CS2 Austin Major: New Stickers, Passes and First Match Betting Tips Review

Counter-Strike 2 fans have waited – the latest update of the game has brought a portion of content timed to coincide with the upcoming BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025, which will be held from June 3 to June 22.

What's New: Texas Chic and the Return of Frames

This time, Valve tried to give the stickers a special style, inspired by the venue of the Major - Austin, Texas.

• Sticker design: The stickers have a noticeable "Texas flavour". Regular (Paper) stickers are stylized as scorched paper or parchment. Metal (Foil) stickers made in the form of buckles of Texas belts stand out especially - fresh and original    for stickers, which many players were enthusiastic about after their absence from previous tournaments. Glitter stickers appear to be missing this time.
• Capsules: Six types of capsules are available: three for teams (Legends, Challengers, Contenders) and autographs of players of the corresponding stages. The cost of one capsule is about 81 rubles (or the equivalent in your currency).
• Austin 2025 Viewer Pass: Offered in two versions: standard (approximately 810 rubles or $10) and with three souvenir tokens (about 1460 rubles or $19). The pass gives:
• Austin Coin 2025 Coin: Upgrades as you complete Pick'Em Challenge tasks.
• Access to the Pick'Em Challenge: Make match predictions and get rewards.
• Unlimited Team Spray: For the duration of the Major.
• Souvenir Tokens: Earned by upgrading a coin and allow you to receive a souvenir pack from the match you have chosen.
• Warhammer 40,000 Crossover: A nice bonus was the partnership with Games Workshop. Four Warhammer 40,000-themed sticker capsules have been added to the game: Adeptus Astartes, Traitor Astartes, Imperium, and Xenos.

Is It Worth Buying and Can You Pay Off?

The issue of payback of items from Majors is always acute for players who want not only to decorate their weapons, but also to potentially earn money.

Arguments "For":

• Unique Design: The "Texas style" and the return of frames can make these stickers attractive to collectors in the long run. This is especially true for the rare Foil, Holo and Gold variants.
• Popularity of Players/Teams: Stickers of popular teams and star players (e.g. s1mple, ZywOo, m0NESY, donk stickers have always been appreciated before) are traditionally in good demand. Follow the performances and choose wisely.
• 50% to Organisations: Half of the  proceeds from the sale of passes and stickers go to participating teams and players, which is a good support for the esports scene.
• Pick'Em Challenge: Successful predictions in Pick'Em can earn you souvenir packs that also have their value in the marketplace.

Arguments "Against" and Risks:

• Market saturation: With each Major, the number of stickers in the game grows, which can reduce their exclusivity and potential for price growth.
• Speculative Nature: Investing in stickers is always a risk. There is no guarantee that the price of stickers will increase. A lot depends on the results of the teams, the popularity of specific designs and the general economic situation in the game.
• Early Stage: It is still difficult to give accurate predictions on the payback of these particular stickers. Some sources indicate that the pass is not the highest initial popularity on trading platforms, but this may change.

Tip: If you decide to invest, consider buying capsules or individual stickers for those teams/players that you think will shine or have a large fan base.

What Awaits Austin Major?

BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 promises to be a huge event. This is the first CS2 Major in 2025, and it is notable for its expanded format - 32 teams will take part in it for the first time. The tournament will be held in several stages, starting with the Challengers Stage (Stage 1) on June 3 and ending with the Grand Finals on June 22. The prize pool will be $1,250,000.

As for other changes in the game along with this update, the main focus was on the content for the Major. Rumors about the possible imminent return of Cache and Cobblestone maps are circulating in the community, but there was no official confirmation as part of this patch.

Austin Major First Round Betting (Stage 1 - Challengers Stage)

The first stage of the Major (Challengers Stage) will be held according to the Swiss system, where the elimination and promotion matches are played in the BO3 format, and the rest are played in the BO1 format. Here are some of the confirmed starting BO1 matches and analytics based on expert Pick'Em predictions:

• HEROIC vs Chinggis Warriors (CW): HEROIC are considered clear favourites and one of the main contenders to advance from this stage with a score of 3-0. Betting on HEROIC looks to be the safest.
• Complexity (COL) vs OG: Complexity is an experienced North American team that is expected to advance further. OG can impose a fight, but Complexity looks preferable.
• BetBoom (BB) vs Nemiga (NMG): BetBoom is a dark horse with a strong roster, also considered as a 3-0 candidate. Nemiga, according to forecasts, may be among the outsiders (0-3).
• B8 vs Imperial (IMP): B8 is a team in form with the potential to surprise. Imperial is an experienced Brazilian team. The match can be close.
• Lynn Vision (LVG) vs Legacy (LGC): Lynn Vision is one of the strongest teams in Asia. Legacy got to the Major at the last moment as a substitute. LVGs have a good chance.
• TYLOO (TYL) vs NRG: TYLOO is another strong representative of China. NRG is a new roster with experienced players. A competitive match is expected.
• Wildcard (WC) vs Metizport (MZP): Both teams will fight for survival. Metizport is one of the candidates for passage further, according to the forecasts of some analysts.
• FlyQuest vs Fluxo (FX): FlyQuest (formerly Grayhound) with experienced Australians are considered favourites in this pair against the Brazilians of Fluxo.

General tips for betting on the first round (BO1):

• Favourites: Teams that experts see in the top 3 or even 3-0 (Heroic, BetBoom) usually confidently start BO1 matches against weaker opponents.
• Dark Horses: Look out for teams like B8 or Metizport, which can bring surprises.
• Avoid clear underdogs: Teams predicted at 0-3 (e.g. Legacy, Nemiga by some estimates) are likely to lose their opening matches.
• BO1 is always a risk: In the format of a single card, surprises are possible, so be careful.

The new CS2 update has brought a lot of interesting things for players and collectors. The stickers and pass BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025 look attractive, but only time will tell their investment potential. And the Major itself promises to be incredibly exciting, starting from the very first matches. Follow the games, make informed bets and enjoy the best Counter-Strike!