A recent update to Valve's CS Major Supplemental Rulebook has confirmed a significant expansion to the Counter-Strike 2 Major format, increasing the number of competing teams from 24 to 32. This change will take effect at the BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, ushering in a new era for competitive CS.
A Third Swiss Stage Added
The expansion introduces a third Swiss stage, complementing the existing Opening and Elimination stages. This adjustment will extend the Major by approximately four days to accommodate the additional matches, providing more opportunities for teams to compete and progress through the event.
Introduction of Major Regional Qualifiers
Replacing the previous Regional Major Rankings (RMR) system, the new Major Regional Qualifiers (MRQs) aim to streamline the qualification process. These events will feature 16 teams each in Europe and the Americas, while Asia’s MRQ will include eight teams. A notable change is the allowance for online MRQs, enabling regions to split into sub-regions (e.g., North and South America) to mitigate ping-related issues.
Slot Distribution Based on Past Performances
The slot allocation for each Major stage is now tied to the previous Major's results:
Stage 2 Invites: One invite per region for each team that reached Stage 3 (top 16) in the prior Major.
Stage 3 Invites: One invite per region for each team that made the playoffs (top 8).
According to the updated rulebook, Europe is guaranteed six Stage 3 spots at the BLAST.tv Austin Major, reflecting the playoff achievements of G2, Team Vitality, FaZe Clan, MOUZ, Team Spirit, and Heroic in the previous Major. The Americas and Asia are each guaranteed one Stage 3 spot, earned by Team Liquid and The MongolZ, respectively.
Major Regional Qualifiers Breakdown
The MRQs will determine additional teams advancing to Stage 1 of the Major, with slots distributed as follows:
Europe
Stage 3: Top 6 teams (VRS ranking).
Stage 2: Teams ranked 7th-10th.
MRQ: Teams ranked 11th-26th (6 Stage 1 spots).
Americas
Stage 3: Top team (VRS ranking).
Stage 2: Teams ranked 2nd-5th.
MRQ: Teams ranked 6th-21st (6 Stage 1 spots).
Asia
Stage 3: Top team (VRS ranking).
Stage 2: None.
MRQ: Teams ranked 2nd-9th (4 Stage 1 spots).
With the introduction of the MRQs and a longer tournament structure, the updated Major format aims to provide more opportunities for more teams while maintaining a competitive balance. As Valve continues to refine the competitive ecosystem, the BLAST.tv Austin Major promises to set a new standard for Counter-Strike events.
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