Vitality crowns its excellence at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025: a look back at the bees’ memorable year

Vitality crowns its excellence at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, offering esports enthusiasts an impressive show summed up by:

• A unique record in 2025 with two Majors won and nine trophies in total;
• The stunning performance of ZywOo, undisputed MVP of the Hungarian competition;
• A refined collective strategy, embodied by exemplary tactical leadership;
• A considerable impact on the international scene and a dynamic renewal of French esports.

This memorable year for the Vitality bees is a true masterclass illustrating the power of this extraordinary team. Let’s discover together how this domination was built, the key elements of the StarLadder Budapest Major, the journey throughout 2025, the composition and strength of Vitality, without forgetting the significant influence on world esports.

Strategic dominance of Vitality at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025

Vitality’s victory at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 is the crowning of unparalleled tactical mastery in the Counter-Strike 2 universe. Held from December 10 to 14, 2025, this competition brought together 32 elite teams, each aspiring to grab a share of the colossal 1.25 million dollar prize pool. Vitality imposed itself in the final with a 3-1 score against the formidable The MongolZ, notably thanks to an iconic map progression: Ancient, Nuke, and Mirage.

The bees’ journey is exemplary, marked by a Swiss phase without a single loss, followed by controlled playoffs where they successively dominated G2, FaZe Clan, then Spirit in the semi-finals. This flawless trajectory testifies to a team completely in control. ZywOo, Vitality’s star player, was elected MVP of the tournament with an exceptional K/D ratio of 1.45, demonstrating his decisive impact on every round.

Vitality combined flameZ’s explosiveness, an entry specialist, ApEX’s methodical precision and composure in his calls, as well as indispensable support from mew, who guaranteed the fundamentals and rock-solid tactical setups. This mix of brilliant individual players and a well-oiled organization impressed commentators, who did not hesitate to call it a “tactical masterclass.”

• Swiss phase: 6 wins, 0 losses;
• Playoffs: wins against G2, FaZe, Spirit;
• Final: 3-1 against The MongolZ;
• Major prize: $500,000 for Vitality;
• ZywOo’s K/D ratio at the Major: 1.45.

This triumph reinforces Vitality as the current dominant force in CS2, a true peak in an already remarkable season.

Complete exploration of the year 2025: the rise of Vitality

The year 2025 belongs to Vitality and can be analyzed as a steady rise in the competitive universe of Counter-Strike 2. As early as February, Vitality ended a long drought by triumphing at the Intel Extreme Masters Katowice, a tournament where the bees had not won in seven years. The very close final against MOUZ ended with a tight 3-2 score, with ZywOo once again named MVP. This initial success gave the momentum necessary for an intense and prolific year.

This momentum was consolidated as early as May at the BLAST.tv Austin Major, where Vitality proudly secured its first CS2 Major of the season, again against The MongolZ, with a solid 3-1 repeat victory. The momentum did not stop, continuing with victories at the ESL Pro League Season 22 in June against FaZe Clan, then at IEM Melbourne in October where Vitality completed the prestigious ESL Grand Slam with a win over Team Falcons.

In between these highlights, the French team added two other significant titles: the BLAST Premier Spring Final in April, the summer confirmation at ESL One Cologne in July, and a victorious travel in Asia at Perfect World Shanghai Major. This prolific record, totaling nine trophies with a cumulative prize pool surpassing 3 million dollars, unambiguously illustrates the bees’ consistency and strength in 2025.

The table below summarizes these emblematic successes:

Tournament	Date	Final opponent	Prize pool won
IEM Katowice	February	MOUZ	$500,000
BLAST.tv Austin Major	May	The MongolZ	$500,000
ESL Pro League Season 22	June	FaZe Clan	Not disclosed
IEM Melbourne	October	Team Falcons	Not disclosed
StarLadder Budapest Major	December	The MongolZ	$500,000
BLAST Premier Spring Final	April	–	Not disclosed
ESL One Cologne	July	–	Not disclosed
Perfect World Shanghai Major	August	–	Not disclosed

This impressive series illustrates Vitality’s rise as an essential player in the global competition, strengthening their image as a cleverly orchestrated infernal machine on the circuit.

The human pillars behind Vitality’s historic success

Vitality’s remarkable success in 2025 relies on a precious synergy among exceptional individuals who combine talent, experience, and complementarity. At the helm of this team, Mathieu “ ZywOo ” Herbaut boasts a staggering personal record with six Best Player awards in the HLTV rankings. His overall ratio of 1.32 for the year attests to a consistency and composure beyond doubt, with memorable clutches that have repeatedly turned the tide in the tightest matches.

ApEX, captain and strategist, brings calm and methodical leadership to Vitality. His role is central in making tactical decisions, notably in executing complex calls that made the difference in many decisive encounters. FlameZ, for his part, embodies the raw power and aggressiveness needed to make entry kills, regularly delivering impactful multi-kills that open the way for his teammates.

Indispensable support comes from mew, perfect in his role as support. This player ensures the necessary stability to allow others to shine, while establishing effective setups that structure the rounds. Finally, rox, introduced as a replacement for Spinx, quickly mastered this role with a robust performance that solidified the team.

Offstage, coaching by XTQZZZ consolidated all these raw talents thanks to meticulous preparation and precise operational coaching. Every timeout is used strategically, every economy is planned, making Vitality a truly well-oiled and fearsomely efficient machine.

• ZywOo: six-time HLTV best player, key role on every map;
• ApEX: calm captain and strategist;
• flameZ: explosive in entry rounds;
• mew: support pillar ensuring team balance;
• rox: effective and robust substitute;
• XTQZZZ: tactical coach and team synergy manager.

These men form a solid alliance around a common goal: to keep Vitality at the top of the world competition.

Vitality facing challenges and global competition in 2025

Going through such an intense year was not without difficulties for Vitality. From early 2025, the loss of Spinx for personal reasons forced the team to rebuild its roster, integrating rox in a delicate context. The adaptation was not immediate, marked by some underperformances, including two missed semi-finals in March.

Some observers note a fairly marked dependence on ZywOo, pointing out that when the player is not at his best, the team can encounter mid-round difficulties, which sometimes allowed rivals to gain a temporary advantage. The MongolZ proved a tough rival, having beaten Vitality twice in the year, constantly reminding that competition is intensifying.

Nevertheless, Vitality’s reaction was exemplary. After a notable defeat at PGL Cluj in September, the bees doubled down to then win the StarLadder Budapest Major and reach a level of domination rarely seen. This ability to bounce back quickly is a strong sign of their resilience.

The global competition, with teams like G2 restructuring and the MongolZ progressing, promises a show rich in twists and turns. Vitality, despite these challenges, maintains a relentless pace, forcing its opponents to follow an extreme excellence tempo.

• Spinx absent, rox integrated late with adaptation period;
• Partial dependence on ZywOo, exploited by some rivals;
• Two losses against The MongolZ in 2025, fierce rivalry;
• Quick reaction after setbacks;
• Active global competition with G2, MongolZ, and FaZe Clan.

This ability to overcome obstacles enriches Vitality’s aura and offers them real strategic depth over the long term.

Vitality’s lasting influence on French esports and the global scene

Vitality redefined the French esports scene in 2025, creating a tremendous momentum across the entire French community. Their spectacular performances triggered an explosion of viewers on Twitch, with a record number of French viewers whenever the bees compete. This success boosted sponsor interest in the discipline and encouraged a new generation of players to engage in CS2.

Internationally, Vitality’s dominance sets a new standard. Their strategic methods, controlled risk-taking, and ways of playing certain maps like Nuke or Inferno have become references that other teams seek to emulate. This technical influence contributes to an overall rise in competition quality and a renewal of common tactics.

The supreme recognition came from the 2025 Game Awards, where Vitality won the highly coveted Best Esports Team of the Year prize. An honor that materializes their reign and crowns their excellence in a constantly evolving domain.

Here is an overview of the concrete impacts:

• Growth of French audiences on Twitch and other platforms;
• Increased attractiveness for sponsors and media;
• Tactical inspiration for global teams;
• Promotion of the French esports scene internationally;
• Strengthened engagement of new generations towards CS2.

Vitality today embodies a powerful symbol for esports, blending performance, innovation, and international influence.