With IEM Katowice 2021 fully underway, StarCraft 2 is once again proving that regardless of its long-term health, its short-term prospects contain some of the most compelling personal narratives in esports. StarCraft 2 is the popular RTS title from Blizzard that is a sequel to StarCraft: Brood War, one of the first releases to lay the foundation for the esports scene that has developed today for such a wide variety of games.
While StarCraft's historical impact is well-established at this point in time, its future remains anything but, as Blizzard pulled support for the game in an announcement last year. While the established professional tournament circuit is being maintained for now, contracts to do so aren't permanent, leading many fans to grow concerned over the game's prospects. Even if StarCraft 2 continues to remain compelling, uncertainty over its next five or ten years could result in younger players choosing different games, which would eventually cause the player base to stagnate more than it already has. All of these justifiable concerns have been informing each StarCraft event since the Blizzard announcement, with many fans and players simply enjoying what they currently have for as long as it exists.
Despite everything that happened last year, however, the StarCraft 2 pro scene remains a compelling one full of exciting narratives, and IEM Katowice 2021 is proving to be must-watch for fans. Three days into group stage play, and some truly exciting surprises have already happened: Maru, returning from rehab following his injuries, played exceptionally well, while early tournament favorite Trap fell before even reaching the playoffs in the biggest upset so far. The matches have been competitive, the stories exciting, and career renaissances may be in full swing for some players, as Zest and HeRoMaRinE both played strong series over the tournament. In an esport that could easily feel like everything has been figured out by now, the dynamic play has continued to challenge fan expectations.
Beyond the individual performances, though, IEM Katowice 2021 has been an exciting time for StarCraft 2 fans because the community has rallied behind the event. Because so many believe the game is essentially on borrowed time, those who love it have unified in supporting new tournaments, complaining about balance issues, and discussing matches to create a vibrant, if small, esports scene. It's what makes the elimination of ByuN - a hero to many for his return from military service - such an emotional but compelling event, as people really do care about the professional players who have stuck it out this long.
With one group stage left to play before playoffs and one of the smart-money choices for winner already eliminated, there will no doubt be more surprises to come during IEM Katowice 2021. One thing that shouldn't surprise anyone, however, is the quality of play that's emerged from IEM Katowice 2021 - and how the StarCraft 2 scene continues to survive in spite of everything that's been thrown at it so far.
Source: IEM Katowice 2021