Valve has announced significant changes that will affect the entire competitive ecosystem of Counter-Strike 2 this season, particularly the path to StarLadder Budapest Major 2025. Regional qualifiers (MRQs) for Fall 2025 will be officially canceled, meaning that 32 teams will receive direct invitations to the Major based on VRS (Valve Regional Standings). The invitation date remains unchanged: October 8, 2025.

Valve provided a brief explanation of the changes:

One of the goals of the VRS is to standardize community events so that they can be integrated with the Majors. At this point we believe that a separate qualification process for the Major is both unnecessary and disruptive. Therefore, we’ve made the decision to cancel the Fall 2025 MRQs. Instead, the 32 teams participating in the Budapest Major will be invited directly from the VRS.

VALVE

This conflict posed a difficult challenge for the organizers, as holding these events simultaneously could negatively affect the participation of teams planning to compete in all of these tournaments, each of which has its own significance and audience, posing a real threat to the stability of the schedule. It was planned that the regional qualifiers (MRQs) for the Budapest Major 2025 would take place online in Europe, Asia, and America from October 16 to 19, but these dates coincided with three major LAN tournaments: Thunderpick World Championship, MESA Nomadic Masters Fall, and CS Asia Championships. 

This change is aimed at standardizing community events so that they can be integrated with the Major, which, according to Valve, will make official ranking tournaments even more important. The cancellation of MRQs means that teams aiming to qualify for the Budapest Major must focus on performing well in ranked tournaments to improve their VRS standings. This will also make the tournament schedule more consistent by eliminating an additional qualification stage.

Impact on the CS2 Ecosystem

The elimination of MRQs will have a significant impact on the strategy of teams and organizations. Now, success in ranked tournaments such as ESL Pro Tour, BLAST Premier, and others will be critical for qualifying for the Major. This increases the importance of consistent performance throughout the season, as teams will no longer be able to rely on regional qualifiers as a last chance. For smaller teams or those lower in the rankings, this could be a challenge, as direct invitations will be based solely on VRS, where competition is particularly fierce.

The Importance of VRS

VRS (Valve Regional Standings) is now a central element in determining Major participants. This system takes into account the results of teams in all official tournaments, providing an objective assessment of their form. Teams that consistently perform well will have an advantage, while those that struggle may lose their chances of being invited. This also means that smaller regions, such as South America or Asia, will have to fight for spots in the top 32, which may affect their representation at the Major.

The future of the Budapest Major

The StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, which will take place later this year, will now be a test for the new rules. This Major is expected to bring together the world's top teams, as direct invitations will be based on VRS. This also raises the stakes for the current season, as each tournament will have a greater impact on the final distribution of places. Fans are eagerly awaiting the announcement of details about the prize pool, format, and location of the Major, which have not yet been fully disclosed.