IEM Cologne 2023 Review: Key Points, Winners, Ratings, Worst And More
The 2023 Intel Extreme Masters Cologne was a Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) tournament that took place in Cologne, Germany from July 5-17, 2023. It was the thirteenth iteration of the IEM Cologne tournament, and it featured a $1,000,000 prize pool.
The tournament was won by popular esports organisation FaZe Clan, who defeated Natus Vincere in the grand final. to prove their mettle/ FaZe Clan had a dominant performance throughout the tournament, dropping only one map in their entire run. This was FaZe Clan’s first IEM Cologne title, and it was their third major tournament victory of the year.
IEM Cologne 2023 Key Points
Here are some of the key points from IEM Cologne 2023:
FaZe Clan’s dominance: FaZe Clan were the clear favorites heading into IEM Cologne, and they lived up to expectations. They won all of their group stage matches, and they only dropped one map in their playoffs run. FaZe Clan’s performance was a statement to the rest of the world, and it showed that they are the team to beat in CS:GO.
NaVi’s resurgence: NaVi were the defending champions of IEM Cologne, but they had a difficult time repeating as champions in 2023. They finished second in their group, and they lost to FaZe Clan in the grand final. However, NaVi’s performance was still a sign of progress, and they will be looking to challenge for the title again in the future.
The rise of young stars: There were a number of young stars who impressed at IEM Cologne 2023. One of the most notable was YEKINDAR from Virtus.pro. YEKINDAR is only 19 years old, but he is already one of the best players in the world. He had a number of standout performances at IEM Cologne, including a 1.40 rating in the grand final against FaZe Clan.
The decline of Astralis: Astralis were one of the most dominant teams in CS:GO history, but they have fallen on hard times in recent months. They failed to qualify for IEM Cologne, and they finished last in their group at the PGL Major Antwerp. It is unclear if Astralis will be able to return to their former glory, but they will need to make some changes if they want to compete with the best teams in the world again.
IEM Cologne 2023 Winners
Here are the winners of each category at IEM Cologne 2023:
- MVP: Robin “ropz” Kool (FaZe Clan)
- Best in-game leader: Marcelo “coldzera” David (FaZe Clan)
- Best newcomer: YEKINDAR (Virtus.pro)
- Best clutch player: Robin “ropz” Kool (FaZe Clan)
- Most valuable player (MVP) of the playoffs: Marcelo “coldzera” David (FaZe Clan)
Overall, IEM Cologne 2023 was a great tournament. There was a lot of exciting CS:GO played, and there were a number of new stars who emerged. FaZe Clan were the clear winners, but there were a number of other teams who also impressed. I am looking forward to seeing how the CS:GO scene develops in the coming months.
