Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) is 2025’s high esports title primarily based on the full quantity of winnings that numerous match organisers provided.
Valve’s first-person shooter title noticed $32.2m (~£24.1m) in prize cash awarded to groups competing in occasions over the previous 12 months.
Based on esports knowledge platform Esports Charts, CS2’s whole prize pool elevated by 41.5% in comparison with 2024. The rise within the whole prize pool comes because of an expanded match calendar, giving groups extra alternatives to compete in high-profile occasions.
All through 2025, a number of occasion organisers launched new match sequence, attracting a number of the largest organisations on the planet. January noticed BLAST launch its BLAST Bounty sequence, whereas PGL hosted an expanded slate of Tier 1 occasions between February and October.
Alongside ESL, BLAST, and PGL, Serbian organiser FISSURE hosted the primary two occasions of its FISSURE Playground sequence, with $950,000 (~£711,759) in prize cash cut up throughout every match.
Along with a number of tournaments happening throughout Europe, China’s Counter-Strike scene has additionally continued to point out indicators of spectacular progress. Hero Esports hosted the Asian Champions League in Could, and ESL held an Intel Excessive Masters (IEM) occasion in Chengdu.
$2.5m (~£1.8m) in prize cash coated the BLAST.television Austin Main and the current StarLadder Budapest Main. French esports organisation Group Vitality received each tentpole tournaments, taking dwelling $1m (~£749,295) because of this.
Based on Esports Charts, greater than $270m (~£202m) was awarded to gamers and groups in 2025, a 15.5% improve from final yr. Alongside CS2, Dota 2 positioned second on the listing with $23.14m (~£17.33m) in prize swimming pools. In the meantime, cell MOBA Honor of Kings has continued its world growth, growing its whole prize pool by 3.8% to $21.77m (~£16.3m).
What Subsequent For Counter-Strike 2 Esports?
With extra prize cash up for grabs alongside an ever-expanding match calendar, the Tier 1 Counter-Strike ecosystem is in a wholesome place. With a number of high-profile organisations fielding rosters within the title, tournaments proceed to draw massive viewing figures.
To stick to Valve’s Match Working Necessities, a number of organisers have already mapped out occasion calendars till the tip of 2028, aiming to construct a sustainable, open ecosystem that includes a number of occasions run by the business’s greatest occasion organisers.
