Standing at the Center of a Fierce Battlefield 2025-02-07

Orange Reporter’s Coverage of the CFS 2024 Grand Finals

CROSSFIRE, the world’s No.1 FPS game, has been beloved by hundreds of millions of players around the globe for many years.

Its most prestigious esports tournament, the “CFS 2024 Grand Finals” (hereafter CFS 2024 GF), kicked off 2024 December in Hangzhou, China.

As a member of Smilegate Group, I thought I knew plenty about CROSSFIRE and CFS, but I had never experienced CFS in person.

CROSSFIRE, the very IP that built our company and continues to lead it forward—I had long dreamed of one day experiencing it firsthand…

But this time, I got the chance to see CFS in person!

That opportunity came in the form of the Orange Reporter, where internal members could cover CFS as reporters!

As soon as I saw the announcement, I applied to be an Orange Reporter, putting great effort into my application with the earnest wish to attend CFS.

Finally, the day of the announcement came. Did my passion pay off? I was accepted!

I’d now like to share my memories of the CFS 2024 GF, where thunderous cheers melted the heart of a frozen winter continent.

DAY 1 – Finally Arriving at the Glorious Scene of CFS

It takes about two hours by plane from Korea to Hangzhou. While chatting with the other Orange Reporters about what we were most looking forward to, we soon arrived at Hangzhou Airport.

After checking in and unpacking at the hotel, it was already evening. All the reporters met again in the hotel lobby to visit the Yintai District, where CFS promotions were in full swing.

Our official Orange Reporter duties were to begin the next day, but everyone was too excited to stay still.

To get to the Yintai District, we had to take the subway and get off at Longxiangqiao Station. The area is a busy shopping district popular with both locals and foreign visitors, much like Myeongdong in Korea.

As soon as we stepped off the subway, what caught our eye first was the CFS 2024 GF advertisement. It was the moment when it truly hit us—we were at the very site of CFS.

The large intersection in front of the station was just as packed with locals and tourists. I thought, “There really are so many people in China,” but that thought quickly gave way as a massive digital billboard caught my eye.

The enormous screen covering the building was filled with CFS 2024 GF content, brilliantly lighting up the area.

“Wow, this is amazing,” I exclaimed aloud, and the other Orange Reporters also gasped in awe.

Seeing the grandeur of CFS in person filled me with overwhelming pride.

We all stood there for a while, simply staring at the screen. We were likely all feeling the same thing.

On the main street, a CFS marketing booth had been set up. Despite the late hour, a large crowd had gathered around it.

We wanted to join them right away, but as reporters averaging 3N years of age, our energy was already drained.

With some regret, we headed back to our lodging, saving our strength for when our official reporter activities began the next day.

DAY 2 – A Hangzhou Scene of, by, and for CFS

The second morning began with excitement! We returned to the CFS booth in the Yintai District, which we had only glimpsed from the outside the day before due to exhaustion.

Even in the early morning, the booth was bustling with people. There was a father who had long been a fan of CROSSFIRE and his daughter who came along, couples who enjoyed the game together, and even die-hard fans dressed in the uniforms of their favourite CFS teams. The booth was truly filled with the passion of those who love CFS. It was a moment when we could truly feel that CROSSFIRE has been beloved for nearly 20 years.

The booth offered a variety of fun events, including writing support messages for the CFS players and throwing lucky pouches to win merchandise. On one side, there was a four-cut photo booth for capturing cute memories. It was easy for people of all ages to enjoy the booth. Small snacks given out for each event added to the visitors' enjoyment.

Next to the Yintai District lies West Lake, Hangzhou’s most famous tourist attraction. China, being vast, has around 800 lakes named West Lake, but the most renowned one for its beauty is here in Hangzhou. On the way to the lake, CFS content was everywhere we looked. “Ahem!” Even our steps as Orange Reporters felt more confident. We all wanted to shout, “Hey, that game is from our company!” but we held back because none of us spoke Chinese. (laughs)

The Orange Reporters were busy taking photos in front of a cruise ship decorated with CFS. Locals probably thought we were first-time cruise tourists. (laughs)

We disembarked at Xiaohe Street, a place where the traditions of Hangzhou remain strong. In recent years, it has become filled with charming eateries and street stalls, reminiscent of Insadong or Ikseon-dong in Korea. Even in Xiaohe Street, we saw signs and promotions for the CFS 2024 Grand Finals everywhere we turned.

At the entrance of the street, there was a photo wall displaying the CFS match schedule. Inside the alleyways, CFS garlands were strung up, making it feel like a festival in a fairytale village. Even restaurants and cafes had CFS-themed message boards, showing their anticipation for the tournament. The entire street was literally “covered” in CFS. Seeing our company’s CROSSFIRE being so loved in faraway Hangzhou, China, filled us with a powerful sense of pride and emotion that’s hard to describe.

DAY 3 – Witnessing the Long-Awaited CFS 2024 Grand Finals with Our Own Eyes

On the third day of our reporting journey, the long-awaited D-DAY finally arrived. The Orange Reporters headed to the Grand Canal Asian Games Park, where the CFS 2024 GF match would be held. The final match attracted so much attention that all tickets sold out in only about ten minutes. Getting a ticket was no easy feat, so it felt like a huge stroke of luck to be able to attend the match as official Orange Reporters.

Outside the stadium, the area was already packed with fans. The CFS player booth in particular had a constant line of visitors. Talking with the fans there, we found that many had traveled from other regions, spending over ten hours on a shaky train ride to get there. Their passion was so impressive that even the Orange Reporters had to tip their hats in admiration.

The Grand Canal Asian Games Park is known as a great spot for outings, often visited by couples and families on weekends for picnics. This day was no different—many citizens came to the park and were happily enjoying the various CFS activity booths set up throughout. Shooting games where players aimed paper straws at moving targets and punch machines were especially popular. As expected from CROSSFIRE! Even those who didn’t come to watch the match seemed to love the game.

We finally entered the stadium where the CFS 2024 GF would take place! We had already felt a strong sense of pride for CFS while visiting the Yintai District and Xiaohe Street, but the sheer scale of the stadium reignited those emotions. Watching it on YouTube was nothing like this. Any doubts like, “I’ve never played CROSSFIRE,” or “Will I be able to focus with Chinese commentary?” quickly vanished. The dazzling lights, massive stage, breathless spectators, and the powerful sound that shook our ears all pulled us into the game completely.

When the team we rooted for lost a close round, we sighed together. When a heroic play brought them closer to victory, the whole crowd roared as one. In that stadium, language barriers didn’t matter. Fueled by our shared love for CFS and our passionate support, we were no longer Orange Reporters—we had become true fans united with the rest of the spectators. 

A Record of Thrilling Victory

The Winner : EVOLUTION POWER GAMING, China

The CFS 2024 GF championship trophy went to China’s Evolution Power Gaming (hereafter EP). They claimed victory after a fierce battle with Brazil’s formidable Vasco Esports (hereafter Vasco).

On the day of the finals, the cheering began even before the match started with team entrance ceremonies.

Over 4,000 home fans chanted “EP,” heightening the anticipation.

However, Vasco struck back by winning the second set on Black Widow and the third on Ankara, pushing EP into a 1:2 deficit.

The potentially final fourth set began. EP regrouped and fully immersed themselves in the game.

The first half ended 5:4 after a back-and-forth exchange with Vasco.

In the second half, EP persistently targeted the B site, inducing chaos and securing a comfortable 10:6 victory.

And so, only the final sudden-death match remained.

The map was Compound. The crowd was as tense as the ultra-focused players.

Both teams gave their all, and the match extended into overtime. In the end, EP clinched the final victory with a score of 13:10.

With this victory, EP secured China’s fifth CFS championship, maintaining its status as the dominant CROSSFIRE nation.

However, 2024 saw fierce performances from both Brazilian and Vietnamese teams.

Kudos to EP for their tight, calculated gameplay, and we now look forward to next-generation teams equipped with even stronger teamwork.