IEM Fall to be played on recent CS:GO patch

The Electronic Sports League has confirmed that IEM Fall, a Regional Major Rankings event for PGL Stockholm, will be played on the latest Counter Striker: Global Offensive patch, introduced Sept. 22 with Operation Riptide. Professional players will start their main event competition on the new CS:GO patch at IEM Fall on Sept. 29 in Europe, the CIS regions, South America and Oceania, while North America and Asia begin Oct. 5.

Regarding the recent @CSGO updates at #IEM Fall:

As a Valve-sanctioned tournament, #IEM Fall will run on the latest version of CS:GO. Dropping utility, the updated versions of Dust2 and Ancient and all other changes made by the latest updates will be in effect.

— Intel® Extreme Masters (@IEM) September 23, 2021

In the latest update for CS:GO, players can drop utility, like flashes and grenades, as opposed to just weapons. Speaking of weapons, the M4A1-S is now buffed while the Desert Eagle is nerfed. C4 and the maps Ancient, Inferno and Dust 2 have also been changed. These changes open up a host of new strategies, including the removal of older, entrenched plays on Dust2. Thanks to the update, wallbanging through the middle doors on Dust2 is no longer possible either. With the grenade changes, fake flashes or having just one player designated as the utility thrower, are both possible.

This is not a new or surprising development as all Valve-sponsored and RMR events are played on the latest CS:GO patch. But, it does come at an awkward time for the professional scene as IEM Fall went through its qualifiers on the previous patch and the timeline gives pros little time to adapt to the recent changes. Natus Vincere, FaZe Clan, OG and Complexity are among the few teams that will play on the previous patch at BLAST Premier Fall Groups through this weekend before having to prepare for the new update at IEM Fall.

Some within those organizations have voiced their displeasure with the decision, and the lack of warning.

“Really great you have to play the old version 4 more days for BLAST before your 1 day travel, 1 media day then first match at IEM. Real f****** awesome.” Graham “messioso” Pitt, Complexity’s CS:GO general manager, said on Twitter.

Really great if you have to play the old version for 4 more days for BLAST before your 1 day travel, 1 media day then first match at IEM. Real fucking awesome.

— Graham Pitt (@messioso) September 23, 2021

Fans can view the new CS:GO patch in action at IEM Fall on Sept. 29 for Europe, the CIS regions, South America and Oceania, and on Oct. 5 in North America and Asia.