We are pleased to announce that we have put wheels in motion to revamp a piece of UK Counter-Strike history, County Champs. This event used to be a regular addition to an old cornerstone of UKCSGO. We aim to give this event a new lease of life to help promote UK Counter-Strike and give light to regional talent.
Teams have been made up of LAN winners and grouped heroes, bringing all skill levels to the server. Shining a light on our community and allowing people to expand their networks.
This grassroots event was once a beloved part of the UK scene, but marking County Champs 10 year anniversary, what better time than to bring it back now?
What is County Champs?
A lot of newer people in the UK CS scene might not be familiar with this concept. The County Champs dates way way way back to the days of Counter-Strike Source. It was run on the now-defunk website Enemy Down, which was the heart and soul of the Counter-Strike Source scene.
The tournament features teams made up of players from UK and Ireland counties. This causes teams to have a wider skill set of players, helping share knowledge and experience between them and hopefully helping to progress the scene and find some hidden talent along the way.
Players can sign up on our website, enter the County they either live in or where they were born and find other people to build a team.
The question of “Which County do I pick” comes up time and time again. From people living at two addresses due to university or other reasons. You can choose which County to play for, but your County is locked once you enter it until the end of the current season.
When will County Champs start?
Many people are asking when County Champs will start, the simple answer is this year. There is a lot to undertake before we can officially start the games, but it is closer than ever.
We have also made space in our Community Discord for the County Champs, where you can ask questions or raise a ticket to get help or report any bugs you might find.
With 221 people already signed up, continue to spread the word, get signed up and start making teams! Once we start to get a bit of traction of sign ups we will release more information on how this season will play out.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I sign up and take part?
To sign up just register with the website, enter your postcode on your profile and save to have your County assigned to you. Then either start making a team for your County or join an existing one.
How are counties determined?
Over the years, there have been a lot of discussions about what is/isn’t a County and what towns lie inside which counties. Because of this, we have chosen to use a third party to assign counties based on your postcode. This keeps things simple and makes sure that everyone is assigned their County using the same set of rules.
How many teams can each County have?
Unlimited. There is no restriction on how many teams each county can have. We want to maximise the number of people that can play.
I’ve moved house, how can I change my County?
At the end of each tournament, Counties will be unlocked so you can update your location if you need to. If you move during a tournament then you will still be allowed to play for the County to enter the tournament with.
How do we know if someone is lying about their location
We have methods in place to verify the rough locations of registered people. If they appear to be lying about their location, then they shall be questioned which could result in being banned from the current or future tournaments.
What is the format?
That is a good question. Historically, it has changed between events depending on the number of teams and the timeframe. We will probably continue to operate this way for the foreseeable future. If you want something specific, it will most likely be either a group stage into a double elimination bracket or just a double elimination bracket to begin with.
What is the prize pool?
Every tournament, we try and get sponsors to put up a prizepool. Historically, it has been between £500-£1,500, but each tournament will be different.
Can I play if I am from Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland
Yes! Every County in either the Republic of Ireland or the UK is available to sign up with.
What if my County does not have enough players to make a team?
If counties do not have enough players to compete, then we will combine counties with other low-number counties that are geographically close. If this is not possible then they combine low-numbered counties together to maximise the number of people that can play.
Will there be a broadcast?
Yes, we will be running a broadcast and will try to stream as many games as possible during the event. With that in mind if you are interested in either producing the broadcast or casting, please get in touch through our Discord.
How long will the event last?
The event will span over a maximum of two months. It is a casual cup, so we are not strict on the schedule of games being played.
