As you may remember, the Intel Extreme Masters show, the outcome of the cooperation between Eurosport, Intel and Turtle Entertainment (ESL), had its premiere some weeks ago on Eurosport and Eurosport 2. Today ESL published some more information about the first and next episodes featuring the global league of the video game champions.

More than one million different viewers in total have seen the first episode. That is why Nik Adams, the Executive Producer at Turtle Entertainment responsible for the ‘Intel Extreme Masters’ show, is quite happy about the results: "As we are the first to bring eSports to a broad pan European, Asian and Pacific TV audience I am very satisfied how the first broadcast worked out. The total number of viewers, the feedback from the media as well as from our eSports community was as good as expected. This show gives the TV audience an overview of our lifestyle and helps to elevate eSports to a higher level."

Update with more information on episode 2:
The second episode features the Global Challenge Cologne event and shows the Quake Live players Shane 'rapha' Hendrixson and Anton 'Cooller' Singov trying to come out on top, which didn't work out for both of them as you may know. The show will again deliver 25 minutes of exciting eSports, but also take a behind-the-scenes look at the players routines and challenges.

This week the first episode of Eurosport's Intel Extreme Masters series will be aired on Eurosport and Eurosport 2. As previous announced by ESL, the fifth season of the global league of eSports champions gets its own show on the European tv station.

The first episode features the Global Challenge Shanghai event and follows the Counter-Strike team fnaticMSI as they try to knock Natus Vincere down from the position of the #1 team in the Intel Extreme Masters. The show will deliver 25 minutes of exciting eSports, but also take a behind-the-scenes look at the players routines and challenges.

As we have announced some days ago, the next ESL Major Series season has a special competition for the games that are already selected for or could be suitable to add to the EMS. A total of 19 games and their communities will get the chance to either increase their total prize money or get their game added to the EMS with another whopping €1,000!

With one week remaining to vote in the poll and tag your matches, we are giving you an overview of the current standings.

Today we proudly present to you the 7th season of Europe's top online league. The finest leagues, more than a thousand players competing, several thousands more will try to qualify - and €16,500 worth of prize money is up for grabs. Get ready for the ESL Major Series Season VII!
The ESL Major Series is the highest level of European competition in the ESL for disciplines not included in the Intel Extreme Masters and has already awarded more than €100,000 in prize money to hundreds of gamers in the past four years.

While Season VI is still running towards the end, we are already able to announce the upcoming season's games and prizemoney distribution for the 7th installment coming to you September 2010.

Team disciplines

• Enemy Territory (5on5): €750
  
• Call of Duty 4 (5on5): €2,000
  
• Quake Live (4on4 TDM): €750[/b]
  
• Counter-Strike: Source (5on5): €3,000
  
• FIFA Clanwar (3x1on1): €1,250
  
• Avalon Heroes (5on5): €5,000 (publisher sponsored)
  
• Team Fortress 2 (6on6): €750
  
• Day of Defeat: Source (6on6): €750
  
• America's Army (4on4): €750

Announcing the next season of Europe's top online league. Thirteen games, fourteen tournaments, more than a thousand players competing, several thousand will try to qualify - and €15,000 prize money. Get ready for ESL Major Series Season V!

The ESL Major Series is the highest level of European competition in the ESL for disciplines not included in the Intel Extreme Masters and has already awarded more than €70,000 in prize money to hundreds of gamers in the past two years.

We are back again for our fifth season to bring you more thrilling matches featuring the best players and teams from across Europe and the world.

Wolfenstein has been released some days ago, now the Electronic Sports League (ESL) is happy to present you the first Wolfenstein ladder at ESL Europe! With the release of WolfPro 0.1 on Tuesday evening everything has been made to open the 5on5 ladder for you. The 5on5 ladder starts at the European and German section and will be the first of hopefully many competitions at the biggest league for computer gaming in Europe.

ESL Europe:
Wolfenstein 5on5 Ladder Signup

ESL GER:
Wolfenstein 5on5 Ladder Signup

All Wolfenstein matches at ESL have to be played with WolfPro. You can find all rules, information and the server config at the original ESL news.

Some of you may have found our IRC channel already, all others are also invited to join our official ESL Wolfenstein channels:
#ESL.Wolfenstein.EU
#ESL.Wolfenstein.DE

Have fun and enjoy Wolfenstein at ESL Europe!

ESL news
EU Wolfenstein 5on5 Ladder
EU Wolfenstein 5on5 Ladder - Signup
GER Wolfenstein 5on5 Ladder
GER Wolfenstein 5on5 Ladder - Signup

It has been a long way with hundreds of matches, but we have finally arrived at the Grand Final of the ESL ET Winter League. With H2k-Gaming facing MASCULINE MANS the 1st Division of the 6on6 Winter League, Enemy Territory’s highest competition this winter, will come to an end. While H2k-Gaming comes into this match without any loss and six wins in a row, MASCULINE MANS successfully found its way through the loser bracket and is now looking for revenge after losing the winner bracket semi final against H2k-Gaming with 0-4.

Some minutes ago, the Electronic Sports League (ESL) announced the first ESL Pro Series Season in the United Kingdom. One of the two games will be Crossfire game Call of Duty 4 which gets a prize money of £15,000. As known from other competitions like the EPS in Germany or the Extreme Masters, Intel will be once again the main sponsor for the biggest national league in UK. The second game is CS: Source.

12 teams per discipline will be able to take part in the first ESL Pro Series Season which features a total prize money of £30,000:

Call of Duty 4
£5,000
£2,000
£1,000
4th £400

win bonus: £100
overall: £15,000

CS: Source prize money distribution:
£5,000
£2,000
£1,000[/b]
4th £400

win bonus: £100
overall: £15,000

More details on structure of the EPS or the qualification cups can be found in the official ESL Newspost.

Source: [url]www.esl.eu/uk[/url]

Week two of the ESL Major Series Final Stage will begin today with re-play Sleeperz facing 8Bits FiF. Both teams did not look good in their first playoff match last week, suffering two 4:0 defeats against well playing opponents, and now nothing than a win will do. Today both teams will fight in the LB Final for the third place and have the very last chance to grab one of the first three places which will be credited with at least 200 of the 1000 € prize money.

It is an essential part of a double elimination bracket and should be known to most of the players: losing twice will result in the end of the competition. In view of this situation and the fact that only the winner will come to more than just fame, re-play Sleeperz and 8Bits FiF will join the server at 21 CET and meet each other for a second time in the ESL Major Series Season II.



At the beginning of the qualification 8Bits FiF lost to re-play Sleeperz in a great three-mapper with 2:4 and had to take a longer way through the qualification stage, while re-play Sleeperz continued their winning streak and used the chance to qualify with the first try. But now, three months later, both teams made it under the last four and have improved a lot. Today’s match will be another next chance to prove their strengths and individual skills but even a loss will not be the end of the world. Both can look back to a great tournament and can be proud of their great performance. A win tonight will be the icing on the cake, worth at least 200 €!

GamesTV.org will once again be your home of full coverage so make sure you take a look at the ips for ETTV and radio commentary.

ESL Matchlink
GamesTV.org: ETTV

The first match of the ESL Major Series Final Stage is taking place this evening with Impact Gaming facing the Benelux-mixture of 8Bits FiF. Both teams made it already under the last four, but only three of them can end in the money. The winning team of today's match will not only join the WB Final, it will also save 200 € of the 1000 € prize money and has the chance to win even more in the next days.

Looking back to the group stage, it seems as we have one clear favorite tonight. While Impact Gaming did not lose any match in the group stage, 8Bits FiF had some more problems and lost two matches during the first stage. However, both teams made it already to Europe's top 4 in this competition and are ready to challenge each other. The match starts at 22 CET and will of course be shown live on ETTV.



Jere

Quote

We are looking forward to play vs a clan with such big names. They certainly have more individual skills and experience, so that's why they are the big favourites to win this game. Altough maybe we could surprise them by taking a map, I don't think we'll be able to get 2. My prediction: 4-2 for impact.

ESL Matchlink
GamesTV.org: ETTV