Four Veterans of the Very First CS:GO Major to Compete at StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

Four Veterans of the Very First CS:GO Major to Compete at StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

At the upcoming StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 in Counter-Strike 2, four true veterans will once again step onto the Major stage: Finn “karrigan” Andersen of FaZe Clan, Nicolai “device” Reedtz of Astralis, Dan “apEX” Madesclaire of Team Vitality, and Freddy “KRIMZ” Johansson of fnatic.

Remarkably, all four players also competed at DreamHack Winter 2013, the first-ever CS:GO Major held in Jönköping, Sweden. They are the only players at Budapest who can trace their Major careers back to that inaugural event—making their participation a symbolic bridge across twelve years of Counter-Strike history.

From Jönköping to Budapest: A Twelve-Year Journey

When the DreamHack Winter 2013 Major took place, these four players were only beginning their professional careers:

karrigan, then 23, represented n!faculty

KRIMZ, 19, played for LGB eSports

device, just 18, starred for Copenhagen Wolves

apEX, 20, competed under Clan-Mystik

That 2013 Major was a landmark moment for Counter-Strike: a 16-team, $250,000 event that saw fnatic defeat Ninjas in Pyjamas in the grand final, marking the start of the Major era.

StarLadder Budapest Major 2025: Format, Schedule, and Prize Pool

The StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 will be the fourth CS2 Major and the 23rd Counter-Strike Major overall. It runs from November 24 to December 14, 2025, in Budapest, Hungary, featuring:

32 teams

Three 16-team Swiss stages

An 8-team single-elimination playoff bracket

A $1,250,000 prize pool

All stages held in front of live audiences at MTK Sportpark and the MVM Dome

For the first time in Major history, the grand final will be played as a best-of-five series—a change that will carry over to all future Majors.

Originally, StarLadder had planned to hold online Major Regional Qualifiers (MRQs), but Valve later cancelled the qualifiers entirely. Instead, all 32 teams will receive direct invitations based on Valve Regional Standings (VRS).

The Four Veterans Today

Finn “karrigan” Andersen — FaZe Clan

One of the most respected in-game leaders in Counter-Strike history, karrigan continues to guide FaZe Clan at the top level. His leadership and adaptability have kept FaZe consistently competitive in the CS2 era.

Nicolai “device” Reedtz — Astralis

A four-time Major champion and FACEIT London 2018 MVP, device remains Astralis’ key player and one of the best AWPers in the game. Astralis qualified for Budapest through their strong VRS position.

Dan “apEX” Madesclaire — Team Vitality

The French veteran captains Vitality, one of the clear favourites in Budapest. Under his leadership, the team won the BLAST Paris Major 2023 and enters this event seeded directly into Stage 3.

Freddy “KRIMZ” Johansson — fnatic

A two-time Major champion with fnatic, KRIMZ returns to represent the black-and-orange lineup once again. Fnatic will begin their Budapest campaign from Stage 1, facing RED Canids in their opener.

Both karrigan and apEX recently reached 20 Major appearances, surpassing the previous record held by Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen. Budapest will mark another milestone in their unparalleled Major careers.

Related Developments Around the Budapest Major

Budapest Named Second CS2 Major of 2025 – StarLadder’s announcement confirmed Budapest as the year’s second Major, with every stage open to a live audience.

Qualifiers Cancelled – The planned MRQs in October 2025 were scrapped, making this the first fully VRS-based Major.

Best-of-Five Finals Introduced – The Budapest Major will be the first to feature a BO5 grand final, a change welcomed by both players and fans.

All Teams Invited via VRS – The final invitations were locked in on October 8 following Valve’s VRS update earlier that month.

Regional reports also note:

Twelve Russian players will attend Budapest across multiple lineups.

Swedish teams like fnatic narrowly secured qualification, while MOUZ with Brollan are viewed as potential title contenders.

NAVI will extend their streak as the only organization to participate in every Major since 2013—23 in total.

What the Veterans Are Saying

Though none of the four have commented directly about Budapest yet, recent interviews shed light on their mindset heading into the event.

karrigan reflected on his passion for Majors after competing in Copenhagen:

“This is the first Major in Denmark and I think we waited 10 years for that.”
He added that he was “super proud” of FaZe’s run and emphasized the difficulty and prestige of Major tournaments.

apEX, speaking earlier this year, said:

“I wanted to win trophies, wanted to win another Major.”
After finally lifting the trophy in Paris, he admitted that finding new motivation afterward was one of his greatest challenges—but his hunger for victory remains strong.

KRIMZ, reflecting on his longevity, shared after IEM Rio 2022:

“I didn’t say my last word and I’m still hungry for victories.”
Now, 12 years after his first Major triumph, that determination carries him into Budapest as one of the game’s most enduring figures.

Summary

Four players — karrigan, device, apEX, and KRIMZ — will uniquely link the first CS:GO Major in 2013 with the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025.
Budapest itself is set to make history with 32 teams, a $1.25 million prize pool, and the first-ever BO5 Major grand final.