The 7 Biggest Takeaways from the First Half of the CS2 Season (2025)

The CS2 summer break is officially here. The first half of the competitive year has wrapped up — we’ve seen IEM Katowice, PGL Major Austin, ESL Pro League, and a handful of elite tournaments. It's the perfect moment to reflect on what defined the game so far and what might shape the rest of the 2025 season.

Here are the seven key takeaways from the CS2 pro scene so far.

Vitality is building a historic era

After seven years of trial and error, Vitality has finally assembled the perfect roster — and the key piece was ropz. The team kicked off 2025 with a quarterfinal at BLAST, followed by seven consecutive tournament wins, including IEM Katowice, PGL Major Austin, and ESL Pro League.

Not even Astralis in 2018 or NAVI in 2021 achieved such a streak. Statistically, this Vitality roster is matching — or even exceeding — the peak performance of past dynasties:

ZywOo — 1.39

ropz — 1.20

flameZ — 1.13

mezii — 1.08

apEX — 1.03

They’ve only lost two matches all year and are currently on a 34-map win streak in BO3 and BO5 series. No other team in CS2 history has come close to this level of consistency. The Vitality era is real — and it’s happening right now.

ZywOo is the undisputed #1 player

The HLTV Top 20 race is usually close. Not this year. ZywOo already holds seven MVP medals, a number only s1mple has beaten — and he needed a full year in 2021 to do it. ZywOo did it in six months.

While donk might have a slightly higher rating (1.43 vs ZywOo’s 1.37), ZywOo is simply playing on another level — winning events, carrying his team, and showing up in every grand final. He has already surpassed his own MVP records, and now holds 27 career MVPs, ahead of s1mple’s 21.

For the first time in years, there is no debate. ZywOo isn’t just the best CS2 player of 2025 — he’s rewriting the history books in real time.

Virtus.pro is stuck in place

Heading into the year, Virtus.pro looked ambitious. The team added electronic and mir, changed captains and coaches, and rebuilt around a fresh system. Eight tournaments later, they're still ranked 12th in the world — exactly where they ended 2024.

They failed to reach the playoffs at the Major or at PGL Astana. Their only deep run came at IEM Katowice, with wins over G2 and Eternal Fire. But at the Major, they collapsed with three straight losses to FURIA, Vitality, and paiN. Even electronic admitted that the main goal — reaching playoffs — wasn't achieved.

There’s no collapse, but there’s also no progress. The investment was massive. The expectations were even bigger. But the results just aren’t there — yet.

ropz to Vitality is the best transfer of the year

This offseason had no shortage of blockbuster moves. Falcons spent millions assembling a dream team with m0NESY and kyxsan. FURIA abandoned its all-Brazilian identity. FaZe shocked everyone by signing s1mple. But the best move of the year was completely free: ropz to Vitality.

His contract with FaZe expired, and Vitality scooped him up without paying a single cent. In return, they got one of the best lurkers in CS2 — a master of solo plays, perfect timing, and clutch factor in big matches.

As analyst kassad put it: “Vitality signed ropz for free and had a flawless season. Falcons spent $10 million and embarrassed themselves.”

Even apEX admitted it: “Sorry, Magisk, but ropz is the best signing in CS history. Seven events. Seven wins.”

s1mple’s comeback is the year’s biggest storyline

He only played two tournaments — but s1mple dominated headlines like no one else. FaZe's matches instantly became the most viewed of the Major. Four of the top five most-watched games from the second group stage featured s1mple.

His rating of 1.12 at the Major wasn’t world-class, but it was more than respectable considering he hadn't practiced for months and was vacationing in Spain before the event.

As OverDrive put it: “You can't expect someone to come back after two years AFK and immediately return to peak form. Nothing’s wrong. It’s all ahead of him — if he stays motivated.”

For now, his future remains unclear. He's still under contract with NAVI, which ends this December. Whether he re-signs, joins FaZe full-time, or walks away entirely — it’s the biggest open question in CS2 right now.

MOUZ and Spirit are strong, but not elite

Both teams have had solid seasons. MOUZ already rebuilt their roster at the start of 2025 and found instant success, while Spirit consistently reached quarterfinals and made a deep Major run.

But they can’t touch Vitality. And unlike Falcons or FaZe, they don’t have the resources to buy their way into the top tier. Rumors suggest Spirit may rebuild again, possibly parting ways with Magixx and Zont1x. MOUZ, meanwhile, are likely sticking with their current roster.

They’re contenders. But still not champions.

TheMongolZ are the underdog story of the year

Last year, TheMongolZ were exciting outsiders. This year, they’re a legit top-5 team. They reached the semifinals of IEM Katowice, ESL Pro League, IEM Dallas, and IEM Melbourne — but their biggest moment came at the PGL Major in Austin.

A roster built from a region far removed from traditional CS powerhouses shocked the world by playing high-pressure playoff games against the elite.

As Mzinho said: “This is probably the biggest achievement in Mongolian sports history, if we’re talking about team sports.”

Their rise is inspiring. And it’s proof that CS2’s global landscape is evolving — fast.

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Looking ahead to the second half of 2025

With one Major down and another coming in Shanghai, the story of CS2 is far from over. Will s1mple return to peak form? Can Vitality continue their perfect run? Will Falcons redeem their superteam? What’s next for Spirit, VP, and FaZe?

One thing is certain — the second half of 2025 will be just as dramatic.

Stay tuned to Farmskins for all the biggest updates from the CS2 scene. And while the pros are on break, don’t forget to open your favorite cases, try your luck, and enjoy the thrill of your own drops — just like the pros enjoy their trophies.