BC.Game and Inner Circle Crash Out Early at Red Bull GIBAWAY JOURNEY 2025

BC.Game and Inner Circle Crash Out Early at Red Bull GIBAWAY JOURNEY 2025

At the Tier-2 LAN event taking place 7-8 November 2025 in Åre, Sweden, two of the pre-tournament favourites — BC.Game and Inner Circle — were eliminated on the opening day, failing to progress to the best-of-three quarter-finals stage. 

BC.Game’s Shock Exit

BC.Game’s journey was expected to make headlines: having recently signed two of the most high-profile players in the scene — Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev and Denis “electroNic” Sharipov — the organisation were making their LAN debut with this new roster. 
Yet on Day One they failed to make the cut. In their group, they lost a best-of-one to AM and then to Alliance, finishing third in their group. They were subsequently eliminated in the first round of playoffs by Sashi (also best-of-one). 
Specifically:

• Lost 9-13 vs AM.

• Lost 3-13 vs Alliance.

• Then lost 0-2 to Sashi in playoffs (BO1 format) and were eliminated.
  This result marks a brutal start for BC.Game, whose high-expectation signing made them bookies' favourites, yet they couldn’t translate roster power into immediate success.

Inner Circle Also Fails to Progress

Inner Circle, who many expected to at least make top-eight, also fell short. Despite being ranked #26 in the VRS heading into the tournament, they dropped multiple group stage matches and ended with a 2-3 record, meaning elimination already in group play. 
Key defeats:

• Loss to Young Ninjas.

• Loss to Acend (13-5).
  Their exit underscores the volatility of LAN and how even teams with promising rosters can falter under pressure.

Event Structure & Stakes

The Red Bull GIBAWAY JOURNEY 2025 event featured 24 teams, with a prize pool of USD 10,443 and a format where group stage winners directly entered quarter-finals; 2nd and 3rd places had to survive a playoff round to reach quarters. 
With BC.Game and Inner Circle both failing to reach the last eight, the path is now open for teams like BetBoom, Alliance and Acend to make deeper runs. 

Why These Upsets Matter

• Roster expectations vs performance: BC.Game’s signing of s1mple and electroNic created huge hype. Their early exit serves as reminder that star names don’t guarantee immediate success.

• Pressure of first LAN for a new roster: The introduction of the new lineup put BC.Game under weighty expectations; handling those at a LAN matters.

• Inner Circle’s inconsistency: Despite being ranked and expected to perform, Inner Circle’s elimination suggests deeper issues, whether strategy, execution or pressure at LAN.

• Tier-2 LANs show high unpredictability: Events outside the top-tier majors often see big upsets, underscoring the depth of talent and variance in CS2.

• Momentum shifts: With two favourites down, the dynamic of the tournament changes — dark-horses and underdogs gain belief, favourites must prove consistency under pressure.

What Comes Next

With the top eight bracket set, quarter-finals will feature:

• BetBoom vs Metizport

• Alliance vs Sashi

• Acend vs AMAM

• EYEBALLERS vs ENCE
  For BC.Game and Inner Circle, the focus now shifts to reflection:

• BC.Game must reassess what went wrong: was it synergy, preparation, or the weight of hype?

• Inner Circle must rebuild confidence and fix aspects that prevented progress.

Final Thoughts

The opening day of Red Bull GIBAWAY JOURNEY 2025 served a reminder: In CS2 at a LAN, expectation can be both fuel and burden. Two teams expected to make deep runs — BC.Game and Inner Circle — saw their campaigns end prematurely, opening the field and reframing the narrative.

For audiences, the early exit of high-profile teams adds intrigue: which underdog will rise? Which team will deliver when favourites falter? And which roster will turn potential into performance as the playoffs draw near?

BC.Game and Inner Circle’s elimination is more than just results: it’s a story of pressure, expectation, and the unforgiving nature of LAN competition.