The highly anticipated BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 begins on June 2nd, bringing together the world`s top Counter-Strike 2 teams in Austin to compete for a $1.25 million prize pool and the coveted title of Major champion. The stakes are incredibly high for everyone: Team Vitality aims to conclude their dominant season with a Major victory, while their rivals seek to prove that ZywOo and company are not invincible.
This Major promises to be truly memorable, featuring simultaneous appearances from star players like Oleksandr `s1mple` Kostyliev, Danil `donk` Kryshkovets, Ilya `m0NESY` Osipov, and Mathieu `ZywOo` Herbaut. Each of these talents is vying for the trophy. Valve`s Majors are known for unexpected outcomes, making clear favorites hard to call in Austin. We`ll examine the participants and their chances.
Team Vitality
Currently, we are undoubtedly witnessing the Vitality era. Dan `apEX` Madesclaire`s squad has long since proven its mettle, appearing almost unbeatable at times. They`ve shown the ability to dismantle top teams and pull off incredible comebacks. The level of dominance displayed by apEX`s roster is comparable to the legendary Astralis era. However, the puzzle is not quite complete without one crucial piece: a Major trophy. Without it, their impressive performance across multiple tournaments feels incomplete.
Despite this, it would be strange to suggest significant pressure on the team. They have long overcome external factors affecting their game, evident in the players themselves. The team is highly likely to reach the playoffs; there`s little doubt there. The only potential drawback for Vitality could be the best-of-one (Bo1) format in early stages, which might put their impressive win streak at risk.
However, in the playoffs, the team might face difficulties. At Valve tournaments, Vitality has a peculiar tendency not to perform at their peak. In Shanghai, they lost to FaZe Clan (who were playing inconsistently but found their magic), and in Rio and Antwerp, they didn`t even reach the final stages. Exceptions include Paris (where playoff competition wasn`t the strongest) and Copenhagen, where Vitality gave a strong fight against a confident FaZe at the time.
This is why something suggests Team Vitality will need to push even harder in the upcoming tournament. Otherwise, they risk joining the list of teams that had their era but never won a Major (hello, Team Liquid). Nevertheless, analysts still consider Vitality the main favorite, with bookmakers estimating their success probability at 1.62 odds.
Team Falcons
Team Falcons is undoubtedly at the top of the list of teams capable of challenging the French powerhouse. Since Ilya `m0NESY` Osipov joined, the roster has only lost to two teams: MOUZ and Vitality themselves. This is why the community has high hopes for Falcons. They are seen as the team destined to halt the Vitality era. And they have a real chance: Falcons arrive at the Major with absolutely nothing to lose, as significant roster changes are anticipated after the summer.
We`ve seen such incredible performances from `nothing to lose` teams before: Cloud9 in Boston, FaZe Clan in Shanghai, and G2 at IEM Dallas 2025 are prime examples. Even Maxime `kyousuke` Lukin, who isn`t even training with Team Spirit Academy anymore, could indirectly boost Falcons` morale simply through the situation. The outcome? We will likely see NiKo`s face in tears. And we hope this time Kovač will cry from happiness, not the bitterness of defeat. Analysts also rate Falcons as one of the main tournament favorites.
Team Spirit
Team Spirit arrives at the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 as the defending champions of the previous Valve tournament. Their current position is quite different from six months ago. Spirit continues to dominate lower-ranked opponents, but their kryptonite in 2025 seems to be not only Vitality but also Falcons and MOUZ, based on recent matches. Donk`s team is clearly no longer at the absolute peak of the hierarchy.
Despite this, the team still possesses immense potential. Their performance at PGL Astana 2025 was indicative: Team Spirit won 13 out of 15 maps played. While the event in Kazakhstan shouldn`t be seen as a full-fledged tier-1 tournament due to the absence of most top teams, the victory itself, which the players didn`t seem overly thrilled about, could still ignite the team and give them a necessary boost.
In the initial stage of the tournament, Spirit is unlikely to encounter opponents capable of seriously challenging them. Donk`s squad only needs to hope that the Buchholz system doesn`t match them against top teams in the group stage. Team Spirit should comfortably advance to the playoffs, but how they will handle Falcons, MOUZ, and Vitality there remains uncertain.
FaZe Clan
FaZe Clan is one of the most intriguing participants, although not among the primary contenders for the trophy. Oleksandr `s1mple` Kostyliev`s new team will finally compete at a championship with its full roster and can showcase its true potential. Like Falcons, discussed earlier, FaZe is in a `do or die` situation. It`s safe to say that if the team doesn`t reach the playoffs, major changes await. Anyone could be replaced – neither Finn `karrigan` Andersen nor Håvard `rain` Nygaard might be able to keep their spots this time.
Watching s1mple with FaZe Clan at the Major will be captivating. Judging by his posts, the sniper is training tirelessly for the tournament. Even considering IEM Dallas 2025 was s1mple`s first tournament in a long time, he showcased magnificent play there. Despite all this, one shouldn`t expect FaZe Clan in the final or semifinal. The team has very little practice together, and comparing their current preparation to teams like NAVI, The Mongolz, or Aurora is difficult.
The BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 takes place from June 2 to June 22 in Austin, USA, featuring a $1.25 million prize pool.