The August 3 Valve Regional Standings show how BLAST Bounty Season 2 and other recent events have changed the race for invitations to the PGL Major Singapore.
MOUZ were the biggest winners after defeating Spirit 3-1 in the BLAST Bounty final. The title helped them climb to third place in Europe, overtaking Vitality. Spirit remain first, while Falcons hold second despite losing points following their early elimination.
Liquid also made major progress. Victories over Vitality and G2 during the online stage moved the North American team into fifth place in the Americas and comfortably inside the current Major invitation zone.
Winners and Losers After BLAST
MOUZ gained more than 100 points compared to the previous regional update, moving from fifth to third in Europe. Their BLAST trophy has placed them behind only Spirit and Falcons. Liquid produced one of the largest jumps across all regions. They moved from ninth to fifth in the Americas after reaching the BLAST LAN stage, gaining more than 200 points in two weeks. Astralis and FaZe also improved their positions. Astralis climbed to 13th in Europe, while FaZe returned to the top ten. Inner Circle currently hold the final European Major invitation place.
Several favourites moved in the opposite direction. Vitality dropped from third to fourth after losing to Liquid, while Falcons lost points following their defeat to 100 Thieves. Aurora, G2 and FUT also declined. In the Americas, FURIA fell below Legacy and now sit third. M80 dropped to eighth, leaving them closer to the regional cutoff. Asia remained relatively stable. The MongolZ continue to lead the region ahead of TYLOO, Lynn Vision, FlyQuest and THUNDER dOWNUNDER.
Who Would Qualify for the Major Today?
PGL Major Singapore is expected to distribute 18 invitations to Europe, nine to the Americas and five to Asia. Based on the August 3 standings, the following teams would currently qualify:
- Europe: Spirit, Falcons, MOUZ, Vitality, Natus Vincere, BetBoom, Aurora, G2, PARIVISION, FaZe, FUT, Alliance, Astralis, B8, BIG, GamerLegion, magic and Inner Circle.
- Americas: 9z, Legacy, FURIA, MIBR, Liquid, paiN, DENDELE, M80 and Wildcard.
- Asia: The MongolZ, TYLOO, Lynn Vision, FlyQuest and THUNDER dOWNUNDER.
Europe Has the Closest Cutoff
The European Major race remains the most competitive. Inner Circle occupy the final invitation position with 1,481 points, only eight ahead of Luminosity. Ninjas in Pyjamas, HEROIC and 3DMAX are also close enough to challenge for a spot during the next events.
The Americas currently have a larger gap. Wildcard are ninth with 1,360 points, while NRG sit more than 140 points behind them. In Asia, THUNDER dOWNUNDER hold the fifth and final position ahead of DEPO.
BLAST Bounty did not decide the Major race, but it significantly changed the situation. MOUZ and Liquid strengthened their positions, while Vitality, Falcons and FURIA lost part of their advantage. With the final invitations still several months away, teams around the cutoff cannot afford many more early eliminations.
August VRS Will Decide More Than the Major Race
The August VRS update will also determine the invitations for several major events later in the season: ESL Pro League Season 24, IEM Beijing, FISSURE Playground 3 and the Thunderpick World Championship. This makes the current ranking especially important, as every point gained or lost could affect not only the Major race, but also access to four other international tournaments.
