The Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024, held between November 30 and December 15 in Shanghai, China, established itself as a significant milestone in the competitive Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) scene. Organized by Perfect World, the tournament featured 24 elite teams competing for a total prize pool of $1.25 million. The initial matches took place at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, with a capacity of 5,000 spectators, while the playoffs were held at the SPD Bank Oriental Sports Center.
Throughout all the tournament phases, the Major delivered both excitement and surprises. From the beginning to the end, it kept fans on edge. Recently, we witnessed a Major full of surprises at the BLAST Paris Major 2023, where four up-and-coming teams—Monte, GamerLegion, Apeks, and Into the Breach—went far in the tournament, shocking the world with their performances. In the Shanghai Major, while there may not have been as many up-and-coming teams, we certainly saw plenty of unexpected results.
It is safe to say that one of the biggest disappointments was NaVi not making it to the playoffs. Often considered one of the favorites, they finished their run with a 2-3 record, failing to make it to the playoffs. Losses to Team Spirit and MIBR raised serious questions about the team’s current form.
Key players like jL and b1t, who were expected to carry the team, underperformed. The team’s average rating of 1.0 was below expectations, and neither jL nor b1t stepped up when needed. This early exit has sparked speculation about potential roster changes and adjustments for upcoming tournaments.
Another disappointment was Astralis and Virtus.pro—both legendary organizations that have conquered Majors before—struggling to make any impact at all. Astralis lost one of their most important players prior to the RMR (device), who asked to leave the team a few weeks before RMR B, citing health issues that required immediate attention. Despite this, they still had cadiaN, who should have been more than capable of performing as an AWPer while calling, as he did during his time with Heroic. However, Astralis failed to impress and didn’t even advance from the RMR, suffering losses to their Danish rivals Sashi, 9 Pandas, and a best-of-three against Passion UA in the decider match. What a massive YIKES.
As for Virtus.pro, they at least made it to the Opening Stage, but is that really enough for a team with such experience? A team that surely expected to become more solid after electroNic joined the roster? This is a team that dominated at the IEM Rio Major not too long ago. What a rollercoaster this roster has endured since their Major victory. They’ve gone through many changes, but the results have not improved. Shortly after their Major cycle ended, they announced Jame‘s departure as the IGL, and I wouldn’t be surprised if more changes are coming before the year ends.
The Shanghai Major 2024 wasn’t only about teams that disappointed; there were also inspiring stories. Among them, the most impressive was The MongolZ—a young team that breezed through both the Opening and Elimination stages with a perfect 3-0 record, losing only one map to Heroic. The team’s solid individual performances and strong teamwork caught the attention of fans and analysts alike.
While they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, their journey marked a significant achievement for the team. The MongolZ’s progress and potential solidified their place as one of the most promising teams in the scene, capping off an incredible year for them.
Of course, I also have to mention the fact that Brazil had three teams—FURIA, paiN, and MIBR—very close to making it to the playoffs. Definitely, FURIA was the closest, and if you actually think about it, FURIA was the only team that managed to win against Spirit and came close to beating Major finalists FaZe Clan in one of the sickest matches we had in this Major cycle.
But since we already talked about them, for me, after watching the FURIA vs. FaZe series, I was left with a bitter taste in my mouth regarding Karrigan’s roster performances. I certainly think that FURIA was capable of winning that series if they hadn’t played so passively on Dust2, allowing players like ropz to get warmed up and activated. Then, when FaZe made it to the playoffs, it was just one of those moments where you either believe in their magic or follow what the server has shown you prior to that moment. Well… I decided to believe there was no world where FaZe would be able to beat Vitality in a BO3. After that happened, if you’ve followed Counter-Strike for a few years, you just knew that once you allow Karrigan and his teammates to gain confidence on stage, you are screwed. What an insane comeback from a roster that many people thought was already dead heading into the end of 2025. To be honest, their Major performance shouldn’t erase the disastrous semester they had prior to it, but at least they finished that cycle in glorious form. For me, it was a real pleasure to see prime rain & ropz once again on the server after many events.
Now, of course, the cherry on top of the cake—Team Spirit and Donk, who has carved his name into the history of Counter-Strike esports by becoming the youngest player to win both a Major and the Major MVP award at just 17 years old. Donk leading Spirit to the Shanghai Major title also caps off his claim to the greatest rookie season ever for a Counter-Strike player.
With world #1 player candidate Donk leading the way, Spirit was one of the biggest favorites in the Shanghai Major. However, they didn’t have the most fortuitous start in the European RMR B, where they needed to go through five rounds just to qualify for the Elimination Stage. Spirit didn’t have the best start there either, losing in the first round before bouncing back with three straight victories to advance to the playoffs. While in the playoffs, for me, they proved to the world that they were the most capable and prepared team at the event, with victories over Liquid, MOUZ, and FaZe in the Grand Finals. The way those victories happened, they certainly deserved the title.
And, of course, we could spend a long time here talking about all the crazy plays and the amount of impact that Donk had at this Major. He certainly is one of the best to ever touch the game and is more than capable of becoming one of the biggest esports athletes of all time if he continues being humble about his performances and working hard. But we shouldn’t forget his teammates, who on many different occasions were just as impactful, especially sh1ro and magixx during the majority of the playoffs, which is the moment when young players tend to feel nervous and underperform. Shoutout to all the Magixx haters who don’t truly understand his importance to the team and the fact that he literally has all the most difficult roles in the team and still manages to find impact and be important for his team, not to mention his massive charisma in all interviews.
To wrap it up, the Shanghai Major 2024 will be remembered as a chapter in the ongoing story of Counter-Strike, full of unforgettable moments and emerging heroes that will inspire future generations of players. This Major has become an important milestone in the CS2 era, continuing the tradition of Majors as the main source of unpredictable drama, surprises, and incredible moments that will remain in the memory of fans for a long time.
