Intel Extreme Masters: History and Background

The Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) is a series of international esports tournaments held in countries around the world. These Electronic Sports League (ESL) sanctioned events, sponsored by Intel, as of 2025 currently host events in Counter-Strike 2. Other game titles were hosted in the past, including StarCraft II and League of Legends. The body that owns the league is Savvy Games Group. The League has operated 17 seasons as of 2023. The highest tier of events, known as Masters Championships, are held in the summer in Cologne, Germany and in the new year in Poland, offering the most prize money. Other events, known as Masters events, are held in numerous cities around the globe, which have included Dallas, Shanghai and Sydney.

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