The Good, Bad, and Ugly: Shanghai Major Playoffs

As a gamer with years of Counter-Strike under my belt, I can confidently say that the Shanghai Major was a rollercoaster of emotions, filled with nail-biting matches and unforgettable moments. The grand final between Team Spirit and G2 was a testament to skill and teamwork, with Donk breaking records left and right, while M0NESY kept up as best he could.

The Shanghai Major was generally well-received from all angles, however, it’s important to note that there were a few minor oversights as well.

The Shanghai Major concluded, marking the end of an exhilarating Counter-Strike 2 season with a powerful finish. The skill level displayed by the competing teams reached its zenith, and spectators were treated to several unforgettable moments in esports history.

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

Without a doubt, Team Spirit, under the leadership of 17-year-old sensation Donk, has ascended to the pinnacle of competitive CS:GO by clinching the championship against FaZe Clan. As we watched, this talented rifler met and exceeded all our expectations, and still managed to surprise us with an extraordinary grand final display that will go down in history.

In an astounding display that left spectators in awe, Donk’s 30-kill, 1.98-rated performance in the Dust 2 thriller was nothing short of extraordinary. Eight times throughout the round, he managed to secure multiple kills, outshining any other rifler we’ve witnessed on this map. His impact was so significant that on one occasion, FaZe abandoned a free B bombsite thinking he was present — only to stumble upon a magixx flank in mid instead.

In Shanghai, Donk’s performance was unavoidable, outshining even the highly acclaimed rookies like s1mple and ZywOo with his impressive 1.49 rating. Under the immense pressure, he remained undaunted, and on the grandest stage, he clinched Spirit their first-ever CS major championship 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!

It’s impossible to overlook the extraordinary journey of FaZe Clan into the playoffs. With many doubting their chances following mediocre performance and a tough schedule against top-tier teams, they have managed to pull off something truly remarkable.

However, they discovered a solution; they managed to defeat MOUZ and FURIA to qualify for playoffs, followed by victories over Vitality and G2 that led them to Championship Sunday. Karrigan’s skill in bringing out the best from his seasoned players leaves the Counter-Strike community in awe, even when faced with unfavorable circumstances.

In a similar vein, some liken their own comeback to the legendary “NiP Magic” performances of old, when players like f0rest and GeT_RiGhT seemed to perform incredible feats that defied expectations, even pulling off miracles in Counter-Strike. After finding themselves 5-12 behind Spirit in the third map of the final, it’s understandable if you thought the game was lost.

Count on Team FaZe led by Karrigan to transform an ordinary event into something extraordinary. Here’s wishing for another display of their unique teamwork and magic in the year 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.

Amidst a lively audience, impressive gameplay in competitive esports (CS), and intricately woven narratives unfolding throughout the tournament, the Shanghai Major has proven to be a monumental achievement and an unforgettable debut of Valve’s CS major series in Asia.

Notably, the crowd from Shanghai has been outstanding, consistently filling up the Oriental Sports Center, even for weekday matches during the Elimination Stage and playoffs. The Asian Counter-Strike scene, which once faced an uncertain future, now appears to be shining brightly with renewed promise!

The Bad: Grand final preview a lost opportunity

To put it simply, there were some hiccups during the broadcast that didn’t meet expectations. PGL’s decision to run the broadcast remotely seemed less than ideal for the online competition. The event was marred by several audio problems and observer mistakes, with issues even arising in the opening map of the grand final.

Ultimately, what disappointed most was the pre-show for the grand finale. Regardless of its cultural importance, the Shanghai Senior Jazz Band struggled with timing and tuning issues. Furthermore, audio problems during the broadcast made it difficult for viewers to fully appreciate the group’s performance, and frequent cuts away from the audience diminished the overall experience.

Subsequently, one by one, the players made their exits. Each player was individually presented prior to the stage hosts, Dove and Banks, who posed queries regarding the forthcoming game. However, they could only elicit a simple “yes” response from both teams.

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

Attention shifted towards the top three teams going into the playoffs. M0NESY gave his best effort, but was unable to surmount the synergy displayed by FaZe Clan (alongside the unexpected comeback of ropz). As for Donk, he consistently broke records.

But where was ZywOo?

For the last two days of the event, the star from France focused on arranging their journey back home after an unexpected defeat at the hands of FaZe. ZywOo, who had been playing exceptionally well throughout the playoffs and performing at his best, ended up being the second-best 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.

Looking back on 2024, it wasn’t our most shining moment, particularly considering Vitality’s strong run leading up to the final eight. Regrettably, ZywOo and his teammates ended the year with just one trophy from Cologne. We faced defeats in two grand finals, first against G2 (with Stewie2K as a stand-in) and then against MOUZ in a 0-3 sweep at Pro League.

As prominent figures might be joining their teams ahead of the 2025 season, is it possible that personnel changes are on the horizon? It’s entirely plausible that the French squad could participate in the off-season roster shuffle. We’ll have to wait and see as teams prepare for the holiday break before returning in January for another action-packed season.

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2024-12-16 19:12