Smilegate to host CFS Summer Championship 2023 in Vietnam

Smilegate Entertainment, a South Korean game developer and publisher, announced on Monday that it will host the "CFS Summer Championship 2023" in collaboration with VTC Online.

The championship event will take place in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from August 21 to 27. Smilegate has elevated the status of this event to a major tournament and increased the overall scale, including the number of participating teams and prize money. In particular, it significantly increased the prize pool from $100,000 last year to $300,000.

The CFS Summer Championship is a prestigious tournament under the "CFS" brand, which represents the highest authority in CrossFire esports. It was launched last year and is now in its second edition. The inaugural event held last year was a successful live audience competition, even in the face of a typhoon, demonstrating the popularity of CrossFire e-sports, according to the company.

The 2023 event will bring together the strongest players from the first half of the year. Eight teams that secured top positions in the regular leagues of five regions – Vietnam, China, EUMENA (Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa), the Philippines and Brazil – will participate. This year, two additional teams have been added compared to the previous year.

Moreover, the tournament format has been changed to double elimination from the quarter-finals, promising diverse and high-quality matches for the spectators.

Smilegate is also showcasing the broadcast section with a major tournament scale. Unlike last year's Vietnamese-only live broadcast, this year's coverage will include English and Chinese broadcasts. For China, where the popularity of CrossFire esports is the highest, analysis desks and caster desks have been added to present various content related to the players.

Alongside the competitive matches featuring top-tier players, various online and offline events have been prepared for fans worldwide, including Vietnamese fans, during the CFS Summer Championship 2023.

Write to Seung-Woo Lee at leeswoo@hankyung.com