The BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, the first Counter-Strike 2 Major in North America, brought high expectations for Complexity, a leading North American team. After strong showings at tournaments like PGL Bucharest 2025, fans hoped Complexity would shine. However, their Stage 1 performance ended in a dismal 1-3 record, marking a shocking early exit. This article breaks down their results, the impact of missing their star player, and the broader struggles of North American teams.

Complexity’s results at Stage 1

Complexity’s run in Stage 1 was a big disappointment. They finished with a 1-3 record and placed 12th-14th overall. On Day 1, they lost to OG but beat Fluxo – the weakest team at the event. Things only got worse after that. They lost to NRG and then to TYLOO in a 2-0 series that ended their run. Their only win came against a team that finished last, which shows how much they struggled against better opponents. Many fans expected Complexity to go 3-0, but their performance didn’t come close to matching those hopes.

Hallzerk’s absence: A critical blow

Not having their main AWPer, Håkon "hallzerk" Fjærli, really hurt Complexity. Because of visa problems, announced on May 7, 2025, he couldn’t travel to the U.S. They had to use Paytyn "junior" Johnson instead. Hallzerk’s absence was obvious, especially on maps like Train, Anubis, and Dust2 – where he’s usually one of the best. He’s known for clutch plays, early kills, and top-level AWP shots. In the 8-13 loss to TYLOO on Train, which is one of hallzerk’s strongest maps, junior played decently with a 16-15 score. But he just couldn’t make the big impact plays that hallzerk usually brings.

In the last 6 months hazzerk posted a rating of 6.4 at the top events being the fourth best sniper on the scene after Mathieu "ZywOo" Herbaut, Ilya "m0NESY" Osipov, and Dmitriy "sh1ro" Sokolov. At Austin Junior performed admirably, earning a 5.9 rating, just behind teammate Michael "Grim" Wince’s 6.2. However, the junior's solid play couldn’t match hallzerk’s ability to dominate key moments. 

Without hallzerk, Complexity struggled to find the firepower needed to compete, especially on maps where his AWPing could have turned the tide. Also the Norwegian was playing much more aggressive – 0.122 first kills per round, while junior was only able to reach 0.048. The aggression laid on Ioannis "JT" Theodosiou, who though could drop just a 5.5 rating.

North America in Trouble Again

Complexity’s failure reflects a broader crisis in North American Counter-Strike. As Nicholas "nitr0" Cannella stated in the BLAST.tv interview before the Major, “In NA, it’s probably the worst it’s ever been.” Alongside Complexity, other NA teams like NRG and Wildcard also faced challenges. Both will be fighting for the second stage today at the 2-2 bracket and it’s still unclear if they make it further. Meanwhile, M80, an NA team awaiting Stage 2, is considered a likely candidate for last place due to the fierce competition. The region’s struggles, compounded by visa issues and inconsistent rosters, paint a grim picture for NA’s future in CS2.

Conclusion

Complexity’s 1-3 exit from BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 Stage 1 was a bitter disappointment, driven largely by the absence of hallzerk, whose visa issues left a void no stand-in could fill. Despite junior’s solid efforts and Grim’s standout performance, the team lacked the spark needed to compete. This reflects a larger issue for North American CS2, where teams are fighting an uphill battle.