FISSURE Playground 1 in Belgrade turned out to be an event that far exceeded the expectations of both viewers and analysts. With a $1,000,000 prize pool and 16 teams from across the globe, the tournament delivered not only champions but also compelling stories of breakout performances and painful collapses. While TYLOO and Astralis were writing new chapters in their history, other renowned lineups like FURIA, HEROIC, and Wildcard failed to live up to the hype. In this article, we look at the biggest surprises and disappointments of the tournament.
Tournament Disappointments
Wildcard: Hype Meets Harsh Reality
Before FISSURE Playground 1 began, the North American side Wildcard drew attention with its revamped roster. However, it quickly became clear during the group stage that the team wasn’t ready for the pressure of a high-stakes LAN.
Wildcard lost their opening match against GamerLegion (1–2), squandering key moments on Inferno and collapsing economically on Ancient after winning the pistol. Things only got worse with a crushing loss to FURIA—2:13 and 3:13. Just 5 rounds won over two maps was a painful outcome for a team hoping to make a Tier-1 statement.
FURIA & paIN: Brazilian Collapse
FURIA, despite fielding YEKINDAR, couldn’t overcome SAW and managed to dominate only a struggling Wildcard squad. That victory didn’t matter—SAW secured the playoff spot.
paIN never found their rhythm: lost duels, inconsistency from dgt and biguzera, and poor coordination led to an early exit. Both Brazilian squads finished in the 9–12th range—far below expectations for lineups of their caliber.
HEROIC: When the Brand Isn’t Enough
HEROIC’s new project, aimed at returning to the top, suffered yet another blow. After losses to BIG (1–2) and BetBoom (1–2), they crashed out in 13–16th place.
The players’ individual form was questionable, and the team structure looked unstable. If HEROIC doesn’t rethink its roster-building approach, this fall could become a long-term trend.
Tournament Surprises
TYLOO: China’s Stunning Breakthrough
The undisputed sensation of the tournament was TYLOO. Initially written off as underdogs, the Chinese squad beat Virtus.pro 2–0 in groups and reached the grand final after a victory over SAW in the semifinals.
The return of Jee—who joined the roster just hours before the deciding match—was particularly impressive. His composure, along with JamYoung’s consistent firepower, proved critical. TYLOO took down BetBoom, Astralis, and SAW—teams with vastly different playstyles—showing flexibility, poise, and determination. Regardless of the grand final result, TYLOO established themselves as one of the year’s breakout teams.
Astralis: The Revival of a Storied Name
Astralis came to Belgrade in search of stability—and found it. Their start was solid, with a clean 2–0 win over MIBR, but they stumbled in the next match, falling to TYLOO 1–2.
From there, HooXi and company regrouped and stormed through Lynn Vision, BetBoom, and a rematch with MIBR. With dev1ce’s veteran presence, stavn’s consistency, and Staehr’s aggressive playstyle, Astralis reached the grand final and looked like a title-contending team once again.
SAW: Portugal’s Ambitious Surge
SAW entered the tournament as underdogs but quickly forced everyone to take notice. Wins over Complexity and FURIA, a solid group stage run, and a playoff win propelled them to the semifinals—where they pushed TYLOO to the brink.
Even in defeat (14–16 and 10–13), they looked respectable. This wasn’t weakness—it was a reflection of growth and resilience. SAW proved they belong in top-tier conversations.
GamerLegion: Steady Progress That Pays Off
GamerLegion once again showed their potential on the international stage. With group stage wins over SAW and Wildcard and a hard-fought playoff showing against Astralis, they secured a top-eight finish.
REZ and ztr delivered the team’s backbone, while Tauson and Kursy added firepower. This team isn’t just a spoiler—they’re becoming a permanent fixture in the upper tiers of competition.
FISSURE Playground 1 was a shining example that major stories are still alive and well in CS2. TYLOO proved that Chinese Counter-Strike is alive and thriving. Astralis reminded everyone why they were once a dynasty. SAW and GamerLegion showed how steady development can yield big rewards.
Meanwhile, Wildcard, FURIA, paIN, and HEROIC have serious soul-searching to do. In today’s hyper-competitive environment, big names alone mean nothing—it’s all about performance. And it seems that FISSURE is only just beginning to usher in a new era of tournaments, where underdogs are no longer underdogs.
