Look Sports Media – Natus Vincere (NaVi) secured a much-needed victory at StarSeries Season 19, but the question remains: is this enough to revitalize their struggling season? Their triumph, while expected given the ranking disparity between NaVi and their largely Tier-2 opponents, was crucial to avoid further criticism following a year that fell short of their 2024 successes, including the PGL Copenhagen Major. Dominating the competition, they dropped only one map across four series, culminating in a clean 2-0 Grand Final victory over Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP).
The event marked StarLadder’s return to Counter-Strike, following NODWIN’s acquisition in January. Originally slated for May, the tournament was delayed due to scheduling conflicts with the Austin Major and Fissure Playground 2. This resulted in a condensed format, far from the initially planned 16-team spectacle. The scheduling difficulties highlight the pressure on StarLadder to deliver a smooth, large-scale event before the StarLadder Budapest 2025 Major in December.
While the StarSeries win provides a much-needed confidence boost, particularly for rifler Mihal "iM" Ivan, who emphasized the team’s need for wins regardless of opponent strength, questions remain about NaVi’s long-term viability at the highest level. The integration of rookie Drin "Makazze" Shaqiri, while showing promise, is still a work in progress. Although stars like Ihor "w0nderful" Zhdanov and Valerii "b1t" Vakhovskyi can dominate, NaVi’s performance, while ultimately victorious, showcased inconsistencies. Their ability to overcome these inconsistencies against top-tier opponents remains a significant concern. Coach Andrii "B1ad3" Horodenskyi’s strategies might be overcome by teams with superior firepower.
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The StarSeries victory might offer a temporary reprieve, but whether it’s enough to propel NaVi back into contention remains highly debatable. Their inherent firepower issues, even with individual brilliance, could prove to be their downfall against stronger opposition.
The event also saw the triumphant return of British talent Frankie Ward to Counter-Strike broadcasting, hosting from home. This marked her first professional CS event since ESL Impact League Season 3 in 2023. Other UK talent, including casters Neo "Ne0kai" Caine, Jacky "Jacky" Powers, and Brandon "BDog" Rawlings (alongside Australian-UK resident Lucy "LucyLuce" Eastwood), contributed remotely, while James Banks provided on-site commentary, even bringing his puppy to the event.
Darragh Harbinson, Senior Editor
Darragh Harbinson is an esports writer specializing in Counter-Strike. He has written for looksports.media, Esports Insider, UKCSGO, Dexerto, and Rush B Media.
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