Hot Start at FISSURE Playground 2: Surprises and First Moves to the Lower Bracket

The opening day of FISSURE Playground 2 in Belgrade ended with a series of tense clashes that set a high pace for the tournament. Falcons confidently beat Virtus.pro, showing excellent preparation and teamwork. The Chinese roster TYLOO proved stronger than GamerLegion, confirming they are ready to challenge any opponent.In another match, 3DMAX managed to turn the tide against The MongolZ, securing key clutches and demonstrating disciplined play. However, the biggest shock of the evening was Astralis losing to Aurora: the Danes, after&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/magisk" target="_self">Magisk</a>’s return to the lineup, suffered defeat and were sent to the lower bracket.Thus, after the first day of the tournament, no team has been eliminated yet, but the pressure on the participants is mounting: upcoming matches in the&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/swiss-system–cs2-tournament-format" target="_self">lower bracket</a>&nbsp;will be a true test, as any loss could prove decisive.

Forester leaves CYBERSHOKE: team announces parting ways with the player

The esports organization CYBERSHOKE has officially confirmed the departure of Igor “<a href="/en/players/forester" target="_self">Forester</a>” Bezotecheskiy from its CS2 roster. The player, who had been representing the club for the past few months, is leaving the team, and his spot in the starting five will be taken by Daniil “<a href="/en/players/lov1kus" target="_self">lov1kus</a>” Nikitin.The official statement was published on CYBERSHOKE’s social media. The management thanked Forester for his time with the team and highlighted his contribution to the roster’s growth. The reasons behind his departure remain undisclosed, as do his future plans.Despite his relatively short stint with the lineup, Forester managed to make an impact on the team’s results. Now CYBERSHOKE will continue the season with a renewed roster, while fans are eager to see how lov1kus performs as his replacement.Forester’s departure marks a new chapter both for the player and for the organization, which is working on shaping the optimal lineup to compete on the professional CS2 scene.

Gr1kS joins GUN5 on loan from Heroic

Belarusian AWPer Gleb “<a href="/en/players/gr1ks" target="_self">gr1ks</a>” Gazin, formerly of Heroic, will continue his career with GUN5 on loan. The club’s official statement confirms the transfer, giving the player more game time and a chance to shine in tournaments.After a short stint at Heroic, where gr1ks played only two tournaments, he was moved to the reserve roster. He was replaced by Kazakh player Alimzhan “<a href="/en/players/alkaren" target="_self">Alkaren</a>” Bitimbai from Spirit Academy. Despite his limited time at Heroic, Gr1kS proved to be a promising AWPer, and the move to GUN5 is a logical step in his career development.At GUN5, Gr1ks will join other talented players, and his experience will be a valuable addition to the team. His debut for the new club is expected at upcoming tournaments. Loan terms and potential future options have not been disclosed, but this transfer highlights GUN5’s ambition to strengthen the roster and grow in the professional CS2 scene.Stay tuned to catch Gr1kS’s debut in GUN5 and follow his progress.

tN1R joins Team Spirit, Qikert moves to MIBR on loan

Team Spirit officially announced the signing of Andrey “<a href="/en/players/tn1r" target="_self">tN1R</a>” Tatarinovich from Heroic. He replaces Miroslav “<a href="/en/players/zont1x" target="_self">zont1x</a>” Plakhotia, who stepped down to the bench at his own request to resolve personal matters. tN1R joined the roster right before the start of ESL Pro League Season 22 — the team will debut with him at the tournament in Stockholm. He proved himself in Heroic with an impressive 1.19 rating across 74 LAN maps.Meanwhile, MIBR benched Nicollas “<a href="/en/players/nicks" target="_self">nicks</a>” Polonio and secured Aleksei “<a href="/en/players/qikert" target="_self">Qikert</a>” Golubev from PARIVISION on loan. It has been officially confirmed that Qikert will play with the squad under loan terms. The 26-year-old Kazakhstani player brings strong individual skill and consistent performance.

G2 Esports — Triumph at BLAST Open London 2025

G2 Esports claimed the BLAST Open London 2025 title after a dramatic 3:2 win against Team Vitality in the grand final. This was G2’s first victory in 2025, just two months after huNter- took over as the team’s in-game leader.<h2>Intense Final</h2><a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-dust2" target="_self">Dust2</a>: G2 started strong, crushing Vitality 13:3.<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-mirage" target="_self">Mirage</a>: Vitality struck back, winning 13:6 thanks to&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/zywoo" target="_self">ZywOo</a>’s sharp aim.<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-overpass" target="_self">Overpass</a>: Vitality kept the momentum and secured another 13:6, taking the lead in the series.<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-inferno" target="_self">Inferno</a>: G2 made an impressive comeback, closing it out in overtime 16:12.<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-train" target="_self">Train</a>: On the decider, G2 dominated with a confident 13:6, sealing the championship.<h3>Key Factors of Success</h3><a href="/en/players/heavygod" target="_self">HeavyGod</a>&nbsp;was awarded tournament MVP — the first major individual accolade in his career.G2 displayed cohesion and synergy, overcoming even the star-studded Vitality roster.<h2>Conclusion</h2>G2 Esports cemented their place in BLAST Open London 2025 history, proving that after a leadership change, the team can rebuild, play top-tier Counter-Strike, and win the most intense finals.

BLAST Open London 2025 Quarterfinals: MOUZ and G2 Secure Semifinal Spots

MOUZ — M80: 2:1In a tense series, MOUZ managed to close out against M80, despite strong resistance. The maps ended as follows:&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-ancient" target="_self">Ancient</a>&nbsp;(13:10),&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-mirage" target="_self">Mirage</a>&nbsp;(9:13),&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-inferno" target="_self">Inferno</a>&nbsp;(13:3). MOUZ avoided an upset and secured a spot in the semifinals, where they will face Vitality.G2 — FaZe: 2:0In the clash between G2 and FaZe, the match didn’t go to a third map. G2 battled hard and won 2:0, closing the series on Inferno and&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-dust2" target="_self">Dust2</a>. The consistent performances of&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/heavygod" target="_self">HeavyGod</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/hunter" target="_self">huNter-</a>&nbsp;were decisive, preventing FaZe from playing their usual style. In the semifinals, G2 will face FURIA.

Wildcard strengthen roster: F1KU joins the team

Wildcard have officially signed Polish rifler Maciej “<a href="/en/players/f1ku" target="_self">F1KU</a>” Miklas, recently benched by OG. He takes the place of&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/sonic" target="_self">Sonic</a>, and the updated roster now features&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/stanislaw" target="_self">stanislaw</a>,&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/fr3nd" target="_self">fr3nd</a>,&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/jba" target="_self">JBa</a>,&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/peeping" target="_self">Peeping</a>&nbsp;and F1KU under the guidance of coach vinS.For F1KU, this is a chance to return to the top level after over three years with OG, where he competed at IEM Rio Major, BLAST.tv Paris Major and reached the top four at BLAST events. His consistency and experience are expected to bring Wildcard stability and confidence in upcoming matches.

Wildcard recall phzy from 9INE loan

Swedish sniper Love “<a href="/en/players/phzy" target="_self">phzy</a>” Smidebrant is returning to Wildcard after the organization terminated his loan with 9INE ahead of schedule. The Polish club had hoped to keep the player, praising his stability and contribution to recent successes, but negotiations between the two teams failed to reach an agreement.Now, 9INE are left without their top performer and will compete with stand-ins until a replacement is found. Meanwhile, phzy’s comeback to the U.S. will likely push young AWPer&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/fr3nd" target="_self">fr3nd</a>&nbsp;out of Wildcard’s starting roster.

Results of BLAST Open London 2025

The group stage has concluded, and the playoff participants are now set:Vitality and FURIA secured direct semifinal spots after winning the upper bracket finals.FaZe, M80, G2, and MOUZ will battle in the quarterfinals, still chasing the title.The remaining teams — including NAVI, Fnatic, Virtus.pro, and Team Liquid — ended their run in the groups.<h2>Key matches</h2>Vitality overcame FaZe in a tough series (2:1) to lock in their semifinal spot.FURIA dominated MOUZ (2:0) and advanced directly to the semifinals.M80 turned into the tournament’s biggest surprise, defeating NAVI and making it to the quarterfinals.G2 knocked out Team Spirit, closing the group stage with a crushing 13-1 win on the final&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-ancient" target="_self">Ancient</a>&nbsp;map.

Magisk returns to Astralis

Astralis have officially confirmed the return of Emil "<a href="/en/players/magisk" target="_self">Magisk</a>" Reif — one of the most decorated players in the organization’s history. He takes the spot of Martin "<a href="/en/players/stavn" target="_self">stavn</a>" Lund, who left the roster due to personal reasons.Magisk is back with the team where he achieved his greatest success: between 2018 and 2021 he won three Major titles and multiple other tournaments, including the IEM Grand Slam and BLAST events.His return is expected to bring the team much-needed experience and stability, especially after recent struggles and a series of disappointing results at major championships.According to the&nbsp;<a href="/en/players" target="_self">CS2 player</a>&nbsp;himself, he is incredibly happy to once again wear the Astralis star and is motivated to help the team in the remainder of the season, starting with the upcoming FISSURE Playground 2 tournament, where he will debut in the renewed lineup.

Hot Start at FISSURE Playground 2: Surprises and First Moves to the Lower Bracket

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