CS2 Esports News

M80, one of North America’s fastest-growing esports organizations, has announced the acquisition of Beastcoast. The move signals M80’s expansion into new titles, including DOTA 2 and Pokémon. Alongside continued efforts in Rainbow Six Siege, Valorant, and Counter-Strike 2. Integrating Beastcoast’s Legacy The acquisition brings Beastcoast’s esports teams, creators, and media assets under the M80 banner. Known mainly for its DOTA 2 and Rainbow Six Siege, Beastcoast’s roster has qualified for four consecutive iterations of The International. And even boasts amore

The Shanghai Major is here, and you know what that means—Souvenir cases! Sure, the odds aren’t great. Most of the time, you’ll end up with a low-tier skin that can’t even be traded up. But then there’s that tiny chance, that one-in-a-million shot, of pulling something incredible from the Mirage or Dust 2 collections. If you’re in the mood to have a little fun and celebrate the Major, here’s everything you need to know about grabbing Souvenirs from the Perfectmore

After a very exciting Shanghai Major Opening Stage that saw eight teams advance to the Elimination Phase, the tournament enters another critical Swiss round in the Elimination Stage, where qualified teams will now join eight others who were seeded directly into this phase. One key dynamic in these early games plays around the discussion of whether teams coming from the Opening Stage have a slight advantage or not. Having played at least three matches (two BO1's and one BO3), they’vemore

The Opening Stage of the Perfect World Shanghai Major delivered more surprises than anyone could have predicted. Rare Atom and FlyQuest, despite being eliminated, managed to secure a win each—enough to derail not just our Pick’Ems, but those of countless others. Perhaps it’s finally time to stop underestimating the potential of Asian teams on the big stage. Fortunately, our Opening Stage Pick'Em Guide disclaimer softened the blow. With the Diamond Coin feeling overrated (and honestly, not that great-looking), we’ll happilymore

Across its long history, Counter-Strike has seen some 211 odd maps grace its official servers. From the original Counter-Strike released back in 1999 to the latest entry to the series - Counter-Strike 2 - released in 2023. Maps are the defining battlefields upon which the players from all walks of life face off against their opponents, plant (and/or defuse) uncountable bombs, throw an incalculable nades, and shoot an unfathomable amount of bullets. So, when loading into each iteration of Counter-Strike,more

Fnatic’s competitive struggles continued at the Perfect World Shanghai Major as the storied organization exited the tournament with a dismal 0-3 record. Once a powerhouse in Counter-Strike, the Swedish organization failed to win a single match in the event. Thus continuing their disappointing streak in recent years. Fnatic’s campaign began with a narrow loss to Wildcard Gaming in their first Best-of-One match. Despite a valiant effort, the game slipped away at 11-13, setting the tone for their struggles. The followingmore

It’s that time of the year again – the PW Shanghai Major is here and so are the Pick’Ems. During this time, CS2 players turn into scavengers trying to hunt that shiny and bright Diamond Coin. Pick’Ems have always gathered the community together as they try to predict which teams will prevail and fail during the major to ultimately be honored with a diamond badge on their Steam profile and in-game rewards, showing their deep knowledge of the game's esportmore

Counter-Strike Majors are the ultimate stage for players to prove themselves, with thousands of fans cheering every frag, clutch, and hard-fought round. As the second Major of the year in Shanghai approaches, the excitement is building, making it the perfect time to spotlight the players who are ready to make waves at CS2’s most prestigious event. This year has been a breath of fresh air for Counter-Strike, with rising stars like Danil "donk" Kryshkovets stealing the spotlight. The Russian riflermore

The Perfect World Shanghai Major is right around the corner, marking another monumental event in the competitive CS2 calendar. As teams converge in China to fight for the ultimate glory, fans and analysts alike are speculating which rosters could steal the show. With a blend of experienced powerhouses and rising challengers, here are the top teams you should keep an eye on heading into the Major. MOUZ: Back in Form and Ready to Challenge MOUZ has had a turbulent year, swingingmore

Back in May of this year, Valve introduced a new feature to Counter-Strike 2, wherein players could ‘rent’ all the skins in a case for the price of a single case key. The rental period would last 7 days, however, players would have access to every skin in the case collection - minus the knife. Prior to today’s update, only the Kilowatt case could be rented, however, now Valve has opened the floodgates with the new update as of themore

The Perfect World Shanghai Major RMRs concluded over the weekend and now we have the 24 that will compete for the second and final major title of the year. Starting 30th November, these teams will play in a three-stage competition on LAN to crown the Perfect World Shanghai Major Champion. Let’s go through the tournament stages, format, schedule and how you can follow the tournament on Strafe. Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 Format: As usual, the Shanghai Major will followmore

The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) has published the findings of its investigation into Astralis’ emergency substitution request for Alexander “br0” Bro during the BLAST Premier Fall Final. Initially, on September 17, Astralis revealed Casper "cadiaN" Moller as their newest signing. However, the timing of the announcement meant cadiaN was ineligible for the BLAST Premier Fall Final, with the roster submission deadline having closed on September 4. Astralis sought an emergency substitution, citing a medical issue that prevented "br0" from competingmore

"I have given everything that I have over the last year to get to where I am." In a region full of heavy hitters, an underdog rose to prominence with a statement qualification to the Perfect World Shanghai Major. Despite the odds stacked against them, Wildcard under Peter "stanislaw" Jarguz’s leadership toppled the giants of the Americas marking his return to the big stage after three years, and giving his teammates their first Major appearance. In light of their successmore

Valve has revealed the final Regional Rankings (VRS) ahead of the Shanghai Major. This update determines the eight teams that will advance directly to the Elimination Stage, as well as the match-ups for the Opening Stage’s first round. Seeding for the event is determined by performances from the previous Major, with regions receiving specific allocations based on their success in Copenhagen. As a result, Europe’s top eight teams will proceed directly to the next stage, while teams like The MongolZ,more

DreamHack Winter 2013 marked the beginning of an era in Counter-Strike, establishing the Majors as the pinnacle of the game’s competitive scene. As the first Valve-sponsored Major, it set the stage for a decade of unforgettable moments: underdog triumphs, fierce rivalries, and the dominance of legendary teams and players. Over the years, these Majors have become the ultimate proving ground, where the best teams from across the globe battle it out in packed arenas filled with deafening cheers. At amore

Ever found yourself frustrated in Counter-Strike, wondering how your perfectly aligned crosshair still misses its target? The answer is usually simple—you're moving while shooting. It's a common mistake among newer players, but it’s one that can cost you crucial aim duels. When you move and shoot at the same time, your accuracy plummets. Your bullets don’t follow your crosshair; instead, they scatter unpredictably. Since Counter-Strike is all about precision and mechanics, standing still at least for that split second you’remore

In esports, triumphs are often celebrated, but few resonate as powerfully as the remarkable achievement of Passion UA, a young Ukrainian team making waves in the Counter-Strike community. In addition to demonstrating their talent and strategy, their qualifying for the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 highlights a story of tenacity and resolve that has come to characterize the Ukrainian esports industry. Their triumph embodied the spirit of underdogs defying expectations as they unexpectedly defeated the mighty Astralis, a squad withmore

Following his elimination from the Perfect World Shanghai Major RMR, Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyljev shared on his Telegram channel important information regarding a bug that let players see through smokes. CS2 News initially broke down and translated the update as requested by the Ukrainian AWPer on X, with him urging the Counter-Strike community to pay attention to his posts. S1mple Reveals Smoke Bug Exploit "So, I woke up today and decided to share something. First off, I don’t know why Valvemore

Maintaining fairness in tournament regulations is crucial in the competitive landscape of CS2. Recently, a significant rule change for the Perfect World Shanghai Major has sparked controversy. Initially, qualification for the elimination stage was based on Regional Major Rankings (RMR), but Perfect World's decision to favor direct allocations from Valve Regional Standings (VRS) mid-tournament has raised concerns about integrity. This unexpected shift particularly impacts underdog teams, altering the competitive dynamics as they vie for their chance in this prestigious event.more

The Esports Awards decorate teams, players, personalities and events all across the world of esports. Now, the glitz and glamour of competitive gaming took center stage on November 21st, all things esports gathered in Los Angeles for the Esports Awards 2024. Meant to honor all of the achievements that have shaped the scene over the past year, the event saw several worthy winners lift their awards in a night they'll remember for years to come. And yet, not all thatmore