In a significant paradigm change for Counter-Strike esports, Valve has revised the CS Major Supplemental Rulebook, announcing key modifications in both qualification format and roster rules for the upcoming StarLadder Budapest Major. These changes come as a response to the outcome of the BLAST.tv Austin Major and align with Valve’s increasing emphasis on sustained performance via the Valve Regional Standings (VRS).
One of the most notable updates is the cancellation of all Major Regional Qualifiers (MRQs). Initially scheduled to decide seeding for the Budapest Major, MRQs have been cancelled altogether. Valve explained that they had logistical clashes with other prominent tournaments, the CS Asia Championships, Thunderpick World Championship, and MESA Nomadic Masters, behind the cancellation. Since MRQs are no longer in the equation, all 32 spots for the Budapest Major will now be awarded according to VRS standings.
The change not only simplifies the qualification process but also puts more emphasis on habitual team performance during the season. Teams will have to hold a high ranking in Valve-qualifying events in order to earn enough points for a Major spot.
In the wake of the BLAST.tv Austin Major, Valve also reallocated the regional invitations over the three stages of qualification for Budapest. Europe still has the most direct invites, though there was a slight realignment from Austin. The Americas region is awarded an additional Stage 3 position due to good performances by paiN and FURIA, both of which advanced to the top eight in Austin. In contrast, the Americas have lost a Stage 2 position, which has been assigned to Europe and Asia, respectively.
The new regional invite breakdown now looks like this:
Stage 1
- To be determined: 16 teams
Stage 2
- Europe: 5 teams
- Americas: 2 teams
- Asia: 1 team
Stage 3
- Europe: 5 teams
- Americas: 2 teams
- Asia: 1 team
Interestingly, the breakdown for Stage 1 is still unspecified here, allowing for possible changes from the past structure, which allocated six spots for Europe and the Americas, and four for Asia.
Along with the revamped invite system is the implementation of stricter guidelines in terms of roster composition. As soon as a team has an invite, the five players who are registered in the Valve Registration System at the time are locked into being considered the team’s core lineup. The roster cannot be changed after this invite has been issued. Teams can have one standby, but the player must not affect the team’s region. That is, the replacement must be eligible to play within the same region as the regular roster.
The StarLadder Budapest Major will occur between November 24 and December 14, 2025, with official invitations to be revealed on October 8. The tournament will have a $1.25 million prize pool and will be hosted by the MTK Sportpark and MVM Dome in Budapest, which will see a return to Eastern Europe for Counter-Strike at the Major level.