100 Thieves, Fnatic, and Gentle Mates among Roman Imperium Cup V attendees

Esports tournament organiser KKM has revealed the 16 teams competing at the upcoming Roman Imperium Cup V Counter-Strike 2 event.

The Tier 2 event will feature several notable names, including 100 Thieves, Fnatic, and Ninjas in Pyjamas.

The fifth edition of the event will take place from February 19th to 22nd, and is one of several Tier 2 tournaments to attract some of Counter-Strike’s biggest names. For 100 Thieves, the LAN marks its debut after finalising its revamped roster in January.

Alongside the likes of 100 Thieves,the Swedish side EYEBALLERS will also be in attendance as it looks to continue its climb up the Valve Regional Standings (VRS). The team caught the attention of fans after it eliminated FaZe Clan from BLAST Bounty Season 1.

Roman Imperium Cup V will be split into the Group Stage and Playoffs. The Group Stage will see the 16 teams divided into four equal groups, with the top two from each one advancing to a single-elimination Playoffs bracket. The winner of the event will take home €5,000 (~£4,348) in prize money, along with VRS points.

The fourth edition of the Roman Imperium Cup concluded recently on January 18th, with Berlin International Gaming (BIG) taking the victory after defeating Betclic Apogee Esports in the Grand Final.

Thanks to Valve increasing the importance of its global standings, several teams are prioritising Tier 2 LAN events while competing at the high-profile tournaments.

In addition to the Roman Imperium Cup, several brands and tournament organisers are hosting Tier 2 events, giving teams more opportunities to climb up the VRS ladder and secure invites for Tier 1 tournaments.

With top 32 teams in the VRS securing qualification for Counter-Strike’s Majors, LAN victories holding more value over online competitions. Thus, it’s no surprise to see notable organisations field their rosters with the aim to earn a place at the title’s tentpole tournaments.