They’re now on their way to make their HERstory. The esports scene is currently seeing Imperial Valkyries, or Imperial Fe, be the first all-female team in Tier 1 Counter-Strike tournament. Now, take a look back on how Imperial Fe made all of these possible.
A Legacy of Dominance in Women’s Counter-Strike
It is rare for the esports community to see a team as consistent as Imperial Fe has been in tournaments. So, their invitation to the BLAST Bounty Challenge shouldn’t come now as a surprise. But take a step back on the adventure Imperial Fe took before this achievement.
In 2021, they were competing under the banner of Nigma Galaxy Female. Like how they are now, they were known strong competitors in women’s Counter-Strike. It was just in early 2024 that Imperial Esports took over them. But despite all the change, they still had their impressive run.
Then in November 2024, they’re on their eight consecutive ESL Impact Championship. Imperial Fe appeared strong with their roster mix of veterans and rising talents. They have star AWPer Ana “ANa” Dumbravă, rifler Alexandra “twenty3” Timonina, and the young talent Victoria “tory” Kazieva. For veterans, they have Zainab “zAAz” Turkie and the clutch specialist Katarzyna “Kat” Płaczek.
All these women have proved the entire scene to play another level of competitive Counter Strike 2 play.
Breaking Barriers: The BLAST Bounty Challenge
Now, Imperial Fe will be up against other teams in the Tier 1 event, BLAST Bounty Challenge. This tournament has 32 teams ready for matches, of whom 28 are from Valve’s Global Rankings. Meanwhile, the four teams to complete are from wildcard entries.
The BLAST Bounty Challenge this year will be in the format of single elimination and best-of-three matches. They’ll only have the best-of-five for the finals of the tournament. When many said Imperial Fe broke barriers, they really did it with their rankings.
Usually, Valve’s global rankings mainly and consistently only had male teams on top of the list. However, this year is different after Imperial Fe earned a high position in the Valve Ranking System, or VRS. It’s their skills that put them on the higher stage of competitive Counter Strike play.
Since the BLAST have different formats, Imperial Fe have the advantage to select their opponents for the matchups. It’ll be up to their strategy to see how they’ll continue their journey in the Tier 1 stage.
Double Achievement: FACEIT FPL Recognition
Imperial Fe is really that team you have to watch out for. Besides their qualification for the BLAST Bounty event, Imperial Fe were also invited to the FACEIT Pro League (FPL). This makes them one of the first two women’s teams that earned such recognition. They’re indeed growing to be that team in the Counter Strike scene after they have two big events waiting for them.
Looking Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities
The bigger stage tells Imperial Fe to prepare for tougher challenges they’ll face in Tier 1. This time, they’ll be against some of the world’s elite Counter-Strike teams. New playstyles and completely different strategies will unfold from these teams. Can Imperial Fe overcome it and adapt?
Surely, they’ve been great anywhere they go with their incredible skills and talents. But going up there is a completely different experience for them. Regardless of the result, what’s important is that they represent not just their nation but also the female community.
Conclusion
No point denying how Imperial Fe’s great existence in the Counter Strike 2 community brings attention to female players. Women can be as excellent as these men’s teams are, which many know about. May many opportunities in esports open for women after Imperial Fe joined the Tier 1 BLAST Bounty event,
