ESL details IEM Cologne Major content, fan upgrades

ESL outlined its content and fan experience plan for the upcoming IEM Cologne Major in a public post by Marc “Nix0n” Winther Kristensen. The tournament will take place in Cologne, Germany.

The organizer plans three player profiles to be released during the Major, described in the post as “three deep-dive player profiles on the stars of the tournament.” ESL said the features will focus on players expected to shape the event.

ESL produced a documentary about the IEM Cologne 2022 grand final between Natus Vincere and FaZe, a match the post called “the greatest series in CS history.” A 10-minute trailer highlighting the season’s top narratives is scheduled for release on Monday ahead of the tournament.

Planned on-site fan upgrades include LED wristbands intended for event interaction and a streamlined process to buy and collect official merchandise. The post also referenced additional live-event improvements but did not list every change.

Kristensen presented the post as the public outline of ESL’s content roadmap; the full post contains further notes and ESL said more information will be released as the Major approaches.

IEM Cologne is a major event on the Counter-Strike calendar that draws large global viewership and packed arenas. The 2022 grand final has been widely discussed within the scene and is the subject of the new documentary.