The RMRs were flawed but they generated some incredible stories

The final RMRs have come and gone, and as we embark on a new adventure in Counter-Strike esports, let’s celebrate the positives of a hodgepodge system and the many memories it gave us.

Farewell to RMRia

Remember when Regional Major Ranking events were first announced? They were meant to be one of the many events providing points towards Major qualification, much like the Dota Pro Circuit (ironically just about the time Dota esports shuttered the entire DPC concept), only for the pandemic to throw a wrench into the whole operation. Instead, they essentially returned as the Minors in all but name, and while the system was due for an overhaul, it definitely had its moments.

They served as the TI of tier 2 teams, a life-changing payoff that didn’t make the actual big-ticket event ridiculously top-heavy. And while chancers and rule-benders put a dent into the experience, it still served as the breakout stage for many teams and players, and to quote the ultimate caster cliché, we could always see how much it meant to them.

A more systemic, step-by-step, points-based, circuit-wide qualification system will be more fair and better overall, but there are still good reasons to miss it all.

Is Czechia about to become the next big thing in Counter-Strike (and could national teams make a comeback)?

Even with the many heartbreaks of the 2-3 bracket, the nation has distinguished itself at the RMR. We’re in an era of international teams in Counter-Strike, and while that clearly shows no signs of changing at the highest level of competitive play, some interesting projects are emerging in the second tier of the scene. I remember the time when it was thought to be impossible that a team fielding players of multiple nationalities would be viable at the elite level – now, it feels as if it’s near-impossible to construct a roster of five players flying the same flag to take down the biggest titles.

Clearly, the story is never this simple – and we’ve seen some interesting and promising projects at the first of the two European RMRs, most notably the impressive crop of Czech talent across a wide swathe of squads, where you might even being to see the contours of a national superteams if you squint hard enough.

For a cautionary tale, I remember how Poland struggled to blood in a new generation of talent after the all-conquering VP side of TaZ and co. petered out, but I see the potential. This spurt of talent is also emerging at a great time, when the tournament circuit is transitioning to a more open form with many opportunities throughout the year for a larger pool of teams to leave a mark and grow. With the right grindset, teams like SINNERS and UNiTY esports can follow in the wake of orgs like BIG and Team Spirit, who took the bull by the horns when an opportunity presented itself and established themselves as a stable part of the Counter-Strike scene.

Meanwhile, peering past RMR A and staring into the depths of RMR B, we also got some interesting insights into the state of the Danish CS “youth intake” – after all, it seemed like one of the few nations that could still field some reliably competitive all-national squads in the past few years, with infinitely greater pedigree to boot. Alas, it wasn’t to be. Instead, it was Passion UA who distinguished themselves (though I’d say B8 was deserving of more than the 0-3 exit to further bolster the prospects of the nation).

Still, even if Major qualification proved to be a bridge too far for many, the wide-open circuit in 2025 might be the beginning of a sea change where talent concentration lessens somewhat and more teams become viable contenders, with the possible reemergence of national squads. Fun times are ahead of us, and not just because of the upcoming action in Shanghai.