Austin’s not afraid of hosting large events.

There’s South by Southwest, Austin City Limits, Formula 1 racing, the Austin Film Festival, Austin FC matches, Longhorn football games and countless concerts.

But one thing Austin hasn’t done? Host a major esports tournament.

Until now.

“The Super Bowl of gaming,” as Blast.tv’s VP of ecosystems Andrew Haworth puts it, officially kicked off in Austin this past week. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

The Blast.tv Austin Major has brought 32 teams from around the world to the city for a three-week Counter-Strike tournament, culminating in four days of finals at Moody Center starting June 18.

For the first time since 2018, the Counter-Strike Major Championships is back in the U.S., bringing a new era of esports enterta

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