{"id":28445,"date":"2025-10-15T12:04:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T12:04:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gaming.news\/?post_type=news&#038;p=28445"},"modified":"2025-10-15T12:04:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T12:04:13","slug":"thunderpick-kicks-off-cs-2-world-championship-2025-finals","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/gaming.news\/news\/2025-10-15\/thunderpick-kicks-off-cs-2-world-championship-2025-finals\/","title":{"rendered":"Thunderpick kicks off CS 2 World Championship 2025 Finals"},"content":{"rendered":"\t<div class=\"spgn__article__hero__news horizontal-wrapper vertical-wrapper\">\n\t\t<h1 class=\"spgn__article__hero__news__title wp-block-post-title\">Thunderpick kicks off CS 2 World Championship 2025 Finals<\/h1>\n\n<figure class=\"spgn__article__hero__news__image --with-bg wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1280\" height=\"854\" src=\"https:\/\/images.gaming.news\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80,width=1280,height=854,dpr=1,fit=crop,gravity=0.5x0.5\/https:\/\/s3.gaming.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Counter-Strike-2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-1280x854 size-1280x854\" alt=\"Thunderpick kicks off CS 2 World Championship 2025 Finals\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1600px) 565px, (min-width: 1280px) calc(25vw + 172px), (min-width: 900px) 800px, (min-width: 380px) 91.8vw, calc(40vw + 178px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.gaming.news\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80,width=412,height=275,dpr=1,fit=crop,gravity=0.5x0.5\/https:\/\/s3.gaming.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Counter-Strike-2.jpg 412w, https:\/\/images.gaming.news\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80,width=768,height=512,dpr=1,fit=crop,gravity=0.5x0.5\/https:\/\/s3.gaming.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Counter-Strike-2.jpg 768w, https:\/\/images.gaming.news\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80,width=792,height=528,dpr=1,fit=crop,gravity=0.5x0.5\/https:\/\/s3.gaming.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Counter-Strike-2.jpg 792w, https:\/\/images.gaming.news\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80,width=1280,height=854,dpr=1,fit=crop,gravity=0.5x0.5\/https:\/\/s3.gaming.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Counter-Strike-2.jpg 1280w\" \/><figcaption>Counter-Strike 2. Source: Thunderpick World Championship 2025<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\t<div class=\"spgn__article__audio\">\t\t<span class=\"bg\"><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"custom-audio\">\n\t\t<div class=\"audio green-audio-player\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"play-pause-btn\" id=\"playPause\">\n\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"controls\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"name-and-time\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"name-audio\">Listen to this article<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"total-time\">2:35<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"slider\" data-direction=\"horizontal\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"progress\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pin\" id=\"progress-pin\" data-method=\"rewind\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"volume\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"volume-btn\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#F2F2F1\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M14.667 0v2.747c3.853 1.146 6.666 4.72 6.666 8.946 0 4.227-2.813 7.787-6.666 8.934v2.76C20 22.173 24 17.4 24 11.693 24 5.987 20 1.213 14.667 0zM18 11.693c0-2.36-1.333-4.386-3.333-5.373v10.707c2-.947 3.333-2.987 3.333-5.334zm-18-4v8h5.333L12 22.36V1.027L5.333 7.693H0z\" id=\"speaker\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"volume-controls hidden\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"slider\" data-direction=\"vertical\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"progress\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"pin\" id=\"volume-pin\" data-method=\"changeVolume\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t<div class=\"spgn__article__meta\">\n\t\t<a class=\"spgn__article__meta__block spgn__article__author\" href=\"https:\/\/gaming.news\/authors\/mik-dzisko\/\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"spgn__article__author__avatar\">\n\t\t\t\t<img alt='Mik Dzisko' src='https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cb199cc14ff87ae10effaf16572ea2ce3dc9cc4aa9e0c1d5e8645771722e75d0?s=68&#038;d=retro&#038;r=g' class='avatar avatar-68 photo spgn__article__author__avatar__image' height='68' width='68' \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"spgn__article__author__name\">\n                \t\t\t\tBy\n                \t\t\t\t<span itemProp=\"author\" itemScope itemType=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/Person\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span itemProp=\"name\" title=\"Display name in user profile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tMik Dzisko\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spgn__article__author__position\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>Deputy News Editor\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t            <ul class=\"spgn__article__author__data js-article-data\" data-timestamp=\"1760529849\">\n                <li class=\"spgn__icon__separator js-local-date\"><time itemProp=\"datePublished\"\n                datetime=\"2025-10-15T12:04:09+00:00\">October 15, 2025<\/time><\/li>\n                <li class=\"spgn__icon__separator --lowercase js-local-time\">12:04 pm<\/li>\n                <li>3&nbsp;min read<\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<div class=\"spgn__article__meta__block\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"spgn__social\" data-testid=\"hero-social\">\n\t\t<div class=\"spgn__social__title\" data-testid=\"hero-social-title\">More content<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"spgn__social__links\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"spgn__social-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@gamingdotnews\" data-testid=\"hero-social-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"screen-reader-text\">Gaming.News on YouTube<\/span><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"spgn__social-link\" href=\"https:\/\/discord.gg\/cJYbGCNs\" data-testid=\"hero-social-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"screen-reader-text\">Gaming.News on Discord<\/span><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"spgn__social-link\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/gamingdotnews\" data-testid=\"hero-social-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"screen-reader-text\">Gaming.News on X<\/span><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"spgn__social-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/gn_gamingnews\" data-testid=\"hero-social-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"screen-reader-text\">Gaming.News on Instagram<\/span><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"spgn__social-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@gamingdotnews\" data-testid=\"hero-social-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"screen-reader-text\">Gaming.News on TikTok<\/span><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t<div class=\"spgn__article__key-points\">\n\t\t<div class=\"spgn__article__key-points__title\"><h2>Key points<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t<ol class=\"spgn__article__key-points__list\">\n\t\t\t<li class=\"spgn__article__key-points__list__item\">\n\t\t<span>Thunderpick World Championship 2025 Finals kicked off on October 15, 2025.<\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n\n\n\t<li class=\"spgn__article__key-points__list__item\">\n\t\t<span>The offline event running at the Malta Fairs &amp; Conventions Centre will  until October 19, 2025.<\/span>\n\t<\/li>\n\n\n\t<li class=\"spgn__article__key-points__list__item\">\n\t\t<span>Eight teams are competing for a total prize of $850,000 which will be split between player and club shares.<br><\/span>\n\t<\/li>\t\t<\/ol>\n\t<\/div>\t<\/div>\n\n\n\t<div class=\"spgn__article__content horizontal-wrapper vertical-wrapper narrow\">\n\t\t<div class=\"spgn__article__content__main spgn__content\">\n\t\t<p>The offline <strong class=\"game\">Counter-Strike 2<\/strong> tournament, Thunderpick World Championship 2025 Finals, kicked off on October 15, 2025, at the Malta Fairs &amp; Conventions Centre and will run until October 19, 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The event started with a group stage, with two double-elimination (GSL) groups, each consisting of four teams. All matches in this stage are best-of-three, and the top two teams from each group will advance to the playoffs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The playoffs (Semifinals, Grand Final and the Third Place Match) will use a single-elimination bracket, with all matches also being best-of-three.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-facade__wrapper\" style=\"padding-top:75.00%;\">\n\t\t\t\t<img \n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"youtube-facade__img js-activate\" \n\t\t\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/Wil0EiKBimw\/hqdefault.jpg\" \n\t\t\t\t\tsrcset=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/Wil0EiKBimw\/hqdefault.jpg 658w, https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/Wil0EiKBimw\/maxresdefault.jpg 1280w\" \n\t\t\t\t\tsizes=\"(min-width: 659px) 100vw, 100vw\"\n\t\t\t\t\tstyle=\"display:block;\"\n\t\t\t\t\talt=\"Thunderpick World Championship 2025 FINALS: GROUP A OPENING MATCH | The MongolZ VS 9z \ud83c\udfc6\"\n\t\t\t\t\tloading=\"lazy\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<button class=\"youtube-facade__button js-activate\" aria-label=\"Play video\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg height=\"60\" width=\"60\" viewBox=\"0 0 68 48\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M66.52,7.33a8,8,0,0,0-5.64-5.66C56.52,0,34,0,34,0S11.48,0,7.12,1.67A8,8,0,0,0,1.48,7.33,84.11,84.11,0,0,0,0,24a84.11,84.11,0,0,0,1.48,16.67,8,8,0,0,0,5.64,5.66C11.48,48,34,48,34,48s22.52,0,26.88-1.67a8,8,0,0,0,5.64-5.66A84.11,84.11,0,0,0,68,24,84.11,84.11,0,0,0,66.52,7.33ZM27,34V14l18,10Z\" fill=\"#f00\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<polygon points=\"45 24 27 14 27 34\" fill=\"#fff\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"youtube-facade__iframe\" style=\"display:none;\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<iframe \n\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Wil0EiKBimw\" \n\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-src-autoplay=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Wil0EiKBimw?autoplay=1\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tframeborder=\"0\" \n\t\t\t\t\t\tallow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" \n\t\t\t\t\t\tallowfullscreen\n\t\t\t\t\t\ttitle=\"Thunderpick World Championship 2025 FINALS: GROUP A OPENING MATCH | The MongolZ VS 9z \ud83c\udfc6\"\n\t\t\t\t\t><\/iframe>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Eight teams, including The MongolZ, Natus Vincere, FURIA, Aurora Gaming, Imperial Esports, Team Venom, 9z Team, and OG, are competing for a total prize of $850,000 at the Thunderpick World Championship 2025 Finals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the tournament\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/world-championship.thunderpick.io\/update-club-share-participation-fee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">official website<\/a>, the Thunderpick World Championship 2025 Finals will feature two updates to its financial distribution structure, approved by Valve. A $150,000 participation fee will now be added for teams receiving direct Valve Regional Standings (VRS) invitations, while the previously announced $850,000 prize pool will be split between player and club shares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The total prize pool remains unchanged, and both player and club shares will continue to count toward the VRS. The participation fee, however, will serve as an additional financial incentive and will not affect VRS points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The prize pool is now divided with 60% allocated to the club share and 40% to the player share. For example, the first-place team will receive a total of $500,000, split into $200,000 for players and $300,000 for the club, while the eighth-place team will receive $20,000 in total, with $8,000 for players and $12,000 for the club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The $150,000 participation fee will be awarded to the top eight teams directly invited by VRS to the TWC Finals, based on their team ranking at the time of invitation rather than their performance in the event. Each of the top four global VRS invites will receive $25,000, while the top four European VRS invites will each receive $12,500, totaling $150,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"youtube-facade__wrapper --force-auto\" style=\"padding-top:56.20%;\">\n\t\t\t\t<img \n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"youtube-facade__img js-activate\" \n\t\t\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/erJUhrV1wZI\/hqdefault.jpg\" \n\t\t\t\t\tsrcset=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/erJUhrV1wZI\/hqdefault.jpg 658w\" \n\t\t\t\t\tsizes=\"(min-width: 659px) 100vw, 100vw\"\n\t\t\t\t\tstyle=\"display:block;\"\n\t\t\t\t\talt=\"Thunderpick Road to Malta - What to Expect from the Thunderpick World Championships 2025\"\n\t\t\t\t\tloading=\"lazy\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t<button class=\"youtube-facade__button js-activate\" aria-label=\"Play video\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg height=\"60\" width=\"60\" viewBox=\"0 0 68 48\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<path d=\"M66.52,7.33a8,8,0,0,0-5.64-5.66C56.52,0,34,0,34,0S11.48,0,7.12,1.67A8,8,0,0,0,1.48,7.33,84.11,84.11,0,0,0,0,24a84.11,84.11,0,0,0,1.48,16.67,8,8,0,0,0,5.64,5.66C11.48,48,34,48,34,48s22.52,0,26.88-1.67a8,8,0,0,0,5.64-5.66A84.11,84.11,0,0,0,68,24,84.11,84.11,0,0,0,66.52,7.33ZM27,34V14l18,10Z\" fill=\"#f00\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<polygon points=\"45 24 27 14 27 34\" fill=\"#fff\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"youtube-facade__iframe\" style=\"display:none;\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<iframe \n\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/erJUhrV1wZI\" \n\t\t\t\t\t\tdata-src-autoplay=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/erJUhrV1wZI?autoplay=1\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tframeborder=\"0\" \n\t\t\t\t\t\tallow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" \n\t\t\t\t\t\tallowfullscreen\n\t\t\t\t\t\ttitle=\"Thunderpick Road to Malta - What to Expect from the 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