players and coaches go public over late and unpaid salaries
A player and two coaches of the French Counter-Strike team 3DMAX described late pay and its weight on results in statements HLTV reported on August 27.
SalariesMonte and Bymas trade public statements over unpaid salary and stickers
Bymas says Monte owes him tens of thousands of dollars in salary, prize money, bonuses and Major sticker revenue. Monte admits delays but calls the claim a lie.
RankingsSpirit overtake Falcons as HLTV's top-ranked Counter-Strike team
HLTV's Counter-Strike ranking of August 24, 2026 lists Spirit first with 998 points and Falcons second with 754. A week earlier Falcons led by 81 points.
TournamentsTeam Spirit Beat FUT Esports to Win CS2 at the Esports World Cup 2026
Team Spirit came back from an opening map loss to beat FUT Esports 3-1 and win Counter-Strike 2 at the Esports World Cup 2026, with donk named tournament MVP.
OrganizationsFURIA moves its women's team from Counter-Strike to Valorant
FURIA said on August 17 that its women's Counter-Strike team will switch to Valorant after six years, the latest exit since the ESL Impact circuit stopped at the end of 2025.
Prize MoneyHLTV reports Passion UA owe former team their Budapest sticker money
HLTV reports that the former Counter-Strike players and staff of Passion UA are owed Budapest Major sticker money, prize money and wages. The CEO stopped answering its questions.
CreatorsEsports World Cup names its CS2 main-stage talent for Paris
Hosts, analysts, commentators and reporters for the Counter-Strike 2 tournament of the Esports World Cup in Paris, with new hosts and two French voices in week two.
OrganizationsGentle Mates leave Counter-Strike as roster returns to Iberian Soul
The French organization has withdrawn from Counter-Strike after a year with its Spanish roster. Its players are back under the Iberian Soul name at the Esports World Cup open qualifier.