Intel Extreme Masters Season 11 World Championship Returns to Katowice, Poland

Intel Extreme Masters, the longest-running esports circuit in the world, returns to Katowice, Poland, for the fifth consecutive year with the 2017 World Championship, bringing the 11th season to its climactic conclusion. The world’s best teams, including champions from IEM Oakland and IEM Gyeonggi, will be invited to face off on three of the top esports games played on PC: Counter Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends and StarCraft II. The elite gaming competitions will span two consecutive weekends for the first time, Feb. 25-26 and March 3-5.

With 10 years of epic events and thrilling finals, Intel Extreme Masters has been an important part of the esports community since its origin. Each season, the IEM circuit of tournaments travels the globe with only the best teams qualifying to participate. Esports fans from more than 180 countries regularly make Intel Extreme Masters events record-breakers in terms of attendance and viewership.

The League of Legends IEM World Championship finals will take place Feb. 25-26 in the Spodek Arena. The culmination of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and StarCraft II competitions will be the following weekend, March 3-5, in the Spodek Arena and the adjacent International Convention Center (ICC). During the weekend of March 3-5, the ICC also will be home to the IEM Expo, where visitors can experience additional activities, including Free-to-Play zones, Meet & Greets with well-known influencers, concerts, raffles with prizes from event sponsors and more.

“For 11 seasons, the Intel Extreme Masters circuit has been the premier tournament series for esports and a perfect showcase for Intel technology,” said George Woo, esports marketing manager at Intel. “Esports fans and participants are among the most passionate PC enthusiasts out there, and Intel’s involvement in IEM is a key way to connect with these gamers.”

In March 2016, IEM Katowice shattered records during the conclusion of Season 10 and became one of the most watched esports events in history, attracting more than 34 million unique viewers with peak concurrent viewership online reaching 2 million. For 2017, both weekends will be broadcast live across the globe on Twitch, Yahoo, Hitbox and HuoMaoTV in China.

Overall, IEM is an excellent example of how Intel innovates for consumers, offering the best technology in market that allows for an elite consumer experience. Early admission tickets go on sale Dec. 15, 2016. For information, follow IEM on Twitter and Facebook and visit the official website: intelextrememasters.com.

Image: Hundreds of accomplished gamers and thousands of spectators from around the world gather in Katowice, Poland, for the 2016 Intel Extreme Masters. The IEM Katowice World Championship in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, League of Legends and StarCraft II runs March 4-6, 2016. The world’s best gamers will compete for the most prestigious titles, trophies and a combined prize pool of $500,000. (CREDIT: Shawn Morgan/Intel Corporation)