By Sagar V. Mankar The Skyesports Championship 2024, a highly anticipated Counter-Strike 2 LAN event, kicked off on July 23 at the fancy Taj Hotel in Mumbai, India.
With a prize pool of $300,000 and 11 top-tier teams from around the world, everyone was super excited about this event.
However, what should have been a thrilling start to an A-tier tournament quickly turned into a nightmare for players, organizers, and fans alike.
What Went Wrong on Day 1?
The opening day of the Skyesports Championship 2024 was marred by severe technical issues. The primary culprits? Electricity and internet access problems.
Two matches, MongolZ vs True Rippers and Eternal Fire vs Revenant Esports, were stopped mid-game due to these outages.
While attempts were made to restart the matches, a three-hour delay ensued, ultimately leading to the cancellation of Day 1’s remaining games.
What Other Technical Problems Plagued the Event?
Beyond the power and connectivity issues, players faced a host of other challenges:
- Substandard gaming PCs that struggled to maintain 200 FPS on 240Hz monitors
- Tables in poor condition, some with rusting legs and exposed nails
- The map veto process is being conducted via phone calls due to technical limitations
- Unactivated Windows installations on gaming PCs
How Did Players React to the Day 1 Fiasco?
Professional players didn’t hold back their frustrations, taking to social media to voice their concerns:
XANTARES from Eternal Fire described it as “the worst tournament” he had ever seen, citing issues with PCs, tables, and infrastructure.
Nafany from the BetBoom Team mentioned the lack of internet access.
alpha from PARIVISION sarcastically commented on the “adventure” of dealing with power and internet outages.
The situation was so bad that one team, MongolZ, actually left the venue for a while because of a long power outage. It turns out the hotel didn’t have enough power for all those gaming computers. Oops!
Things got so bad that BetBoom Team, a big Russian team, decided to quit the tournament altogether. They said it just wasn’t fair or well-organized. This was a huge blow to the tournament’s reputation.
How Did Skyesports Address the Problems?
Skyesports faced criticism for their delayed response to the issues. The tournament was scheduled to start at 12 noon on July 23, but official communication about the problems didn’t come until 5:35 p.m., with a final announcement regarding delays at 6:38 p.m.
Skyesports founder Shiva Nandy’s response was limited to a rebuttal claiming the issues were “sorted within 45 minutes,” which seemed to contradict the experiences shared by players and teams.
Did Day 2 See Any Improvements?
Fortunately, Day 2 of the Skyesports Championship 2024 saw a dramatic turnaround.
The technical team worked tirelessly to resolve the issues that plagued the first day, resulting in a smooth-running event without significant technical problems.
Players and coaches, who had been vocal about their concerns, seemed much more content with the improved conditions. This allowed them to focus on their strategies and performance, leading to exciting matches and competitive gameplay.
What Happened in Day 2 Matches?
Day 2 saw nine matches played, with teams battling it out on various Counter-Strike maps:
- Eternal Fire defeated Revanant 13-6 on Nuke.
- Aurora beat PARIVISION on Anubis.
- 3DMAX won against AMKAL in a thrilling overtime match on Nuke (16-14).
- ENCE, led by four-time Major champion gla1ve, secured a 13-5 victory over BLEED.
- PARIVISION redeemed themselves with a 13-11 win against TheMongolZ on Mirage.
By the end of Day 2, TheMongolZ and Eternal Fire were leading their respective groups with two wins each.
What Can We Expect from Day 3?
As we head into Day 3 of the Skyesports Championship 2024, seven more games are scheduled.
Teams like ENCE and AMKAL, who have one win and one loss each, will be looking to gain an advantage in their groups as the tournament moves closer to the playoffs.
With the technical issues seemingly resolved, fans can expect more thrilling Counter-Strike action and intense competition as teams vie for their share of the $300,000 prize pool.
For more information, visit the official Skyesports website. And remember to subscribe to Gaming Foodle for more news!