Surprises and Disappointments: Invites to Starladder Major 2025 by peacemaker

News

Oct 13

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In 2025, Valve’s Counter-Strike 2 ecosystem introduced a new qualification mechanism for Majors: the Valve Regional Standings (VRS). For the StarLadder Budapest Major, Major Regional Qualifiers (MRQs) were entirely canceled, meaning all 32 teams were to be invited based purely on VRS rankings as of the cutoff date.

This change heightened the drama: teams could no longer rely on last-minute open qualifiers or surprise runs. It became a race to amass VRS points over the season and especially in the final stretch. That raises the stakes: success or failure is baked in by October 6.

The invites are divided into three “stages”:

Stage 3 (Legends Stage / Top tier invites) for the highest-ranked teams.
Stage 2 (Elimination Stage) middle-tier invities, somewhat safer but not guaranteed deep run.
Stage 1 (Opening Stage) the largest pool of teams; they must fight their way upward.

Which team lands in which stage often reflects both consistency and illusion: sometimes teams just on the cusp get bumped down or up based on fine margins.

The Invited – Highlights & Significance

Here is a recap of the final invited teams and stage assignments to anchor the discussion:

Stage 3 (Top tier):

Vitality
Spirit
Falcons
MOUZ
G2
FURIA
paiN
The MongolZ

Stage 2 (Mid-tier):

Aurora
Natus Vincere
Astralis
3DMAX
Team Liquid
MIBR
Passion UA
TYLOO

Stage 1 (Opening):

FaZe
GamerLegion
Ninjas in Pyjamas
B8
PARIVISION
fnatic
Legacy
Imperial
NRG
M80
Fluxo
RED Canids
Lynn Vision
The Huns
FlyQuest
Rare Atom

Positive Surprises

A number of invites caught the community’s eyes, not because they were runaway favorites, but because they punched above expectations. These stories tend to excite fans and inject fresh intrigue into the Major.

1. fnatic’s transatlantic gamble pays off

One of the most emotional and unexpected stories belongs to Fnatic. In late September, the team was widely seen as having almost no chance, some trackers placed their chance of qualifying at as little as 2.9 %.

Probably the starkest headline: fnatic, having fallen behind in European standings, undertook a risky move by traveling to the U.S. to try to win Fragadelphia Blocktober. By defeating 9INE in a high-pressure final with 5 maps, they clinched their Major spot in the very last minute.

The risk, logistical costs, jet lag, meta adaptation was huge; the reward was magical. For fnatic, this is a revival of sorts. For the competitive ecosystem, it’s a reminder that ambition and risk-taking can still swing a roster into contention even in a system dominated by points.

2. PARIVISION’s local LAN clutch versus BetBoom

Another pleasant shock was PARIVISION, who edged out BetBoom at Moscow’s Majestic LanDaLan to secure a European invite. It’s not always glamorous — but in the VRS race, those grassroots LAN wins can matter a lot.

3. Fluxo and RED Canids seizing South American momentum

In South America, Fluxo and RED Canids made their run count. Both teams delivered deep performances in Ferjee Rush 2025 & Circuit X South America Season 1, and leveraged that to push ahead in the VRS standings. Fluxo had a 7% chance of making it to the major according to specialists before those events and Fluxo had only 2% chances.

Fluxo’s pivotal win over ShindeN in a third-place decider was especially dramatic and ensured they would stay ahead of contenders like ODDIK.

4. European depth shows up

Europe’s qualifying teams include names that have seen turbulence and change recently Astralis, GamerLegion, PARIVISION, and B8 among them. It’s encouraging to see that not only top-tier giants but also mid-tier squads are present in the invite list, suggesting that the VRS system still allows for mobility.

Also, the fact that Ninjas in Pyjamas and fnatic appear in the Stage 1 list suggests some redemption in their respective campaigns.

Disappointments & Hard Lessons

For every Cinderella finish, there were heartbreaking misses and stories of underperformance. These disappointments sting, especially when they come down to narrow margins or system quirks.

1. Virtus.pro missing out amid visa drama

One glaring omission was Virtus.pro, a name with a long CS pedigree. According to reporting, they missed sufficient points in the VRS race and pocketed no invite.

At one point, they were considered contenders to at least sneak into the upper cutoff zone. However, their inability to attend EPL S22 (reportedly due to issues with Swedish border control refusing three players entry) proved costly.

For fans and stakeholders, it’s a painful reminder that even legacy organizations can’t take Major slots for granted in the new system.

2. OG falls short despite LAN attendance

OG, a perennial name in competitive CS, pushed hard in events leading into the cutoff but fell short. They made a semi-final run at Fragadelphia but were ousted by fnatic and couldn’t recover.

Given their pedigree, many fans expected them to scratch through. Their absence is a mark of just how competitive this cycle has become.

3. BetBoom losing out on CIS contention

BetBoom’s loss to PARIVISION in the LAN decider left them just shy of the cutoff. Given their longer track record and established infrastructure, many expected them to edge in. Their absence highlights how razor-thin margins are under the VRS system: a single LAN performance (or failure) can tilt the balance. The disappointment is especially bitter for BetBoom fans, who may feel their seasonal consistency was overshadowed by a late-game LAN swing.

4. Teams falling short by razor-thin margins

There are always “bubble teams” that miss by a few VRS points or unlucky tie-breaks. Local heroes, rising squads, or teams with momentum but insufficient points, these are the bittersweet casualties of the cutoff system.

Community discussion indicates Gentle Mates was one such team who “played so well … and missed out on the last day.” The system is unforgiving: even strong performance in recent events may not compensate for earlier slumps or missteps.

Moreover, the VRS system’s design, especially how older matches are retroactively reweighted or penalized, introduces volatile swings that can punish aggressive scheduling or grinding.

Tight margins, high variance

The 2025 invite cycle shows that the margins between qualification and elimination are razor-thin. A few LAN matches, often external to the major circuit, determined life or death. Fnatic’s overseas gamble, PARIVISION’s LAN win, and Fluxo’s deep run all underscore that one or two high-stakes performances can override months of middling results.

LAN performance still matters (probably more than ever)

Although the system is based on accumulated VRS points (which weigh many online events), the decisive swings came from LANs. That suggests that while volume of results matters, quality (and high-stakes LANs) still carry weight. Teams that can peak in those events gain outsized leverage.

Structural inertia and locked hierarchy risk

Because new teams can’t just qualify via open MRQs, the scene risks ossifying into a locked hierarchy. The barrier to entry is higher teams now must earn invitations to circuits that yield VRS points just to get a shot at the Major. This gives advantage to organizations with existing circuits, full-time support, and financial backing. In effect, the system may reward stability and infrastructure over surprise underdog stories.

The importance of long-term planning

For teams hoping to make a Major, short-term streaks are unlikely to suffice. You must consistently attend events, schedule LANs, and ensure you can perform under pressure near deadlines. The cutoff is unforgiving. Teams that failed to adapt and: missed events, struggled under external constraints, or miscalculated point weightings have all unfortunately paid the price.