EVPs and All-Stars of PGL Masters Bucharest 2025

EVPs and All-Stars of PGL Masters Bucharest 2025

The recently concluded PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 event in Romania brought not only a fresh LAN champion in Aurora, but also a set of standout individual performers who grabbed recognition in the official EVPs (Elite Very Players) and All-Star team. The recognition mirrors another shift in the CS2 competitive landscape, rewarding both performance and storylines emerging from the tournament. 

What are EVPs & All-Stars?

In this context, EVPs (Elite Very Players) refer to players who delivered top-tier performances across the event—typically excellent ratings, crucial impact plays and consistent match output. The All-Star team is a selection of the best players across roles from the event. These lists go beyond the single MVP award and aim to reflect deeper statistical and performance-based insights.

Who stood out at Bucharest?

The most prominent story among the EVPs was the performance of Ismailcan “XANTARES” Dörtkardeş from Aurora. The Turkish rifler delivered a dominant playoff run — culminating in a 1.38 event rating and four player-of-the-map awards. For the first time in his LAN career, XANTARES secured the event’s MVP. 
According to the HLT V article, Aurora’s journey to the trophy marked their “first-ever LAN win together”, making XANTARES’ MVP doubly meaningful. 

Beyond Aurora’s star, the All-Star team highlighted a mixture of players from the top finishers including legacy contenders and breakthrough talents—reflecting not just the champion’s squad but the deeper field of talent. The full list of EVPs and All-Stars was published alongside the news. 

Why it matters — beyond the trophy

• Recognition beyond team placement: While tournament wins always matter, the EVPs and All-Stars list offers broader acknowledgment of individual excellence—even for players whose teams might not lift the trophy.

• Narrative reinforcement: Aurora had been chasing their first significant LAN trophy and, with this win and XANTARES’ MVP, the story reached a new chapter. The EVPs list reinforces that achievement and helps cement the moment in the CS2 historical record.

• Statistical validation: With the rise of deeper analytics in CS2 (ratings, player-of-map counts, map-winning contributions), the EVPs provide a formal tie-in between narrative and numbers.

• Motivational impact: For the players involved, making the All-Star team or being named an EVP can amplify their market value, team leverage and personal branding in the off-season.

Tournament context & format

PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 ran from October 26 to November 1 in Bucharest, Romania, featuring 16 teams, a prize pool of US $1.25 million, and a format of Swiss best-of-three group stage followed by single-elimination best-of-three playoffs (with the grand final being best-of-five). 
Aurora’s final win came in the best-of-five grand final against Legacy, with the series ending 3-2 in favour of Aurora. The map lineup included Dust2, Mirage, Train, Inferno and Nuke. 

Notable performance trends & observations

• Depth across the field: While Aurora took the trophy and MVP, the distribution of All-Star and EVP honors shows that other teams had standout individuals—meaning that finals appearances or victories are not sole determinants of recognition.

• High map volume & pressure moments: The Swiss-plus-playoffs format ensures teams play a large number of maps under LAN conditions. Players who thrive under pressure (e.g., clutch rounds, comeback scenarios) typically surface in the EVP lists—consistent with XANTARES’ playoff run.

• Emerging talent recognition: With CS2 being still relatively new in its LAN epoch, many players from previously lesser-known organizations are breaking through to All-Star status, signalling a broader shift in competitive balance.

• The champion’s narrative arc: Aurora’s “first LAN trophy” narrative adds extra weight to the recognition of their players. Awards like EVP or MVP often capture not just performance but the story behind it.

Implications for players and teams

• Players on EVP/All-Star lists gain extra exposure: this may influence contract negotiations, sponsor interest and team building in upcoming months.

• Teams may highlight EVP count or All-Star representation in branding and recruiting—both to attract talent and to signal competitive strength.

• For fans and analysts, the lists serve as a reference point for evaluating rosters, off-season upgrades and player trades.

What to watch next

• How the EVP-recognised players perform at the next major event: Will the MVP winners and All-Star selections maintain that form or regress?

• Roster movement: With players now bolstered by individual awards, off-season transfers may follow. Teams may use EVP/All-Star results as leverage in bids.

• Correlation with long-term success: Historically, MVPs and All-Stars sometimes join dominant teams. Will the recipients from Bucharest stick together, form new cores or be acquired by tier-one organisations?

• Competitive balance shifts: With previously under-emphasised teams (such as Aurora) now winning and spawning top performers, a more level playing field may emerge in CS2’s next season.

Final Thoughts

The EVPs and All-Stars list from PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 encapsulates more than a winner’s circle—it captures a turning point. Aurora’s first LAN trophy and XANTARES’ MVP are headline events, but the broader recognition across players shows a dynamism in CS2 where emerging talents, roster overhauls and performance under pressure are increasingly factored into competitive success.
For the community, the lists give voice to individual performance. For players and teams, they provide leverage. And for the next season of CS2, they represent signposts—indicators of who is rising, who remains dominant, and who might be primed for the next breakthrough.

In short: the trophy matters, but the names beside it matter too.