Mauisnake on Falcons’ CS2 Failure, zonic, and the 2025 Meta

• Is 2025 One of the Best Years in CS2?
• Vitality, ZywOo, and the donk vs ZywOo MVP Race
• Can FURIA Call Themselves the World’s Best Team?
• molodoy and a New Aggressive AWP Meta
• Team Spirit: donk, sh1ro, and a Frag-Heavy Identity Crisis
• Why Mauisnake Blames zonic for Falcons’ CS2 Failure
• What’s Going Wrong with Team Liquid’s Rebuild?
• How the CS2 Meta Affects Skins, Trading, and Collecting
• What These Storylines Mean for CS2’s Future

Is 2025 One of the Best Years in CS2?

CS2 in 2025 has been wild. Between Vitality’s attempted era, the rebirth of Brazilian Counter-Strike, and Falcons’ star-studded struggles, almost every big event delivered at least one storyline worth debating on Twitter and in Twitch chat.

At the StarLadder Budapest Major, analyst Alex “Mauisnake” Ellenberg sat down to break down the year. His verdict: this season is absolutely stacked with narratives, even if you can argue whether it’s officially “one of the best years ever.”

Why 2025 stands out:

• Vitality’s dominance – a true era with back-to-back CS2 Majors, including the Budapest win.
• Brazilian resurgence – FURIA finally look like a complete title contender again after importing Mareks “YEKINDAR” Gaļinskis and Danil “molodoy” Golubenko.
• A competitive top 8 – the gap between the elite teams is razor-thin, making every playoff bracket feel lethal.
• Dangerous underdogs – squads ranked 9‑15 routinely upset favorites, especially at tier-one LANs.

According to Mauisnake, the number one spot is still “hotly contested” among teams and players, which is exactly what you want in a healthy esport. The year hasn’t just been about one dominant team; it’s been about everyone else trying to figure out how to close the gap.

Vitality, ZywOo, and the donk vs ZywOo MVP Race

Even though Vitality lifted another CS2 Major trophy in Budapest, they haven’t escaped criticism. The second half of their season felt sloppier, and fans were quick to judge whether the French-Danish superteam was slipping or simply being hunted harder by the pack.

Did Vitality Actually Fall Off?

Mauisnake doesn’t think the narrative of a complete collapse is fair, but he does say the criticism is warranted. In his view, Vitality dropped by about 5–10% in sharpness compared to their peak – not a huge crater, but enough in a meta where top teams are constantly levelling up.

He points to:

• Close series – tournaments like IEM Melbourne came down to tiny margins.
• Key mistakes – at events like BLAST Open London, moments where ZywOo and flameZ missed crucial utility usage potentially cost trophies.
• Self-awareness – even ZywOo admitted they were playing at roughly 60% at times, compared to near-perfect form earlier in the year.

The difference is that other teams caught up. When you’re winning championships by a round or two, a slight drop plus everyone else’s improvement can make your era feel a lot more fragile.

donk vs ZywOo: How Do You Judge the Best Player?

One of the spiciest debates of 2025 is the race between donk and ZywOo for the title of best player in the world. Mauisnake leans heavily into the idea that your choice reveals what you value:

• If you rate team achievements above all, ZywOo’s trophy cabinet with Vitality makes a strong case.
• If you focus on individual performance and mechanical dominance, donk’s insane numbers and opening impact are hard to ignore.

Instead of giving a definitive answer, he emphasizes transparency: analysts and fans need to show their criteria. Are you ranking the best fragger or the best winner? Those can be very different answers.

Can FURIA Call Themselves the World’s Best Team?

FURIA might not have lifted a CS2 Major yet, but their form in 2025 has put them firmly into the conversation for the world’s best squad. Many people hesitate to call them number one without a Major, but Mauisnake disagrees with that hesitation completely.

His stance is blunt: it’s denial to say FURIA don’t have number one potential.

FURIA’s 2025 Resume: Who Have They Beaten?

FURIA’s strength isn’t based on vibes alone. They’ve stacked up wins over almost every elite roster:

• Vitality – proving they can beat the reigning Major champions.
• Falcons – shutting down a lineup filled with superstars.
• Team Spirit and others – capable of taking series off the best AWPer and rifler combinations in the world.

Combine that with an extensive map pool, and you get a team that can prep for anyone and avoid permabans that cripple their game plan.

Key Pieces: molodoy, KSCERATO, and FalleN

Mauisnake highlights three pillars of this FURIA lineup:

• molodoy – in his view, a top 5, maybe top 3 AWPer in the world right now.
• KSCERATO – a consistent top 5 rifler, especially in mid-round and clutch scenarios.
• FalleN – still an elite captain and leader who sets the tone, keeps the team calm, and enables on-the-fly adjustments.

One thing Mauisnake feels people constantly underrate is FalleN’s leadership. It’s not just about calling executes. It’s about being able to freeze a chaotic round, reset the team, and instantly pivot to a secondary plan without panic. That’s where experience wins championships.

molodoy and a New Aggressive AWP Meta

One of Mauisnake’s boldest claims is that FURIA’s molodoy is essentially pioneering a new level of aggressive AWPing in CS2.

We’re used to talking about elite AWPers like sh1ro, m0NESY, and ZywOo. While all three can be explosive, Mauisnake makes an important distinction: two of them play predominantly passive, calculated styles. molodoy is pushing the boundaries in terms of how often and how fearlessly you can take initiative with the big green.

Why molodoy Is a Trailblazer

According to Mauisnake, molodoy isn’t just a high-frag AWPer. He’s redefining what teams can do with the weapon:

• He takes high-risk, high-reward peaks and still maintains consistency.
• He’s been playing ultra-aggressive AWP for around seven months, not just a short purple patch.
• He gives FURIA a massive range of options on both T and CT sides that most teams can’t replicate.

Mauisnake compares molodoy to short-lived aggressive AWPers like r1nkle, who had about a three-month window before getting figured out and falling off. molodoy, by contrast, has maintained this style over a long stretch, which forces the entire CS2 scene to adapt.

Could This Force a Meta Shift Around the AWP?

If other teams can’t produce similarly aggressive, multi-dimensional AWPers, they may simply not have access to the same playbook as FURIA. That could force a wider meta shift where:

• Teams draft and develop players specifically to mirror molodoy’s aggression.
• Coaches build more set pieces around early-round AWP impact.
• Utility usage and trading patterns start revolving around getting the AWP into prime fight positions instead of just holding angles.

In that sense, FURIA aren’t just a top contender; they might be a trendsetter that pushes other teams to evolve or get left behind.

Team Spirit: donk, sh1ro, and a Frag-Heavy Identity Crisis

On paper, Team Spirit should be terrifying. They field donk, the most explosive opener in the game, and sh1ro, one of the most efficient AWPers of the last few years. So why aren’t they the team everyone is constantly chasing?

Spirit’s Overreliance on donk

Mauisnake believes that chopper and hally have a unique but dangerous problem: when you have the best entry fragger in the world, you naturally want to build around him. The result is that Spirit’s system often leans too heavily on donk delivering otherworldly performances.

The risks of this approach:

• Too many rounds are scripted around donk finding opening kills.
• When he isn’t hitting that insane level, the entire team looks less threatening.
• Standard defaults and map control rounds can feel like you’re stifling his impact rather than enabling it.

On top of that, Mauisnake notes that Spirit’s flash timing and utility aren’t always precise enough to support suicidal entries. Sometimes it feels like donk is being sent out to die in predictable setups.

Roster Philosophy: Chasing Youth Over Stability

Another criticism from Mauisnake concerns Spirit’s roster-building strategy. He argues they tend to overinvest in ultra-young talent instead of recognizing when they already have a sustainable core.

His example: magixx. Despite being only 22–23, Spirit moved on from him to sign an even younger player. In Mauisnake’s eyes, this is a mistake because:

• magixx was a proven support player who could overperform in big games.
• He provided stability and experience without being old by any means.
• Constantly dipping into tier-two talent doesn’t always “future-proof” a roster; sometimes it just resets your development curve.

The takeaway: Spirit might already have had the right long-term pieces but kept chasing the hypothetical “even better” version instead of letting the roster develop together.

Why Mauisnake Blames zonic for Falcons’ CS2 Failure

The most controversial part of Mauisnake’s interview is his view on Team Falcons and legendary coach Danny “zonic” Sorensen. Falcons have invested heavily, signing some of the game’s biggest names, but results have been underwhelming compared to expectations.

Falcons’ Ridiculous Star Power

Mauisnake points out just how absurd the talent on Falcons has been under zonic. At various points, he’s had the opportunity to work with:

• s1mple
• NiKo
• m0NESY
• kyousuke

Yet despite that, the only trophy they can really point to is a single win at a PGL event in Bucharest earlier in the year. Mauisnake calls the field “weak” and suggests that even that success comes with an asterisk when you compare it to what this team was built to accomplish.

Mauisnake’s Core Criticism of zonic

In his view, there’s a point where you stop blaming the players and look at the coach. For Falcons, he believes that moment has arrived.

His critique hits several angles:

• Time and resources – Falcons have had plenty of time to practice and refine their system.
• Outdated methods – he mocks reports of them running “star, sword, and shield” exercises at PC-less bootcamps, suggesting these old-school approaches no longer work in modern CS2.
• Excuse-heavy interviews – he was taken aback by post-game interviews where zonic seemed to lean on external reasons instead of owning the failures.

Most damningly, Mauisnake points out that other coaches with far less raw talent are squeezing more performance out of their teams. Even if they don’t have long-term dominance, they’re clearly turning modest rosters into dangerous competitors.

Why “One More Star” Isn’t the Solution

Falcons have been memed constantly for needing “just one more superstar.” But after two years of constant tinkering, Mauisnake is completely done with that narrative. In his mind:

• Adding another star isn’t enough when the core system is flawed.
• There has to be a limit to roster changes; you can’t just swap players infinitely and blame chemistry.
• This most recent Major should have been a minimum semi-final run for a project of this calibre, and they fell short again.

So in terms of accountability, he draws a clear line: this one is on zonic. That doesn’t erase his historic achievements with Astralis, but it’s a sharp reality check for the current era.

What’s Going Wrong with Team Liquid’s Rebuild?

Another big name trying to claw its way back to the top is Team Liquid. On paper, they’ve built lineups that should at least threaten for playoff runs, but they’ve struggled to become the elite force they were years ago.

Lack of Protocols and Overreliance on Individual Plays

From Mauisnake’s perspective, Liquid’s problem isn’t star power; it’s structure. He highlights that at events like CAC and the Budapest Major, the team:

• Starts rounds with decent openings and some structure.
• But leans too heavily on individual heroics once the round hits late-game.
• Relies on calling “off of feeling” instead of executing a clearly defined system.

In other words, Liquid often look like a team that can win rounds off talent, but not consistently grind out wins against the very best when pressure ramps up.

Context: Mid-Season Changes and a New Coach

To be fair, Mauisnake acknowledges that the situation isn’t simple. Liquid:

• Swapped EliGE and Twistzz midway through the season, two players with very different styles and roles.
• Have Flashie in his first tier-one head coach role, which comes with a learning curve.

Because of that, he says it’s hard to place all the blame in one spot. But he does point to an interesting wrinkle in the team’s construction.

Did Twistzz Misjudge Some Signings?

Mauisnake suggests that some responsibility may lie with Twistzz himself. According to him, Twistzz pushed for bringing in ultimate and skullz. In hindsight, both players have looked below the level needed for an organization with Liquid’s ambitions.

That doesn’t mean they’re bad players, but it raises a tough question about whether Liquid’s talent scouting and internal decision-making are aligned with the reality of modern tier-one Counter-Strike.

How the CS2 Meta Affects Skins, Trading, and Collecting

Whenever the meta shifts in CS2 – new stars rise, teams change lineups, or certain guns become more popular – the skin market moves with it. The storylines from 2025 are already influencing what players want to equip and trade.

Star Players, Star Skins

When players like ZywOo, donk, molodoy, or KSCERATO dominate highlight reels, fans naturally gravitate toward the weapons they’re known for:

• ZywOo’s iconic rifles and AWP choices.
• donk’s aggressive rifle entries, often with flashy AK or M4 skins.
• molodoy’s AWP-driven identity, pushing demand for eye-catching sniper rifle skins.

Whenever you see a Major final or a deep playoff run, it’s common for certain stickers, team logos, and specific weapon skins to spike in popularity. Even if you’re not investing for profit, many players use their inventory to flex their allegiance to their favorite team or star.

Finding a Safe Place to Trade and Buy CS2 Skins

Because hype cycles come and go fast, you want a marketplace where you can move skins quickly and securely. Instead of gambling on shady sites, it’s smarter to stick to established platforms.

For players looking to buy or sell cs2 skins, marketplaces like cs2 skins offer a structured way to:

• Browse a huge catalog of weapon skins across all price ranges.
• React to meta changes or team news by upgrading or cashing out specific items.
• Find deals without needing to grind trade servers or risky peer-to-peer setups.

If you still play older versions or follow the legacy scene, the same logic applies to csgo skins. You can check and manage your collection via platforms like csgo skins, especially if you’re converting your inventory into CS2 or diversifying your items across both eras.

How Meta and Esports Results Impact Skin Value

Several factors from this 2025 season can impact how players see value in skins:

• Major wins – Vitality’s back-to-back Major titles could boost interest in their team stickers, autograph capsules, and weapon skins frequently showcased by their players.
• Underdog runs – If teams like FURIA or Spirit go deep at multiple events, fans often chase their branding in sticker form.
• Individual heroics – a legendary AWP performance, like molodoy dropping a historic series, can create a mini wave of hype around the exact AWP skin he’s seen using.

At the same time, players whose stocks are falling – or lineups that never quite come together, like Falcons so far – can see demand shift away from their associated items, at least temporarily. The market is emotional, and esports narratives drive a lot of those emotions.

What These Storylines Mean for CS2’s Future

Putting it all together, 2025 has given CS2 fans a ton to chew on:

• Vitality are still champions, but no longer untouchable.
• donk vs ZywOo is shaping up to be one of the defining rivalries of the era.
• FURIA might be the most complete and scary challenger, especially with molodoy reinventing aggressive AWPing.
• Spirit have the raw talent to dominate but need a more balanced, less donk-dependent system.
• Falcons are a case study in how stacking stars doesn’t guarantee success, and how even legendary coaches like zonic can face serious scrutiny.
• Liquid are still searching for an identity that aligns star power with a refined, consistent structure.

Mauisnake’s takes are harsh at times, but that’s why they resonate. He’s not afraid to say that a legendary coach might be failing, that a hyped roster isn’t good enough, or that fans are underrating teams like FURIA who don’t yet have a Major but have beaten everyone in sight.

For players, viewers, and collectors, these storylines don’t just shape the competitive landscape. They also influence what you see in your matchmaking games, what you watch on stream, and even what you carry in your inventory. Whether you’re grinding ranked, theorycrafting the next meta shift, or browsing marketplaces for your next skin upgrade, 2025 is one of the most dynamic chapters CS2 has seen so far.

And with how close the top tier is right now, the next event could completely rewrite the rankings – and spark a fresh round of debates, highlight reels, and inventory flexes.