CS2: Valve Announces First BO5 Major Grand Final in Budapest
Sheep Esports brings expert insights and breaking news from the League of Legends Esports scene. On the eve of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, it is clear this event marks more than just the fourth Major of the Counter-Strike 2 era.
Valve revealed on Tuesday that the grand final will be the first Counter-Strike Major played as a best-of-five (BO5) series. This change has been eagerly awaited by the community, as past Majors have consistently concluded with best-of-three (BO3) matches for the title.
Viewership Trends Support the BO5 Shift
Recent events demonstrate that BO5 finals successfully maintain high audience engagement. For example:
- The IEM Cologne 2024 final, not a Major but featuring a BO5, peaked at 1,051,810 concurrent viewers.
- The IEM Katowice 2025 final, another BO5 at a standard ESL event, reached 1.29 million viewers during the Team Vitality vs. Team Spirit match.
When these numbers are compared to Majors, the trend becomes clear:
- Paris 2023 CS:GO Major peaked at 1.53 million viewers.
- The first CS2 Major in Copenhagen reached 1.85 million viewers.
This data indicates that longer series do not discourage viewers; instead, they appear to attract more, especially when elite teams compete in high-stakes matches.
Context of the Budapest 2025 Upgrade
The timing of the BO5 final at Budapest aligns well with Counter-Strike 2’s switch to an MR12 format, making the extended series more fitting for the current competitive structure.
Valve announced on Tuesday that it will also be the first Counter-Strike Major whose grand final will be a BO5, a shift that the scene has been anticipating for years.
Author's summary: Valve's introduction of a best-of-five final at the Budapest 2025 Major reflects evolving viewership trends and game format changes, promising more engaging and intense finales in Counter-Strike 2 esports.