StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 – Stage 3 Pick'em: Predictions & Opinions

Tomorrow marks the start of the third and most important stage of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 — the decisive phase before the playoffs, where only the eight strongest teams will advance. The competition is extremely fierce, as this is the stage that will determine the true contenders for the championship title. Previous Pick’Em phases have already surprised many — the first two stages delivered a series of unexpected results, and plenty of fans failed to secure the required five correct predictions. In this article, we will assess the current state of the teams, analyze their strengths and weaknesses, and look at possible surprises in this crucial phase.

What Is the Pick'Em for StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 and How Does It Work?

The Pick'Em Challenge for the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 is an interactive game that lets you test your Counter-Strike 2 knowledge by predicting match outcomes throughout the tournament. To participate, you need a Viewer Pass, which grants access to all tasks.

Before each stage — Challengers, Legends, and Champions — participants choose the teams they believe will advance further or be eliminated. Correct predictions earn points, which improve your Pick’Em coin — from bronze to diamond. Completing all tasks may also reward you with in-game items, making the Major experience even more exciting.

Pick’em Rules and Strategy for Stage 3

In the Swiss format, you must make ten predictions: choose two teams that will finish the stage 3-0, select six teams that will advance by securing at least three wins, and name two teams that will finish the stage 0-3.

Remember: you only receive points for your 3-0 and 0-3 picks if the team finishes with that exact score. Many players learned this the hard way — Stage 1 and Stage 2 delivered both disappointments and major upsets. Seemingly obvious favorites were eliminated with 0-3 or 2-3 records, completely ruining countless Pick’Em setups.

Given the lineup for Stage 3, this time we’re taking the risk of placing two clear favorites — FURIA and Vitality — into the 3-0 slot. Both teams are in excellent form and have the resources to go flawless if the map pool and matchups work in their favor.

In the “will advance” section, the most reliable picks appear to be Team Falcons, MOUZ, NAVI, Team Spirit, and FaZe. These are stable lineups with deep tactical playbooks, and even if they drop a match or two, their chances of securing three wins remain high.

As for the likely 0-3 finishers, Imperial and PARIVISION seem to be the main candidates. They will face the toughest competition, and given their current form, they look like the most vulnerable teams in this stage.

Don’t forget to lock in your Pick’Em before the first match begins. Intuition matters, but a well-thought-out strategy is your strongest tool on the road to a perfect prediction.

EGamersWorld Prediction for Stage 3 StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

Judging from the results of the first two stages, we can confidently say that the third phase of the tournament may once again deliver unpleasant surprises. We’ve already seen favorites get eliminated with 0-3 or 2-3 scores — no team is fully safe from an early exit. However, based on the current form of the Stage 3 participants, I believe that FURIA and Vitality have the highest chances of finishing with a 3-0 record. Both teams are stable, aggressive, and demonstrate the most mature gameplay at this stage of the event.

Choosing the teams that will advance is more challenging this time. Liquid, paiN, and even B8 all have a realistic chance of making the playoffs, even if it’s with a 3-2 scoreline. But considering long-term stability and map pool depth, the most probable contenders to advance remain NAVI, Spirit, MOUZ, FaZe Clan, G2, and Falcons.

When it comes to the 0-3 category, I believe Imperial and Passion UA face the highest risk of finishing the stage winless. The competition level is overwhelming, and their current form may not hold up under this pressure.

Pick’em StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 Stage 3 from Analysts and Commentators

Below you will find an overview of predictions from experienced analysts and commentators. Keep in mind that even they can be wrong in their Pick’Em choices — and usually, it’s not because of their mistakes, but due to unexpected, explosive performances from teams that can completely overturn any forecast.

Pimp

Source: Pimp X

In the first stage, Pimp confidently secured the required five correct predictions, but the second stage turned out to be much tougher — out of all his picks, he correctly predicted only the advancement of 3DMAX. Despite this, he approached Stage 3 with a fresh perspective and an updated Pick’em. For the 3-0 slot, he selected Vitality as the main favorite, along with FURIA. In the 0-3 category, he placed Imperial and Passion UA. For the teams that should advance with 3-1 or 3-2 records, Pimp selected Falcons, MOUZ, Spirit, as well as NAVI, G2, and 3DMAX. His approach looks more cautious after the difficulties of Stage 2 but still shows an attempt to balance favorites with potential dark horses.

austincs

Source: Austincs YouTube

In the previous stage, austincs correctly predicted the advancement of NAVI and Liquid, securing only 2 of the necessary 5 correct picks. Even so, he prepared a bold new Pick’em for Stage 3. For the 3-0 slot, he chose FURIA and Falcons, believing they could finish the stage without a loss. For the guaranteed playoff contenders, in his view, he listed Vitality, MOUZ, Spirit, NAVI, paiN, and FaZe — teams that demonstrate solid and consistent play. In the 0-3 category, he placed 3DMAX and Imperial, expecting them to struggle the most during the Legends stage.

kassad

Source: kassad YouTube

In Stage 2, kassad performed quite well, securing 4 out of the 5 required correct predictions, so he enters Stage 3 with a clear understanding of the strongest lineups. For the 3-0 slot, kassad chose Vitality and MOUZ, viewing them as the most stable teams capable of going flawless. For the teams he believes will advance, he selected Falcons, Spirit, G2, NAVI, as well as 3DMAX and B8 — a mix of strong favorites and potential surprise contenders in the Legends stage.

Thooorin

Source: Thooorin YouTube

Thooorin approached his Pick’Em with maximum depth — he analyzed potential matchups, future opponents, map pools, and team form before making his final decisions. In the 3-0 category, he placed FURIA and Vitality, believing these two teams have the structural and individual strength to go undefeated. Among the teams he expects to advance, Thooorin named Falcons, NAVI, MOUZ, Spirit, Liquid, and G2 — a combination of top contenders and consistent playoff-level teams. In the 0-3 category, he placed Passion UA and Imperial, predicting they will face the biggest challenges in the Legends stage.

STYKO

Source: STYKO YouTube

The Slovak player STYKO has put together a well-balanced Pick’Em for Stage 3 of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025: in the 3–0 slot, he selected Falcons and Vitality, considering them the most stable contenders for a flawless run. For the advancement slots, he picked G2, FURIA, 3DMAX, MOUZ, Spirit, and NAVI, combining clear favorites with a team that gained momentum in the previous stage. In the 0–3 category, STYKO placed Passion UA and PARIVISION, suggesting that these teams may face the greatest difficulties in the Legends Stage.

CS2 StarLadder Budapest Major Pick’Em: Medal Progress

The Pick’Em Challenge in CS2 for the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 allows players to continue their path toward the prestigious tournament medal, and Stage 3 is a key milestone in that journey. At this stage, you once again need to showcase prediction accuracy and select the teams that will advance. The level of competition rises even higher, as top-tier teams join the fight, while the squads that survived Stage 2 aim to prove their stability.

To stay in contention for the highest-tier medal, it's crucial to secure enough correct Pick’Em predictions. In Stage 3, the risks are even greater, so your strategy must be more cautious: rely on strong favorites, analyze their stability, current form, and map pool strength. It’s also important to evaluate how well teams have adapted after the first two stages and how they perform against stronger opponents.

Thorough analysis of results, map pools, and individual player form will help you maintain your chances of completing all Pick’Em tasks and progressing toward the diamond medal at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025.