FISSURE Playground #2 teams, format, schedule, prizes, predictions

The FISSURE Playground #2 will take place in Belgrade from September 12 to 21, 2025. The prize pool is $1,250,000.

The format is the same as the first edition:

Swiss Stage (September 12–17): 16 teams, all matches Bo3, top 8 qualify for playoffs.
Playoffs (September 19–21): Single elimination, Bo3 until the Grand Final, which is Bo5.

Some of the biggest names – Spirit, NAVI, Vitality, MOUZ – are not playing this time. Still, the lineup is very strong. Teams like The MongolZ, FaZe, Falcons, FURIA, G2, Liquid, Astralis and more will compete.

This event is also very important because it gives Valve ranking points. Many teams see it as one of the best chances to qualify for the Budapest Major 2025. Compared to StarLadder StarSeries 19, which runs at the same time but has fewer strong lineups, FISSURE Playground clearly looks like the higher-quality tournament.

Here are the five key storylines to follow in Belgrade.

Falcons Return After a Break

Falcons are back on stage after skipping two tournaments in a row. Their last event was the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, where they finished third after beating Vitality. Before that, their run at IEM Cologne was very disappointing, and they also skipped BLAST Bounty and BLAST Open Fall 2025.

Now it’s their first tournament in almost two months. The team still has work to do. Ilya "m0NESY" Osipov and Nikola "NiKo" Kovač looked strong in Riyadh, but there are still questions about René "TeSeS" Madsen. Against top contenders like FURIA, G2, The MongolZ, Falcons will need to prove if they can finally win a title or at least reach the Grand Final.

Liquid Fighting for Their Major Spot

For Liquid, this is a do-or-die event. Right now, they are only 21st in the Valve ranking, which is not enough to qualify for the Major. If they fail in Belgrade, their chances to qualify will be almost gone, since their only other planned event is the small Birch Cup 2025 in Poland.

This roster had huge investment and star players, but the results so far have been very poor. Without a strong finish here, Liquid’s entire season could be considered a failure.

G2 Looking for Consistency

G2 have been improving step by step in their new lineup. At IEM Cologne, they came close to playoffs. At BLAST Bounty, they lost to Spirit in a tough match. At the Esports World Cup, they went out in the first round, but against a strong Falcons team.

Most recently, G2 won BLAST Open Fall, which was a fantastic result. Now they must prove that London was not just a one-time success. With top teams like MOUZ, Vitality, and Spirit missing, G2 have a big opportunity to go deep again, test their map pool, and continue their rise.

Astralis with Magisk’s Return

One of the biggest stories is the return of Emil "Magisk" Reif to Astralis. He left the team in 2021, played for Vitality and Falcons, and now, four years later, he is back. This will be his first tournament with the new Astralis lineup.

Expectations are mixed. Astralis are in a comfortable spot for Major qualification, so they don’t have much pressure. But fans will want to see how Magisk fits into the roster, whether they can find stability, or if this will just be another failed experiment.

Legacy Need to Step Up

Legacy had a great run at the last Major, where they surprised many by advancing all the way from the first stage. After that, fans expected them to become a solid tier-one team. But so far, they have not lived up to the hype.

At BLAST Bounty, they beat Fnatic but lost to Vitality and failed to reach playoffs.
At BLAST Open, they lost to FURIA (1-2) and FlyQuest (1-2). Another disappointing run.

Their first opponent is HEROIC, who are also rebuilding. With the return of Yasin "xfl0ud" Koç and the addition of Älımjan "Alkaren" Bıtımbai, this is their first tournament with the updated roster. That makes it a good chance for Legacy to finally show progress. But if they fail again, the concerns about their level will only grow.

Opening Matches to Watch

The MongolZ vs 3DMAX
Falcons vs Virtus.pro
Aurora vs Astralis
FaZe vs paiN
FURIA vs Liquid
G2 vs Lynn Vision
GamerLegion vs TYLOO
HEROIC vs Legacy

FISSURE Playground #2 brings together strong teams, high stakes, and several big storylines. For some, like Falcons and G2, it’s about proving consistency. For others, like Liquid and Legacy, it’s about survival and showing they still belong at the top.

From September 12–21 in Belgrade, the tournament will offer plenty of drama and could decide the future of several rosters ahead of the Budapest Major 2025.