Intel Extreme Masters
The Intel Extreme Masters is a series of international esports tournaments held in countries around the world. These Electronic Sports League sanctioned events, sponsored by Intel, include events in Starcraft II, , Quake Live, League of Legends and Hearthstone. The body that owns the league is Turtle Entertainment. The League has existed for 13 seasons as of 2019. The season ten tournament finals took place in Katowice, Poland. Previous events have been held in Chengdu, Dubai, Hanover, and Los Angeles, among other cities.
History
The Intel Extreme Masters are a product of the ESL. In 2006, when the Intel sponsored European tournament saw room for expansion outside of Europe, especially in North American markets, Intel provided funds for a worldwide tournament, billing it as the Intel Extreme Masters. In 2007, when established, the IEM established a format of many smaller qualifying events, leading up to a large final event that is held at CeBIT. All of the Grand Finals have been held at CeBIT. Starting in 2008, the Tournament was billed as being worldwide, boasting participants from Europe, North America, and Asia. Although Counterstrike 1.6 was the only game offered in the first season, the variety of games has increased greatly, to the four that were offered during Season 5. World of Warcraft was offered during Season 4, but was dropped for Season 5. The Season 5 Finals will be held at CeBIT and will included a prize pool.Games offered in Intel Extreme Masters: Counter-Strike, Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos and Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne, World of Warcraft, Quake Live, StarCraft II, League of Legends
IEM seasons
Season I
- Counter-Strike: Poland's Team Pentagram
- Warcraft III: France's Yoan "ToD" Merlo
Season II
- Global Challenge Los Angeles:
- *Counter-Strike: Sweden's FnaticRC
- *Warcraft III: Korea's June "Lyn" Park
- World Championship:
- *Counter-Strike: Germany's Mousesports
- *Warcraft III: Korea's June "Lyn" Park
Season III
- Global Challenge Games Convention:
- *World of Warcraft: Germany's Nihilum Plasma
- Global Challenge Los Angeles:
- *Counter-Strike: Sweden's SK Gaming
- *World of Warcraft: Spain's x6tence
- Global Challenge Montreal:
- *Counter-Strike: Sweden's Fnatic
- *World of Warcraft: the UK's SK Gaming
- Global Challenge Dubai:
- *Counter-Strike:Germany's Mousesports
- Asian Championshiphttp: — WoW:
- *Counter-Strike: Korea's e-STRO
- *World of Warcraft: Korea's H O N
- *WarCraft III: the Netherlands's Manuel "Grubby" Schenkhuizen
- European Championship:
- *Counter-Strike: Denmark's mTw
- *World of Warcraft: Bulgaria's iNNERFiRE
- American Championship:
- *Counter-Strike: Brazil's Made in Brazil
- *World of Warcraft: the United States's Trade Chat
- Asian Championship: CS1.6:
- *Counter-Strike: China's wNv Teamwork
- *WarCraft III: China's Li "Sky" Xiaofeng
- World Championship:
- *Counter-Strike: Sweden's fnatic
- *World of Warcraft: Korea's H O N
Season IV
- Global Challenge Gamescom:
- *Counter-Strike: Germany's Mousesports
- *Quake Live: the United States's Shane "rapha" Hendrixson
- *World of Warcraft: the United Arab Emirates's Ensidia
- Global Challenge Chengdu:
- *Counter-Strike: Sweden's SK Gaming
- *DotA: China's For The Dream
- *Warcraft III: China's Lu "Fly100%" Weiliang
- Global Challenge Dubai:
- *Counter-Strike: Sweden's Fnatic
- *Quake Live: the United States's Shane "rapha" Hendrixson
- European Championship:
- *Counter-Strike: Germany's Mousesports
- *Quake Live: Belarus's Alexey "Cypher" Yanushevsky
- *World of Warcraft: Germany's SK Gaming Sansibar
- American Championship:
- *Counter Strike: the United States's compLexity
- *Quake Live: the United States's Tim "DaHanG" Fogarty
- *World of Warcraft: the United States's compLexity Black
- Asian Championship:
- *Counter Strike: Korea's WeMade FOX
- *Quake Live: China's Fan "Jibo" Zhibo
- *World of Warcraft: Korea's Button Bashers
- World Championship:
- *Counter-Strike: Ukraine's Natus Vincere
- *Quake Live: the United States's Shane "rapha" Hendrixson
- *World of Warcraft: the United States's Evil Geniuses
Season V
- Global Challenge Shanghai:
- *Counter-Strike: Sweden's fnatic
- *Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne: Korea's June "Lyn" Park
- *DotA: China's: EHOME
- Global Challenge Cologne:
- *StarCraft II: Sweden's Stefan "MorroW" Andersson — Mousesports
- *Quake Live: Germany's k1llsen
- American Championship:
- *Counter Strike: Brazil's compLexity
- *Quake Live: the United States's Shane "rapha" Hendrixson
- *StarCraft II: Peru's Jian "Fenix" Morayra Alejo — fnatic
- European Championship:
- *Counter-Strike: Sweden's fnatic
- *Quake Live: Russia's Anton "Cooller" Singov
- *StarCraft II: Sweden's Jeffrey "SjoW" Brusi — Team Dignitas
- World Championship:
- *Counter-Strike: Ukraine's Natus Vincere
- *Quake Live: the United States's Shane "rapha" Hendrixson
- *StarCraft II: Korea's Jung "AcE" Woo-Seo — Team StarTale
- *LoL Invitational: Germany's myRevenge
Season VI
- Global Challenge Cologne:
- *LoL: the United States's Counter Logic Gaming
- *StarCraft II: Korea's Lee "PuMa" Ho-Joon — Evil Geniuses
- Global Challenge Guangzhou:
- *LoL: China's World Elite
- *StarCraft II: the United States's Greg "IdrA" Fields — Evil Geniuses
- *Counter-Strike: Sweden's fnatic
- Global Challenge New York City:
- *LoL: the European Union's fnatic
- *StarCraft II: Korea's Park "DongRaeGu" Soo-Ho — Complexity Gaming & Team MvP
- *Counter-Strike: Sweden's SK Gaming
- Global Challenge Kiev:
- *LoL: Russia's Moscow 5
- *StarCraft II: Korea's Moon "MMA" Sung-Won — Team SlayerS
- *Counter-Strike: Ukraine's Natus Vincere
- Global Challenge São Paulo:
- *StarCraft II: Korea's Kim "viOLet" Dong-Hwan — Team Empire
- World Championship:
- *LoL: Russia's Moscow 5
- *StarCraft II: Korea's Jang "MC" Min-Chul— SK Gaming
- *Counter-Strike: Poland's ESC Gaming
Season VII
- Global Challenge Gamescom:
- *LoL: Russia's Moscow Five
- *StarCraft II: Korea's Jung "Mvp" Jong-Hyun — Incredible Miracle
- Global Challenge Singapore:
- *LoL: the European Union's MeetYourMakers
- *StarCraft II: Korea's Ju "Sting" Hoon — Western Wolves
- Global Challenge Cologne:
- *LoL: Korea's SK Telecom T1
- Global Challenge Katowice:
- *LoL: Russia's Gambit Gaming
- *StarCraft II: Korea's Kang "First" Hyun-Woo — Incredible Miracle
- Global Challenge Brazil:
- *LoL: Korea's Incredible Miracle
- World Championship:
- *LoL: Korea's CJ Entus Blaze
- *StarCraft II: Korea's Choi "YoDa" Byung-Hyun — Incredible Miracle
Season VIII
Event | Dates | Game | Winner | Runner-up | |
Shanghai | 25–28 July 2013 | League of Legends | Team WE | Invictus Gaming | |
Shanghai | 25–28 July 2013 | ' | Revival | Oz | |
New York | 10–13 October 2013 | StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm | Life | NaNiwa | |
Cologne | 23–24 November 2013 | League of Legends | Gambit Gaming | Fnatic | |
Cologne | 23–24 November 2013 | League of Legends | Copenhagen Wolves | Ninjas in Pyjamas | |
Singapore | 28 November – 1 December 2013 | League of Legends | Invictus Gaming | CJ Entus Frost | |
Singapore | 28 November – 1 December 2013 | StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm | herO | san | |
São Paulo | 28 January – 1 February 2014 | League of Legends | Millenium | paiN Gaming | |
São Paulo | 28 January – 1 February 2014 | StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm | herO | MC | |
Cologne | 13–16 February 2014 | StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm | HerO | Polt | |
World Championship Katowice | 13–16 March 2014 | ' | Virtus.pro | Ninjas in Pyjamas | |
World Championship Katowice | 13–16 March 2014 | Gnimsh | Artosis | ||
World Championship Katowice | 13–16 March 2014 | League of Legends | KT Rolster Bullets | Fnatic | |
World Championship Katowice | 13–16 March 2014 | StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm | sOs | herO |
Season IX
Event | Dates | Game | Winner | Runner-up | |
Shenzhen | 16–20 July 2014 | ' | Amaz | Azeri | |
Shenzhen | 16–20 July 2014 | League of Legends | Team WE | EDward Gaming | |
Shenzhen | 16–20 July 2014 | ' | TaeJa | Solar | |
Toronto | 28–31 August 2014 | StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm | Flash | Zest | |
San Jose | 6–7 December 2014 | League of Legends | Cloud9 | Unicorns of Love | |
San Jose | 6–7 December 2014 | StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm | herO | Rain | |
Cologne | 18–21 December 2014 | League of Legends | Gambit Gaming | Counter Logic Gaming | |
Taipei | 28 January – 1 February 2015 | League of Legends | yoe Flash Wolves | Taipei Assassins | |
Taipei | 28 January – 1 February 2015 | StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm | Life | Maru | |
World Championship Katowice | 12–15 March 2015 | Fnatic | Ninjas in Pyjamas | ||
World Championship Katowice | 12–15 March 2015 | League of Legends | Team SoloMid | Team WE | |
World Championship Katowice | 12–15 March 2015 | StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm | Zest | Trap |
Season X
Event | Dates | Game | Winner | Runner-up | |
Shenzhen | 16–20 July 2015 | Heroes of the Storm | MVP Black | Virtus.pro | |
Shenzhen | 16–20 July 2015 | ' | Classic | PartinG | |
Gamescom | 5–9 August 2015 | ' | Team EnVyUs | Team SoloMid | |
Gamescom | 5–9 August 2015 | StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm | INnoVation | soO | |
San Jose | 21–22 November 2015 | Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | Natus Vincere | Team SoloMid | |
San Jose | 21–22 November 2015 | League of Legends | Origen | Counter Logic Gaming | |
Cologne | 18–20 December 2015 | League of Legends | ESC Ever | Qiao Gu Reapers | |
Taipei | 29 January – 2 February 2016 | Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | The MongolZ | Renegades | |
Taipei | 29 January – 2 February 2016 | sOs | ByuN | ||
World Championship Katowice | 4–6 March 2016 | Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | Fnatic | Luminosity Gaming | |
World Championship Katowice | 4–6 March 2016 | League of Legends | SK Telecom T1 | Fnatic | |
World Championship Katowice | 4–6 March 2016 | StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void | Polt | Snute |
Season XI
Event | Dates | Game | Winner | Runner-up | |
Shanghai | 28–31 July 2016 | ' | uThermal | Neeb | |
Oakland | 19–20 November 2016 | ' | Ninjas in Pyjamas | SK Gaming | |
Oakland | 19–20 November 2016 | League of Legends | Unicorns Of Love | Flash Wolves | |
Gyeonggi | 17–18 December 2016 | League of Legends | Samsung Galaxy | Kongdoo Monster | |
Gyeonggi | 17–18 December 2016 | Overwatch | LuxuryWatch Red | Lunatic-Hai | |
Gyeonggi | 17–18 December 2016 | StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void | INnoVation | Stats | |
World Championship Katowice | 25–26 February & 3–5 March 2017 | Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | Astralis | FaZe Clan | |
World Championship Katowice | 25–26 February & 3–5 March 2017 | League of Legends | Flash Wolves | G2 Esports | |
World Championship Katowice | 25–26 February & 3–5 March 2017 | StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void | TY | Stats |
Season XII
Venue | Dates | Game | Champions | Runners-up |
Qudos Bank Arena — Sydney, Australia | 6–7 May 2017 | Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | SK Gaming | FaZe Clan |
SNIEC — Shanghai, China | 27–30 July 2017 | Starcraft 2 | Rogue | herO |
Oracle Arena — Oakland, United States | 18–19 November 2017 | Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | Ninjas in Pyjamas | FaZe Clan |
Oracle Arena — Oakland, United States | 18–19 November 2017 | PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds | *aAa* Gaming | Tempo Storm |
2018 PyeongChang — PyeongChang, South Korea | 5–7 February 2018 | Starcraft 2 | Scarlett | sOs |
Spodek Arena — Katowice, Poland | 2–4 March 2018 | Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | Fnatic | FaZe Clan |
Spodek Arena — Katowice, Poland | 2–4 March 2018 | Starcraft 2 | Rogue | Classic |