Highlights:
* Skyesports Counter-Strike 2 Esports Roadmap: Three Tier-1 tournaments are set for next year and each features a prize pool of $500,000.
* Top teams from Valve’s regional standings will arrive in India to compete in the tournaments.
Skyesports has announced its roadmap for next year’s Counter-Strike tournaments. Four on-ground LAN CS2 competitions are slated for 2025 and it will be the most significant investment by the premier esports organizer, featuring a total prize pool of ₹14.68 Crore /$1.75 million. Moreover, it would be the first time that India hosts Tier 1 events for Counter-Strike 2. Various international teams will also participate in the tournament similar to the previous iteration which was won by 3DMAX, a French esports team.
Skyesports Counter-Strike 2 Esports Roadmap 2025 & Prize Pool
The latest announcement by Skyesports highlights its efforts to develop India into a global hub for esports and also prepare it for the inaugural Olympic Esports Games. According to the Skyesports Counter-Strike 2 Esports Roadmap 2025, the year will begin with a Tier 2 event and it will be followed by multiple Tier-1 tournaments.
Here is the Skyesports Counter-Strike 2 Esports Roadmap along with the prize pool:-
| Event | Date | Prize Pool (INR/USD) |
| Skyesports Souvenir 2025 | February 17 to 23, 2025 | ₹2.09 Crore / $250,000 |
| Skyesports Masters 2025 | May 26 to June 1, 2025 | ₹4.12 Crore / $500,000 |
| Skyesports Championship 2025 | September 15 to 21, 2025 | ₹4.12 Crore / $500,000 |
| Skyesports World Tour 2025 | November 10 to 16, 2025 | ₹4.12 Crore / $500,000 |
As per the official news, the Skyesports Souvenir 2025 Main Event will include 8 teams. Four teams will be selected from Valve’s regional rankings to participate in the main event. Meanwhile, the closed qualifiers will feature eight teams divided into two groups of four teams. They will battle in a double-elimination bracket after which the top 2 teams from each group will qualify for the Main Event.
Tier-1 tournaments hosted by Skyesports, namely the Masters, Championship, and World Tour, will have open qualifiers unlike the previous event. 256 teams will compete in single-elimination brackets and four teams will move to the closed qualifiers. During the closed qualifiers, Valve’s selected top 16 teams from regional standings will compete for the four spots in the Main Event. The remaining 12 teams will compete with the open qualifier winners to get the last four remaining Main Events spots.
The Open Qualifiers during the Tier 1 events will include teams across India, Europe, North and South America, and other Asian countries. Interestingly, India will have separate qualifiers, giving local talent a chance to qualify for the Closed Qualifiers. This way, Indian gamers are going to get exposure in the big leagues, competing with prominent international teams.
Speaking on the importance of the tournaments, Shiva Nandy, Founder and CEO of Skyesports mentioned how the company has fulfilled its goal to bring international players to the Indian subcontinent.
Our vision since inception in 2018 was to create indigenous IPs and bring international players and teams to India. The 2025 CS2 esports roadmap is a testament to that as we will be hosting all four events in India, with global teams participating. These tournaments will not only strengthen Skyesports’ position as a global esports brand but also showcase India as a crucial market for world-class international esports events.”
With four high-profile tournaments set for next year, India is well on its way to becoming a global market for esports events. Skyesports Counter-Strike 2 Esports Roadmap highlights the crucial juncture at which India is in terms of esports development.
