ESL One Cologne 2018

In our blog, you can find everything you need to know about ESL One Cologne 2018 and a lot of interesting background stories, proudly presented by Official Shipping Partner, DHL, who handle event logistics for the ESL One Series.

Deutsche Version des Blogs

Monday

#MomentsThatDeliver from Cologne

We’ve had a totally amazing week in the Lanxess Arena with an action-packed finale to ESL One Cologne 2018. You can watch the #MomentsThatDeliver in our video:

More than 100 tons of materials and equipment were delivered to Cologne at the beginning of the week to make Germany’s biggest CS:GO event possible.

Fans in the Lanxess Arena thought that the surprisingly strong local heroes from Berlin International Gaming were terrific and DHL’s EffiBOT and BoxStacker Pro virtual reality game also really knocked them out.

While Cologne was a home round for everyone at DHL as well, September will see us heading further afield once again for the next CS:GO competition taking place on the weekend of September 29th/30th at Barclays Center, New York. We’ll be back in Germany, in Hamburg, for DOTA 2 at the end of October.

Sunday

NAVI.GG.BET win ESL One in Cologne

The fourth map went the same way as the others in this final, as the two finalists reached the halfway stage on equal terms. After the break however, NAVI.GG.BET ran away with the tie. The terrorists won six rounds in a row to take a daunting 14:8 lead. Thereafter, there was only going to be one winner: with a tightly constrained budget BIG, had no answer to the well-equipped NAVI avatars.

So the grand finale of the ESL One Trophy in Cologne turned out to be less close than the thousands of disappointed German fans had hoped. Result: NAVI.GG.BET 3-1 Berlin International Gaming.

NAVI edge closer to victory

The third map in today’s final was Train. BIG and NAVI were initially battling on equal terms, until NAVI raced away in the second half with eight successive rounds to prevail 16:10. They are now clearly in the driving seat as the two teams go into map 4 of 5 – Inferno.

BIG even the score

Playing on their favorite map, BIG have managed to level the tie. After dominating Friday’s semi-final on Dust and winning 16:1, they pulled out a 16:11 today against NAVI.GG.BET. The next round could be the decider.

NAVI.GG.BET take lead

NAVI.GG.BET go ahead in Cologne ESL One finals. The first round of the game on Map Overpass was very close for a good while. It was neck-and-neck at halftime, but NAVI.BET.GG then won several rounds on the trot as counter-terrorists to finally take Round 1 at 4:10 pm.

Grand finale between BIG and NAVI begins

Over the next three hours, there’s going to be a lot at stake at ESL Cologne. A spectacular pre-show featuring a full concert orchestra on the stage of the Lanxess Arena got the crowd fired up for the showdown between the two best teams of the week, competing for prize money in the six-figure bracket.

Best of Five mode means the first team to score three “points”. A point is awarded to the first team to win 16 clear rounds of play. With each round lasting around two minutes, we can expect the result to be announced sometime between 20:30 and 22:00 CEST.

DHL Parcelcopter also helping out

This week, we showed that even the most tech-savvy esport players can be amazed by what the latest drones are capable of. When DHL and influencer SPUNJ surprised the ESL One contestants with gift packages including a mini-drone, you might have expected the airspace in the hotel rooms to become a danger zone.

For the past few years, DHL has been developing a significantly larger drone which has now come into service. The DHL Parcelcopter is also in use at ESL One in Cologne, but in digital format.

To ensure that our innovative VR game DHL BoxStacker Pro runs smoothly and that none of the virtual packages are dropped and sent crashing to the ground, the DHL Parcelcopter secures the airspace around the players. Whenever a package is misplaced and falls, it is caught by the drone.

In the real world, the third-generation DHL Parcelcopter is capable of flying at speeds of up to 70kph and can deliver packages weighing up to two kilos completely autonomous anywhere within a radius of several kilometers. The drone is currently being used to make deliveries to locations that would otherwise be difficult to access such as the North Sea islands and the Bavarian Alps.

Just how spectacular the DHL Parcelcopter can be in the air, we show you in our next video.

Favorites come from Ukraine

There will be one clear favorite this afternoon when the finale of ESL One Cologne gets underway at 4:00 pm, even if the German audience would probably disagree.

Unlike their BIG opponents, Ukrainian team NAVI.GG.BET go back a long way, having first set up as Natus Vincere in 2009. 

In 2010, the clan became the first team ever to win three major tournaments in one year – the Intel Extreme Masters, Electronic Sports World Cup and World Cyber Games.

In that year alone, Natus Vincere gamed their way to more than $200,000 in prize money and now play in the millions league. But can the team from Ukraine hold steady today in the face of overwhelming support for BIG from home fans?

Who exactly are BIG?

One team in particular is causing a sensation and getting pulses racing at ESL One Cologne. Still, it’s hardly surprising that BIG have won the hearts of fans. The local heroes from Berlin are playing in front of a home crowd in the Lanxess Arena.

Berlin International Gaming were never expected to reach the finals in the run-up to the event, as the team was only set up in January 2017 (in Berlin) and have nowhere near the same amount of experience as the opposition.

The team is made up of Fatih ‘Gob B’ Dayik, Johannes ‘Tabsen’ Wodarz, John ‘Nex’ Maget, Owen ‘Smooya’ Butterfield and Titian ‘Titian’ Feldbusch. They’ve beaten a whole series of opponents since Tuesday and will now have to see off NAVI.GG.BET from Ukraine later this afternoon at 4:00 pm.

For BIG, the 125,000 euros prize money for the win at ESL One Cologne would be the biggest of their short time in existence. The most they’ve won so far amounts to ‘only’ $35,000 after winning two major and one minor tournament. A lot more could come their way today...

Schedule for final day

Who will win the 125,000 euros prize money? There are a couple of points to mention concerning today’s agenda for Germany’s biggest CS:GO event before BIG and NAVI.GG.BET begin battling it out for the tournament win at ESL One Cologne later this afternoon at 4:00 pm.

The Lanxess Arena will open its doors at 11:00 am. The official program starts at 12:30 pm and the ‘mini’ ESL championship will be shortly after that. We’ll take a look at the esports Hall of Fame at 15:05. The warm-up show will kick off about half-an-hour before the grand finale gets underway.

BIG delight the audience

Yesterday’s semifinals between BIG and FaZe was just out of this world, simply indescribable! What was even more amazing, though, was to see fans walking around the heart of the city’s old town with flags and jerseys in the winners’ colors hours after the event. ESL One had arrived in Cologne and the fans wanted to say ‘thank you’.

German team BIG were also very grateful. Ranked as outsiders, they played like demons in Friday’s quarterfinals and ultimately overpowered FaZe in the semifinals.

“It’s like I’m dreaming. I just can’t take it all in yet,” said BIG gamer Gob B after successfully making it through to the finals. “FaZe played a terrific game, but we were luckier in the end and made the right decisions. It was one hell of a match.”

“We all performed well, and everyone had their moment,” continued the local hero. Of course, he also had a few special words to say about the fans: “The people here were simply amazing. If you’ve never experienced it, then you won’t know what I mean. I want to thank everyone who came to watch.”

Saturday

BIG make it through to final round in Cologne

The teams going through to the finale at the ESL Event in Cologne have now been confirmed. After achieving success in the semifinals, NAVI.GG.BET and BIG will battle each other for the win and prize money of 125,000 euros on Sunday.

The first semifinals heat was an extremely close affair. Astralis and NAVI.GG.BET went into the third round after two maps and who would win was still far from certain. Astralis pulled out all the stops when they had to fight for the first match point, reducing the gap, and it was not until the 29th of 30 rounds that a winner emerged with the final score standing at 16:13 in NAVI.GG.BET’s favor.

In the second semifinals, it was obvious even before the start, who most of the 15,000 spectators would be rooting for; Berlin-team based team BIG had already produced an impressive, passionate performance in the quarterfinals. The battle with FaZe quickly turned into a war of attrition, going into extra time in the first round with FaZe emerging triumphant. The second round between local heroes and favorites was just as exciting, but BIG were able to equalize in the end, and the third round got underway.

What happened next in the Lanxess Arena was just amazing. BIG turned up the heat, playing like demons and making the hall rock. The result came after more than three terrific hours. The outsiders from Berlin were going through to the finals.

Special courier to ESL One

In esport too, rapid responses are called for. During the current ESL One in Cologne, a vital package had to be delivered to the stage at lightning speed. Clearly a job for DHL and the new EffiBOT.

Shortly before the second big semi-final of the day, esport expert and influencer SPUNJ was running late for his big stage entrance, but to thunderous applause from the thousands of fans in the Lanxess Arena, SPUNJ arrived by EffiBOT just in time to perform his compere role.

Maybe you haven’t encountered EffiBOT yet? This smart robot is programmed to follow our courier, even if confusion reigns left, right and center. After all, there are always deliveries that go beyond the abilities of even our strongest employees.

Close to the action

The first semi-final of the ESL One in Cologne is currently underway. We took the opportunity to get up close to the action. OK, maybe not all that close, because after all, you shouldn’t distract the players during a match.

But would you have thought, for example, that the ten players in the two teams have each brought their own mouse, keyboard and hard drive? There is also a coach looking over the players’ shoulders and giving them valuable tips on strategy in the time-out periods. Plus, there is a referee and even a doping check.

The teams have their own masseurs whose job it is to relax the players between rounds – a vital contribution considering that concentration levels must be kept high for hours at a time.

Around the Lanxess Arena

The official ESL One show starts at 14:30 and the first semi-final shortly thereafter, but before then, there are plenty of other activities to check out at the venue. For a start, there is DHL BoxStacker Pro, the cool VR game we already told you about. But if you’re physically fit, you might like to climb up on one of the platforms and engage in hand-to-hand combat. An old acquaintance from Italy is proving particularly popular: Super Mario is driving around in remote-controlled cars with some of his friends.

The most obliging visitor to Cologne

Yesterday at ESL One in Cologne, we introduced you to a challenging VR game, DHL BoxStacker Pro. At the end of each round, players are introduced to the most obliging staff member at the esport spectacular, the DHL robot Sawyer.

This friendly helper not only looks cute as he hands out sunglasses to esport fans but also makes himself useful in the highly varied work environment at DHL. He is a smart robot characterized by high precision. The following video shows what Sawyer is capable of:

The scope for using Sawyer is almost unlimited. Just plug the collaborative robot into any domestic power socket; he already has all the technology he needs on board. Thanks to various attachments that serve as a robot hand, Sawyer can perform a multitude of tasks and adapt them to the needs of the business.

Sawyer is programmed to obey the simplest commands, so that only a short training course is required. DHL has thus made entry into the world of robotics relatively straightforward. Especially since customers do not have to stump up the full price of 42,000 euros but can first hire their own Sawyer on a trial basis. Long waiting times are not necessary, because numerous completed Sawyers are already waiting to go into action.

Cologne is ready for the semi-finals

Two rounds will be contested today at ESL One. First, Astralis and NAVI.GG.BET will go head-to-head at 3:00 pm in the Lanxess Arena to qualify for Sunday’s grand finale.

And then things will get really loud in the stadium at around 6:50 pm when local team, Berlin International Gaming, meet FaZe Clan. BIG had home fans going wild on Friday as they booked their place in the semi-finals with a clear win against G2 Esports in an action-packed second round.

A lot more is happening in the Lanxess Arena apart from the gaming action. esports fans should take some time to visit DHL’s stand; DHL are official partners to ESL One. ESL Influencer Ryan Hart stopped by last night to try his hand at DHL BoxStacker Pro. What high score can you achieve in our new Virtual Reality Game?

Friday

BIG cruise through to semi-final

What an advert for esport in Germany! At the ESL One tournament in Cologne, Berlin-based BIG secured a place in the semi-finals with an outstanding performance in their quarter-final match. 

The local favorites got off to a cracking start, spurred on by the partisan crowd, and built up a massive lead in the first round before G2 Esports could muster a response and steadily close the gap. In a fast and furious duel between the two teams, the round eventually went into extra time. BIG ultimately pipped their opponents by a score of 19:17, which met with rapturous applause from the thousands of fans in the hall.

What happened in the second round defies belief. The entire BIG line-up played as if they had been let off a leash, notching up point after point. In fact, it wasn’t until the score stood at 13:0 that G2 Esports managed to get onto the board. This was because they had had to fight with inferior equipment due to an acute budget shortage. The final result was a near whitewash – 16:1.

The action continues on Saturday with the two semi-finals in the Lanxess Arena when BIG come up against FaZe clan and Astralis play NAVI.GG.BET.

What a performance!

The first of the quarter-finals at ESL One in Cologne was incredibly exciting, as NAVI.GG.BET eventually prevailed over Fnatic.

The fans gave the teams an ecstatic welcome, and the tension in the hall clearly communicated itself to the players.

The audience is just incredible – to call them loud would be an understatement. The CrowdLEDs handed out among them create a colorful and unique atmosphere.

The second match is now underway, with G2 Esports up against BIG from Berlin, who obviously have the home crowd on their side. The two outfits are playing for a place in the semi-finals on Saturday.

First of the quarter-finals underway

The first of the quarter-finals has just finished. After a brave comeback, Fnatic ultimately lost out to NAVI.GG.BET by a score of 16:12. To the absolute delight of esports fan Markus who was especially impressed by the way the team worked together: “Although Fnatic came back strongly in the second half, NAVI.GG.BET never lost their cool. It was impressive the way they used well-thought-out tactics to prevail in the end.” It will be fascinating to see how the second round pans out.

The excitement is mounting

 In a few minutes, the ESL One event here in Cologne will get underway with the first match on the program. The Lanxess Arena is already looking quite full and the atmosphere is amazing, not least because of the crackers going off and the LED bracelets being waved around by fans in the audience.

Making time for the fans

ESL One stands out for one feature in particular: the fans are made to feel that they are part of the event. In Cologne, there will once again be plenty of opportunities for them to get up close to their idols from the esports scene, with plenty of autograph sessions during which the world’s top players will answer fans’ questions and pose for selfies.

VR action with DHL BoxStacker Pro

The main focus of attention at ESL One in Cologne is obviously the esports action in the Lanxess Arena, but away from the auditorium there are plenty of other attractions for fans. 

In the Partners marquee adjacent to the Lanxess Arena, you will find the official DHL stall where there is a lot to discover. We even have a novelty for you: the DHL BoxStacker Pro.

Between now and Sunday, you can try your hand at this innovative VR game and win exciting prizes. But even if you're not one of the lucky winners at the end of each day – the grand prize is a trip to ESL ONE CS:GO in New York City – it's an experience you should not miss out on.

Wearing VR glasses and holding two controllers, you have to try to sort as many packages as possible. DHL BoxStacker Pro is great fun, although it is guaranteed to work you up into a sweat. Not surprising really, because sorting packages is a job for real experts.

Whatever happens, you won't go away empty-handed. At the end of your game round, the diligent DHL robot Sawyer will present you personally with a cool pair of DHL sunglasses. In the current weather, the perfect “gadget” for all ESL fans.

Maximum effort for home fixture

DHL had to cover a distance of more than 800 kilometers for the most recent ESL ONE event in Birmingham. By contrast, ESL ONE Cologne is a real home fixture for the company.

Nevertheless, the logistical effort that has gone into preparations for the esport event in the Lanxess Arena is enormous. Several trucks were required to transport more than 100 tonnes of material, including 200 monitors and 30 giant screens.

Absolutely vital for the esport professionals are the Maxnomic gaming seats – we have brought 150 of these along.

Here comes the trophy!

For fans, a trip to the ESL One Event in New York is an absolute top prize, but for the teams competing there is only one true trophy, namely the "Holy Grail" of Cologne!

To win this, the CS:GO players must strain every sinew, both physically and mentally. Well before a tournament gets underway, the teams sit down and spend ages memorizing the tactics for each map and practicing the game for hours until they have perfected their game plan.

While the fans are sitting or standing around in the arena to the sound of booming bass rhythms in subdued lighting, the keyboards of the teams are running red hot.

It’s the calm before the storm

The Lanxess Arena is getting ready for an invasion of 15,000 excited fans and is already decked out in all its glory ahead of the first matches.

In the next few hours, fans will flock into the blue-lit hall and settle down for a spectacular pre-show. This will be followed at 15:00 by the first quarter-final between Fnatic and NAVI.GG.BET.

The second match later this evening between G2 Esports and local favorites BIG is sure to generate the most enthusiastic audience reaction.

The first team to score two wins moves into the next round, the semi-finals on Saturday. The parallels between the FIFA World Cup and Germany’s largest esports event are therefore obvious.

THURSDAY

WE ARE READY!

Tomorrow is the day when the Lanxess Arena will open its doors for ESL One Cologne at 12 midday local time. The long-awaited event starts with a pre-show at 14:25, followed by the first quarterfinal at 15:00.

The quarter and semi-finals will be best-of-three games, meaning the first team with two wins progresses through to the next round. 

If you are not able to experience the games in the arena itself, no problem because we have a brilliant alternative for you. The games will of course be broadcast live on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ESLCS/). A complete overview of all live streams, including in 22 languages ​​and live on TV, can be found here: http://live.esl-one.com/cologne.

But, of course, that's not all. Additionally, we will cover the event for you up close from the arena. Among other things, a live coverage of the DHL booth, an exciting video and other surprises. We are going to receive energetic support throughout the weekend from SPUNJ, the legend. Let the games begin!

AUGMENTED REALITY

Tomorrow will be the start of the ESL One Cologne event, and as we promised, we are going to introducing you to a new innovation every day. We start with Augmented Reality, or AR for short.

By contrast with complete Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality describes the extension of actual real world surroundings. As an example, imagine useful animations on your smartphone or screen to overlay reality. 

With the help of a smartphone camera, AR can display an image that can be added to the screen for more information about locations or specific buildings. In League of Legends, players are able to acquire useful information displayed interactively on the map. This makes it possible to experience a whole new dimension of gaming.

AR is also on the rise in the business sector. In this context, DHL has partnered with Google, Vuzix and Ubimax to launch a very special AR project that is already at the  testing stage.

Let’s have a look at a simple example from daily business: Employees are equipped with smart glasses, allowing them to visualize the mailings and to get the information where the mailings has to be put in the warehouse displayed directly on their smart glasses. The name for this concept is Vision Picking. The use of AR leads to a faster order delivery with a simultaneous reduced error rate, i.e. a double benefit.

In the gaming field, AR raises the likelihood of virtual reality to a whole new level. It is also a game changer in the process optimization of a supply chain in the business sector. According to Goldman Sachs, growth of up to 80 billion euros is expected in this area by 2025, but that is still a cautious assessment.

Augmented Reality is also a wonderful example of how the same innovative technology can be positively deployed in two very different areas. We are pleased to announce that gamers and also employees of the DHL Supply Chain are pioneers in the field of Augmented Reality.

WHAT IS COUNTER-STRIKE? THE BASICS

Once again, Counter-Strike Global Offensive will be the name of the game in Cologne this weekend. We have therefore put together a brief but useful Basic Guide for you.

Counter-Strike has been around for over 19 years in the hotly contested gaming market and was released in 1999 as a mod for the main game Half-Life. Half-Life was a huge success, and therefore the Counter-Strike modification proved popular right from the start.

The released versions, CS 1.6, CS Source and finally Global Offensive in 2012, were the yardstick for every player to show off his/her abilities. Teams from around the world measure their skills and strategies at local, regional and international tournaments.

Professional Counter-Strike gamers have become legendary in the international gaming community. CS:GO is quite unique due to its item drop system and its community, where players can buy and sell items, for example skins for every item.

Nowadays, Counter-Strike is played all over the world and even has television air time. Gamewise, it looks very simple, but CS:GO is a highly tactical game. You have to be active but always beware of ambushes. 

And as a special service for you guys, we have some gameplay tips to prepare you for your next online game:

1. Do not utilize all of your money every round. All the pro players go two or three rounds without buying a single thing. If you're in the $0-$1,500 bracket, try not to buy anything. You want to save money until you have at least $3,000!

2. Avoid the dangerous areas or the places on the map where most deaths occur. If you do not have a great gun, don't get into a gun fight. It's best to avoid being detected. Camp when necessary but don't camp around if it's not strategic. If you walk, it increases your chances of getting the first shot. Also try to wear headphones and listen to sounds of the environment.

3. Watch demos of pro players and remember, practice might make you a pro too. This is a great way to copy and learn their amazing skills without fear of being gunned down if you take too long to stop and stare.

4. Don't spray! The best thing to do is to aim precisely and always shoot for the head! Try to hit with as few shots as possible and also burst sparingly – around 3 shots but don't spray!

5. Know the map, it is that easy! If you are new to a map, join a server with zero players, and just explore around. This way you will always have an advantage against other players who just walk around, not knowing where the best spots for infights and camping are.

A lot of practice and training are needed but the goal is worth it!

ESL COLOGNE 2018 IS SOLD OUT!

The impressive cathedral named Lanxess Arena is sold out!

For the fourth time in a row, Cologne will be the venue for the ESL One tournament, and once again the arena will be packed with frenetically cheering fans.More than 15,000 people will attend the tournament every day, witnessing the dramatic competition and Sunday’s final worth $300,000 to the winners.

The tournament will of course be broadcast on Facebook and for the first time live on German television. Pro 7 Fun will show the semi-final on Saturday and the final on Sunday.

"Become part of the movement"

This is the DHL tagline; it starts with football and motorsport and does not stop at esports. "Momentsthatdeliver" is of course the focus, and that includes emotions, analysis and team play.

But what are words? Watch the video and experience it yourself.

WEDNESDAY

SPUNJ AND THE PROSPECT OF WINNING A DHL PLAYER PACKAGE

The weekend of truth is fast approaching, and we are just as excited as SPUNJ, our influencer and partner for this year's ESL One Cologne event in the Lanxess Arena.

SPUNJ comes from beautiful Australia, and his real name is Chad Burchill. Some time ago, SPUNJ traded his mouse for a microphone and now mainly travels around as a compere and analyst in the Counterstrike community.

The Australian started playing Counterstrike 15 years ago and is therefore the ideal person to be reporting on this event.

As in Birmingham and Belo Horizonte, DHL has come up with something very special for the contestants and teams and has already caught the attention of the pro gamers in the run-up to the event.

Even for an old warhorse like SPUNJ, the envy factor increases immeasurably, as he is unfortunately not one of the lucky players to enjoy the DHL Player package.

No wonder, given the fascinating contents of the box. From goodies such as a backpack, hoodies and a DHL Drone, there is plenty there to get a player really thrilled. The drone in particular is likely to keep the gamer away from CS:GO for a short time, because of its inspirational innovative technology.

And since we are currently on the topic, innovations are a central issue for Official Logistics Partner DHL and also for esports – think virtual reality and augmented reality – all of which are the future of esports and a key focus of our reporting from Cologne, guaranteed to provide us with those special moments. #Momentsthatdeliver

Now back to SPUNJ! Watch the video and form your own impression of him.

MONDAY

COLOGNE, WE ARE BACK! ESL ONE COLOGNE 2018

For the fifth time in a row, Cologne will be the venue for ESL One and will be welcoming all players and fans to the beautiful city on the Rhine.

From 6th - 8th July, the Lanxess Arena will be the place to be for 15,000 fans as they cheer on 16 teams from around the world. The focus, of course, is the game that will be played – Counterstrike Global Offensive, or CS:GO for short.

On the three days, the fans will be treated to the quarter-finals on Friday, the semi-finals on Saturday and the climax on Sunday – the final in which the victorious team can win €125,000 from a total prize money pot of €300,000.

In addition, the winning team will have the opportunity to qualify for the Intel Grand Slam, with the possibility of winning $1 million through four victories in the so-called Grand Slam competitions of DreamHack and Electronic Sports League.

Meet the world's best 16 CS:GO teams that will be competing live at ESL Cologne 2018

The venue for this event is none other than Cologne, a city with great emotional appeal and a fantastically beautiful arena with space for 15,000 fans. Cologne has been part of the ESL Community since 2014 and is the largest CS:GO event in the world with more than 400,000 spectators.

As every year, the enthusiastic fans will fill the streets around the Lanxess Arena and enjoy the sunset on the Rhine in the evenings.

As with past events, DHL will be the official logistics partner, ensuring that everything proceeds smoothly. From construction to customs regulations, everything is taken into account and carefully implemented.

We've also prepared a lot for you this time! From the DHL "Momentsthatdeliver" to the "PlayersMoments" highlights plus some surprises. We have a lot of exciting background stories for you and will keep you updated as always on this blog. 

So esport fans, we are looking forward to the next few days and wish you a lot of fun at ESL Cologne 2018.