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The StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 continues, now entering Stage 2, where every match matters more and teams start feeling the real pressure of the tournament. The group stage is still at MTK Sportpark, while the playoffs will take place at the MVM Dome in Budapest.
Day 1 of Stage 2 kicks off with a BO1 between Fnatic and 3DMAX. It’s a single map, so there’s little room for mistakes. Fnatic will try to use their experience and structured play to control the pace, while 3DMax aim to make things fast and unpredictable. A strong start here is important, and this matchup will show which team can adapt quicker under Stage 2 conditions.
How The Bookies View It: 3DMAX Favoured
Bookmakers give a slight edge to 3DMAX in this BO1 matchup, offering odds of 1.65 on the Swedish-Chinese lineup. Fnatic enter the server as the underdog with a coefficient of 2.21. The difference reflects 3DMAX’s recent strong form and consistent performances in qualifiers and smaller tournaments, while Fnatic have shown some inconsistency in their recent matches. In a single-map format, 3DMAX look more likely to start Stage 2 with a confident win, though Fnatic still have the tools to challenge if they hit their rhythm early.
3DMAX form. What result can be expected from 3DMAX
Our betting tips and CS2 picks for the 3DMAX vs fnatic matchup begin with analyzing 3DMAX form.
The team returned to pro CS in 2023, participating in just three A-, B-, and C-tier tournaments that year. Their main achievement was winning the ESL Challenger League Season 46: Europe.
- 3DMAX roster: Lucky, bodyy, Ex3rcice, Maka, Graviti.
In the 2024 season, 3DMAX participated in significantly more tournaments. Although they didn’t secure any major victories, there were still some notable achievements. The team finished in the top 11 at the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024: European Qualifier and IEM China 2024: European Open Qualifier, placed top 4 at RES Western European Masters: Spring 2024, and ended up in the top 12 at European RMR A.
Before ESL Pro League Season 19, 3DMAX competed in the A1 Gaming League Season 8, where they took second place. At ESL Pro League Season 19, 3DMAX proved that they should not be considered a weak team. In their opening match, they defeated sAw, and in the following game against Fnatic, they caused a minor upset by confidently winning 2-0, giving up only 15 rounds across two maps. In the playoffs of ESL Pro League Season 19, they continued to perform solidly, losing only to Astralis and G2, and ultimately finishing in the top 12 out of 32 participating teams.
Throughout the season, 3DMAX also aimed to make their mark at top-tier events. For instance, at Intel Extreme Masters Cologne 2024, they finished in the top 24 after a 1-2 loss to Heroic. Later, they attempted to compete at ESL Pro League Season 20 but delivered a weaker performance, ending in the top 20.
However, their results at lower-tier tournaments were much better. 3DMAX became the champions of YaLLa Compass Summer 2024 and secured top-three finishes at both the Thunderpick World Championship 2024 and ESL Challenger League Season 48: Europe.
At the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024: European RMR B, the team started with a win over TSM and then pulled off a surprise by defeating Eternal Fire 2-0 in the qualification match. They went on to beat G2 Esports and advanced to the Elimination Stage. There, they performed at their expected level, finishing with a 1-3 record and a top-13 placement overall.
In the 2025 season, 3DMAX participated in BLAST Bounty Season 1 but were eliminated early after a 1-2 loss to Heroic, finishing in the top 32. Their next event was IEM Katowice 2025, where they performed noticeably better. The team easily defeated both FlyQuest and MIBR with 2-0 scores. In the group stage, they lost to Vitality and dropped to the lower bracket. There, they managed to beat BIG, but their run was halted by Eternal Fire, leaving 3DMAX in the top 8 of the tournament.
At PGL Cluj-Napoca 2025, the team started strong with a win over Virtus.pro, followed by a loss to MOUZ, and then a victory over MIBR. However, despite a 2-1 standing, they failed to reach the playoffs after back-to-back defeats to Eternal Fire and sAw, finishing in the top 9.
After that, 3DMAX continued to participate in multiple tournaments, consistently placing between 9th and 12th, which reaffirmed their status as a solid mid-tier team in professional Counter-Strike 2.
At IEM Cologne 2025, the 3DMAX team won their first match against MIBR with a score of 2:0. However, in the second round of the upper bracket, they lost to NiP with a score of 0:2, dropping to the lower bracket, where they defeated TYLOO 2-0 and advanced to the Group Stage.
In the Group Stage, 3DMAX lost 0-2 to The MongolZ, dropping to the lower bracket, where they defeated GamerLegion 2-1 and lost 0-2 to G2, finishing 9-12th in the tournament.
At the Esports World Cup 2025, 3DMAX won 2-1 against NAVI in the Round of 16, but then lost to The MongolZ, leaving the tournament in the top 8, which is considered a good result for them.
At ESL Pro League Season 22, 3DMAX passed Stage 1 with a 3-1 record and Stage 2 with a 3-2 record. In the playoffs, 3DMAX lost their first match to Team Falcons and were eliminated from the tournament, finishing 5th–8th.
3DMAX also participated in the CS Asia Championships 2025 and took 2nd place.
At PGL Masters Bucharest 2025, 3DMAX had a poor performance. The team finished with a 1-3 record and was eliminated from the tournament, placing 12th–14th.
Fnatic CS2 form. What result can be expected from Fnatic
Fnatic in 2025 continues its effort to rebuild and reclaim its position among Europe’s elite CS2 teams. The organization has undergone significant restructuring throughout the year, focusing on balancing experience and youthful energy within its lineup. Early in 2025, Fnatic introduced several roster changes, including the arrival of Rodion “Fear” Smyk as the new in-game leader — a move aimed at improving tactical depth and mid-round coordination. The team also brought in new talents like Jambo and Jackasmo, while experienced players such as KRIMZ and blameF remain the backbone of the squad.
- Fnatic’s 2025 roster: KRIMZ, blameF, Fear, Jambo, Jackasmo.
The mix of veterans and newer players has given Fnatic a fresh identity. KRIMZ brings experience and composure, while blameF’s leadership and steady play help keep the team structured. Fear adds strategic stability with his disciplined calling, and Jambo and Jackasmo bring aggressive plays and strong aim, giving the squad some dynamic options.
Coaching changes have also played a role this year. After parting ways with long-time coach Peter “casle” Ardenskjold, Fnatic promoted Miks “Independent” Siliņš to head coach. Independent has focused on flexibility, better communication, and adapting strategies to opponents.
In 2025, Fnatic’s results have been mixed. They won Frag Blocktober 2025 (B-Tier, 1st place, 3:2, $5,500), showing they can perform under pressure. But in bigger tournaments like PGL Masters Bucharest 2025 (12th–14th, 0:2, $9,375) and CS Asia Championships 2025 (5th–6th, 1:2, $20,000), they struggled and exited early. Other events, such as Birch Cup 2025 (5th–8th), showed glimpses of potential but also that the team is still working on consistency.
Fnatic’s strengths are solid map control, structured play, and staying calm under pressure. KRIMZ and blameF provide experience, while Jambo and Jackasmo add creativity and firepower. Still, roster changes and adapting to Independent’s style have made it hard to maintain long-term stability.
Looking ahead, Fnatic’s goal is to stabilize the roster, improve communication, and make deeper runs in major tournaments. With the mix of veterans, new talent, and a focused coach, they have the tools to grow. If they keep improving their teamwork, Fnatic could soon be a top contender again in the global CS2 scene.
Fnatic Map Pool
Over the past three months, Fnatic have demonstrated a solid and balanced map pool in CS2, showing consistent results across multiple maps. Their strongest performance has come on Train, where they maintain an impressive 72% win rate when picked as their first map, showcasing strong coordination and tactical depth. Overpass and Ancient follow closely with 58.3% and 57.9% win rates respectively, indicating Fnatic’s comfort on structured and strategy-heavy maps. Meanwhile, Dust2 (56.2%), Mirage (54.5%), and Inferno (53.8%) also remain reliable choices, with the team showing versatility and the ability to adapt to different playstyles. This even map distribution highlights Fnatic’s balanced approach — they don’t rely heavily on a single map, instead maintaining competitive strength across the board.
Head-to-Head History: 3DMAX VS fnatic
Overall, 3DMAX and Fnatic have faced each other 7 times in official CS2/CS:GO matches. 3DMAX lead the rivalry with 5 wins (≈71%), while Fnatic have 2 wins (≈29%).
Across all encounters, the total map score is 11 maps won by 3DMAX vs 6 by Fnatic, showing that 3DMAX not only wins more often but also tends to take matches convincingly.
Their most recent meeting was on 17 October 2025, where 3DMAX edged out Fnatic 2–1. The map scores were Inferno 13–5, Train 7–13, and Dust2 13–9, reflecting a tight series where 3DMAX showed stronger performance in decisive moments.
Predicted result of the match between 3DMAX and Fnatic Gaming at StarLadder Budapest Major 2025
Looking at recent form and head-to-head history, 3DMAX are the favourites in this BO1 matchup. They have consistently shown strong performances in mid- and lower-tier tournaments, often beating teams of Fnatic’s level, and their recent victory over Fnatic on 17 October 2025 highlights their ability to handle pressure in close contests.
Fnatic, while experienced and tactically disciplined, have struggled with consistency following roster changes in 2025. Their map pool is balanced, but they have yet to demonstrate the same level of cohesion as 3DMAX in recent months. In a single-map format, early aggression and adaptation matter most, and 3DMAX’s fast, unpredictable style gives them the edge to take control quickly and maintain momentum.
All things considered, 3DMAX look set to start Stage 2 with a confident win over Fnatic, relying on their recent strong form, past head-to-head dominance, and ability to execute under Stage 2 pressure.
Betting prediction: 3DMAX wins.
