The Counter-Strike tournament calendar for January 2027 is set for a clash, with both BLAST and PGL scheduling overlapping events. This marks a shift from past cooperative scheduling, signaling a crowded competitive landscape.

Cloud9's Counter-Strike 2 team faces upheaval as all active players have departed, leaving only coach groove and benched player Perfecto. Speculation mounts on potential new signings, but the organization remains silent on its future plans, with a critical five-month window to rebuild before the BLAST Austin Major.

Esports in 2025 is set to shatter records with an increase in million-dollar prize pool tournaments, expanding from six in 2024 to at least 11. Major changes include franchise league eliminations, a new Major format by Valve, and the return of the iconic Train map.

PGL has unveiled its 2025 and 2026 event schedule, beginning with the Cluj-Napoca tournament from February 14-23, offering a $1.25 million prize pool. Plans are also underway for 2027, with the first event set for January 13-25.

ESL Pro League Season 21 will be held in Sweden from March 1-16, 2025, featuring a $400,000 prize pool and 24 teams. FaZe Clan's absence opens doors for competitors like GamerLegion, with matches streamed live on Twitch.

PARIVISION revamps its CS2 lineup for 2025 by adding Dzhami 'Jame' Ali, Aleksandr 'TRAVIS' Timkiv, and Emil 'nota' Moskvitin, with Jame stepping in as the sniper. The team's dynamics shift as they prepare for Jame's debut on January 16, while former teammates and coach reunite from their successful IEM Rio Major 2022 run.

Valve has unexpectedly retired the "Classic Offensive" mod for "Counter-Strike: Global Offensive" from Steam after eight years of development. The team is hopeful this decision could be reversed, as other mods faced similar situations that were resolved positively.

Valve has blocked the Steam release of Counter-Strike: Classic Offensive, a mod to replicate CS 1.6's aesthetics, leaving its developers frustrated and without explanation. Despite passing Steam Greenlight in 2017, the mod's future is uncertain, prompting concerns about Valve's stance on modding projects.

Valve has blocked the release of the Classic Offensive mod for CS:GO on Steam, frustrating developers after eight years of work. Despite initial approval and guidance from Valve, the team faces a communication breakdown and must now seek further clarification.

Counter-Strike 2, using the Source 2 engine, is revitalizing the classic FPS genre with improved graphics and gameplay, becoming a top title on Steam since its 2023 release. Valve's recent update on January 10, 2025, fixed a humorous ragdoll glitch and reintroduced the classic map Train, emphasizing their commitment to community feedback and competitive gaming.

Team Spirit triumphs at the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024, but NAVI leads the year in viewership with 64.85 million hours watched. G2 Esports follows closely, leveraging a diverse roster and social media.

HeavyGod has joined G2 Esports following his departure from Cloud9, marking a significant roster addition ahead of the BLAST Bounty Season 1. His debut for G2 is scheduled for January 17, 2025, against B8 esports.

Valve has blocked the Steam release of Counter-Strike: Classic Offensive, a mod aiming to revive Counter-Strike 1.6's classic feel. Despite the setback, developers are seeking dialogue with Valve to resolve the issue.

Mark 'ohnePixel' Zimmermann clinched the HLTV Streamer of the Year award with a commanding 41% of the vote. His victory underscores his influence in the Counter-Strike community, surpassing rivals Erik 'fl0m' Flom and dima_wallhacks.

The HLTV Awards, sponsored by 1XBET, will take place on January 11, 2025, in Belgrade and streamed on Twitch, celebrating top Counter-Strike talent. Highlights include Player of the Year and Hall of Fame inductions, with appearances from iconic figures like pashaBiceps and kennyS.

Valve has rolled out a major update for Counter-Strike 2 enhancing ragdoll physics and making gameplay more realistic. The update also modifies the Train map and fixes visual bugs, showcasing Valve's dedication to continuous improvement.

FaZe Clan revamps its roster by signing Jonathan "EliGE" Jablonowski after losing key player Ropz. The team aims to regain dominance in 2025, starting with the BLAST Bounty Spring tournament.

HEROIC has announced its 2025 CS2 roster, featuring Álvaro 'SunPayus' García and three former Sangal players. The lineup aims to rejuvenate after losing key players to Falcons and Team Liquid.

Vitality signs Estonian rifler Robin 'ropz' Kool, shaking up their Counter-Strike lineup ahead of the ESL Pro League. This follows Lotan 'Spinx' Giladi's move to inactive status amid team discord.