CS Summit 6 revealed as CSGO's next Regional Ranking tournament

Valve has announced on Twitter the next Regional Major Ranking tournament as Beyond the Summit's CS Summit 6. The tournament will run from June 22 to July 5, but will only be open to teams currently competing in the North American and European regions. The announcement comes as a shock to many teams that competed in ESL's Road to Rio from South America and Oceania, who Valve said will have another chance for at Regional Ranking points in the fall.

Plans to exclude the two smaller regions weren't previously made public, and it is unclear if the teams that competed from the two affected regions knew prior to its announcement. That said, both the North American and European standings look how most expected them to coming out of ESL's Road to Rio. Astralis' combined points from the StarLadder Berlin Major and its first-place finish at Road to Rio have them firmly atop the European rankings, followed closely by Team Vitality, G2 Esports, and FaZe Clan. While North American powerhouse Team Liquid struggled in Valve's first Regional Major Ranking tournament, their own placement at StarLadder Berlin 2019 helped them take first place in the region's rankings, followed closely by Gen.G Esports, Evil Geniuses, and surprise standout FURIA eSports.

CS Summit may lose its charm with move to online format

CS Summit is well known throughout the Counter-Strike community as one of the game's more relaxed tournament offerings, with casters and analysts taking a more fan-friendly approach to their duties by design. CS Summits are often unfiltered and uncensored, where players will often join talent to cast a match or have a frank conversation. Things may be different this year, as the tournament will be held online.

Last year's CS Summit 5 marked the start of mousesports short-lived run as a contender for top five, and made for some hilarious moments as casters, analysts, hosts, and players all interacted in front of a digital crowd. The main allure of a tournament like CS Summit is that fans get to watch their favorite players interact with one another and with the hosts and analysts, giving the viewer a glimpse into the relationships between players and teams. It remains to be seen how much of the beloved CS Summit spark will carry over to the event's first online tournament. If not, the regional ranking influence will still give fans reason to tune in.