BIG have clinched their place in the Elimination Stage of the Perfect World Shanghai Major, overcoming Complexity in a thrilling 2-1 series. This marks a significant milestone for the German team, returning to the second stage of a Major for the first time since IEM Rio 2022. The victory came after a rocky start, but BIG’s resilience and strategic adaptability propelled them forward.
On the other hand, Complexity’s loss signifies a rare setback for their star rifler, Jonathan “EliGE” Jablonowski, who had previously maintained a flawless record of reaching the top 16 in Majors since PGL Major Krakow 2017.
Overcoming the RMR Rule Controversy
BIG entered the tournament amidst controversy surrounding the RMR rule changes. Initially, their 3-0 performance in the Europe RMR B seemed to guarantee a direct spot in the Elimination Stage. However, a mid-tournament announcement revealed that invitations were instead based on Valve’s Regional Standings, forcing BIG into the Opening Stage. Despite this unexpected challenge, Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz and his squad displayed unwavering determination.
Opening Stage Journey
BIG’s road to the Elimination Stage included victories over Passion UA and Virtus.pro, coupled with hard-fought losses to FlyQuest and FURIA. They secured their spot in the top 16 with a decisive win against Complexity, demonstrating their ability to perform under pressure.
30/11/2024 | Passion UA 13:9 | Win
30/11/2024 | FlyQuest 5:13 | Loss
01/12/2024 | Virtus.pro 13:11 | Win
02/12/2024 | FURIA 1:2 | Loss
03/12/2024 | Complexity 2:1 | Win
Reverse sweep in the decider match
The series saw Complexity dominate Anubis 13-5 with standout performances from EliGE and hallzerk. BIG responded on Ancient, winning 13-9 through strong defense and tactical adjustments. The decider on Dust2 was fiercely contested, but BIG’s cohesive T-side play overcame hallzerk’s remarkable 1.83 rating, clinching a 13-9 victory and advancing them to the Elimination Stage.
BIG joins The MongolZ, Liquid, GamerLegion, paiN, and FURIA in the next stage of the Shanghai Major. The last two spots in the Elimination Stage will be found later today.
