Richard Lewis Believes Valve Will Make a Bold CS2 RMRs Decision

Prominent Esports journalist Richard Lewis expects Valve to rethink its CS2 RMRs approach in the near future

Regional Major Ranking events, or RMRs for short, have played a vital role in determining participants for Counter-Strike Majors. They function as qualifiers, with top teams from each RMR advancing to the Major's Group Stage. The inclusion of RMRs in the recently concluded PGL Major Copenhagen suggests they will continue to be a part of the Major culture in the CS2 era as well. Richard Lewis, one of the most trusted names in Esports journalism, has recently offered his thoughts on the future of CS2 RMRs.

Richard Lewis Talks CS2 RMRs and More

Veteran Esports journalist Richard Lewis hosted a recent 4-hour stream reflecting on his work at the PGL Copenhagen 2024 Major. During the broadcast, he expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming open circuit format and hinted at the possibility of Valve discontinuing CS2 RMRs.

Lewis acknowledged that RMRs might live on for the first Major of 2025 as Valve refines its ranking system. He expects the new format to be implemented by 2026 at the latest. On top of that, he promised a follow-up stream delving deeper into the anticipated changes for CS2.

Credit: Esports Awards

“I want to talk about a huge new tour we've moved back into. Which is that partnered leagues are dead in 2025, and suddenly, we've got a major esports tournament every week. StarLadder is back, PGL is back, BLAST, ESL, all the partnered leagues are dead. From what I'm hearing, RMR's might be gone. All of a sudden, CS is f**king back. Ranking points [kisses the air]. 2025 is going to be mega, and I don't even think oversaturation is going to be an issue.”

With a plethora of new CS2 events slated for 2025, the future of CS2 RMRs seem increasingly uncertain. Richard Lewis' mention of Valve's ranking system suggests they might utilize it for direct Major invites, potentially replacing the current qualification system.

Debuting in 2020 for the ultimately cancelled IEM Rio Major, Regional Major Rankings (RMRs) were implemented to streamline Major qualification. This system involved a series of tournaments throughout the season, with teams earning invites to the Major based on their cumulative RMR points. However, following a single full season in 2021, Valve opted to condense the RMR schedule, holding just one RMR event prior to each Major.