HellCup: A proven path to Counter-Strike’s top-tier competition

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Every big achievement starts with a single small step, and true triumph is built on a series of minor victories. Every esports athlete who’s climbed the ranks from local amateur events to the world championship stage knows this firsthand. In every competitive game, some tournaments and events serve as stepping stones: launchpads for rising stars. These are the proving grounds where new rosters are born and fresh talent gets the spotlight. One such event is the HellCup, a Counter-Strike tournament series where fans don’t just watch the action, they help shape it by contributing to the prize pool.

Where it all began

The HellCup series launched in December 2016. The inaugural tournament featured teams from Eastern Europe and Kazakhstan, including a young Kirill ''Boombl4'' Mikhaylov who would go on to win the PGL Major Stockholm 2021 as part of Natus Vincere. Back then, at the very start of his career, such a victory was just a distant dream. His team didn’t make much of a mark in that first Hellcup, but the experience proved invaluable for Boombl4 and his teammates.

Since its debut, the HellCup has hosted eleven tournaments, with its main sponsor partnering along the way with well-known organizations like UCC, StarLadder, and GAM3RS_X. Throughout its run, the tournament format has stayed largely the same: a group stage followed by a playoff bracket. While most teams received direct invites, each event also featured a few slots reserved for qualifier winners, giving up-and-coming squads a shot at the spotlight.

Over time, the number of participating teams in the HellCup grew from just 8 to 24, as interest in the tournament steadily increased. In some cases, the competition offered more than just prize money, it also served as a qualifier for larger events. For instance, the winner of HellCup #4 earned a spot at the World Cyber Arena 2017 - Europe Main Stage, a big international tournament with the finals in China. 

Impact of the community on the prize pool

One of the standout features of the HellCup was its unique approach to increasing the prize pool through crowdfunding. In the early tournaments, teams competed for a fixed amount — typically $10,000 — provided by the sponsor. That was a solid sum for a smaller online event. But starting with HellCup #6, the organizers began involving the community in growing the prize pool. 

Launchpad of Counter-Strike’s rising stars

As the HellCup series evolved and its prize pools grew, the level of competition rose alongside it. The tournament began attracting not just rising teams, but also major organizations like Fnatic, Ninjas in Pyjamas, MOUZ, Team Spirit, and more. It became a proving ground for players who are now stars of the professional Counter-Strike scene — names like Casper ''cadiaN'' Møller, Denis ''electronic'' Sharipov, Robin ''ropz'' Kool, David ''frozen'' Čerňanský, Nemanja ''nexa'' Isaković, Valerij ''b1t'' Vakhovsjkyj, and many others. Today, they compete at the highest level for championship-winning teams, but back then, HellCup was one of the first stages where they showcased their potential.

The latest event in the series, HellCup #11, was held in November 2024 with a total prize pool of $45,300. Natus Vincere Junior claimed the championship title. Even after all these years, the HellCup has stayed true to its roots while maintaining its relevance. It continues to serve as a valuable springboard for academy rosters, up-and-coming teams, and Europe’s tier-2 scene. What’s more, the tournament’s reach is expanding — organizers have recently started inviting teams from China, a move that underscores both the event’s growing prestige and its evolving global presence.

HellCup’s winners