HLTV have officially drawn the final line under the 2025 Counter-Strike 2 season, announcing all winners of the HLTV Awards — from expert-voted individual role awards to the Community Awards, where the final say belonged entirely to the fans. The ceremony was more than a celebration; it became a reflection of the entire year, clearly shaped by two dominant narratives: the historic supremacy of Vitality and the phenomenal rise of donk.
How the HLTV Awards were decided
The awards were split into two major segments:
- Panel Awards — voted on by 35 experts, including on-air talent, HLTV’s editorial team, and representatives of top teams from the season.
- Community Awards — decided exclusively by HLTV users through a two-stage public vote.
This structure allowed the 2025 season to be viewed from two angles: professional evaluation of performance and the emotional verdict of the community.
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Opener of the Year — aggression that redefined the pace of CS2
Winner: donk
Finalists:
- donk — 175 points
- flameZ — 59
- YEKINDAR — 26
This was the most one-sided category of the entire ceremony. All 35 panel members ranked donk first. His style — relentless entry pressure, fearless opening duels, and constant psychological impact — reshaped how the opener role is played in CS2. In 2025, donk didn’t just win aim battles; he broke opponents’ setups before rounds even developed.
Closer of the Year — composure under pressure
Winner: ropz
Finalists:
- ropz — 169
- KSCERATO — 79
- frozen — 29
ropz embodied what it means to be an elite closer. His decision-making in late-round situations, clutch consistency, and impeccable timing made him the benchmark for finishing rounds. The gap in voting underlined how clearly experts viewed him as the most reliable player when everything was on the line.
Anchor of the Year — the unseen backbone of champions
Winner: mezii
Finalists:
- mezii — 163
- HeavyGod — 60
- b1t — 35
The anchor role rarely produces flashy highlights, but it wins championships. In 2025, mezii was Vitality’s defensive stabilizer — locking down bombsites, excelling in retakes, and delivering unwavering consistency throughout the season. His impact was subtle, but decisive.
AWPer of the Year — the return of the king
Winner: ZywOo
Finalists:
- ZywOo — 163
- m0NESY — 91
- sh1ro — 32
After finishing second in 2024, ZywOo reclaimed his position as the world’s best AWPer. His LAN consistency, playoff performances, and dominance on the biggest stages were central to Vitality’s success. For many experts, ZywOo symbolized the perfect balance between individual brilliance and team-first discipline.
IGL of the Year — the architect of titles
Winner: apEX
Finalists:
- apEX — 171
- FalleN — 85
- bLitz — 20
apEX was the undisputed in-game leader of 2025. Nine trophies, including two Majors, cemented his status as the most successful captain of the season. Beyond results, experts highlighted his tactical flexibility, leadership evolution, and ability to keep Vitality mentally sharp throughout a packed calendar.
Coach of the Year — the strategic mind behind dominance
Winner: XTQZZZ
Finalists:
- XTQZZZ — 140
- maaRaa — 50
- hally — 35
XTQZZZ completed Vitality’s sweep of the expert awards. His preparation, map-pool management, and opponent-specific game plans allowed the team to remain ahead of the meta and consistently peak at the right moments.
Highlight of the Year — the moment that defined the season
Winner: donk — 1v5 clutch vs. Vitality
Finalists:
- donk 1v5 vs. Vitality — 133
- Twistzz Deagle 1v3 vs. NAVI — 47
- ropz two-second ace vs. 3DMAX — 39
For the second year in a row, donk claimed Highlight of the Year. His iconic 1v5 clutch against Vitality became the defining clip of 2025, endlessly replayed and instantly etched into Counter-Strike history.
All-Star Team of the Year 2025
- Opener: donk
- Closer: ropz
- Anchor: mezii
- AWPer: ZywOo
- IGL: apEX
- Coach: XTQZZZ
The All-Star lineup perfectly reflects the season: five representatives from Vitality, with donk standing alone as the only outsider — a testament to both the team’s dominance and his individual brilliance.
molodoy named Rookie of the Year after breakout season
molodoy has been crowned Rookie of the Year, capping off one of the fastest rises seen on the CS2 scene in 2025. After joining FURIA in April, the Kazakh AWPer quickly established himself at the top level, averaging a 1.17 rating across the year and playing a decisive role in title wins at FISSURE Playground 2, Thunderpick World Championship, IEM Chengdu, and BLAST Rivals Season 2.
In addition to team success, molodoy made his mark individually. He earned MVP medals at FISSURE Playground 2 and IEM Chengdu, while also collecting EVP awards at IEM Cologne and the Thunderpick World Championship.
As a result, molodoy finished the year ranked No. 6 in HLTV’s Top 20 Players of 2025, securing the Rookie of the Year award ahead of Falcons’ kyousuke, who placed second, and NAVI’s makazze, who finished third. With this win, molodoy follows in the footsteps of recent recipients such as m0NESY, NertZ, and donk.
Vitality crowned Team of the Year after historic season
Vitality have been named Team of the Year at the HLTV Awards 2025, finishing ahead of Spirit and MOUZ after one of the most dominant seasons in Counter-Strike history.
Throughout 2025, Vitality secured nine trophies and reached the playoffs at every event they attended. After adding ropz at the start of the year, the team rapidly shifted into dominance, putting together a remarkable seven-title streak that included victories at IEM Katowice, ESL Pro League Season 21, BLAST Open Lisbon, IEM Melbourne, BLAST Rivals Season 1, and IEM Dallas, before lifting the BLAST.tv Austin Major trophy.
Meanwhile, the second half of the season remained highly consistent. Vitality added ESL Pro League Season 22 to their collection and ultimately closed the year with another Major triumph in Budapest. Spirit placed second in the Team of the Year vote after winning four events, including IEM Cologne, while MOUZ finished third following a season defined by deep playoff runs and multiple grand final appearances.
BIG EQUIPA and ASTRA claim women’s awards
BIG EQUIPA completed a strong late-season surge by being named Women’s Team of the Year at the HLTV Awards 2025. At the same time, their in-game leader ASTRA secured the Women’s Player of the Year award, sealing a double triumph for the European lineup.
Following a roster rebuild in August, BIG EQUIPA found immediate success. The team claimed victory at ELITE FE Cup 6, finished runners-up at the Female Pro League S1 Finals, and ultimately closed the year by winning ESL Impact League Season 8 after defeating MIBR fe in the grand final. Consequently, MIBR fe placed second in the Team of the Year vote, with FURIA fe finishing third.
On an individual level, ASTRA stood out despite fulfilling IGL duties. She averaged a 1.20 rating across the season and led her team to the Impact S8 title. Teammate vicu placed second in the player vote, while bizinha of FURIA fe rounded out the top three, bringing an end to a three-year period of dominance by Imperial Valkyries and ANa in the women’s categories.
Community Awards 2025 — the voice of the fans
Talent of the Year
- Winner: BanKs
- Finalists: SPUNJ, Freya
BanKs claimed the award for the second consecutive year. His charisma, emotional delivery, and presence at the biggest events made him the defining on-air personality of CS2 in 2025.
Event of the Year
- Winner: StarLadder Budapest Major 2025
- Finalists: BLAST.tv Austin Major, IEM Cologne
The Budapest Major edged out the competition by a narrow margin, serving as the perfect climax to the season — dramatic matches, Vitality’s championship run, and an atmosphere fans will remember for years.
Streamer of the Year
- Winner: ohnePixel
- Finalists: fl0m, Evelone192
ohnePixel secured his third consecutive Streamer of the Year award, confirming his position as the most influential CS streamer in the community.
Creator of the Year
- Winner: dima_aimbots
- Finalists: NadeKing, Virre
dima_aimbots overtook last year’s winner, proving that creativity, originality, and viral impact defined content success in 2025.
Skin of the Year
- Winner: AWP | Printstream (JTPNZ)
- Finalists: Glock-18 | Shinobu, M4A4 | Full Throttle
The AWP Printstream became the first Skin of the Year winner in HLTV Awards history, marking a new level of recognition for Workshop creators.
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A season defined by dominance and new stars
The HLTV Awards 2025 offered a clear snapshot of the CS2 season as a whole. Vitality stood out as the benchmark team through consistency and titles, while donk emerged as the defining individual of a new generation. At the same time, the Community Awards underlined the growing influence of fans, whose votes continue to shape the identity and legacy of the scene.
