CS2 Budapest Major 2025: Stage 2 recap

Stage 2 of the CS2 Budapest Major served as the mid-point gauntlet. It’s the true test of whether those eight teams that made it through Stage 1 deserve to play in the big leagues.

For longtime fans of Counter-Strike esports, Stage 2’s roster is bittersweet. Many of these teams could once have considered themselves the top team in the world, but are now fighting each other for a chance at redemption. However, those are the stakes that make this stage much more emotionally charged.

This is the battleground of former Major champions, and it’s heavy with history. By the end of Stage 2, only eight teams can prove that they belong in Hungary.

FaZe Clan and Natus Vincere were at different points considered the best teams in CS2, with the former reaching two Major finals and the latter winning one just last year. However, 2025 would prove to be a humbling experience for both contenders, who underwent roster changes to adapt.

For FaZe Clan, they had a rough beginning, barely qualifying from Stage 1 with a 3-2 record. Now they’re back with a vengeance in Stage 2 to earn a flawless 3-0 standing, but it shouldn’t be ignored that every FaZe Clan game looked shaky and had questionable moments, especially with that game against Aurora.

Meanwhile, NAVI had a more dominant run in Stage 2, beating FlyQuest 13-2, Imperial 13-10, and 2-0 B8 to secure its spot. B1t and w0nderful were key players in all these matches, with both players scoring high frags and clutches when it mattered the most.

Twistzz and jcobbb have finally found their stride with FaZe Clan, while the jury is still out on whether NAVI’s makazze provided more value than benching jL. Both of these teams had a wonderful Stage 2, but the real test lies in the next stage, against teams they’ve gone up against and failed multiple times throughout the year.

PARIVISION, Imperial, and B8 all carved their way through tough competition to end the stage with a 3-1 record.

PARIVISION is one of the newest teams in the tournament, filled with four Major rookies led by Major winner Jame (Outsiders, Rio Major 2022). After losing to Tyloo in its first game, PARIVISION defeated Liquid, had a close win against Aurora, and won 2-0 against Ninjas in Pyjamas, bringing both games in the series to overtime.

PARIVISION is the underdog of the tournament, and its unorthodox playstyle can catch one of the Stage 3 teams off guard.

Brazilian/Argentinian Imperial Esports and Ukrainian B8 both lost against NAVI, but otherwise had a smooth sail to Stage 3. On B8s BO3 against 3DMAX, they dropped the ball hard in the first map, Train, losing 3-13. While the rest of the series could go either way, B8’s npl and kensizor locked in and pulled a life game, earning a 2.0 and 2.06 rating respectively in games 2 and 3.

Team Liquid, Passion UA, and 3DMAX clawed their way to the next stage with a 3-2 standing, eliminating Astralis, M80, and Ninjas in Pyjamas, respectively, to get there. 

Unfortunately, Team Liquid had to go against Atralis because both teams had a good chance of making it to Stage 3. In their series, Liquid’s ultimate was on fire, scoring 24 kills in Nuke and a 1.49 rating on Mirage. 

On the other hand, Astralis saw glimpses of greatness after adding HooXi and Magisk to the roster. They were pivotal in their previous games, especially Magisk, who looked way better than his form in the Falcons. However, they were absent in their last series, highlighting just how heavy their supposed star AWPer device has become in the tournament.

Aurora has always been a dark horse in every tournament they’ve joined in CS2. The Turkish squad is hot off its win at PGL Masters Bucharest, a second-place finish at EWC, and a third-place finish at PGL Astana. Yet, the inconsistent team couldn’t bring its firepower to the Major playoffs, much like in Austin.

They started strong with a 13-6 opener against M80, then lost 10-13 against FaZe, 11-13 against PARIVISION, and choked so hard against Astralis in its series that they made them look like a strong team. Aurora has consistently made the playoffs in most tournaments throughout the year, but something major has to change to give them an edge.

The real upsets of Stage 2 were Aurora Gaming and Liquid/Astralis, but aside from that, the results were fairly predictable.

Although the Chinese roster TYLOO has had decent results throughout the year and has quickly gained tons of supporters for their funny interviews, they have failed to find a top finish ever since their win in FISSURE Playground #1. The team’s match 3 overtime defeat against Team Liquid was one of the most heartbreaking moments in the Budapest Major.

FlyQuest and MIBR exit Stage 2 without any wins. FlyQuest began the tournament with a dominant 3-0 performance during the first stage, but had a very disappointing performance in this phase. They lost 2-13 against NAVI, 7-3 to 3DMAX, and 0-2 against Astralis, only scoring 5 rounds in the first map.

Fnatic, Astralis, Ninjas in Pyjamas, and M80 are also joining the bottom eight to punch their ticket back home.

CS2 Budapest Major 2025 Stage 2 was filled with as many chokes as clutches. Legacy teams and new contenders fight with everything they’ve got, creating these memorable matches.

Stage 2 of the CS2 Budapest Major gave us a rich preview of what usually happens in a Major. Past results don’t matter, the gap between favourites and underdogs grows ever closer, and every play is an opportunity to choke or clutch.

We saw traditionally strong teams like FaZe and NAVI shoot their shot for another chance at redemption, while consistent teams like Aurora and (Liquid/Astralis) didn’t cut it. 

With Stage 3 fast approaching, the gloves are off as these eight teams have to go up against the best teams in CS2. Do any of these teams stand a chance against the likes of Vitality, Furia, Spirit, and MongolZ? It’s the Counter-Strike Major, and you’ll never know what upsets are around the corner.