The opening stage of the StarLadder Budapest Main delivered chaos, upsets, and storylines that may echo by way of the offseason. From roster crises to format debates, right here’s every part we realized from StarLadder Budapest Main Stage 1.
FaZe is losing Twistzz and Frozen on an unsustainable roster
The writing has been on the wall for months, however Budapest made it plain. This FaZe roster is damaged. Watching it scrape previous RED Canids and Lynn Imaginative and prescient felt much less like a workforce discovering kind and extra like watching the clock run out on an expired undertaking.
The core challenge isn’t expertise—it’s chemistry. David “frozen” Čerňanský and Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken are enjoying at ranges that ought to carry a top-five workforce, however as an alternative they’re dragging a dysfunctional unit by way of 2-2 determine matches in opposition to groups they need to be dismantling. The 2022 roster was sensible, however ever since FaZe let Twistzz go away on the finish of 2023, the workforce has struggled to stability roles. And it has solely gotten worse within the absence of Robin “ropz” Kool and Håvard “rain” Nygaard.
Associated—FaZe in Main bother: Elimination looms after 1-2 begin
Now Twistzz has returned, however to what? A roster the place Finn “karrigan” Andersen’s calls really feel stale, and roles don’t mesh? And the place two elite gamers are being wasted on a sinking ship. Frozen deserves higher. Twistzz deserves higher. And until FaZe makes main adjustments this offseason, we’ll watch it repeat this cycle in 2026.
The exercise on GG.BET reveals a stark divide between popularity and actuality. Regardless of FaZe Clan wanting disjointed and “damaged” on the server, they continue to be the undisputed favorites of the group, commanding a large 71% of person assist. Fnatic rides the same wave of legacy belief at 70%, overshadowing the cautiously backed mid-pack of PARIVISION (60%), B8 (59%), and NiP (58%). However probably the most telling statistic is the dearth of perception within the event’s precise performers. Even with M80 and Imperial sitting at 54%, FlyQuest garnered the bottom confidence of all at simply 46%. Regardless of their flawless 3-0 run, the general public is betting on historical past repeating itself — anticipating the Australian facet to crumble reasonably than trusting the wins proper in entrance of them.
Insights Courtesy of GG.BET
No best-of-ones will make IEM Cologne 2026 the very best Main
If ESL’s pitch to Valve is accepted, the IEM Cologne Main 2026 would be the first to remove best-of-one matches fully in favor of best-of-three all through all Swiss phases. This could be revolutionary.
Stage 1 in Budapest was an ideal reminder of why best-of-ones are problematic. FaZe and Legacy have been the favored picks for 3-0 outcomes, and each discovered themselves on the point of elimination. FlyQuest bought by way of whereas dealing with only one Stage 2 certified workforce (Imperial). And GamerLegion was caught out chilly on Day 1, all the way down to only one life earlier than it even bought to play a full sequence.
Are these upsets entertaining? Positive. However they paint a really deceptive image, rewarding groups with shallower map swimming pools and all-or-nothing playstyles. One unhealthy spherical, one unhealthy CT-side learn, one missed shot, and your Main is over. The head of Counter-Strike ought to attempt for higher.
A full best-of-three format might require a couple of further days (maybe by overlapping media and enjoying days for separate phases), however the tradeoff is value it. We’d get extra Counter-Strike, higher Counter-Strike, and outcomes that really feel earned reasonably than fortunate. Cologne is already the Cathedral of Counter-Strike. Making it the fairest Main would cement its legendary standing.
Technical points marred day one
StarLadder’s first day was a catastrophe. Prolonged delays plagued matches from begin to end, with video games stretching into the early hours of Nov. 25. Audio points disrupted streams. The viewing expertise—for each dwell attendees and on-line viewers—was compromised for a number of hours.
In comparison with Austin’s close to flawless execution, and the top quality of broadcast we’re anticipating from ESL at its house occasion in Cologne, StarLadder is lacking the mark. Particularly on its first massive LAN for the reason that Berlin Main 2019 (an occasion which notoriously additionally had vital issues within the early rounds).
Associated—StarLadder’s observers criticized for lacking performs throughout Berlin CS:GO Main
NRG remains to be potent with out nitr0
When Nicholas “nitr0” Cannella introduced he’d miss the Main for private causes, most anticipated NRG to crumble. It was bringing its coach, Damian “daps” Steele—a participant who’d been retired for years and whose final aggressive map in 2025 ended with a 0.55 ranking—right into a Stage 1 bracket that includes FaZe, fnatic, and GamerLegion.
As a substitute, NRG shocked everybody. It defeated Ninjas in Pyjamas in its opener, then shocked FaZe in a best-of-one that actually hammered house the worldwide squad’s woes. Daps slotted in completely as an in-game chief, and he even discovered some success individually.
Sure, NRG ultimately misplaced to M80 in dominant trend and fell to Imperial within the 2-2 match. However the truth it even went 2-2 with a stand-in IGL is outstanding. First, it proved that the system nitr0 has constructed alongside daps is robust sufficient to outlive his absence. And second, that NRG’s core gamers—Aran “Sonic” Groesbeek, Alexander “br0” Bro, Zechrie “XotiC” Elshani, Jeorge “Jeorge” Endicott—are genuinely expert gamers who can cling on the European stage.
NRG didn’t make Stage 2, but it surely made an announcement. North American Counter-Strike is deeper than individuals suppose.
FlyQuest is overperforming at a Main once more
Right here we go once more. FlyQuest, the perennial nearly-team, stormed out to a 2-0 begin by defeating Legacy and Imperial. Then it demolished Fluxo 13-1, 13-3 in its development match to qualify 3-0 for Stage 2.
It’s the precise sample that we’ve seen with this core time and again. Again on the IEM Rio Main in 2022, Grayhound Gaming (the precursor to this roster) made daring tweets after getting a singular best-of-one win over a related workforce in additional time. At Austin 2025, it began off sizzling with two wins, earlier than failing to qualify out of Stage 1.
The Australian facet has fairly the behavior of thriving within the chaos of early rounds earlier than wilting underneath strain in later phases. Credit score the place it’s due: function adjustments underneath new coach Aaron “AZR” Ward have unlocked Declan “Vexite” Portelli, who’s averaging elite numbers. The workforce appears extra disciplined. It’s enjoying with confidence. However we’ve seen this film earlier than, and it at all times ends the identical method—FlyQuest choking when it issues most.
Stage 2 would be the actual check, however till it proves in any other case FlyQuest stays the workforce that disappears when the strain builds.
PARIVISION’s children want extra expertise
PARIVISION, that includes a number of Main debutants, was one of many extra fascinating squads at this main. Dzhami “Jame” Ali, alongside Dastan “dastan” Aqbaev, is as soon as once more attempting to convey comparatively unknown children to the large stage. And as you’d count on from the grasp of nice margins, the workforce made it by way of to Stage 2 by a whisker.
Trying past the success although, the riflers’ lack of expertise is clear. Jame can solely accomplish that a lot. The younger gamers round him—Andrey “BELCHONOKK” Yasinskiy, Andrey “AW” Anisimov, Vladislav “xiELO” Lysov, Emil “nota” Moskvitin—have expertise, however they’re nonetheless studying find out how to execute underneath the strain. There have been a bunch of questionable moments, missed photographs, unhealthy utility, and extra throughout their matches, particularly within the recreation in opposition to Legacy.
“I didn’t consider that we might come again on Dust2, I simply lowered my expectations, however the guys managed to come back again.”
PARIVISION’s coach Dastan “dastan” Aqbaev
The excellent news? That is fixable. PARIVISION’s children already bought invaluable expertise from Stage 1, and the deeper Jame can take them, the stronger they’ll be for the long run. With extra reps, higher teaching, and time to develop, this core may grow to be one thing particular.
Stage 1 of the Budapest Main delivered every part we anticipated: chaos, upsets, and the emergence of latest narratives heading into Stage 2. Can karrigan rally the FaZe troops? Will FlyQuest lastly show the doubters incorrect? And most significantly—who will emerge because the darkish horse able to taking the battle to the highest canine of Stage 3.
The solutions await within the rounds forward.
