Cast Your Vote for the Major MVP Medal Design

Cast Your Vote for the Major MVP Medal Design

HLTV, in collaboration with 1xBET, has invited the community to choose the physical design of the MVP medal that will be awarded at the upcoming StarLadder Budapest Major 2025. Voting is open now and ends on November 24 2025. 

Why This Matters

Since 2016, HLTV has awarded MVP medals at top-tier Counter-Strike events — with physical tokens representing the honour. According to the Liquidpedia archive, the medals vary in metal and design depending on event tier: Gold for Majors, Silver for premier Tier-1 events, etc. ([turn0search15])
This year’s vote gives fans unprecedented influence: they don’t just recognise player performance — they shape the look of the medal itself. HLTV wrote that “Each design features references to the host city as well as Counter-Strike elements.” 

The Designs at a Glance

Three unique proposals were created for the community’s consideration:

• Option A, Option B, and Option C each incorporate motifs inspired by Budapest’s architecture, along with classic CS2 iconography (bomb site silhouettes, grenade arcs, crosshair imagery). ([turn0search0])

• Voters are required to log in and have an HLTV account created before the publishing of the article in order to cast a vote. ([turn0search0])

• The winner will be chosen ahead of the Major’s playoffs stages, ensuring the MVP receives the winning design at the trophy ceremony.

Why the Host City Features in the Design

The StarLadder Budapest Major is scheduled to take place in Hungary (reference: HLTV event page). ([turn0search13]) Including host-city architecture, colours and motifs in the medal strengthens the legacy tie between the tournament, the city and the CS2 esport moment. It gives the trophy ceremony a tangible locational identity — so years down the line the medal itself will carry the “Budapest” mark.

Fan Engagement and Community Impact

HLTV’s move underlines an increasing trend: giving the fanbase a voice beyond jerseys and team branding. Through social‐media and the voting widget on HLTV, users can express preference for aesthetic design — a subtle but meaningful way to increase community ownership of major esports moments.
On HLTV’s own X (formerly Twitter) account, they teased the announcement: “Cast your vote for the Major MVP medal design … We return tomorrow at 20:00 CET with a special guest!” 
They also shared on Facebook that HLTV and 1xBET “have partnered up to give the community a chance to influence a piece of Counter-Strike history.” 

Connecting to the Bigger Picture – Majors & Medals

As part of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 coverage hub on HLTV, this voting initiative features prominently — and is part of a suite of announcements including the event schedule, stickers, autograph sets and more. 
Historically, MVP medals have become collectible tokens — they symbolise not just performance but legacy. The winners of yearly Major MVPs (players such as ZywOo, coldzera and device) now also own a physical medal that corresponds to the event’s tier. (See Liquidpedia archive) 
By letting fans vote on the design, HLTV is acknowledging that the visual and symbolic aspects of trophies matter — not just the winner’s name on paper, but the shape, shine and aesthetics of the medal itself.

How to Participate

• Visit the article on HLTV titled “Cast your vote for the Major MVP medal design”. 

• Browse the carousel of three options (A, B, C), each showcasing a different design.

• Log in to your HLTV account (must have been registered before the article’s publishing).

• Submit your vote before the deadline: November 24 2025.

• The winning design will be revealed ahead of the Major playoffs and the top-performing player will receive the selected medal at the champion walkthrough.

Why Timing and Context Matter

The StarLadder Budapest Major is one of the major showpieces of the 2025 CS2 calendar. The medal vote is timed strategically ahead of the playoffs to maximise fan engagement. Additionally, as the event’s prestige grows — and as CS2 evolves — the physical trophies and tokens behind the scenes gain more import.
From a branding standpoint, 1xBET’s sponsorship and collaboration signal that medal design is not just for show — it is a branded collectible with heritage. HLTV classes the Major MVP as a “Gold Tier” token; by allowing fans to shape its look, the award itself becomes part interactive, part legacy.

What to Watch Next

• Which design will win? Early fan comments highlight Option C (“C is goat MVP ngl”).

• Who will win MVP at the StarLadder Budapest Major — and thus receive the custom medal? The winner’s name will now be forever tied to the community’s aesthetic choice.

• How this new fan-vote model will evolve in future events: will HLTV offer the same let-fans-choose approach for other awards or trophies?

• Whether the winning medal design becomes collectible in the CS2 memorabilia space (will physical production be limited?).

Final Thoughts

At a glance the news is simple: vote for the design. But dig a little deeper and you’ll see it’s a moment of convergence between fan agency, tournament legacy and collectible culture in esports. The StarLadder Budapest Major MVP medal will not only represent who played best — it will embody the community’s choice of how that achievement looks and feels.
For those who love the detail — the fonts, the city imagery, the metal textures — this is as meaningful as the outcome of the final map. Because someday the medal will be passed from player to collector to poster — and now you have a say in its shape.