MIHAJA
Season 3 has been a big effort amongst a group of very dedicated individuals, and I feel that it deserves highlighting! I’ll be giving a brief overview of how we got from Playcon 2024 to now, but for those who just want the details on the upcoming season, you can read on from the Tournament Overview header (even though you should read everything)!
What happened last time?
During Playcon last year, we witnessed a short tournament between a measly four teams, with TallinjaPeek eventually taking the victory.
The disappointing turnout was met with an even more disappointing announcement, as after the finals, the MCL admins announced that they were halting operations.
…it is with a heavy heart that after almost 2 years in action, we announce that MCL (Malta Counter-Strike League) will be officially closing it’s doors from tonight.
Zelli0n (MCL Admin) in October 2024
Unfortunately due to lack of funding as well as other circumstances, we have been left with no option but to stop organizing events for the foreseeable future. There may be a time where Counter-strike events continue being hosted by us, however that is very far away from now.
This was a big blow to the scene, and the community would be on a complete hiatus for 3 months. While the Esports Plaza LAN #1 in early February was a welcome return, it was far from the heights of MCL, with relatively low stakes and local interest.
Building Up to Season 3
After the Esports Plaza tournament, the following months would continue to see more and more CS events organised. Esports Plaza hosted a 2nd LAN tournament, the ICTSA held a CS tournament at their yearly CLASH event, and the IESF National Qualifiers were held.
New teams were emerging, new players were entering the scene, and the itch of a high-stakes league had returned…
To test the waters, a couple of short premade and draft cups were held. Seeing the positive response from the community during these events, Season 3 of the MCL was announced!
Tournament Overview
Season 3 is promising to be bigger and better than anything ever seen before locally!
Unlike the first couple of seasons, which featured a draft system, Season 3 is strictly for premade teams. This is a big boost to groups who have been grinding together, as they don’t have to rely on a lucky draw to play with their desired teammates.
Featuring 8 teams, the league’s matches will take place every Thursday, with all opponents playing each other once. After six weeks of competition, the top six teams will make it to the playoffs, with the top two going straight to the semi-finals.
Fans at home can follow along on Twitch as the best matches from each week will be livestreamed with casting by Astris and MIHAJA (yours truly)!
Of course, such a competitive competition also needs equally high stakes, and the winner of the league will take home the lion’s share of a €3,000 prize pool!
A full breakdown of the league details can be found on Liquepidia!
Fan Engagement!
This season, fans can also get involved themselves, with two new ways to test their local CS knowledge and engage with the league:
Match Predictor Game – Predict the outcomes of MCL matches, first place gets 100EU!
MCL Fantasy League – Build your dream roster of players and compete against fellow fans.
Join the official CS2 Malta Discord server to participate!
The Teams this Season!
The MCL team have been releasing a steady stream of team interviews and content on their socials, which lets us get an idea of what each team will bring into the upcoming season!
Unsurprisingly, the team to beat remains Project EVERSIO, Malta’s most decorated organisation. However, the boys in blue will have their work cut out for them this season with the recent rise of Order Zero and the Ukrainian powerhouse C.S.D.E. coming for their crown.
Veterans of the scene aNarchy are also here, saying that anything outside of a podium finish would be a failure to them and that they’re hungry to win! Featuring young gun Luca8k, who’s been touted by many as a player to watch this season, aNarchy are looking to go far!
A new look Berserk also returns to the fray, aiming to rank highly after a disappointing run of events earlier this year. They’ve been hard at work in ESEA this season and they’ll be hoping that translates well to MCL.
Rounding off the league are C.S.D.E School, a mix of young players being coached by the IGL on C.S.D.E.’s main roster, ShadowHunters, a mix of familiar and new faces trying their chances, and PigeonBaguette, debutants to the scene who have said they’re just here for a fun ride!
With rising talent, resurging veterans, and international challengers, this season’s competition is shaping up to be the most dynamic yet. We can’t wait to see how the matches will play out!
Conclusion
The Malta Counter-Strike League is back, bigger and better than ever. With high-stakes matches, professional broadcasts, and interactive fan competitions, Season 3 is set to be a landmark event for the Maltese esports community.
After last year’s setback, the community has rallied to deliver high‑stakes matches, professional broadcasts, and fun ways for fans to engage.
Follow the action live on Twitch and across MCL’s social channels, and don’t miss your chance to take part in the Fantasy League and Match Predictor.
mklo
Alex R Nomad
