The competitive Counter-Strike scene is gearing up for its annual HLTV Awards, presented by 1XBET, scheduled to take place this weekend in Belgrade, Serbia. The prestigious event will be streamed live on HLTV’s Twitch channel on January 11 at 6:00 p.m. CET, celebrating the achievements of the season’s best teams, players, and personalities.

Among the finalists competing for awards are notable figures such as Danil “donk” Kryshkovets from Team Spirit, Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov, and Ana “ANa” Dumbravă. Fans can expect to witness the crowning of winners across 17 categories, which are divided into HLTV Awards, Panel Awards, and Community Awards. The HLTV Awards shortlist is determined by HLTV’s expert staff, while the Panel Awards are selected by industry professionals, including top teams and broadcasters. Community Awards are based on fan votes cast on the HLTV website.

Key categories include Team of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Talent of the Year, Coach of the Year, and the highly anticipated Player of the Year, where the final three nominees will be revealed during the event. The award ceremony will feature appearances by legendary Counter-Strike personalities such as Jarosław "pashaBiceps" Jarząbkowski, Richard "shox" Papillon, Kenny "kennyS" Schrub, and Lucy "LucyLuce" Eastwood.

The event will be hosted by Freya 'Freya' Spiers and Conner 'Scrawny' Girvan, with dona and Alex 'Machine' Richardson conducting interviews. Insight and commentary will be provided by Chad 'SPUNJ' Burchill, Milan 'Striker' Švejda, and Zvonimir 'Professeur' Burazin.

A highlight of the evening will be the induction of new members into the HLTV Hall of Fame, presented by 1XBET. This year’s inductees include renowned players and coaches GeT_RiGhT, HeatoN, f0rest, and Potti. Each inductee will receive a special Rolex watch engraved with a Hall of Fame inscription and will be honored through dedicated articles, videos, and a special HLTV player profile.

The HLTV Awards promise to be a night of celebration and recognition for the best in the Counter-Strike community, showcasing the talent and dedication that drive the competitive scene forward.