And then there were eight.
After months of watching the best in the world compete across the globe, we’ve finally reached the highlight of every Counter-Strike fan and player’s year: The Major playoffs are here. The Perfect World Shanghai Major did not disappoint. We’ve arguably got one of the most stacked playoff brackets we’ve seen from a Major in what feels like forever (probably a little over a year and a half if we’re brutally honest, but… it feels like an eternity). So what can we expect? TLDR: some damn impressive CS. With that impressive CS comes some interesting aspects, which make it all the more spicy in and out of the server.
The favorites
Harry said it best as he cast the final rounds of the map, which saw current Major winners and arguably one of the most successful teams of the year, NAVI, fall to Heroic and lose their spot in the playoffs: “Heavy is the head that wears the crown.” With the firm favorites out of contention, the pressure shifts to Vitality and G2. Vitality is the team most will select as their firm winner, and with good reason. Should the players in this lineup all play to their potential on the day, they are unstoppable. They also don’t have that Achilles’ heel so many others struggle with (Liquid has FaZe, Spirit has G2). They’re capable of beating any team on any given day, and as such, the spotlight will fall on them.
G2 is the other team most will be expecting to make a deep run. However, they’re sitting on the same side of the bracket as Vitality, meaning only one can make it to the Finals.
Heroic never gets the easy ride
Winning a trophy takes talent, skill, and a little bit of luck. Heroic, it seems, can never catch a break. They’ve had a rough 2024, never truly being able to start their climb to cementing their name as one of the best in the world because of a host of situations outside the server. Yet their Major run and securing playoffs has confirmed they’re a team we should all never underestimate. To secure their spot, they’ve had to face off against the likes of FaZe, The Mongolz, Spirit, AND NAVI. That gauntlet of champions continues as they sit alongside the favourites and FaZe. While FaZe might be out of form, no one can ever write Karrigan off, as we saw in their qualifying game against FURIA. The FaZe gents are tenured Major winners. No one will ever write our beloved Batman off, no matter how shaky the lineup might appear.
The Dream Team
Of course, Counter-Strike romantics are going to be rooting for The Mongolz. The first team from the Asia region to make the playoffs since, well, forever? They’re the perfect lineup to get behind. Every single one of this lineup is a Major playoffs rookie. They’re coming in with less experience and a younger average age than anyone on the server. In most circumstances, you’d write a team like this off, but The Mongolz have had an almost flawless run up until this point, dropping only one map in the Opening and Elimination Stages of competition. G2, MOUZ, and Heroic all went down to this team. Expectations are high. The Mongolz making a deep playoff run also has huge knock-on potential for the competitive Counter-Strike landscape next year.
The Best in the World
Moving away from the teams for a minute – the other title up for grabs will be Player of the Year. Who is the best in the world? There are three front-runners: ZywOo, M0NESY, and donk. All three of these players will make a playoff run, and there is a likelihood that those final performances will have a strong impact on how public opinion swings. Conveniently for us fans, they’re also currently ranked as some of the top players in the tournament so far.
I’m one of those Counter-Strike fans who live far away from most of the big tournaments and events. Attending a live arena matchup would have, in the past, involved an overnight flight to Europe or America. I spent many years on my couch watching Major finals, living vicariously through the fans on the screen. The Chinese fans are starved for the level of Counter-Strike they’re getting access to, and there is no doubt that the Playoffs arena will deliver an atmosphere fitting for the greatest spectacle in our esport. I’ll end with a bit of a Cringe Girl-type statement, but it’s my article, so I can do what I want to: The Perfect World Shanghai Major playoffs will deliver, and no matter who lifts the final trophy, as fans, we’ll win. Cancel your plans and set your alarm clocks. Playoffs are in less than 72 hours.
