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GUIDES
Simple Radar
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This is everything you NEED to know
It’s finally time for the IEM Cologne Major, and we’re taking you through every important detail for the opening stage of the event.
We’re also going to be shifting our days from now until the end of the event, recapping and previewing every stage and ending at the playoffs with daily bangers.
It’s been ten years since the last time Cologne hosted a Major. A lot has changed since then, but one thing remains true: the German city is the premier Counter-Strike venue every year.
So it’s just a shame that it starts with these… “teams”.
Looking at you, THUNDER dOWNUNDER, FlyQuest, and Gaimin Gladiators.
Bad teams aside, there’s actually plenty to look forward to in Stage 1. TYLOO and Lynn Vision will both step out of Asia for their rare international appearances, and whilst we don’t have the greatest expectations for either, they always bring some entertainment.
There’s also a host of dangerous European teams to look forward to, with a first tier one (ish) outing for blameF’s rejuvenated BIG, a chance for Boombl4’s BetBoom to show their fourth-place finish at IEM Atlanta wasn’t just a flash in the pan, and B8’s latest opportunity to remind people they are actually just quite a good team.
We’re also intrigued to see more of SINNERS. The European mix team have been unsuccessful in their limited tier one outings, but they’ve looked competitive each time, and the BO1 format in place for Stage 1 could be a major boon for them.
There are, of course, the likes of NRG and Sharks, who we really aren’t too fussed about.
NRG looked like they might push through when oSee decided to show up to IEM Krakow at the start of the year, but since then, every member of the team has decided to be absolutely rubbish, and escaping this stage almost seems impossible now.
Recent form suggests M80 will share a similarly disappointing fate, but we’re still going to hold out hope for them. Mostly because we like them more, but also because Lake is a demon.
As for the three remaining teams, well, you’ll have to read on to know how we feel about them…
Aussie teams have never really done well at the Major, but at least they’ve “f-cked your pickems.” Warra trophy for Australia.
But Australian teams at the upcoming Cologne Major shouldn’t worry about making it to Stage 2 of the Major. With their form, they should be sh-tting themselves about the prospect of not even winning a map.
So, if you feel like betting on THUNDER dOWNUNDER (2.85), or FlyQuest (4.00) to go 0-3 at Stage 1 of the Major, sign up to Razed.
Note: Odds at time of writing.
The battle to be second-best in South America has long been one of the most exciting battles in lower-level CS. It goes all the way back to 2020, when FalleN’s last hurrah in MIBR fell from grace, and any South American squad not named FURIA were forever condemned to being called a tier two side.
paiN, 9z, and Legacy have made repeated claims with deep runs at big events; Sharks and Gaimin Gladiators are taking a shot at the princehood here in Cologne, and we’ve been around long enough to remember those who came before.
RED Canids, Imperial, Fluxo, INTZ, TeamOne, 00NATION, GODSENT… the list literally goes on and on, and if you’re from São Paulo, we’re sure it’s very depressing to look at.
However, we are convinced that MIBR will be the ones to finally break through, for three key reasons.
First of all, last year they realised that as much as they’d like to, truly great AWPers are rarely made in Brazil. Taking in kl1m was a gamble, but he’s comfortably shown since signing on that he beats all the South America-based AWPers, bar molodoy.
Second, none of the other teams we listed have ever had a player like insani.
The first time insani stepped into a LAN event for MIBR was in the play-in of IEM Katowice 2023. The team didn’t advance, but he dropped a 1.27 rating over the event*. We’ve been believers ever since.
Third, with South American buyouts being what they are, you were never going to get FalleN, arT or biguzera to captain this squad. Eventually, it seemed the team were fed up with trying to find the next diamond in the rough, and bit the bullet to shop abroad.
LNZ is a perfect fit for this squad. His style on HEROIC was loose and exciting, but aside from tN1R, the pieces needed to capitalise on that freedom just weren’t there. With insani and kl1m by his side - and two other talented players with room to grow - the world is his oyster.
Calling for MIBR to make it out of Stage One should be a given, but we’ll go further - these kids will challenge for a playoff spot.
This is your last time to get on the train, or you’ll be left behind.
We cannot contain our excitement for the first CS2 Major that will take place in the cathedral of Counter-Strike.
Forget the biggest CS Major ever, this might just be the biggest FPS LAN of all time.
Whether you’re currently out of the loop or a die-hard student of the game, Sam, Jack, and Logan have got you covered with an in-depth tier list featuring every team attending the Major.
Photo and Illustration by Fuffy
At the start of the year, GamerLegion were a team that we here would’ve counted out.
They’d just lost ash, benched ztr, and their replacement for him was Snax. An IGL who we previously loved to constantly criticise for his unquestionably poor leadership of G2.
We didn’t see them much at first, and when we did, we didn’t think much of them. A Stage 1 exit from IEM Krakow seemed to confirm all the negative first impressions we had when this roster was formed.
But they went away. They practised. They grew accustomed to Snax’s structure, and they made PR forget all about the move to MOUZ he was reportedly getting after Budapest.
And it turned them into the best version of GamerLegion we’ve ever seen.
Their two most recent tournaments - BLAST Rivals and IEM Atlanta - haven’t just restored faith in the team, they’ve got us thinking we might be about to see Paris all over again.
Okay, maybe that’s too far. But seriously, 3rd-4th in Texas and 2nd over in Georgia is pretty good going.
REZ and PR are peaking at the right moment, and Snax and new coach imd have hypex looking like a top-quality AWPer. When you consider the fact that Tauson is a very solid fourth star and Snax himself is having genuinely solid impact for an IGL, it’s a recipe for real success in Major Counter-Strike.
It’s for that reason that we don’t just predict GamerLegion will breeze it through Stage 1, we’re willing to say they’ll go all the way to the playoffs, too. That’s just how good they are right now.
From sitting on top of the Counter-Strike world with a Grand Slam to their name to now looking questionable to even make it out of Stage CCT of the Cologne Major, Liquid’s fall has been brutal.
Across their last five tournaments, they’ve only reached Playoffs once, at DraculaN Season 6. And even that achievement had little to do with their CS prowess, as one of the higher seeds, Liquid was placed directly into the 16-team bracket.
When it comes to being terrible, few do it better than Liquid right now. Among their most notable stats is a miserable 29% win rate in BO1s (4W-10), making it increasingly difficult to build a convincing case for a Stage 2 qualification. As if it was not hard enough already.
And that’s not just us nerds talking. It’s coming directly from the captain of the Titanic himself:
It’s the age-old question: are they struggling because their confidence is in the gutter, or is their confidence in the gutter because they’re struggling? Honestly, both. Liquid seem trapped in a self-perpetuating cycle where poor performances destroy their confidence, and low confidence leads to even worse performances. Unless significant changes are made - which should probably include management - it’s hard to see how they can break the cycle.
For now, we’ll see how they fare in Cologne. But adding the already rumoured roster move to the equation, you’d be a fool to have them anywhere but that little red rectangle in your Pick’Ems.
