CS2: Valve Announces the First BO5 Major Grand Final in Budapest
On the eve of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, the event is shaping up to be more than just the fourth Major of the Counter-Strike 2 era. Valve revealed that this tournament will feature the first-ever BO5 grand final in Major history, marking a long-anticipated evolution in the competitive format.
Traditionally, Valve and its tournament partners have reserved BO3 matches for Major finals. However, broader Counter-Strike circuits have already proven that BO5 finals maintain strong viewer engagement.
Audience Trends and Viewership Insights
- IEM Cologne 2024, though not a Major, showcased a BO5 final that reached a peak of 1,051,810 concurrent viewers, surpassing the one-million mark.
- IEM Katowice 2025 followed this trend, achieving 1.29 million peak viewers during the Team Vitality vs. Team Spirit BO5 final.
- For comparison, the last CS:GO Major in Paris 2023 peaked at 1.53 million, while the first CS2 Major in Copenhagen drew 1.85 million viewers.
These numbers collectively demonstrate that longer final formats do not deter the audience. In fact, BO5 matches can attract larger viewership when the stakes and the quality of competitors are high.
“It becomes evident that longer series do not deter viewers, quite the opposite, provided the match carries high stakes and features elite teams.”
The shift also aligns smoothly with CS2’s current transition to the MR12 format, ensuring that the competitive structure remains both modern and viewer-friendly.
Author’s Summary
Valve’s Budapest Major 2025 marks a major shift toward BO5 finals, reflecting the growing audience appetite for longer, high-stakes Counter-Strike series.