Introduction
With the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 fast approaching, it’s time to lock in our Pick’em choices for Stage 1. The Pick’ems is the official prediction game in CS2 Majors where you guess team results to upgrade your event coin and earn souvenir tokens. To participate, you’ll need the Budapest 2025 Viewer Pass (priced at €8.79, or €15.89 if bundled with 3 souvenir tokens). The goal in this opening stage is to predict which teams will stand out or stumble:
- Two teams to go 3-0: Teams that win all three of their matches and advance flawlessly.
- Six teams to finish 3-1 or 3-2: Teams that will accumulate three wins (with one or two losses) to advance to the next stage.
- Two teams to go 0-3: Teams that will lose three straight and be eliminated early.
You’ll need at least five correct picks out of these to secure the first coin upgrade, so choosing wisely is crucial. Below we present our suggested picks for each category, followed by detailed reasoning and analysis for why each team made the cut (or why some popular names did not).
Suggested Picks at a Glance
- 3-0 Picks: Legacy, B8
- To Advance (3-1 or 3-2): FaZe, GamerLegion, Fnatic, PARIVISION, FlyQuest, Lynn Vision
- 0-3 Picks: RED Canids, The Huns
In summary, we’re betting on Legacy and B8 to dominate the opening round without a loss. FaZe, GamerLegion, Fnatic, PARIVISION, FlyQuest, and Lynn Vision should secure three wins and move on (even if they take a loss or two along the way). On the flip side, RED Canids and The Huns look most likely to go winless. If you’re curious about why we chose these teams (and left out some others), read on for our analysis of each pick.
Why These Picks?
3-0 Contenders (Teams to Go Undefeated)
Legacy: The Brazilian squad Legacy is our most confident pick to go 3-0. They have been on fire lately, reaching the finals of PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 (2nd place) and winning the CS Asia Championships 2025. This back-to-back finals streak shows they’ve found their stride at just the right time. Legacy plays a chaotic, aggressive style reminiscent of early FURIA, with talented riflers dumau and latto leading the charge. When they’re on form, they can overwhelm opponents quickly. Starting in Stage 1 (Challengers Stage) gives them a chance to build momentum against relatively weaker teams. Barring any slip-ups, Legacy’s combination of firepower and confidence should carry them through the opening matches without a loss. They look like the clearest 3-0 candidate, and it would be a surprise if they don’t breeze through the initial Swiss bracket.
B8: We’re also tagging the Ukrainian underdogs B8 as a potential 3-0 team. B8 can be a streaky, high-variance team, but their peaks are very impressive – and Stage 1 is exactly where a hot run can happen. In fact, B8 went a perfect 3-0 in the Challengers Stage of the last Major (Austin 2025), surprising everyone. They have shown they can punch above their weight: recently B8 earned upset wins over strong teams like Legacy (they’ve beaten Legacy twice in recent tournaments), 3DMAX, and Astralis. This proves they’re capable of taking down top contenders when things click. Admittedly, B8 is not the most consistent squad (they have also dropped matches to teams like GamerLegion and FaZe in the past month), so putting them in 3-0 is a bit of a bold call. However, because you only get credit for a correct 3-0 pick if the team doesn’t lose at all, it often makes sense to choose a “dark horse” here. B8 fits that bill perfectly – they have the talent and momentum to potentially blaze through three wins in a row. If B8 catches fire early in Budapest, don’t be shocked to see them topping the Stage 1 standings undefeated.
Teams Likely to Advance (Finish 3-1 or 3-2)
Beyond our 3-0 picks, we need six more teams who we believe will gather three wins (with one or two losses) and advance to the next phase. Here are the six we’ve chosen, with reasons for each:
FaZe Clan: FaZe remains a star-studded roster and should, on paper, make it through Stage 1. Their ceiling is as high as any team in the Major – when FaZe are firing on all cylinders, they can beat the world’s best. However, we’ve learned not to trust FaZe in the 3-0 slot because they have a history of stumbling in early matches. In fact, FaZe often starts slow at big tournaments, dropping surprising losses before recovering. Recent form shows some warning signs: they’ve had shaky results in the past months, including an unexpectedly poor finish at IEM Chengdu (13th-16th) and two defeats to FUT at the CS Asia Championships. The addition of jcobbb to the lineup hasn’t gelled perfectly yet, and the team’s coordination looks inconsistent. That said, FaZe still boasts veteran leadership (karrigan), explosive stars (Twistzz, broky, and frozen), and Major-winning experience. Even if they lose a best-of-one upset early on, it’s hard to imagine them failing to reach three wins overall. Expect FaZe to land somewhere in the 3-1 or 3-2 range – not flawless, but good enough to survive the stage.
GamerLegion: Despite a recently overhauled lineup, GamerLegion should be considered a top contender to advance. They showed their potential with a 4th place finish at PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, beating reputable teams like Heroic and fnatic during that run. This is impressive for a roster that’s relatively new – their young AWPer hypex joined in the fall and has only around 40 official maps with the team so far. The lack of long-term cohesion is a slight concern (GamerLegion isn’t a fully settled lineup yet), which is why we held off placing them in the 3-0 category. They’ve had moments of inconsistency, such as losses to SAW in Bucharest and even a surprise defeat against Lynn Vision at the CS Asia Championship. However, overall the talent on this roster should carry them through the Swiss format. REZ and ztr (formerly of NiP) bring valuable experience, and hypex has shown flashes of brilliance with the AWP. GamerLegion has enough firepower and tactical structure to secure three wins, even if they might drop a map along the way. Look for them to stabilize after any early wobbles – a 3-1 record is very achievable given the competition.
Fnatic: The legendary Fnatic organization is back at a Major, and we believe this new lineup can make it out of Stage 1. This Fnatic roster is an international mix (featuring players from Scandinavia and Eastern Europe) with one superstar at its core: blameF. The Danish fragging machine has become the focal point of this team – all eyes are on blameF to carry the load in Budapest. Fnatic made a surprising roster change right before the Major, benching CYPHER despite some decent results in previous events. The current five still appears competitive; since adding blameF, Fnatic’s performance has improved compared to earlier in the year. They’re not yet consistent against elite opposition (they tend to lose more than they win versus top-tier teams), but in the Stage 1 field, they match up well. We’ve seen them take maps off solid teams, and their opening matchup against RED Canids should give them a confident start. If blameF continues to post big numbers and the supporting cast (veterans like KRIMZ along with up-and-comers) play their roles, Fnatic should be able to notch the 3 wins needed. A 3-1 or 3-2 finish seems likely – not without challenges, but the storied org has enough quality and experience to push through to the next stage.
PARIVISION: PARIVISION (led by Major-winner Jame) enters the Major as something of a wildcard, but one that’s trending upwards. This Russian-majority squad has been grinding through Tier-2 and Tier-3 tournaments recently and quietly amassed an eight-match winning streak coming into Budapest. They seem to have found a good rhythm and playstyle, likely thanks to Jame’s methodical leadership and the team’s steady practice against lower-tier opponents. The big question mark is how PARIVISION will fare against stronger competition – their recent win streak hasn’t been truly tested by Tier-1 caliber teams yet. Still, in the Stage 1 environment, they might not need to face many elite squads to get three wins. Their first match is a favorable one against The Huns, which should give them an early victory. From there, PARIVISION’s disciplined, slow-paced play could frustrate other mid-tier teams. We’re betting that Jame’s Major experience (remember, he famously led Outsiders to a Major championship in 2022) will help calm the team’s nerves and secure advancement. Don’t expect flashy plays, but rather smart Counter-Strike – saving when needed, exploiting opponents’ mistakes – that results in a solid 3-1 or 3-2 record and a ticket to the next stage.
FlyQuest: Representing the Oceania region (with a mix of international talent), FlyQuest might surprise people and advance to Stage 2. This team actually has some well-known names: veteran rifler jks (a Major champion with FaZe at PGL Antwerp 2022) now dons the FlyQuest jersey, and Romanian AWPer regali has been putting up impressive numbers as the team’s star sniper. Despite coming from a smaller region, FlyQuest have proven they can hang with more established teams. In recent months they’ve notched wins against the likes of 3DMAX, Fnatic, and even Legacy. That suggests they won’t be outclassed in Stage 1 – on the contrary, they have the firepower to go toe-to-toe with anyone in this phase. Their opening matchup is against Legacy, which will be a tough test; however, even if FlyQuest lose the first game, they have the resilience to rebound in the following rounds. The combination of experienced leadership (players like AZR and jks bring years of Tier-1 experience) and explosive aim (Vexite and regali can carry maps) gives FlyQuest a balanced attack. We don’t see them going 3-0, but a 3-2 advancement is very attainable. Keep an eye on FlyQuest as a dark horse pick – they have the pieces to reach three wins and keep Oceania’s Major dreams alive.
Lynn Vision: Rounding out our advancing picks is Lynn Vision, the top team from China. They are our “joker” pick – not a sure thing, but a squad with upset potential that could very well slip into the next stage. Lynn Vision has historically been troublesome for Western teams in best-of-one scenarios. They play an unorthodox style and have enough skill to catch opponents off guard. In fact, GamerLegion learned this the hard way last month when Lynn Vision upset them 2-1 in a series at the CS Asia Championships. Generally, Lynn Vision struggle against the elite teams (we don’t expect them to beat a heavyweight like FaZe in a straight-up match), but against other Stage 1 teams of similar caliber, they can definitely rack up wins. We anticipate Lynn Vision finishing with a 3-2 record, just squeaking through. Their path likely involves beating fellow mid-tier/underdog teams while losing to a couple of the favorites – a formula that is perfectly fine for advancement. One thing going in their favor is the Major’s Swiss format draw: in the very first round they face FaZe, which will be tough, but that also means subsequent rounds will pair Lynn Vision with other 0-1 teams (potentially easier opposition). If they can capitalize on those opportunities and avoid elimination matches against the absolute top squads, the Chinese dark horse could be one of the surprise qualifiers out of Stage 1.
Omitted from Advancing: You might notice we did not include a few notable names – namely Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP), NRG, and M80 – in our picks to advance. Let’s address those omissions:
- Ninjas in Pyjamas: NiP is a legendary org returning to the Major circuit, but we have serious doubts about their chances to progress. This roster has been together for around four months (which is actually a rare bit of stability for NiP lately), yet the results haven’t been convincing. Their showing at PGL Masters Bucharest was disappointing – NiP failed to make a deep run, indicating they’re still not on the level of the top teams. They’ve had a long break from competition leading up to the Major, which they likely spent practicing, but practice may not be enough to fix their issues. The firepower on NiP just doesn’t seem to match up against the competition here, and their tactical synergy remains a question mark. Unless the Swedes (and international additions) have reinvented themselves in the past month, we fear NiP will end up with a negative record (perhaps 1-3 or 2-3). In short, we don’t think NiP will advance – fans of the Ninjas might be hopeful, but the safer play is to leave them off your pick list this time.
- NRG: The NRG roster dominated in North America recently, but performing on European soil is a different challenge. Their last excursion to Europe ended with three straight losses, suggesting they struggled against the higher level of competition. NRG certainly isn’t a bad team – they have some experienced names (nitr0, daps, etc.) and young talent – and we’re not putting them in the 0-3 category because they likely will snag a win or two. However, we’re not confident enough to predict them to reach 3-2. They feel like a classic 2-3 elimination candidate: good enough to beat the lower-tier squads, but not yet proven against international opposition to break into the top eight. Unless NRG shows a level beyond what we’ve seen in Europe so far, picking them to advance is quite risky. We recommend leaving them out for now and focusing on teams with more consistent form in this environment.
- M80: This mixed roster (featuring players from North America and Europe) sits somewhere in the middle of the pack – not strong enough to confidently back, but not weak enough to go 0-3. M80 has a few solid pieces and could certainly score an upset or two. We expect them to be competitive in most of their matches, but ultimately they may fall just short of advancement. A 2-3 finish for M80 would not be surprising. Since we could only choose six teams to advance, M80 was one of the tougher cuts from our list. If you have a hunch about M80, you could consider them, but in our view there are simply more battle-tested teams in this stage with a better shot to hit three wins.
0-3 Candidates (Teams Likely to Go Winless)
Finally, let’s discuss the teams we expect to struggle the most. For the 0-3 slots, you want to pick two teams that you believe will lose all their matches and be eliminated without a single victory. Our picks for this unfortunate distinction are RED Canids and The Huns, for reasons outlined below:
RED Canids: Out of all the teams in Budapest’s Stage 1, RED Canids looks like the prime candidate to go 0-3. This Brazilian lineup has been in a slump and appears out of form heading into the Major. A majority of their players only came together in the last few months (their team stability is low), and their recent results against Tier-2/Tier-3 opposition have been poor. Simply put, RED Canids have not shown the level of performance or cohesion you’d want to see before a Major. Their opening matchup pits them against Fnatic, a much more seasoned opponent – a match RED is heavily expected to lose. Once they fall to 0-1, it’s hard to envision RED Canids climbing back, as they would then face other teams in do-or-die games where we don’t favor them either. Unless they pull off a miracle upset, the Brazilians are likely to be on the first flight home (“de_airport”, as the meme goes) by the end of the Stage 1 Swiss. If you’re looking for the safest 0-3 pick, RED Canids is it.
The Huns: Hailing from Mongolia, The Huns are another team we project to go 0-3 in this stage. They’re considered the second-best team from their region, but international competition is a big step up for them. In a recent best-of-one against a solid European squad (3DMAX), The Huns were utterly crushed 13-1, highlighting the skill gap they face. Their firepower just doesn’t seem to match the rest of the field in Budapest. Additionally, the first-round draw did them no favors: The Huns have to play PARIVISION right away, and given PARIVISION’s form, that’s likely a loss for the Mongolians. Starting 0-1 will put them into matches against other desperate teams, but even in those scenarios The Huns will probably be underdogs. We simply haven’t seen evidence that this roster can contend with the caliber of teams present at the Major. Barring a surprising turnaround, The Huns are likely to bow out without a win.
Other at-risk teams: A few other squads are on the radar as potential 0-3 fodder – namely Rare Atom, Fluxo, and Imperial – but we opted against picking those. Rare Atom (a Chinese team) is certainly a contender to go winless; however, one advantage they have is the bracket: Rare Atom’s first match is against Imperial, meaning one of those two will get a win straight away. We suspect Rare Atom could at least win that initial matchup or perhaps scrape a win elsewhere (they’ve proven capable of beating fellow Asian teams like The Huns in the past). Fluxo is another Brazilian team that could struggle – they have very limited experience outside their region and might be overwhelmed in Europe. We considered Fluxo for 0-3, but given their lineup includes a couple of more established players (for example, arT from the Brazilian scene), they might manage to steal a map against a lower-tier opponent. Imperial, while not a strong team at this event, has veterans like chelo and VINI who have played on big stages before; that experience could be just enough to avoid a completely winless run (perhaps by beating a team like Rare Atom or Fluxo in a key match). In contrast, the reason we ultimately chose RED Canids and The Huns is that their paths to finding even a single win look the bleakest. They lack both form and favorable matchups, so we’re relatively confident betting on them to go 0-3.
Good luck with your Pick’ems, enjoy the matches starting on November 24, and let’s hope these predictions guide you to a shiny upgraded coin and some souvenir tokens!
Happy Pick’em planning, and see you on the other side of Stage 1 with hopefully a perfect Pick’em score.
