Sixteen of the world’s greatest CS:GO squads will descend upon Paris on Might 8 for the BLAST Paris Main Challenger Stage, with an additional eight ready within the New Legends Stage.
Historical past can be made in what has been confirmed to be the ultimate Main for World Offensive, with Counter-Strike 2 set to launch this summer season. However whereas a few of the globe’s greatest will go head-to-head within the coming weeks, there are gamers that didn’t make the minimize, some that fell embarrassingly wanting qualification, and others that can say farewell to one of many biggest chapters in Counter-Strike esports historical past from residence.
Whereas sure gamers on this listing may be excused, others entered the varied Paris Main qualifiers with excessive expectations and a heavy favorites tag—neither of which might assist of their qualification makes an attempt.
Here’s a number of notable gamers who can be absent come the BLAST Paris Main 2023’s opening ceremony.
Dmitriy “sh1ro” Sokolov and Cloud9
Many argued Cloud9 sniper sh1ro deserved higher in HLTV’s participant rankings final yr, however the third-best voted participant for 2022 is not going to be current to compete in Paris—and neither will his squad.
Slated as straightforward Legends Stage favorites going into their qualifier, Cloud9 fell in surprising circumstances on the European RMR B, with the world No. 5 shedding to Monte, G2, and ENCE.
Given one final shot within the EU Decider, they’d defeat B8 and BIG, however fell on the final hurdle to FaZe Clan, wiping the Russian squad out of Main rivalry. Let or not it’s recognized it was by way of no fault of sh1ro’s, who was at his constant greatest all through the RMR. Lacking the ultimate CS:GO Main will little question damage the 21-year-old, who stays one in every of Counter-Strike’s greatest in 2023.
Dzhami “Jame” Ali and Virtus.professional
This goes for the whole thing of the Virtus Professional squad however particularly their sniper Jame, who will fail to defend his Main title and MVP efficiency from IEM Rio. VP will go down in historical past as one of many few squads that received a Main however didn’t even attend the subsequent.
Their RMR run was virtually as straightforward because it will get; palming off SAW of their opening best-of-one, the Rio Main champions have been downed by B8 and Into the Breach of their following matches, regardless of outranking every by a straightforward 50 locations.
The strain would get to Virtus Professional, with the squad making an emergency change halfway by way of the RMR by benching Kair0N- and bringing on n0rb3r7. Nevertheless it was too little, too late. MOUZ completed VP off as soon as and for all in an utter demolition to ship Jame and Co. packing early.
Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz and Astralis
Essentially the most profitable group in CS:GO Main historical past can be absent in Paris and with them one of many all-time greats in machine, who will now miss his third straight Main.
Eyes have been on Astralis following machine’s return to the Danish group after a yr out of the sport, and the Danish maestro definitely didn’t disappoint, posting a 1.22 ranking (eighth general) throughout his seven maps.
What did disappoint, nevertheless, was Astralis as an entire. Profitable only one map, the three-time Main champions have been left to lick their wounds after a dismal RMR marketing campaign. The squad will now look to the celebs for solutions in what has been an underwhelming begin to 2023. We’ll see machine and the Astralis group subsequent take to the server at IEM Dallas.
Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo and Marcelo “coldzera” David
The Godfather of Counter-Strike might have performed his final Main following Imperial’s exit on the Americas RMR in Mexico.
A +9 kill differential and a 1.07 ranking simply weren’t sufficient for FalleN, with Imperial shedding to 9z and Evil Geniuses of their Main qualifier, knocking the Brazilian legend out of the working for World Offensive’s ultimate Valve-sponsored match.
The 2-time Main-winning Brazilian mastermind received’t get an opportunity to copy his miracle run from the PGL Antwerp Main, and with rumors of his retirement within the air, we might have effectively seen FalleN’s final Main look in Rio final yr.
The identical might effectively go for Marcelo “coldzera” David, who fell in straight units on the RMR with 00NATION. The world’s greatest participant in 2016 and 2017 sees his run of Main qualification finish on the ultimate hurdle in CS:GO, which means not one of the famed Luminosity, SK, or MIBR gamers of yesteryear will seem in Paris.
Kenny “kennyS” Schrub
Arguably the greatest AWPer to touch Counter-Strike, kennyS will undoubtedly be within the French capital—however he received’t be competing for the BLAST Main crown.
Making a wonderful return to CS:GO after a stint in rival FPS VALORANT, kennyS and Falcons got here oh-so-close to creating a fairytale run on the EU RMR. Up 2-1, the squad couldn’t take out best-of-threes towards GamerLegion or OG, which means a last-ditch try on the Final Likelihood Qualifier towards BIG.
Alas, it was to not be for kennyS, nor for veteran countryman teammate Nathan “NBK” Schmitt, with Falcons nosediving towards the Germans to finish their hopes for a second French consultant at this Main. The house crowd’s hopes for a French victor relaxation with shox and ZywOo at Staff Vitality.
Staff Spirit
It’s fairly the autumn from grace for Russian squad Staff Spirit, who demanded respect after an unbelievable top-four end at PGL Antwerp in Might 2022. Whereas the remainder of their 2022 lacked consistency, one other Champions Stage end on the Rio Main stored them among the many greatest by the season’s finish.
However Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov’s males are but to awaken in 2023. Group stage exits at IEM Katowice and ESL Professional League Season 17 tempered expectations however devoted followers had them bouncing again on the RMR to qualify for Paris.
That was till they went winless in Copenhagen to the likes of Aurora and 500. A capitulation of epic proportions, it’s again to the drafting board for Spirit who’re unlikely to look at a significant CS:GO match once more as CS2 seems on the horizon.
Olof “olofmeister” Kajbjer
Does olofmeister actually need to be on this listing? Most likely not, however there are these among the many fanbase that have been hoping for a shimmer of CS:GO’s biggest magicians one final time.
Olofmeister was one-fifth of the long-lasting Fnatic roster that set the tone of CS:GO again in 2014, claiming each ESL One Cologne and ESL One Katowice in 2015. Olofmeister cemented himself among the many proverbial Mount Rushmore of Counter-Strike however has effectively and actually begun to wind down his aggressive profession.
Olof linked up with a few of Sweden’s biggest in GeT_RiGhT, f0rest, and friberg for one final experience within the Paris Main European Open Qualifier with “boomer demons” however their 16-12 loss to Viperio noticed their run finish early.
