New-look FaZe out for Vitality revenge at BLAST Open Fall 2025

In any sport, digital or otherwise, rivalries are the lifeblood of competition. Counter-Strike has never been short of them: the legendary NiP vs. fnatic, fnatic vs. Titan, NAVI vs. SK, Liquid vs. Astralis. Later on, FaZe vs. G2 could also be taken into consideration.

Then, at the dawn of 2025, another pair of teams seemed destined to add their name to that pantheon: FaZe and Vitality. It was ropz’s past against his present, a team of heavyweights, with possibly the best CS2 player in each role, going up against the game’s most entertaining ensemble. And then came their first meeting. It felt scripted, taking place on one of the game’s most worshipped stages: IEM Katowice 2025, the cathedral of Counter-Strike.

How FaZe almost beat Vitality at IEM Katowice

The series did not fail to deliver. Vitality ran riot on the opener, dismantling FaZe on the opening map to win 13-3. It felt like that was to be expected, FaZe being no match for Vitality. Yet FaZe, the supposed underdogs, defied that narrative, clinching the second map Anubis from Vitality’s grasp despite trailing 4-8. Then, as if conjuring the improbable, FaZe reached matchpoint at 12-8 on the decider. But fate had other plans.

Vitality clawed back to force overtime, then double overtime, ultimately sealing the series in a fashion only worthy rivals can. What unfolded that night was Counter-Strike at its zenith, defiance, and two fiery in-game leaders, apEX and karrigan, locked in a duel of wits and will. I, for one, believed in that moment that we were witnessing the birth of another rivalry.

But reality, as it so often does, betrayed the illusion, and both the teams uncovered mirroring fates. FaZe’s form did not sustain enough to carry them consistently to Playoffs, while Vitality went on to win trophy after trophy. Now, nearly seven months on, save for a day, their paths converge again, in the Upper Bracket Final of BLAST Open Fall 2025 tomorrow. And even now, I like the analogy of it being a contest between a team fueled by the power of friendship, going up against an overpowered anime antagonist.

Can FaZe mend the wound of their last near miss vs. Vitality?

Much has shifted since their last clash. Back then, ropz had only just donned Vitality’s colors, and EliGE was also fresh in FaZe’s camp. One could argue that FaZe carried the heavier burden, adapting a player of a different mold. Yet it also meant that it was much harder for Vitality to read what was coming. Now the cycle repeats. FaZe field their new prospect, jcobbb, who I am already loving to watch. They arrive buoyed by a confident win over NAVI, while Vitality face their first true slump. I am not saying that FaZe hold the advantage of any sort against Vitality. After all, on paper, Vitality remain the stronger side. But so they did in Katowice, and we remember how close FaZe came to felling them then.

This matchup tomorrow, I feel, is going to promise the same excitement and banter once again. Were it to unfold on LAN, I would have expected a better performance out of FaZe, and more of the “Thank you ropz” slander. It would have been a lot more fun to watch apEX’s theatrics on one side, karrigan’s on the other, with the roar of the crowd supporting either side. But, we contend with the stage at hand, but even so, everything points toward another chapter of drama, defiance, and fun Counter-Strike out of both teams.