ZywOo’s first Major MVP, dupreeh and zonic’s 5th Major win, and other storylines closed at BLAST Paris Major 2023

BLAST Paris Major 2023 concluded with Vitality’s championship victory. The concluding CS:GO Major featured numerous compelling narratives with unexpected conclusions, remarkable underdog journeys, and impressive accomplishments including Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen’s and Danny “zonic” Sorensen’s extraordinary fifth Major championship achievements. We examined the most significant storylines in this comprehensive analysis.

Vitality emerged as only the second multinational roster in competitive history to secure a Major title, an accomplishment that appeared unattainable until FaZe Clan accomplished it during Antwerp. Additionally noteworthy: their finals opponent, the relatively unestablished GamerLegion lineup, represented another combination of diverse nationalities and non-primary English communicators. Furthermore, Spinx established new geographic representation by becoming the initial Israeli competitor to ever claim a Major championship.

Another unexpected development involved the absence of Eastern European organizations in Paris. The IEM Rio Major’s championship was secured by Russian competitors representing Outsiders, Stockholm was captured by NAVI, and even disregarding these successes, there consistently appeared Eastern European representation in playoff brackets with observable growth in participation across recent Valve-sanctioned tournaments.

However, this event witnessed no Russian participants advancing to playoffs, a circumstance not occurring since Katowice 2019. Additionally, following Monte’s elimination, not one CIS representative reached the semifinal stage. This situation hadn’t existed since ELEAGUE Major Atlanta 2017.

France Secures Final Major During Regional Decline

Despite Vitality featuring merely two French competitors within their active lineup, the organization and majority of its personnel originate from that nation. Their regional competitive environment has shown apparent deterioration. Even the maximum audience metrics for the domestic Major appear underwhelming: 66k peak viewers during the championship match showcasing the local organization with substantial probability for complete victory.

The previous elite French lineup also competed under the Vitality banner but opted for internationalization because of limited domestic alternatives. Previously, only G2 maintained certain French competitive heritage for a period.

Optimistically, this triumph could help revitalize competitive enthusiasm for France, which previously possessed one of the most dominant teams entering CS:GO. The symbolism appears particularly meaningful that Vitality includes several all-era legends including apEX, guiding their emerging superstar ZywOo toward the Major championship.

“I’ve been criticized from day one for being IGL, but now, I won the f**king Major, so f**k you all!” ApEX, zonic, dupreeh, and ZywOo’s emotions after BLAST Paris Major win

The Ghost of Astralis Returns to Close CS:GO History

Dupreeh, zonic, and Magisk solidified their competitive heritage in CS:GO. The initial two secured their 5th Major championship, while the latter achieved his fourth title. Ironically, three previous Astralis members conclude this competitive chapter while the actual organization exists in competitive disarray and didn’t participate in this Major.

Dupreeh’s journey, specifically, appears nearly incredible. The Danish competitor has participated in all 19 CS:GO Major tournaments throughout competitive history and captured 5 championships, establishing his victory percentage exceeding 25%. Overcoming substantial obstacles, he claimed the championship following extensive criticism, particularly during early 2023. His statistical performance appeared suboptimal, and he experienced his child’s birth during February, causing him to miss portions of ESL Pro League. Dupreeh’s temporary substitute JACKZ also apparently performed more effectively individually, and numerous supporters requested retaining the French competitor or identifying alternative replacements.

Zonic, alongside him and Magisk, demonstrated globally that their competitive excellence extends beyond Astralis and single-language organizations. An intriguing perspective emerged from Thorin’s analysis. He contrasted Vitality’s strategic leader with Danylo “Zeus” Teslenko representing NAVI. The CS:GO analytical expert believes zonic has exceeded his historical competitor in Major championship totals.

The Underdogs Rise and Format Controversy

Never previously have such numerous underdog organizations reached playoff stages. If the previous year’s IEM Rio featured a Major champion crowned following a relatively “straightforward path”, this instance, might have appeared even less demanding. The competitors Vitality needed to defeat were significantly distant from what the community traditionally considered championship favorites.

From an HLTV ranking perspective, their competitive trajectory became progressively simpler as they advanced, since the final four opponents weren’t positioned within the top 20. The championship finalist GamerLegion possessed the most modest pre-Major placement among all their adversaries.

Playoff brackets included three clearly identifiable underdog organizations, and even Team Liquid appeared difficult to regard as a formidable contender considering all the complications the organization needed to confront preceding the tournament. Simultaneously, the qualified “unknown” lineups experienced relatively accessible paths to advancement, with certain exceptions. Meanwhile, two of the top-6 organizations before that were eliminated by FaZe Clan, and only G2 fell to Fnatic.

This circumstance divided the community, with intense discussions occurring across digital platforms. Our editorial staff experienced similar divergence: certain perspectives view the underdog advancements as revitalizing innovation within the essentially franchised competitive landscape, and alternative viewpoints feel these accomplishments weren’t genuinely earned and they were deprived of a magnificent conclusion for the game they cherish. While every competitor operated under equivalent conditions, this definitely didn’t appear as competitive pinnacle achievement to specific audience members.

Potentially this occurs because of the structural format, featuring qualification seeding determined exclusively by RMR outcomes, and multiple Best-of-One matches, creating more accessible upset potential. Possibly the competitive separation between tier-1 and tier-2 organizations appears narrower than we traditionally believed. Regardless, the obvious concern remains present: the Major appeared disconnected from the annual competitive circuit context, and developments weren’t progressing as “anticipated.” Should Valve reevaluate their methodology regarding the format, or ESL with BLAST create additional opportunities for non-affiliated organizations represents an unresolved inquiry, but challenging to determine whether either stakeholder would experience satisfaction with the results.

Magisk before Paris final: “GL have been playing without pressure, enjoying themselves, they had nothing to lose. Today it’s different”

ZywOo’s First Major and MVP Achievement

The competitor born on the identical date Counter-Strike received official release was consistently regarded “the destined individual.” ZywOo secured two designations as premier competitor by HLTV throughout his initial professional seasons but never actually captured any prestigious tournament. Even the referenced first placements appeared debatable: 2020 represented the online competitive period, and during 2021 he competed closely against s1mple, although nobody disputed that he performed sufficiently competently.

However this victory, certain critical clutch situations secured during the championship match under pressure, and overall reliable execution demonstrate that ZywOo represents more than initial appearances suggest. The superstar demonstrates willingness to labor, adapt innovative approaches and methodologies, transition to alternative communication languages, and consistently commend his teammates. The MVP designation positions him within consideration for premier competitor of 2023, and this instance, without any qualifications.

BLAST’s Production Shortcomings Concluding CS:GO History

For many, the primary dissatisfaction involved BLAST. Consistently commended for refined production quality, the tournament organizer failed to conduct appropriate RMR competitions in Asia, experienced competitive integrity concerns during the tournament, and didn’t effectively emphasize the thematic significance of the concluding CS:GO Major, possessing complete resources at their availability. While BLAST was traditionally presented as superior alternative to ESL, this Major appeared quite “standardized” to numerous observers.

BLAST omitted certain talent professionals employed by their rivals, unusually didn’t incorporate CS:GO historical context with elements like documentary coverage about participants, created an inadequate championship trophy, and didn’t showcase anything substantial within the venue environment. French supporters performed all essential efforts for the competition to experience excellence, but even their contributions were partially disregarded by BLAST’s audio management practices.

Paris Major championship award also appeared excessively underwhelming for such tournament significance. Rather than traditional trophy design, BLAST displayed their organizational emblem as recognition that resembled direct toy store origin because of its color schemes, construction materials, design configuration and miniature dimensions. As though the tournament organizer intended to emphasize the diminished importance of the final CS:GO Major.

Another debatable decision involved inviting social media personality Jake Lucky to present daily concluding segments. Although he previously engaged with Counter-Strike, he never appeared in this specific capacity at CS:GO competitions and doesn’t represent an established community representative. The game possesses such extensive catalog of established figures to ideally suit this responsibility that employing Jake for these segments appeared unnecessary, if not marginally disrespectful toward the community, particularly considering inaccurate allegations against former competitor mOE that he previously committed historically.

The French prodigy born on Counter-Strike’s release date finally shed the ‘chosen one’ expectations with a definitive Major victory. While ZywOo previously earned HLTV’s top player honors during his rookie seasons, those accolades carried asterisks due to the online-dominated 2020 season and his 2021 rivalry with s1mple that lacked championship validation.

What distinguishes this achievement is how ZywOo demonstrated championship-caliber performance when it mattered most. His ability to secure critical round-winning clutches during high-pressure grand final moments, combined with sustained consistency throughout the tournament, proves his evolution beyond raw talent. The superstar’s willingness to adapt to new strategic approaches, communicate in English despite language barriers, and consistently elevate his teammates showcases complete professional development.

The MVP designation now positions him firmly in the 2023 best player discussion without previous contextual caveats. For aspiring players looking to reach elite levels, studying ZywOo’s progression from individual standout to championship team player offers valuable insights into professional growth trajectories.

Tournament organizer BLAST, typically celebrated for premium production standards, delivered a surprisingly lackluster finale to CS:GO’s decade-long history. The company failed to properly execute Asian RMR qualifiers, encountered competitive integrity concerns during the event, and missed numerous opportunities to honor the game’s legacy despite having full creative resources available.

Production decisions included excluding established talent from competing broadcast teams, failing to create historical documentary content about participating organizations, and designing an underwhelming trophy that failed to match the occasion’s significance. The award’s miniature dimensions, toy-like materials, and simplistic BLAST logo design seemed incongruous with Major championship traditions.

The decision to feature influencer Jake Lucky for closing segments proved particularly controversial. While familiar with Counter-Strike content, his lack of experience in formal event hosting and previous controversies involving false accusations against veteran player mOE that he had occurred made the selection appear disconnected from community expectations.

French spectators contributed tremendous atmosphere throughout the event, yet their energetic support was sometimes undermined by audio mixing issues that diminished crowd presence during broadcasts.

NAVI’s legendary AWPer delivered one of his most disappointing tournament performances in recent memory. The player widely considered CS:GO’s greatest averaged a 1.07 rating, his lowest since BLAST Moscow 2019, though that comparison involves limited map samples. For the first time since Krakow, he failed to advance his team to the Major playoffs, surrendering a substantial lead against FaZe Clan.

Other elite competitors including NiKo, dev1ce, and Cloud9’s sh1ro and Ax1Le experienced early exits, with most failing to qualify entirely. G2 Esports, who demonstrated strong early-year form, collapsed against Fnatic during the Legends stage. Even Heroic, after decisively defeating FaZe, couldn’t solve the GamerLegion puzzle.

The most significant letdown for longtime viewers was the absence of legendary final matchups befitting CS:GO’s competitive history. The anticipated s1mple versus ZywOo championship duel never materialized, NiKo missed another title opportunity, and his promising teammate m0NESY remains without Major playoff experience.

Counter-Strike 2’s arrival coincides with substantial performance regression and organizational instability among established powerhouses. Rather than concluding with emphatic celebration, the extensive and thrilling competitive journey concludes amid uncertainty.

No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » ZywOo’s first Major MVP, dupreeh and zonic’s 5th Major win, and other storylines closed at BLAST Paris Major 2023 The first grand final between two international teams and Eastern Europe drop-off