Everything you wanted to know about the CS2 Copenhagen Major RMRs

The qualifiers for the biggest Counter-Strike competition in the world are underway, and fans all around the world are watching with bated breath to figure out who will make it to the first CS2 Major in Copenhagen.

Here is everything you need to know about the RMRs (Regional Major Ranking) events in Counter-Strike esports.

What are the Regional Major Ranking events (RMRs) in Counter-Strike esports?

The Regional Major Ranking events, often abbreviated as RMRs, are the tournaments that determine the qualifications for the Valve-sponsored Majors. They offer open qualifiers for any five-stacks looking for a date with esports destiny, with a chance to join those who earned high placings in the previous Major.  

Originally, they were conceived by Valve as just one of the few events that would count towards Major qualification alongside other selected competitions from the third-party circuit, but those plans seem to have been scuttled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Currently, as we head into the CS2 esports era of Counter-Strike, these events are quite similar to the old Minors of the past, with regional qualifiers serving as the way for teams and players to secure their spots in the most prestigious, Valve-supported crown jewel events of the space.

The European and American RMRs feature a five-round Swiss bracket, with all elimination and advancement matches played out in a best-of-three format and the rest being best-of-ones. The Asia-Pacific RMR is a double-elimination format.

The format of the first CS2 Major, explained

The first CS2 Major will take place in Copenhagen, the first time such an event will ever happen in Denmark, under the auspices of PGL, between March 17 and March 31. It will feature the well-known system of recent CS:GO Majors, with two eight-team Swiss stages followed by a single-elimination playoff.

Eight teams will be seeded straight into the Elimination Stage (the second Swiss bracket), seven from the European RMRs, and one sole representative of the American RMR. The rest of the teams – the remaining ten EU RMR teams, four from Americas, and two from Asia-Pacific – will duke it out in the Opening Stage for a chance to join them.

Teams will be seeded solely based on their spot in Valve’s Regional Standings after the conclusion of the RMRs.

As is usual, the invitations and the qualification spots are bestowed on the majority of the player cores, meaning if an org jettisons its roster, it will be the roster (or a chunk of it with at least 3 out of the 5 players) who will carry on the invitation.

The European RMRs

The Old Continent has long dominated Counter-Strike esports, and as a consequence, it holds the lion’s share of Major spots – so much so that there are two separate RMRs in place altogether to separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to Europe’s best and brightest.

The teams that managed to win 3 rounds in the Swiss system earned themselves a spot at the Major. The teams with a 2-3 result will proceed to the Decider Brackets, where only one of the six teams across the two European RMRs will get the opportunity to qualify.

The European RMR A ran from February 14 to February 17, and it was seen as the less stacked competition, yet it delivered its fair share of upsets. EU RMR B was more star-studded, and saw some great legends of the game miss out on some Major action.

Here are the results and qualifications for the European RMRs:

EU RMR A qualified teams

• Virtus.pro (Jame, FL1T, fame, n0rb3r7, mir) – qualified with 3-0
• G2 (huNter-, NiKo, m0NESY, HooXi, nexa) – qualified with 3-0
• NAVI (b1t, Aleksib, jL, iM, w0nderful) – qualified with 3-1
• FaZe Clan (karrigan, rain, frozen, ropz, broky) – qualified with 3-1
• KOI (mopoz, dav1g, JUST, adamS, stadodo) – qualified with 3-1
• Eternal Fire (XANTARES, Calyx, MAJ3R, Wicadia, woxic) – qualified with 3-2
• SAW (MUTiRiS, rmn, ewjerkz, story, arrozdoce) – qualified with 3-2
• AMKAL ESPORTS (TRAVIS, Forester, NickelBack, Krad, ICY) – qualified with 3-2
• Fnatic (KRIMZ, afro, bodyy, matys, kyuubi) – decider brackets with 2-3
• 9Pandas (seized, d1Ledez, clax, iDISBALANCE, glowiing) – decider brackets with 2-3
• BetBoom Team (nafany, KaiR0N-, s1ren, zorte, danistzz) – decider brackets with 2-3

EU RMR A eliminated teams

• ENTERPRISE (bajmi, Ex1st, Demho, fr3nd, TOAO) – eliminated with 1-3
• Team Falcons (BOROS, Snappi, Magisk, maden, SunPayus) – eliminated with 1-3
• 3DMAX (Lucky, Djoko, Ex3rcice, Maka, hAdji) – eliminated with 1-3
• Ninjas in Pyjamas (REZ, es3tag, headtr1ck, k0nfig, alex) – eliminated with 0-3
• Into The Breach (rallen, CRUC1AL, Bymas, misutaa, Thomas) – eliminated with 0-3

EU RMR B qualified teams

• MOUZ (torzsi, xertioN, siuhy, Jimpphat, Brollan) – qualified with 3-0
• Cloud9 (Ax1Le, Hobbit, electroNic, Perfecto, Boombl4) – qualified with 3-0
• Team Vitality (apEX, ZywOo, Spinx, flameZ, mezii) – qualified with 3-1
• Team Spirit (chopper, magixx, zont1x, donk, sh1ro) – qualified with 3-1
• Apeks (nawwk, jkaem, STYKO, CacaNito, sense) – qualified with 3-1
• ENCE (gla1ve, dycha, Goofy, Kylar, hades) – qualified with 3-2
• ECSTATIC (kraghen, Queenix, salazar, Nodios, Patti) – qualified with 3-2
• Heroic (TeSeS, sjuush, NertZ, nicodooz, kyxsan) – qualified with 3-2
• Guild Eagles (SENER1, gxx-, juanflatroo, sinnopsyy, rigoN) – decider brackets with 2-3
• Astralis (blameF, dev1ce, Staehr, stavn, jabbi) – decider brackets with 2-3
• GamerLegion (Snax, isak, acoR, Keoz, volt) – decider brackets with 2-3

EU RMR B eliminated teams

• OG (F1KU, regali, k1to, Nexius, HeavyGod) – eliminated with 1-3
• Monte (Woro2k, DemQQ, kRaSnaL, sdy, br0) – eliminated with 1-3
• Preasy Esport (Altekz, dupreeh, TMB, refrezh, roej) – eliminated with 1-3
• Pera Esports (msN, Aaron, Kamion, Porya, DGL) – eliminated with 0-3
• Nexus Gaming (BTN, ragga, XELLOW, s0und, ERSIN) – eliminated with 0-3

The American RMR

Over on the other side of the pond, the American RMR features 15 teams, all vying for one of the five qualification spots on offer. Two teams will make it directly to the second stage of the Major, while the other three will have to battle it out in the Opening Stage.

The following teams are competing in the American RMR:

• FURIA Esports (yuurih, arT, KSCERATO, FalleN, chelo)
• Complexity Gaming (JT, floppy, Grim, hallzerk, EliGE)
• MIBR (exit, brnz4n, insani, drop, saffee)
• M80 (Swisher, reck, malbsMd, slaxz-, maNkz)
• paiN Gaming (biguzera, lux, kauez, nqz, n1ssim)
• RED Canids (DeStiNy, venomzera, nython, hardzao, dav1deuS)
• BESTIA (Nokste, deco, meyern, luchov, tomaszin)
• Imperial Esports (VINI, HEN1, felps, noway, decenty)
• Nouns Esports (nosraC, cJ-dA-K1nG, MarKE, Jeore, junior)
• Elevate (snav, dare, shane, Peeping, nbgee12)
• BOSS (Cryptic, freshie, brett, d4rty, PwnAlone)
• ODDIK (naitte, matios, WOOD7, Tuurtle, ponter)
• Legacy (coldzera, latto, dumau, NEKIZ, b4rtiN)
• Wildcard Gaming (Stanislaw, Inifinte, JBa, SLIGHT, Sonic)
• Team Liquid (NAF, YEKINDAR, skullz, cadiaN, Twistzz)
• NRG (oSee, daps, Brehze, HexT, FaNg)

The Asia-Pacific RMR

Meanwhile, in the APAC RMR, the format is a little different: with two spots in the Major’s Opening Stage on the line, it is a double-elimination bracket. Much like in the other Regional Major Ranking events, initial matches are best-of-one, but all elimination and advancement matches are best-of-three.

These are the teams and players participating in the APAC RMR for the Copenhagen CS2 Major:

• Grayhound Gaming (INS, aliStair, Liazz, Vexite, dexter)
• Lynn Vision Gaming (westmelon, z4kr, Starry, EmiliaQAQ, Jee)
• TYLOO (advent, kaze, JamYoung, Mercury, aumaN)
• The MongolZ (bLitz, Techno4K, 910, mzinho, Senzu)
• ATOX Esports (dobu, kabal, MiQ, AccuracyTG, Zesta)
• Myth Avenue (Derek, Ian, Ariucle, WasteofAmmo, Tugu)
• 15 Average Gaming (Joker, Lambdacore, Ruskovvvv, Qeall, sharkyyy)
• JiJieHao (m1N1, ISSAA, DavCost, El1an, ViTaL)

Everything you just learned about Counter-Strike RMRs, summarized

• The Regional Major Ranking events are the qualifiers for the Majors
• Each big global region has its own qualification process
• Europe delegates seventeen teams to the showpiece competition
• America has five spots on offer combined
• Two teams from Asia-Pacific qualify for the Major

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