The Shanghai Major was a critical success all-around, but that’s not to say there weren’t a couple of missteps.
The Shanghai Major has wrapped up, ending the competitive Counter-Strike 2 season with a bang. The quality of the teams on show was at its peak and the audience bore witness to some truly iconic moments in the esport.
We're covering everything Good, Bad, and Ugly at the Shanghai Major playoffs.
P.S. If you missed our earlier episodes for the Opening and Elimination stages, check them out!
The Good: Donk completes epic rookie year
This one's a given. Team Spirit, led by 17-year-old prodigy Donk, have reached the top of competitive CS with a championship win over FaZe Clan. In front of our very eyes, the young rifler lived up to every expectation, then had some left in the tank to blow us away with a grand final performance for the ages.
His 30-kill, 1.98-rated performance in the Dust 2 thriller was truly something you had to see to believe. On eight occasions Donk found multiple kills in a round and was more active than any rifler we've seen on the map. His presence was so far-reaching, at one point, FaZe bailed on a free B bombsite thinking he was there — walking straight into a magixx flank in mid.
Donk was inevitable in Shanghai. His 1.49 rating topped that of previous top-tier rookies in s1mple and ZywOo. He showed no sign of caving into the pressure and on the biggest stage delivered Spirit its first CS major title.
To think we might be seeing this for the next decade....
The Good: FaZe Magic a joy to behold — even without the win
Since I make the rules, I'm picking a second "Good" topic, sue me!
We can't fail to acknowledge FaZe's miraculous run through to the playoffs. Absolutely no one gave FaZe a chance after middling form and a brutal draw against the world's best teams.
But they found a way; they overcame MOUZ and FURIA to make the playoffs, then beat Vitality and G2 on their way to championship Sunday. Karrigan's ability to extract every ounce of talent from his veterans continues to stun the Counter-Strike world even when the odds are stacked against them.
Many compare their run to the "NiP Magic" of old, when the likes of f0rest and GeT_RiGhT pulled a rabbit out of their hat to make Counter-Strike miracles no-one thought possible. At 5-12 down in map three of the final against Spirit, you'd be forgiven if you thought it was all over.
Leave it to Karrigan's FaZe to make a moment of the occasion. We're all hoping we see that FaZe Magic yet again in 2025.
The Good: Asia's first major a massive success
Make that three, because we can't forget how amazing the first CS major in Asia has been.
Between an electric crowd, the quality of CS we've seen, and the storylines that have been built over the weeks, the Shanghai Major has been a huge success and a memorable entry into Asia for Valve's CS major circuit.
Of particular note has been the Shanghai audience, who have packed out the Oriental Sports Center every day including the weekday matches for the Elimination Stage and the playoffs. Counter-Strike in Asia has had a dark period of uncertainty but with the spotlight behind it, the future looks particularly bright!
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The Bad: Grand final preview a lost opportunity
That said, there were a few things that went awry. PGL's insistence to run a remote broadcast left a lot to be desired as far as the online product is concerned. Multiple sound issues and observer missteps plagued the event, including the opening map of the grand final.
But above all, the biggest let-down was the grand final pre-show. Cultural significance aside, the Shanghai Senior Jazz Band were out of time and untuned. More sound issues on the broadcast affected how the group were played through to viewers at home, and constant cuts away from the crowd took away from the experience.
Then, the player walkouts. One by one each player was introduced before stage hosts Dove and Banks asked questions about the upcoming match, but they were unable to extract anything more than a single "yes" from either team.
Following an entertaining showmatch that got the blood pumping, the grand final walkouts were a bit of a buzzkill on the final day. Compared to the likes of Riot's pre-Worlds ceremony and even Valve's Dota 2, the pre-show certainly wasn't up to scratch.
The Ugly: Vitality's defeat exposes shocking major playoff form
All eyes were on the big three heading into the playoffs. M0NESY kept up as best he could but he couldn't overcome FaZe's teamplay (and the surprising return of ropz). Donk was Donk, breaking records left and right.
But where was ZywOo?
The French superstar spent the final two days of the event organizing his and Vitality's return trip home after their shock loss to FaZe. ZywOo, who entered the playoffs in top form and with all cylinders firing, exited as the second-highest-rated player in Shanghai.
A look back at Vitality's wins in the major playoffs reveals a sorry statistic. FaZe trounced them both in Shanghai and Copenhagen. Their win at the BLAST Paris Major came over three teams all ranked outside the top 20. The squad failed to qualify for the top eight in Rio or Antwerp and were smashed by Na'Vi back in Stockholm.
It's not a great look, especially given Vitality's form in 2024 heading into the final eight. Ultimately, ZywOo and co. closed out the year with a single trophy in Cologne, losing two grand finals to G2 (with stand-in Stewie2K) and MOUZ (a 0-3 sweep at Pro League).
With big names likely available as teams adjust for 2025, is a personnel change needed? It wouldn't surprise us in the slightest to see the French squad join for the post-season shuffle. Only time will tell as teams gear up for the holidays before resuming in January for another packed season.
That's all for now! Check out esports.gg for more CS2 news and coverage.
