PGL Masters Bucharest 2025: 16 of the world’s best teams to battle for $1.25M in Romania’s capital

The end of October promises to be thrilling for all Counter-Strike 2 fans: from October 26 to November 1, the Romanian capital will host PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, a major LAN tournament with a total prize pool of $1.25 million.The event will take place at PGL’s studio in Bucharest, where sixteen of the world’s strongest teams will compete for the prestigious trophy and crucial ranking points ahead of the next major events of the season. Among the confirmed participants are Liquid, Astralis, HEROIC, MIBR, paiN, fnatic, BetBoom, Aurora, GamerLegion, and other well-known names.The competition will be divided into two stages. The&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/swiss-system–cs2-tournament-format" target="_self">Swiss Stage</a>&nbsp;will determine who advances — three losses mean elimination. All matches will be played in a Bo3 format to ensure fair results. The top eight teams will move on to the&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/single-elimination-cs2-tournament-format" target="_self">single-elimination playoffs</a>, where every match is do-or-die. The grand final will be played as a Bo5 series, fitting for an event of this scale.PGL also introduced a new prize distribution model: half of the prize money goes to the&nbsp;<a href="/en/players" target="_self">CS2 players</a>, and the other half — to their organizations. This change aims to increase transparency and fairness between teams and clubs.PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 stands as one of the most important tournaments of the fall season, bringing together the top European and American rosters. The strongest teams in the world will gather in Bucharest to prove who truly dominates the CS2 scene at the end of the year.

New CS2 Update: Knives and Gloves in Trade-Up Contracts Shake the Market

Valve’s latest update reintroduces Retakes and allows players to trade five Covert-grade items for a knife or gloves.In addition, the patch includes changes to&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-inferno" target="_self">Inferno</a>, Golden, Palacio, and Rooftops, as well as improvements to smoke grenade interactions and overall game performance.<h2>Immediate consequences: a sharp drop in knife and glove prices</h2>Right after the update went live, part of the market experienced a shock.&nbsp;<a href="/en/knives" target="_self">CS2 knives</a>&nbsp;and gloves suffered the most — their prices began to fall rapidly due to the new possibility of easily obtaining them through&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/trade-up-contract-a-way-to-desired-skins" target="_self">trade-up contracts</a>.Members of trading communities reported that some collectors began to sell off expensive knives in fear of further price drops.<h3>What’s next for the CS2 market</h3>Increased volatility – prices of many items may fluctuate heavily in the coming days.Focus on affordable items – interest may shift toward cheaper, more liquid assets.Long-term strategy – players willing to hold on to rare skins will likely gain an advantage.

Senzu leaves The MongolZ main roster — the end of a stable era for the Mongolian team

The organization The MongolZ confirmed that Azbayar “<a href="/en/players/senzu" target="_self">Senzu</a>” Munkhbold is no longer part of the starting five in Counter-Strike 2. The decision took effect immediately and became the team’s first significant roster change in the past two years.According to the management, Senzu’s departure was the result of “lengthy discussions between the players and the organization.” In an official statement, The MongolZ thanked Senzu for his contribution and highlighted that “his energy and talent helped elevate Mongolian Counter-Strike to a new level.”Senzu shared his thoughts on social media:<blockquote>“I can’t say it was unexpected, but it’s still hard. Over the years, The MongolZ became my second family. Thank you to everyone who supported us, and I’m sorry to bring bad news to our fans.”</blockquote>During his time with The MongolZ, Senzu helped the team secure multiple titles, including Esports World Cup 2025, and reach the finals of BLAST Bounty and FISSURE Playground 2. However, in recent months, the team’s results have been unstable — the disappointing ESL Pro League Season 22 campaign reportedly became the catalyst for this decision.Fans are now eagerly waiting to learn who will replace Senzu and how this will affect the future of the Mongolian lineup. While no names have been confirmed, insiders claim that several young domestic talents are being considered.Senzu’s departure is undoubtedly a turning point in The MongolZ’s history. It’s not just a roster change — it’s a symbol of transition into a new era. The&nbsp;<a href="/en/players" target="_self">CS2 player</a>, judging by his reaction, doesn’t plan to retire and will likely return soon as part of another Tier-1 team.

Virtus.pro made a roster change in CS2 — b1st replaced ICY

Yesterday, Virtus.pro revealed a key change to its CS2 roster — the organization decided to refresh its sniper position. Kaysar “<a href="/en/players/icy" target="_self">ICY</a>” Faiznurov has been moved to the bench, while academy player Vladimir “<a href="/en/players/b1st" target="_self">b1st</a>” Krasikov joined the active lineup.<h2>Reasons for the change</h2>Virtus.pro management made the decision after a series of unstable results at recent tournaments. The team lacked confidence and momentum, and several critical losses prompted a rethink. Bringing in b1st was a logical step — he had consistently shown strong individual performances in VP.Prodigy and now gets a chance to prove himself at the top level.<h3>What this move means</h3>Adding b1st to the main roster should bring new energy and aggression to Virtus.pro’s playstyle. The young AWPer is known for his composure and confident clutch plays, which could help the “bears” regain stability and consistency.Current Virtus.pro lineup: Evgenii “<a href="/en/players/fl1t" target="_self">FL1T</a>” Lebedev Petr “<a href="/en/players/fame" target="_self">fame</a>” Bolyshev Ilya “<a href="/en/players/perfecto" target="_self">Perfecto</a>” Zalutskiy Vadim “<a href="/en/players/to0ro" target="_self">tO0RO</a>” Arkov Vladimir “b1st” Krasikov Coach: Ivan “F_1N” KochugovThe renewed Virtus.pro lineup will make its debut at the upcoming IEM Chengdu 2025. For b1st, it will be the first major test on the top stage. The team’s success will depend on how quickly they adapt to the new dynamic and whether they can reclaim their place among the world’s CS2 elite.

FURIA win the Thunderpick World Championship 2025 — an incredible comeback story

The Brazilian squad FURIA pulled off a sensational victory at the Thunderpick World Championship 2025, defeating Natus Vincere 3-2 in the grand final, despite losing the first two maps.In the best-of-five series, NaVi started strong, taking&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-mirage" target="_self">Mirage</a>&nbsp;(13:6) and&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-inferno" target="_self">Inferno</a>&nbsp;(13:9). It seemed like the title was slipping away from the Brazilians, but FURIA refused to give up. They turned the tide on&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-nuke" target="_self">Nuke</a>&nbsp;(13:8), dominated&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-dust2" target="_self">Dust2</a>&nbsp;(13:5), and sealed the reverse sweep on&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-train" target="_self">Train</a>&nbsp;(13:1).The star of the final was Kaike “<a href="/en/players/kscerato" target="_self">KSCERATO</a>” Cerato, who earned the MVP award for his consistent performance and clutch plays in crucial moments.With this triumph, FURIA have cemented their place among the top contenders of the season. The tournament showcased their resilience and adaptability after two tough opening losses.Natus Vincere take home the silver after a strong run through groups and playoffs but fell short in the final.This grand final will be remembered as one of the most thrilling and emotional matches in CS2 2025 history.

Legacy win the CS Asia Championships 2025, with latto earning the MVP title

In a tense CS Asia Championships 2025 final, Legacy triumphed over 3DMAX with a 3-2 scoreline, securing the championship title.Brazilian player Bruno “<a href="/en/players/latto" target="_self">latto</a>” Rebelatto was crowned the MVP of the event — the first such award in his career. His consistent and confident performance proved decisive for Legacy, especially during the key moments of the final.The grand final was a true battle: Legacy dropped&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-dust2" target="_self">Dust2</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-inferno" target="_self">Inferno</a>&nbsp;but managed to bounce back and turn the series around, thanks in large part to latto’s dominant play on the deciding&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/overview-map-ancient" target="_self">map Ancient</a>, where he achieved a 1.88 rating and guided his team to victory.For Legacy, this marks their first major international LAN triumph, a milestone not only for the team but for the entire Brazilian CS2 scene.After the final, latto noted that the team often faced difficult starts but always found the strength to regroup and fight until the very end.This victory solidified Legacy’s position as one of the most promising and ambitious teams in modern CS2.

Transfer confirmed: electroNic leaves Virtus.pro and joins BC.Game

Today it became known that Denis “<a href="/en/players/electronic" target="_self">electroNic</a>” Sharipov has officially ended his cooperation with Virtus.pro and joined BC.Game.<h2>Transfer details</h2>Rumors about electroNic’s possible departure from Virtus.pro appeared several weeks ago. At the time, reports suggested that the player was exploring various career options, and BC.Game was among the possible destinations. Now, the information has been confirmed — the contract is signed, and the move is official.<h3>What this means</h3>For BC.Game, this is a major roster upgrade and a reunion of the legendary duo with&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/s1mple" target="_self">s1mple</a>. The arrival of one of the most decorated CIS players raises the team’s profile and draws attention from the esports community. For electroNic, it’s a chance to start fresh, possibly alongside some familiar faces from past lineups.This transfer could mark the beginning of a new chapter for both the player and BC.Game, which continues to strengthen its presence in the CS2 competitive scene.

FURIA, NAVI, The MongolZ, and Aurora — playoff contenders of the Thunderpick World Championship 2025

The group stage of the Thunderpick World Championship 2025 is over, and the four strongest teams have reached the playoffs: FURIA, NAVI, The MongolZ, and Aurora.Brazilian FURIA, led by&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/kscerato" target="_self">KSCERATO</a>, showed confident gameplay and consistent results, confirming their high level. NAVI, where&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/b1t" target="_self">b1t</a>&nbsp;shined, once again demonstrated the coordination and experience typical of a top-tier team. The MongolZ turned out to be a real tournament surprise, advancing thanks to their aggressive and daring style. Aurora, meanwhile, managed to challenge every opponent and earned a well-deserved spot among the top four.The Thunderpick World Championship 2025 playoffs promise to be intense — every map can decide the fate of the championship title.

Results of the first game day of CS Asia Championships 2025

Shanghai became the stage for intense battles on the opening day of the CS Asia Championships 2025, as several favorites confirmed their status while some teams had to say goodbye right from the start.<h2>Key results</h2>Liquid confidently advanced to the playoffs. They defeated GamerLegion in a BO1 thanks to a strong CT side (8:4 in the first half) and then crushed MIBR in a BO3, leaving no chance for their opponents.&nbsp;<a href="/en/players/nertz" target="_self">NertZ</a>&nbsp;stood out as the driving force behind their victory, securing key rounds for his team.Legacy also earned a spot in the next stage after a hard-fought win over 3DMAX in a three-map series.Among those eliminated are The Huns, who fell to Virtus.pro in the first round of the Group A lower bracket, and GamerLegion, who lost to Lynn Vision.Today marked only the beginning of the group stage. The double-elimination GSL format with BO1 openers already proved that there’s no room for weak starts — a single mistake can lead to elimination.<h3>What’s next?</h3>Liquid and Legacy will face off on October 16 for a direct ticket to the semifinals. The losing team will likely have to fight through the quarterfinals.Stay tuned — there are still many decisive matches, unexpected twists, and thrilling CS2 moments ahead!

CS Asia Championships 2025: Asia's biggest CS2 tournament kicks off on October 14

On October 14, Shanghai will host the CS Asia Championships 2025 — one of the most anticipated tournaments of the autumn season in Counter-Strike 2. Eight top global teams and eight representatives from the Asian region will compete for an impressive $1,000,000 prize pool. The final is set for October 19, offering fans a week of intense matches, world-class analysis, and countless spectacular moments.<h2>Tournament Format</h2>The tournament begins with a group stage, with 16 participants split into two groups of eight teams. The system is&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/double-elimination-cs2-tournament-format" target="_self">double-elimination</a>, giving every team a chance to bounce back after a loss.Initial matches are BO1. All subsequent matches are BO3, including the playoff qualification games.Group winners advance directly to the semifinals, while teams finishing 2nd and 3rd go to the quarterfinals.The playoffs use a&nbsp;<a href="/en/wiki/single-elimination-cs2-tournament-format" target="_self">single-elimination system</a>. All matches are BO3 except the grand final, which is BO5. A third-place match is also included.<h3>Participating Teams</h3>Group A 3DMAX, Liquid, GamerLegion, Virtus.pro, MIBR, Legacy, Lynn Vision, The HunsGroup B paiN, FaZe, TYLOO, B8, HEROIC, fnatic, Fluxo, FUT<h3>Match Schedule</h3>October 14–16 — Group Stage October 17–19 — Playoffs, including quarterfinals, semifinals, and grand final<h2>Prize Pool</h2>The total prize pool is $1,000,000, distributed among clubs and&nbsp;<a href="/en/players" target="_self">CS2 players</a>.Player prizes: 1st place — $150,000 2nd place — $70,000 3rd place — $60,000 4th place — $40,000 5–6th — $20,000 7–8th — $10,000 9–12th — $4,000 13–16th — $1,000Club prizes: 1st place — $250,000 2nd place — $100,000 3rd place — $70,000 4th place — $50,000 5–6th — $25,000 7–8th — $20,000 9–16th — $6,000–$4,000<h3>Summary</h3>CS Asia Championships 2025 will be the highlight of the fall season for all CS2 fans. Top teams from Europe, Asia, and the Americas, a massive prize pool, professional analysis, and the thrill of esports await viewers starting October 14.Follow the matches, support your favorite teams, and prepare for one of the most exciting weeks in the world of CS2!