FISSURE Playground 2: Tournament Overview. Who’s Coming, What Will Be at the Stadium, and Why It’s Considered a Tier-1 Event
FISSURE Playground 2 is a major international Counter-Strike 2 tournament, which will be the second in the Playground series from organizer FISSURE. It will bring together 16 top teams from around the world to compete for a substantial prize pool and the chance to lift the trophy in front of a packed arena. The tournament will take place in Belgrade, Serbia from September 12-21, 2025, with the group stage in the studio and playoffs at the cozy Belgrade Arena. This tournament was created not only to enjoy the beloved game but also to immerse in the esports atmosphere with entertainment zones, autograph sessions, and other interactive activities. Learn all about the upcoming CS celebration in this article!
Why Serbia?
Belgrade was chosen for FISSURE Playground 2 for several reasons. First, Serbia is a growing hub for esports, where practically every organization has set up bootcamps, and for many players, it’s literally a second home. Belgrade Arena, which was recently reconstructed and has already successfully hosted similar events, including the previous FISSURE Playground 1 in July 2025, proved itself beyond praise.
The organizers emphasize that Serbia allows for creating an “epic atmosphere” for LAN events, with convenient logistics for teams from Europe, Asia, and America. FISSURE, as a relatively new operator, focuses on this region to avoid logistical complexities when organizing events. And of course, it’s a wonderful opportunity to reward local fans for their hospitality and further strengthen local interest in CS2.
What Will Be at the Stadium?
Belgrade Arena will open its doors for the playoff stage from September 19-21, where 7 matches will be played over three days with a full arena of supporters and Counter-Strike enthusiasts expected. Besides the games themselves, organizers promise a rich program:
- Game Zone: Stands for trial CS2 matches, simulators, and mini-tournaments for visitors.
- VR zones: VR headsets for watching matches
- Chill Zone: Places for relaxation, food courts, and social spaces.
- Autograph sessions: Meet-and-greets with players – for example, the entire Team Spirit team confirmed participation despite not playing in this tournament. Session schedules will be announced closer to the event.
- Merch and shopping: Official FISSURE merchandise, team gear, and more.
- Additional features: VR headsets for match viewing, photo zones, and possibly surprises like showmatches.
Tournament Tickets
Tickets for FISSURE Playground 2 are available for purchase on the official website, with several categories to satisfy different preferences and financial capabilities of fans. By the way, the prices will pleasantly surprise you, and payment can be made not only in foreign currency but also in rubles, which is very convenient for Russian residents.
- “Newbie” – a one-day ticket with access to general admission seating by sections and autograph sessions.
- “Pro” provides access to all three playoff days (September 19-21), including priority access to autographs and general admission seating.
- “Legend” (VIP, for 3 days), which in addition to access and priority includes a merch pack (zip hoodie, socks, stickers, bottle opener, posters).
Belgrade Arena accommodates more than 4,000 people, with excellent ventilation and convenient location in the city.
Tournament Format
The tournament is divided into two stages:
- Group Stage (Swiss System, September 12-17): 16 teams play in BO3 format. This is a system where teams with equal records meet each other until the 8 best are determined (in this case, those who manage to secure 3 victories). A similar system is used at Majors and other tier-1 events. Matches are played offline in the studio, without spectators.
- Playoffs (September 19-21): Quarterfinals and semifinals with BO3 matches, grand final – BO5. Everything at the arena with spectators.
The tournament affects the VRS rating (Valve Regional Standings), which is really important.
Prize Pool
This is one of the most generous prize pools in the CS2 calendar for 2025, which attracted quite a few top teams. The total prize pool is $1,250,000, divided into two parts:
- Players (Player share): $500,000
- Clubs (Club share): $750,000 (for team organizations)
Distribution for players:
- 1st place – $200,000
- 2nd place – $100,000
- 3rd-4th places – $40,000
- 5th-8th places – $17,500
- 9th-11th places – $10,000
- 12th-14th places – $5,000
- 15th-16th places – $2,500
Why Can the Tournament Be Considered Tier-1?
FISSURE Playground 2 will feature an impressive lineup – 16 teams, where only Liquid is below the top-20 VRS rating. This makes the tournament extremely competitive despite the absence of some giants like Vitality or MOUZ. The presence of teams like Falcons, The MongolZ, Aurora, G2, FaZe is an excellent gift for fans, a source of pride for organizers, and of course, a great responsibility.
If we recall recent complaints from PGL’s CEO about the difficulty of inviting teams, then FISSURE really achieved the impossible – gathering such mastodons already at their second CS2 tournament. Judging by the invitations to IEM Chengdu 2025, PGL Bucharest 2025 will pass not only without Vitality and MOUZ but also other top teams that will make it to Belgrade. Incidentally, PGL Bucharest 2025 was initially supposed to take place in Serbia’s capital as well, but for various reasons, the tournament was moved to Romania. The tournament operator, which has existed for more than 20 years, faced similar problems. Therefore, the participant lineup of FISSURE Playground 2 truly deserves the title of a tier-1 tournament and can quite stand alongside other top events.
In the next article, we’ll talk in more detail about the main tournament favorites and try to guess who fans will be able to see at Belgrade Arena.
Alex
Alex is an author and esports observer with more than seven years of experience. He specializes in analyzing new releases in the world of computer games, gaming services, and in-game economies. Alex shares practical experience and an expert perspective on the development of gaming, helping readers understand complex mechanics and stay up to date with the latest news.
