ESL One Cologne 2015

ESL One Cologne 2015 was the sixth Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Major Championship that was held from August 14–18, 2015 at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne.^[1] It was organized by Electronic Sports League. The Cologne event was the first ESL tournament that required competitors to take drug tests, which all came up negative.^[2][3][4] The tournament had a total prize pool of US$250,000. The online livestream was viewed by around 27 million viewers with a peak of 1.3 million concurrent viewers.^[5]

ESL One Cologne 2015

2015
The ESL One Cologne 2015 logo
Tournament information
Sport	Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
Location	Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Dates	August 14, 2015–August 18, 2015
Administrator	Valve ESL
Tournament format(s)	GSL double elimination group stage Eight team single elimination playoff
Venue	Lanxess Arena
Teams	16 teams
Purse	$250,000 USD
Final positions
Champions	Fnatic (3rd title)
1st runners-up	Team EnVyUs
2nd runners-up	Virtus.pro Team SoloMid
MVP	Robin "flusha" Rönnquist
← Katowice 2015 Cluj-Napoca 2015 →

Eight teams were in the playoffs. Fnatic, Luminosity Gaming, Natus Vincere, Ninjas in Pyjamas, Team EnVyUs, Team SoloMid, and Virtus.pro were returning Legends. Team Kinguin was the only new Legend in the tournament, replacing mousesports, which failed to make the top eight. Fnatic, which defeated Luminosity Gaming and Virtus.pro, was the winner of the event after defeating Team EnVyUs, which defeated Natus Vincere and Team SoloMid, 2–0.^[6] Fnatic was the first team to have consecutive major titles and would be the only team to do so until SK Gaming (which was Luminosity Gaming at this tournament) when the Brazilian team won MLG Columbus 2016 and ESL One Cologne 2016.

Format

The top eight teams from ESL One Katowice 2015 ("Legends") received direct invitations to Katowice. In addition, eight other teams (the "Challengers") emerged from offline qualifiers: four from the European qualifier, two from the Asian qualifier, and two from the North American qualifier.

Teams were split up into four groups, and all group matches were best-of-ones. In the first group stage, the highest seed played the lowest seed in each group and the second and third seeds played each other. The winner of those two matches then played each other to determine which team moved on to the playoff stage; the loser of this match received a "high seed" in the second group stage. The two losers from the initial matches were given "low seeds" in the second group stage, while the high seed received a bye. In the second group stage, the groups were shuffled so that teams faced new opponents.^[7] However, each group still contained one high seed and two low seeds. The two low seeds in each group played each other, and the winner of that match played the high seed in the group. The winner of that match qualified for the playoff stage.

The playoffs bracket consisted of eight teams, two from each group. All of these matches were best-of-three, single elimination. Teams advanced in the bracket until a winner was decided.

Map pool

There were seven maps to choose from. However, Nuke was taken out of the active map pool and Train was brought back in for the first time since the second Major, EMS One Katowice 2014. Before each match in the group stage, both teams banned two maps. The map for the match was then randomly selected from the remaining three maps. In the playoffs, each team first banned one map, then chose one map. The two chosen maps were the first two maps in the best-of-three. If the series were to require a third map, the map was randomly selected from the three remaining maps.

Maps Cache Cobblestone Dust II Inferno Mirage Overpass Train

Qualifiers

Four teams from the European Qualifier, two teams from the Asian Qualifier, and two teams from the North American Qualifier moved on to the major.

Sixteen European teams were placed in two separate brackets. Two teams from each bracket moved on to the major. In the Asian and North American Qualifiers, eight teams were placed in two groups and were played out like in previous majors' group stages. The top two moved on to a four team bracket. The winners of the matches move on to the major.^[8]

European Qualifier

EU Group A Bracket; Cologne, Germany

	Upper round 1					Upper round 2					Upper final										Qualified
	Team Property		16
	PiTER		7
						Team Property		14
						Team Dignitas		16
	Team Dignitas		16
	OverGaming		9
											Team Dignitas		8
											Team Kinguin		16
	FlipSid3 Tactics		14
	KILLERFISH		16
						KILLERFISH		8
						Team Kinguin		16
	Team Kinguin		16
	PENTA Sports		9																		Team Kinguin
																					FlipSid3 Tactics
	Lower round 1					Lower round 2					Lower round 3					Lower final
						KILLERFISH		16
	PiTER		8			OverGaming		8								Team Dignitas		16
	OverGaming		16								KILLERFISH		16			FlipSid3 Tactics		19
											FlipSid3 Tactics		19
						Team Property		3
	FlipSid3 Tactics		19			FlipSid3 Tactics		16
	PENTA Sports		17

EU Group B Bracket; Cologne, Germany

	Upper round 1					Upper round 2					Upper final										Qualified
	HellRaisers		19
	LGB eSports		17
						HellRaisers		14
						Team eBettle		16
	Epiphany Bolt		19
	Team eBettle		22
											Team eBettle		25
											Titan		23
	Team ROCCAT		9
	k1ck eSports.hu		16
						k1ck eSports.hu		8
						Titan		16
	Gamers2		5
	Titan		16																		Team eBettle
																					Titan
	Lower round 1					Lower round 2					Lower round 3					Lower final
						k1ck eSports.hu		9
	LGB eSports		16			LGB eSports		16								Titan		16
	Epiphany Bolt		11								LGB eSports		16			LGB eSports		2
											HellRaisers		7
						HellRaisers		16
	Team ROCCAT		5			Gamers2		9
	Gamers2		16

Asian Qualifier

Asian Qualifier Bracket; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

	Semifinals					Qualified
	Team Immunity		2
	MVP Karnal		0
						Team Immunity
						Renegades
	Renegades		2
	myRevenge.kr		0

North American Qualifier

NA Qualifier Bracket; Burbank, California

	Semifinals					Qualified
	Cloud9		2
	eLevate		0
						Cloud9
						Counter Logic Gaming
	Counter Logic Gaming		2
	Team Liquid		0

Broadcast talent

Hosts

• Oliver James "OJ Borg" Borg D'Anastasi
• William "Chobra" Cho

Analysts

• Henry "HenryG" Greer
• Robin "Fifflaren" Johansson
• Casper "cadiaN" Møller
• Jason "moses" O'Toole

Commentators

• Anders Blume
• Jason "JKaplan" Kaplan
• Auguste "Semmler" Massonnat
• Joe Miller
• Alex "Machine" Richardson
• Lauren "Pansy" Scott
• Leigh "Deman" Smith

Observers

• Yanko "YNk" Paunović
• Simon "pAn" Schumacher

Others

• Sean Charles (Reporting)
• Soe "Soembie" Gschwind-Penski (Esports in Cinemas)

Broadcasts

All streams were broadcast on Twitch in various languages.

ESL CSGO 99Damage Bebe BiDa Castpoint CNONE ESL China ESL CZSK ESL Italy ESL Poland ESL Spain ESL Turkey Fraglider GPlayTV Hungarian Esport TV KeitaTV Mito NVIDIA France ON Storm Studio striimIT Strimok VsnT WeAreInVICtus Teams Legends Fnatic Ninjas in Pyjamas Team EnVyUs Virtus.pro Luminosity Gaming[a] mousesports[b] Natus Vincere Team SoloMid Challengers Cloud9 Counter Logic Gaming FlipSid3 Tactics Renegades Team eBettle Team Immunity Team Kinguin Titan The roster of Keyd Stars was signed by Luminosity Gaming.[9] mousesports acquire PENTA Sports's Legends spot after signing Johannes "nex" Maget, Timo "Spiidi" Richter, and Denis "denis" Howell.[10] Group Stage 1 Key Team automatically advanced to Playoffs Team advanced to second Group Stage as high seed Team advanced to second Group Stage as low seed Group A Pos Team W L RF RA RD Pts 1 Team SoloMid 2 0 32 24 +18 6 2 Ninjas in Pyjamas 1 1 19 29 −10 3 3 Counter Logic Gaming 0 1 13 16 −3 0 4 Renegades 0 1 11 16 −5 0 Group A Scores Team Score Map Score Team Ninjas in Pyjamas 16 Dust II 13 Counter Logic Gaming Team SoloMid 16 Train 11 Renegades Ninjas in Pyjamas 3 Cache 16 Team SoloMid Group B Pos Team W L RF RA RD Pts 1 Team EnVyUs 2 0 35 19 +16 6 2 Luminosity Gaming 1 1 32 25 +7 3 3 Team Kinguin 0 1 6 16 −10 0 4 FlipSid3 Tactics 0 1 3 16 −13 0 Group B Scores Team Score Map Score Team Team EnVyUs 16 Inferno 3 FlipSid3 Tactics Luminosity Gaming 16 Overpass 6 Team Kinguin Team EnVyUs 19 Cobblestone 16 Luminosity Gaming Group C Pos Team W L RF RA RD Pts 1 Fnatic 2 0 32 4 +28 6 2 Natus Vincere 1 1 21 33 −12 3 3 Titan 0 1 17 19 −2 0 4 Team eBettle 0 1 2 16 −14 0 Group C Scores Team Score Map Score Team Fnatic 16 Mirage 2 Team eBettle Natus Vincere 19 Overpass 17 Titan Fnatic 16 Inferno 2 Natus Vincere Group D Pos Team W L RF RA RD Pts 1 Virtus.pro 2 0 32 16 +16 6 2 Cloud9 1 1 24 26 −2 3 3 mousesports 0 1 10 16 −10 0 4 Team Immunity 0 1 8 16 −8 0 Group D Scores Team Score Map Score Team Virtus.pro 16 Cobblestone 8 Team Immunity mousesports 10 Overpass 16 Cloud9 Virtus.pro 16 Cobblestone 8 Cloud9 Group Stage 2 Key Qualified for Playoffs Eliminated from tournament Group E Pos Team W L RF RA RD Pts 1 Natus Vincere 1 0 16 14 +2 3 2 Counter Logic Gaming 1 1 30 30 +0 3 3 Team eBettle 0 1 14 16 −2 0 Group E Scores Team Score Map Score Team Counter Logic Gaming 16 Mirage 14 Team eBettle Natus Vincere 16 Cobblestone 14 Counter Logic Gaming Group F Pos Team W L RF RA RD Pts 1 Team Kinguin 2 0 32 26 +6 6 2 Cloud9 0 1 13 16 −3 0 3 Team Immunity 0 1 13 16 −3 0 Group F Scores Team Score Map Score Team Team Kinguin 16 Dust II 13 Team Immunity Cloud9 13 Dust II 16 Team Kinguin Group G Pos Team W L RF RA RD Pts 1 Ninjas in Pyjamas 1 0 16 5 +11 3 2 Renegades 1 1 21 25 −4 3 3 Titan 0 1 9 16 −7 0 Group G Scores Team Score Map Score Team Titan 9 Mirage 16 Renegades Ninjas in Pyjamas 16 Inferno 5 Renegades Group H Pos Team W L RF RA RD Pts 1 Luminosity Gaming 1 0 22 18 +4 3 2 FlipSid3 Tactics 1 1 34 36 −2 3 3 mousesports 0 1 14 16 −2 0 Group H Scores Team Score Map Score Team mousesports 14 Cobblestone 16 FlipSid3 Tactics Luminosity Gaming 22 Cobblestone 18 FlipSid3 Tactics Playoffs Bracket Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals                   B Team EnVyUs 2 E Natus Vincere 0 B Team EnVyUs 2 A Team SoloMid 1 A Team SoloMid 2 F Team Kinguin 0 B Team EnVyUs 0 C Fnatic 2 D Virtus.pro 2 G Ninjas in Pyjamas 0 D Virtus.pro 1 C Fnatic 2 C Fnatic 2 H Luminosity Gaming 0 Quarterfinals Team EnVyUs vs. Natus Vincere Casters: Anders Blume, Deman, & JKaplan Team EnVyUs vs. Natus Vincere Scores Team Score Map Score Team Team EnVyUs 16 Inferno 13 Natus Vincere Team EnVyUs 16 Mirage 10 Natus Vincere Team EnVyUs – Dust II – Natus Vincere Team SoloMid vs. Team Kinguin Casters: Pansy, HenryG, & Machine Team SoloMid vs. Team Kinguin Team Score Map Score Team Team SoloMid 16 Dust II 6 Team Kinguin Team SoloMid 16 Overpass 8 Team Kinguin Team SoloMid – Inferno – Team Kinguin Virtus.pro vs. Ninjas in Pyjamas Casters: Anders Blume, Semmler, & moses Virtus.pro vs. Ninjas in Pyjamas Team Score Map Score Team Virtus.pro 16 Train 14 Ninjas in Pyjamas Virtus.pro 16 Inferno 5 Ninjas in Pyjamas Virtus.pro – Cache – Ninjas in Pyjamas Fnatic vs. Luminosity Gaming Casters: Deman, Joe Miller, & Fifflaren Fnatic vs. Luminosity Gaming Team Score Map Score Team Fnatic 16 Train 5 Luminosity Gaming Fnatic 16 Mirage 14 Luminosity Gaming Fnatic – Cache – Luminosity Gaming Semifinals Team EnVyUs vs. Team SoloMid Casters: Anders Blume, Semmler, & moses Team EnVyUs vs. Team SoloMid Team Score Map Score Team Team EnVyUs 16 Cache 12 Team SoloMid Team EnVyUs 8 Dust II 16 Team SoloMid Team EnVyUs 16 Inferno 9 Team SoloMid Virtus.pro vs. Fnatic Casters: Pansy, Machine, & Fifflaren Virtus.pro vs. Fnatic Team Score Map Score Team Virtus.pro 16 Mirage 6 Fnatic Virtus.pro 14 Inferno 16 Fnatic Virtus.pro 7 Cobblestone 16 Fnatic Finals Casters: Deman, Anders Blume, & HenryG With its third title, Fnatic would be the only team to win back-to-back majors and have multiple titles until SK Gaming, which won MLG Columbus 2016 and ESL One Cologne 2016. Flusha was named the most valuable player of Cologne 2015. Team EnVyUs vs. Fnatic Team Score Map Score Team Team EnVyUs 15 Dust II 19 Fnatic Team EnVyUs 7 Cobblestone 16 Fnatic Team EnVyUs – Inferno – Fnatic Final standings Place Team Prize Money Seed for DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca 2015 Roster Coach 1st Fnatic US$100,000 Legends status JW, flusha, pronax, olofmeister, KRiMZ vuggo 2nd Team EnVyUs US$50,000 kioShiMa, Happy, kennyS, NBK, apEX – 3rd–4th Team SoloMid US$22,000 karrigan, dev1ce, cajunb, dupreeh, Xyp9x 3k2 Virtus.pro TaZ, NEO, pashaBiceps, byali, Snax kuben 5–8th Luminosity Gaming US$10,000 FalleN, fer, steel, coldzera, boltz nak Natus Vincere Edward, Zeus, seized, flamie, GuardiaN starix Ninjas in Pyjamas f0rest, GeT RiGhT, Xizt, friberg, allu natu Team Kinguin Maikelele, dennis, fox, ScreaM, rain LEGIJA 9–12th Cloud9 US$2,000 Main qualifier invitation Skadoodle, sgares, fREAKAZOiD, n0thing, shroud – Counter Logic Gaming hazed, reltuC, tarik, jdm64, FNS – FlipSid3 Tactics B1ad3, bondik, markeloff, WorldEdit, DavCost Johnta Renegades SPUNJ, Havoc, jks, AZR, Yam – 13–16th mousesports US$2,000 nex, Spidii, denis, chrisJ, gob b – Team eBettle peet, GruBy, Hyper, rallen, Furlan – Team Immunity SnypeR, USTILO, Rickeh, James, emagine – Titan shox, Rpk, SmithZz, Maniac, Ex6TenZ – References Rittfeldt, Joachim (August 8, 2015). "ESL One Cologne – About". Aftonbladet. Retrieved November 18, 2015. Chalk, Andy (August 25, 2015). "ESL One Cologne drug tests come up empty". PC Gamer. Retrieved November 16, 2015. Neuman, Scott (August 13, 2015). "Video Game League Announces Random Drug Tests For Competitors". NPR. Retrieved November 16, 2015. Chalk, Andy (July 23, 2015). "ESL to begin randomized drug testing at ESL One Cologne". PC Gamer. Retrieved November 16, 2015. Wynne, Jared (August 26, 2015). "ESL One Cologne pulls in $4.2 million in revenue for teams, sets viewer records". The Daily Dot. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2015. Rad, Chloi (August 25, 2015). "27 Million People Watched the Biggest Counter-Strike Tournament Ever". IGN. Retrieved November 16, 2015. "The format for ESL One Cologne 2015". ESL One. Retrieved 12 February 2021. Nordmark, Sam. "All 16 teams for ESL One Cologne have been determined". OnGamers. Archived from the original on 13 January 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2021. Kulasingham, Nilu (July 28, 2015). "Luminosity picks up ex-Keyd Stars roster". HLTV.org. Retrieved November 12, 2017. Mira, Luis (May 4, 2015). "mouz sign PENTA trio". HLTV.org. Retrieved November 12, 2017. External links Official page