C8 To Show Counter-Strike Esports Tournament For First Time In France

French TV channel C8 will broadcast a Counter-Strike esports tournament on Sunday and Monday nights during a 10-week “eSports European League,” according to L’ÉQUIPE. It is not the first time esports have been shown on French TV, but it is “far from ordinary” for C8 to show Counter-Strike. The game’s “violent nature has already closed some doors in Europe.” Tournament production company Kido Productions co-Producer Alexandre Balkany said, “We think that Counter-Strike is adapted to be shown on TV. The idea is not to promote a violent game, we think people can see the difference. There are a lot of movies and shows that show terrorism. I do not see the difference. It is an esport competition with strategy, with teams that train.” The tournament will consist of six teams, five of which are French (L’ÉQUIPE, 9/24).