ESL Gaming has released its initial 2021 calendar for ESL and DreamHack events. The majority of competitions this year will be a mix of online and in-studio broadcasts with no live audience. However, the schedule notes a return to in-person events in July with ESL One Cologne, one of the most prominent annual Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournaments. A release notes that this plan will take place “pending local regulation and guidelines,” and that the company will follow a “Return to LAN” protocol developed in collaboration with teams and players with the goal of mitigating risks of exposure to COVID-19.
Also of note is the company’s plan to bring a live event to the U.S. in November with DreamHack Atlanta. This will also be the first in-person DreamHack festival since DreamHack Anaheim in Feb. 2020.
In addition to its CS:GO and Dota 2 competitions, ESL Gaming will continue to operate Pro Tour circuits for StarCraft II and Warcraft III. The company has also announced plans to implement a new League of Legends esports infrastructure for the Oceanic region, and will serve as the host for both the Dota Pro Circuit leagues for CIS and Europe as well as the official tournament partner for Wild Rift in Malaysia and Thailand.
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