Counter-Strike 2 fans are buzzing with excitement after ESL confirmed that IEM Chengdu 2025 will feature live audiences during the group stage, a major shift from the long-standing tradition of reserving full crowd experiences only for the playoffs.
Announced via ESL’s official social channels, the update made waves instantly. The organizers declared that “IEM Chengdu 2025 is set to be bigger than ever before—featuring a crowd during the Group Stage of the tournament.” For many in the community, this feels like a game-changing step that could redefine the tournament atmosphere for both players and viewers.
The CS2 community wasted no time celebrating the news. On Reddit’s r/GlobalOffensive, the announcement thread racked up hundreds of upvotes and sparked lively debate about the future of live esports formats. One of the top comments, from Past_Perception8052, summed up the general feeling: “All majors at least should have all games in front of a crowd. Shanghai major group games in front of a crowd were so sick.”
Others highlighted past experiences to show why this matters, with one fan recalling, “I was there for the Blast World Finals 2024 in Singapore, and it was crazy. I can’t believe TOs are still sleeping on SEA this hard.” The excitement wasn’t just about being in the arena, as many pointed out how crowd energy elevates the broadcast itself.
As Immediate-Store-4538 put it, “Most of us probably won’t make it to Chengdu, but crowds hit different, even on stream.” Another fan, GisbertGans, tied it back to recent memories: “Yesterday on BLAST the crowds were so good! When G2 lifted the trophy and everyone cheered. Can’t imagine this without crowds.”
With Chengdu set for November, all eyes are on how this experiment could shape the future of Counter-Strike events. If successful, it may push organizers to make crowd-backed group stages the new standard, bringing that electric energy to every round, not just the finals. ESL’s decision reflects a clear commitment to raising the bar for live esports, ensuring that every match at a major feels worthy of the stage and the fans who fuel the scene.
