CS2 Shanghai Major Pick’ems – Our Elimination Stage Picks

It’s time to fill out our Pick’ems for the Elimination Stage at the PW Shanghai Major in CS2. It’s gonna be a veritable minefield where surprises lurk around every corner.

Despite the turnaround, we got the five correct predictions in hand in the Opening Stage of the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024 Pick ’ems. With a stacked lineup and the potential for upsets brewing, it is not going to be easy but let us try our best.

The Puzzle of Perfection

For the 3-0 pick, I’ve chosen Mouz and Vitality. Now, I know, Vitality is going to be a common pick, with an unblemished RMR record and ZywOo in scintillating form but Mouz? Hear me out. It might turn out to be a defiant call, but recency bias makes me lean towards Mouz, because they have been full of surprises. They have been really erratic to say the least, but I would rather hedge my bets by putting the other teams in the qualifying bracket.

Spirit is one of the candidates along with G2 who are great candidates for the 3-0. Both teams have been stellar, using the pair of star-rifler and reliable AWPer to good use. Even with m0NESY underperforming during the RMR, G2 managed to pull through. I’d wager m0NESY’s slump is a temporary blip, and he will be back to his own at the big stage.

Choosing NAVI to qualify feels like a foregone conclusion. They are the one team I’m unequivocally confident will reach the Shanghai Major playoffs. Some might wonder why I didn’t slot them or Spirit or G2 into the 3-0 bracket, but there are just too many good teams right now.

What it takes for a playoffs run

The MongolZ and FaZe pose more of a conundrum. The MongolZ are on a hot 10 match win streak, and while it seems bizarre at first, it may not be after all. They are rather untested against top 5 teams, but they will have to prove their mettle against the very best for a chance at qualifying.

FaZe, on the other hand, is a perennial Major contender on their day. Unfortunately, “their day” has been conspicuously absent of late. Inconsistency has plagued them, and qualifying might prove to be a bridge too far. It will come down to if rain is able to show up with Major form, or if broky is able to shake off his jitters and regain his consistency.

The underdog conundrum

3DMAX, however, is a team that has truly has my attention. Since their run at the Skyesports Masters, they have looked really cohesive as a unit. Their victory over G2 in the Asia RMR was the clincher for me. While I may regret leaving Heroic out of my picks, but I will take my chances betting on the underdog story. Upsets are the lifeblood of the Elimination Stage, after all.

As for the 0-3 picks, this is always a tricky proposition. While it’s easy to identify the so-called “underdogs,” predicting who will fail to win a single match is always fraught with uncertainty. I saw someone put Furia and I was tempted, but I ended up going with GamerLegion and Wildcard.

And that wraps up my pick’ems for the Elimination Stage. I’d like to reiterate that everyone should make their own choices instead of copying others, since that is where the fun lies. But if you do end up getting influenced and stick around, I wish you the best of luck on your journey to the Diamond.