Hero Esports rolls out CS2 format for upcoming ACL

Ansh Pandey January 20, 2025

SiGMA news

Hero Esports, an Asian esports organiser, has announced the structure for its Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) competition, a key highlight of the upcoming Asian Champions League (ACL). This new multi-title esports tournament aims to attract hundreds of gamers to its competitive gaming scene across Asia.

In a recent Instagram post, Hero Esports outlined that the CS2 event will feature four competitive stages, beginning with the Open Qualifiers. This stage introduces an unprecedented opportunity for local teams to participate, marking a significant milestone for China’s CS2 esports scene.

The entire competition will take place across various venues in China, with the Grand Finals scheduled for 16 May 2025 in Shanghai.

€1.82 million prize pool

The ACL boasts a total prize pool of €1.82 million, with €273,000 allocated for the CS2 Grand Finals alone.

The winning team will take home €91,000, solidifying its place in the esports elite. The tournament format will mix single-elimination best-of-one (BO1) and best-of-three (BO3) matches in its early stages.

The first phase, the ‘Rookie’ stage, runs from 15 February 2025 to 23 March 2025, featuring regional teams competing for a chance to advance. Each regional winner will receive €3,640 and proceed to a double-elimination bracket in the Rookie Advanced stage. Here, the top eight teams—four qualifiers and four invited—will compete for a place in the Closed Qualifiers in mid-April.

In the Closed Qualifiers, these teams will face opponents ranked 5th to 16th in Asia’s Valve Regional Standings (VRS). The winners will advance to the playoffs stage, where the top four VRS teams await. This final phase will feature a BO3 double-elimination format, culminating in the Shanghai Grand Finals.

10 game titles planned for tournament

Announced in September 2024, the ACL is Asia’s premier multi-title esports tournament, managed by the Asia Champions League Foundation, a division of Hero Esports. The inaugural season features up to 10 game titles, including Dota 2, Honor of Kings, and Teamfight Tactics, with more to be revealed.

The league was unveiled at a ceremony in Shanghai, attended by key industry figures, including HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan, Vice Chairman of the Savvy Games Group, who will serve as the league’s Honorary Chairman. With its ambitious format and diverse offerings, the ACL is poised to elevate Asian esports to new heights.