The match between HEROIC and BIG at FISSURE Playground 1 continues the intense rivalry between two teams that have faced each other three times over the past six months. HEROIC remain a top-tier team with significant experience at major tournaments, while BIG are more active on the regional scene and occasionally pull off surprises against stronger opponents. Will the Germans claim revenge, or will HEROIC once again assert their dominance?
Current Form
HEROIC
Over the last three months, the Danish team has played 54 maps and won 37 — a strong record. At the BLAST.tv Austin Major, HEROIC reached the second stage and finished 9–11th. In their last five matches, they defeated TYLOO and BetBoom, but suffered unexpected losses to Nemiga, B8, and FaZe — pointing to inconsistency despite an overall positive trend.
BIG
The German squad has been one of the most active tier-2/3 teams — 60 maps played in the last three months with 29 wins. In June, BIG participated in three tournaments: placing 5–8th at Exort The Proving Grounds, reaching the semifinals at CCT Europe Series 3, and winning the DACH Masters Season 1 Finals. They’ve won 3 of their last 5 matches (vs Bärendienst, GUN5, and Zero Tenacity), losing to NIP and BC.Game. While BIG are in decent form, the level of their recent opponents has generally been lower than HEROIC’s.
Map Pool Breakdown
A close veto battle is expected in this best-of-three, considering both teams’ map strengths.
First Bans:
- HEROIC will likely remove Inferno, which they rarely prioritize.
- BIG are expected to ban Anubis, as they’ve shown little comfort on the map.
Picks:
- HEROIC will likely opt for Mirage or Dust2, two maps where they are very comfortable and boast strong win rates.
- BIG might go for Ancient, a map they frequently pick — including in past matches against HEROIC.
Second Bans:
- HEROIC may ban Nuke, where BIG have looked solid in the past.
- BIG could remove Train, where HEROIC hold a perfect 100% win rate.
Decider:
- This leaves Dust2 or Nuke as the likely decider — maps both teams are familiar with. Dust2 appears to be the more neutral battleground.
Head-to-Head
In the past six months, HEROIC and BIG have faced each other three times:
- At IEM Katowice 2025, BIG won convincingly 2–0 (Nuke 13:2, Ancient 13:4).
- In the IEM Dallas 2025 qualifiers, HEROIC bounced back with a 2–1 win (Mirage 13:8, Ancient 9:13, Nuke 13:7).
- In the final of MESA Nomadic Masters Spring 2025, HEROIC claimed a bo5 victory, 3–1 (Dust2 13:9, Ancient 13:8, Mirage 3:13, Train 13:6).
It’s been a competitive rivalry, and while the overall head-to-head is fairly even, HEROIC looked more convincing in their most recent clash.
Match Prediction
While BIG are in solid form and have been active on the circuit, HEROIC hold a clear edge in international experience, recent results at top-tier events, and overall individual firepower. Their map pool flexibility and ability to adapt mid-series make them the favorites.
We expect a competitive series where BIG could take a map, but HEROIC are likely to take the series overall.
Prediction: HEROIC to win 2–1.
