Pick’Em Challenge Guide: Counter-Strike 2 BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 Playoffs

Pick’Em Challenge Guide: Counter-Strike 2 BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 Playoffs

Ganesh Jadhav

16 Jun, 2025, 14:45

|

Last updated: 1 May, 2026, 01:45

The last stage of the BLAST.tv Austin Major is here. Up until this point, the Major has been anything but predictable. While the first two stages were surprising, the Stage 3 surpassed them in every way.

That said, the games don’t stop. Starting Thursday, June 19th, the remaining eight teams will take each other on in Bo3 matches until one team completes the list of challenges and is crowned the Austin Major 2025 Champion.

Austin Major 2025: Playoffs Pick’Em Challenge guide

Unlike the previous stages, the Playoffs Pick’Ems are straightforward. The objective is to correctly predict the complete bracket. The final Pick’Ems also feature three challenges.

  • Place two correct Pick’Em predictions for the Quarterfinals
  • Place one correct prediction for the Semifinals
  • Make a correct prediction for Grand Final

To choose an outcome, you have to drag and drop the teams to go through each round.

For the Austin Major 2025, the Playoffs bracket starts with four Quarterfinal fixtures. These are as follows:

We will choose the outcome based on the historical data and the team's performance at the Major. While upsets will always be part of the competition, our picks will be based on the most likely outcomes of the match-up.

With everything said, here are our picks for the Playoffs Pick’Em Challenge:

Strafe Picks - Austin Major 2025 Pick'Em Challenge Playoffs
Strafe Picks - Austin Major 2025 Pick'Em Challenge Playoffs (credit: Valve)

Explanation:

Based on their form and their run before the Major, choosing Team Vitality is the safest bet. The team has looked indomitable throughout the year and has won 6/7 tournaments they have participated in.

For the upper side of the bracket, FaZe Clan’s resurgence with s1mple and their ability to continuously adapt and make extraordinary plays under immense pressure makes them a favorite to make it through to the Grand Final in our eyes.

Stay tuned as we bring you the individual fixture previews and how we think these will play out.

Follow BLAST on X for the latest update on the Major. You can also follow the tournament on Strafe.


For the latest Counter-Strike news and guides, follow Strafe Esports. Also, check out our X account for real-time content and coverage.

Featured Image is exclusive to Strafe

Read More: 

All teams qualified for BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 Playoffs

 

Latest news

100 Thieves Claim Their First CS2 LAN Trophy

100 Thieves Claim Their First CS2 LAN Trophy

100 Thieves have done it. The American organization walked away as champions of the 2026 Parken Challenger Championship #6, finishing the entire tournament with a perfect 5-0 record.
9h
Thales Costa

Team Falcons lose to 9z Globant in PGL Astana 2026 Swiss Stage

9z shakes the CS2 world by crushing the superstar Falcons 13-1 on Dust2 to win 2-1 at PGL Astana 2026 and advance to 2-0 in Swiss.
10 May
André Guaraldo

KeSPA Returns to the Table: Partnership Resumes with Esports Nations Cup for 2026 Edition

KeSPA and the Esports Foundation have to an agreement, bringing the South Korean association back into the fold as National Team Partner, and by extension returns South Korea to the list of nations for the ENC.
9 May
Foo Zen-Wen

IEM Atlanta 2026 Viewer’s Guide: Schedule, Where to Watch, and More

IEM Atlanta 2026 will run from May 11-17. Offering a $1 million prize pool, crucial VRS points, and valuable LAN practice ahead of the upcoming Major, the tournament brings together 16 Counter-Strike teams in Atlanta, Georgia.
8 May
Adarsh J. Kumar

CS2 Grenade Cam Exploit Brings Wallhack to Matchmaking and FACEIT

A critical new exploit has been discovered by CS2 players over the last few days that allows a facsimile of wallhacks by utilizing the grenade training camera during live competitive matches.
6 May
Foo Zen-Wen

Who will Win PGL Astana 2026? Everything You Need to Know

PGL Astana 2026 is almost here, and nobody quite knows who's walking out of Kazakhstan with the trophy. With Vitality and NAVI both declining their invitations, the power structure that defined CS2's 2026 season has been completely scrambled. The throne is empty. Someone's going to claim it.
5 May
Thales Costa

Team Vitality Win Fifth Straight Title of 2026 at BLAST Rivals Spring

apEX and company swept Natus Vincere 3-0 in the BLAST Rivals Spring 2026 grand final in Fort Worth, Texas, claiming their fifth consecutive title and extending one of the most dominant runs in CS2 history.
3 May
Kaustavmani Choudhury

Comments (0)

Log in to comment on this match