Best CS2 Pick’Ems For StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 – Updated For Playoffs!

It’s finally here – the next CS2 Major is quickly approaching, which means Valve has released the in-game Pick’Ems for the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025. That can only mean one thing – it’s time to choose the best CS2 Pick’Ems as we go for the Diamond coin all over again.

Will Vitality go back-to-back in Major wins? Be sure to follow along, as I’ll be doing my CS2 Pick’Ems for all Stages of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 right here, and keeping it updated along the way.

StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 Playoffs Picks

Stage 3 was another successful endeavor in our StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 Pick’Ems, leaving us just that one point in Stage 2 away from perfection so far. Sad. Still, we’re now in the hunt for gold, and we need just one point to get that upgrade. To do this, we’re playing favorites in the Budapest Major Playoffs.

Our Pick’Ems here really bank on Spirit beating Falcons, which isn’t guaranteed by any stretch of the imagination. It’s perhaps the toughest to call of all the Quarter-Final matches, and we’re playing it safe in the others by going with Vitality, FURIA, and MOUZ.

For the Semi-Finals, I’m taking Spirit to beat Vitality. Again, it’s too close to call, but I expect the donk factor to continue to be essential, as it already has been throughout the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025. He seems locked in for Spirit to peak at just the right time. Elsewhere, I think FURIA are a vastly superior Counter-Strike team to MOUZ at the moment, so that’s a straightforward pick.

In the Final, this is a matchup that in current form, FURIA should win quite handily, especially in best-of-five. But I’m going to be bold and say the team relying on individual performance will prevail over the better team unit in this instance, giving donk his second Major in as many years.

StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 Stage 3 Picks (CONCLUDED)

We needed one of M80 or Ninjas in Pyjamas to win on the final day of Stage 2, but our Diamond Pick’Ems are officially dead for the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025. It was close, but we’re still coming for the remaining stages to see if we can claw it back.

Check out my CS2 Pick’Ems for Stage 3 of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025:

FURIA and Falcons are my two 3:0 teams. Surprising? Perhaps, but I think Vitality do have at least one loss in them on the way to Playoffs this time around. The other two, I don’t see as falling in the best-of-ones, although I am admittedly worried about a FURIA vs. NAVI opener.

For 0:3, I’ve gone with PARIVISION and Imperial. Imperial is based on quality, while PARIVISION (who I think are better than Passion UA) is based on expected matchups – we’ll get to my predicted bracket in a moment.

In the 3:1 and 3:2 brackets, I’ve gone with the best of the rest – Vitality, MOUZ, Spirit, G2, NAVI, and Liquid. Although Liquid had a tough end to Stage 2, there’s a version of this bracket where they get favorable matchups right to the end. The MongolZ miss out, given they no longer have Senzu, and I’m not a FaZe believer. Sorry. So you can check out my working out for these CS2 Pick’Ems, I’ve put together a predicted bracket on the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 Simulator. This should help contextualize my CS2 Pick’Ems for Stage 3.

StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 Stage 2 Picks (CONCLUDED)

So we escape Stage 1 with six correct picks, meaning we’re right on track for Diamond. I hope you’re following. But coming to Stage 2, we get what I think is the hardest stage to call out of them all. The level of teams is just so even across the board here – I’d have trouble calling this even if every match was a best-of-three.

Here are the teams I’ve gone for in my CS2 Pick’Ems for Stage 2 of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025:

In 3:0, 3DMAX and NAVI make sense. 3DMAX are arguably the only team in Stage 2 with any sort of consistency, and the opening matchup vs. Fnatic is one they have to fancy themselves in. I find it hard to trust NAVI at all, but if they can survive the coin-flip best-of-ones, I think they’ll beat just about anyone in Stage 2 once we reach the best-of-threes.

Down in 0:3, MIBR and TYLOO are my picks. Picking a South American and Asian team as a 0:3 CS2 Pick’Ems option is usually silly, but these two have been in diabolical form. In their last 10 series, TYLOO’s only win has been a triple-overtime grudge match against Fluxo at the CS Asia Championships, that terrible run extending back to mid-September. MIBR’s numbers make for prettier reading, albeit only slightly. No series wins in their last five. It’s a run of form that’s impossible to ignore.

For the remaining teams, I’ve gone with Liquid, Aurora, Astralis, NIP, M80, and PARIVISION. The latter trio I feel will benefit the most from coming into Stage 2 warm from playing in Stage 1. But let’s be real, you could genuinely randomize this pick of six and make very real justifications for any of them, such is the tight nature of this stage. Getting 0 correct picks is just as likely as the 3:1/3:2 bracket. Whether you’re following my StarLadder Budapest Major Pick’Ems or going with your own choices, I can only wish you all the best in Stage 2. You’ll need it.

StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 Stage 1 Picks (CONCLUDED)

Following the release of the new stickers, Stage 1 is the only available Stage to place your CS2 Pick’Ems for the Budapest Major. Stages 2, 3, and the Playoffs will open up as the tournament progresses, and it won’t be easy to keep those Diamond coin hopes alive throughout. To make it through to Stage 2 intact, you’ll need to make 5/10 correct choices in Stage 1.

Here are our CS2 Pick’Ems for Stage 1 of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025:

Based on likely matchups further down the line, Rare Atom and The Huns are my 0:3 picks. There is rarely a scenario in which the two have to play each other, and I’d be shocked if they could muster a win, even in the best-of-ones. I’m picking Legacy and FaZe Clan as my 3:0 picks. Big names, and while FaZe Clan are struggling for momentum, I’d still be surprised if they managed to land themselves in much trouble in Stage 1. We’ll round out the picks with B8, GamerLegion, PARIVISION, NIP, Imperial, and Fnatic.

When will other CS2 Pick’Ems Stages be available to play?

After every Stage of the StarLadder Budapest Major, it should take a couple of hours for the next Stage of CS2 Pick’Ems to become active. This allows Valve the necessary time to add the correct results, while also giving you the opportunity to choose your next Pick’Ems wisely.

Remember to lock in your CS2 Pick’Ems after every Stage. It’s easy to choose them, but not actually lock them in, and it would be a crying shame to miss out on the Diamond coin because you forgot to do your Pick’Ems. I’ll be keeping this article updated with all the best CS2 Pick’Ems after each Stage – get on board. It’s time to get Diamond.