Your wildest 2026 predictions!

2025 was a fun year of Counter-Strike, but with every year comes new surprises.

We asked you for some predictions for the new year, and we’ll throw in a few of our own to start. Join us!

BC.Game sign a genuine superstar, MOUZ fall out of the top 10 by the middle of the year, device retires, NiKo goes back to FaZe and PARIVISION make the playoffs of an S tier event this year. In case you were wondering.

The first half of the first half of this has already come true, which actually makes it a bad prediction as that came in 2025. Jokes on you, Jacob. The MongolZ winning the Singapore Major would be a massive surprise, especially if it is to be without Senzu. Astralis folding, however, given their well-documented financial issues, seems likely.

This one is very ominous. Has us a bit scared, this tweet. We brought up device in the original tweet as a potential for retiring, but this suggests someone much younger. We saw jL step out for a bit last year, so it’s not completely unheard of. Maybe donk if HLTV don’t give him number one.

We don’t want to speculate on this one for obvious reasons, but it does seem statistically unlikely for there to be no LGBTQ players currently active. We’ve already seen some talent and surrounding personnel in CS come out, so it’s not like it only attracts straight people, somehow.

Do we really trust Valve to do this?

We’re trying to brainstorm a possible ‘gap’ for a gun, and the best we can come up with is some sort of semi-auto rifle that one taps, like the Guardian in VALORANT. Knowing Valve, we’d get another shotgun.

We have no problem with Lake, but hope none of the others come true.

We love this prediction. It’s such a clear outlining of what the goals are, and still such an insanely low chance, but you can still sort of see it happening.

We think this every year, and then you get Vitality or something. We hope it’s true, but it so often isn’t.

Woah. Nearly got hit by that flying pig just then.

We’re unsure if this suggests HeavyGod will win the first Major, and then m0NESY the second, or that HeavyGod will win one and m0NESY won’t. Either way, bold prediction. Respect.

Haha, yeah man. Okay brother. Cool story bossman. For sure my guy.

Speaking of winning the Major, though, we asked (a little late) who would win the two Majors this year. We’re plumping for Spirit, and then Falcons AFTER replacing NiKo, completing his jinx story.

This we can definitely see. If Spirit are even slightly better than last year, they will be a problem.

Absolutely insane. On both counts. Cologne is probably the biggest event since Rio in terms of hype, and B8 seem pretty hard capped right now. Unless s1mple joins them, tries again, makes up with npl, refinds his old form and someone else becomes peak electroNic, it seems very unlikely.

Much more reasonable. G2 a little out there, but they do seem to be getting better over time, and you never know who they might splash the cash on.

Without spoiling who this is, he is slightly biased towards Vitality. That said, it’s not exactly a crazy call, either. They are the best team in the world, and maybe ever. NAVI a bit braver - they seem a little undercooked firepower wise for us.

Another shout for Falcons. Or is it?

How are there two people thinking The MongolZ are winning a Major this year?

delusion /dɪˈluːʒn/ noun a false belief or judgement about external reality, held despite incontrovertible evidence to the contrary, as a symptom of serious mental illness.

If you’ve got any crazy predictions for 2026 you want in a follow-up article, feel free to tweet the writer (@aizyesque) or all of us @rdygg_cs2 and let us know what’s happening this year.

Happy New Year!