PGL changes CSGO Major setup for Legends Stage following backlash

PGL has announced that all matches of PGL Major Stockholm’s Legends Stage stage will be played in a studio setup following backlash from the CS:GO community.

The PGL Major Stockholm field will be whittled down to its final 16 teams on October 29 as the New Challengers Stage will come to an end after four days of nonstop action.

The Legends Stage will be the final phase of the Major that will be played without an audience as the tournament will then head over to the Avicii Arena, where the eight-team playoff matches will be held in front of a crowd.

Excitement is building as teams like NAVI, Gambit and NIP enter the fray in the Legends Stage, but the CS:GO community was left angered after learning that the tournament conditions for the next stage would not be improved.

PGL changes setup after backlash

PGL had announced that during the first three days of the Legends Stage, when there will be two matches being played simultaneously, only the main-stream encounters would be played in a studio setup. As for the secondary stream matches, they would continue to be played from the practice rooms.

The announcement sparked outrage in the CS:GO scene, with many pointing to the advantage that playing from a practice room, where there’s less pressure than on stage, gives underdog teams that are not used to playing high stakes tournaments and games.

Copenhagen Flames, the surprise package of the Challengers Stage, booked a spot in the last-16 after winning three straight matches – all of which were played from practice rooms.

Veteran in-game leader Mathias ‘MSL’ Lauridsen and OG coach Casper ‘ruggah’ Due were among those who voiced concern on Twitter that the conditions were not the same for all teams. Astralis captain Lukas ‘gla1ve’ Rossander had told TV2.dk that it was “ridiculous” to play Major matches from a hotel room. “We might as well have been sitting at home,” he added.

• Read more: Tarik slams PGL CSGO Major watch party rules

Following backlash from the CS:GO community, PGL has announced that all Legends stage matches will be played in a studio setup. This means that there will be no more matches played from the practice rooms.

Meanwhile, Copenhagen Flames co-owner Daniel Vorborg, who is coaching the Danish team at Major, poked fun at the insinuation that his side have been winning because of the practice room setup.

The PGL Major is currently in the Challengers Stage – you can keep up with all the action from Sweden on our event hub.