ESL plans on bringing professional gamers together in an LAN environment before the end of the year, as the company has unveiled plans for a transatlantic Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament in December.

In an announcement earlier this month, ESL revealed it will host the Intel Extreme Masters Global Challenge in Cologne, Germany, from Dec. 15-20, with the plans subject to change depending on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event will host eight teams from the United States and Europe and carry a $500,000 purse. The winner will take home $200,000 with $100,000 going to the runner-up. The Global Challenge will be held after online-only events in New York (October) and Beijing (November), as well as Europe's Fall DreamHack Open in October.

The Global Challenge will take the place of the Rio Major, which was scheduled for November but canceled because of COVID-19.

"It is with great sadness that we needed to cancel this year's CS:GO Major, but we are doing everything we can to resume running tournaments like we used to as soon as it is possible," ESL vice president Michal "CARMAC" Blicharz said. "The IEM Global Challenge will be our first step towards that. All plans are of course subject to change as we continue to monitor guidance around the COVID-19 situation, and ESL's top priority is always the health and well-being of teams, coaches, managers and crew."

The eight spots will be determined through play at the other three major events prior to the Global Challenge.

--New York winner (one spot, from NA)

--DreamHack Open winner (one spot, from EU)

--Beijing winners (two spots, NA and EU winners)

--4 spots (1 NA, 1 CIS, 2 EU) based on world ranking among teams who did not qualify through winning one of the tournaments