Important UpdateEPT SC2 Discontinued
Dear StarCraft II Community,
Today, we’re writing to share an important update regarding the future of the ESL Pro Tour (EPT). After an incredible journey since its inception in 2020, the ESL Pro Tour for StarCraft II will not continue in 2025 and beyond.
Reaching this decision has been exceptionally difficult for us. Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of hosting iconic events like the IEM Katowice World Championships, DreamHack Masters, ESL Masters, and ESL Opens, collaborating closely with players, fans, and community members to celebrate this iconic game. However, as the industry evolves, maintaining the full-scale circuit envisioned for the EPT has become increasingly challenging.
Nevertheless, there are still great StarCraft II esports moments to look forward to in 2025. As you might have already seen, StarCraft II is making its return to the Esports World Cup 2025, where a new World Champion will be crowned this summer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Find out more on the official social media channels of the Esports World Cup.
About the ESL PRO Tour
Why the EPT is Ending
The EPT was built with the goal of creating a long-term, sustainable competitive ecosystem for StarCraft II. The strong start of the circuit was supported by key ecosystem stakeholders, enabling a full-scale Pro Tour environment, providing a sense of stability for all involved parties and allowing esports professionals to fully dedicate their careers to StarCraft.
However, securing long-term commitments to fund multiple events across the year became more challenging with time. As of today, we can no longer maintain the comprehensive ecosystem that has defined EPT - a year-long circuit featuring online and live events with high-quality broadcasts, comprehensive regional competition, and regular updates for competitive gameplay.
Our team is still proud of the role we played in the StarCraft II esports scene over all these years. We remain deeply grateful to the team, players, fans, and everyone else who brought passion and dedication to the Pro Tour - and we look forward to seeing talented StarCraft II players compete on familiar battlefields this year to qualify for EWC and fight for the next World Championship title.
Thank you
To our players, talent, partners, and most importantly, the fans: you’ve made the EPT an unforgettable journey. The energy you bring to every match and every event is what makes StarCraft II truly special.
Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey.
With gratitude,
The ESL Team
Over the past five years, ESL SC2 Pro Tour:
- Featured 78 Masters events and 726 Open Cups with a total of $6,181,300 in prizes
- Crowned 5 World Champions, 22 Masters Champions and 58 Open Cups winners
- Had 3344 unique tournament participants competing in over 48,000 matches
A Word from Michal “Carmac” Blicharz, VP of Product Development, ESL
"I have spent over half a decade working actively on StarCraft II, and years more on following it from the sidelines. Back in 2010 it was this game that ushered in a new golden age for esports, and none of the big events we know today would be there if it wasn’t for StarCraft.
We ran the first ever international SC2 tournament, and operated the last EPT event, with nearly 15 years in between. We broke viewership records, filled venues we previously thought unfillable and we innovated more than ever before.
The opportunity to work on this game has given me tremendous learning possibilities, opened up interactions with a number of amazing people that I cannot count, and allowed me to be part of and interact with this wonderful community and its creators and curators at Blizzard.
I am not an RTS-native, but I fell in love with the game and its community. A massive thank you for all the moments that we have shared together. I am glad we were part of this ride."
A Word from Shaun “Apollo” Clark, VP of Game Ecosystems, ESL
"Over the last 15 years, StarCraft has been more than a game for me. It has provided me with a career, close friends, and many memories that I'll cherish forever. There is no amount of giving back I could do in return for what I've received.
There are many who care deeply about SC2 at EFG, and it has not been an easy journey to arrive at the decision taken today. Thank you all for the years of continued passion and dedication to the game and all that you've given to us."
A Word from Oleksii “Alex007” Trushliakov, Senior Product Manager, ESL
"This announcement is very difficult and very personal to me. I have been with StarCraft II esports since day 1, serving in roles such as tournament admin, journalist, commentator, project manager, content creator, and probably a few others - and I had the incredible honor of shaping the pinnacle of esports StarCraft over the past few years, working with the most passionate and talented team I have ever met.
During the darkest days for my compatriots, I had the chance to witness incredibly passionate crowds in Atlanta and Dallas, the warmest welcome from the old-school fans in Jönköping and Katowice, the largest prize ever in the history of StarCraft won by Clem, who I still remember as a little child attending his first major event - and Oliveira with Smix on the IEM stage, both in tears, creating what feels to me like the most magical moment in the history of esports.
None of this would be possible without you - every StarCraft fan who is reading this. Your love for the game is what brought these moments to life, and I am incredibly grateful to have been able to share these experiences with you. Thank you for being with us - and let's carry on with our passion for the game we all love."
Any Questions?
Why make the decision to discontinue the entire ESL Pro Tour for StarCraft II rather than scale it back?
We have high standards for the quality of ESL Pro Tour ecosystems, and we’ve delivered on that premier vision for five years. However, we no longer see a sustainable path forward that maintains the quality and scale of competition fans associate with ESL Pro Tour, and as such, made the decision to sunset ESL Pro Tour for StarCraft II.
Why was this decision made now, rather than in 2023 when funding was discontinued?
Despite StarCraft II no longer being an actively supported title, we strived to maintain the title’s esports circuit for as long as possible – regardless of funding. However, the lack of financial resources has made it difficult to maintain for the long-term, and after much consideration, we decided that it would no longer be sustainable to manage the ecosystem at an ESL Pro Tour level going forward.
Was the decision to discontinue the ESL Pro Tour for StarCraft II solely financial, or were there other factors that contributed to this, such as diminishing viewership or participation?
We’re proud of the viewership and participation we’ve generated through the ESL Pro Tour for StarCraft II, as well as the ecosystem’s role as one of the world’s leading year-round hubs for top-tier StarCraft II competition.
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