Valve increases CS:GO Major prize pools to $1m

The base pool for all future CS:GO Major tournaments has been raised from $250,000 to $1m thanks to Valve’s increased investment in eSports.

Beginning with next month’s MLG Columbus event, every Valve-sponsored Major event will have the increased prize pool, offering $500,000 to the winners of each competition.

There are currently four Valve-sponsored Majors planned for this year, split between tournament operators ESL/ESEA, DreamHack, and MLG.

The move comes shortly after Valve announced the Minors championship circuit, lower-prized tournaments open to any teams who have not competed in a Major in the previous six months.

A $1m prize pool has been loudly requested by fans and players alike, as Valve’s other primary eSports property Dota 2 sees $3m prize pools at each of the Major tournaments scheduled throughout the year.

Dota 2’s Winter Major kicks off today in Shanghai, as 16 teams from around the world compete for the grand prize of $1.5m.