StarLadder Berlin CSGO Major Legends stage set as Challengers concludes
The first stage of the StarLadder Berlin CS:GO Major has concluded, with eight teams advancing through the Challengers stage to the Legends stage.
The Challengers stage sees the teams who qualified through the Minor system face off against the teams that failed to secure Legend status after competing in the Legends stage of the previous Major.
What once was a separate Major Qualifier event now acts as the opening of the Major itself, narrowing the sixteen teams down to eight that will advance to face the eight Legends waiting in the next stage. The Challengers stage featured a Swiss system, with teams needing to win three matches to go through, or lose three to be eliminated.
While many of the world’s best teams have yet to make their debut at the Berlin Major, the nature of the circuit does mean that some top squads have had to fight for their place in the Legends phase – and not all of them have made it through.
While Mousesports and North claimed the top spots with 3-0 records, followed by the likes of G2 Esports and NRG who also made it through without too much drama, Brazil’s FURIA – who made a name for themselves with some big results earlier in the year – were eliminated with only a single win to their name.
Vitality, who enter the tournament ranked second in the world behind Team Liquid, suffered some surprising upsets early on, resulting in their having to claw their way back to go through with a 3-2 record. Though it certainly wasn’t the start the team will have been hoping for, surviving to the Legends stage will at least give them the chance to reset.
The eight qualifiers will now move onto the Legends stage, where they will join the Legends of the previous Major, IEM Katowice. The Legends stage will once again feature a Swiss system, with three match wins required to qualify for the playoffs.
Legends stage qualifiers
The following teams have qualified to the Legends stage through the Challengers stage.
- North
- Mousesports
- G2 Esports
- NRG Esports
- CR4ZY
- Avangar
- DreamEaters
- Vitality
Existing Legends teams
These are the teams that finished in the top eight at the IEM Katowice Major, and will enter the Berlin Major in the Legends stage.
- Astralis
- Team Liquid
- ENCE
- Natus Vincere
- FaZe Clan
- MIBR
- Renegades
- Ninjas in Pyjamas
Eliminated from Challenger Stage:
- INTZ Esports
- TYLOO
- Complexity
- HellRaisers
- FURIA
- Syman Gaming
- ForZe
- Grayhound Gaming