BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 Quarterfinals : Overview & Highlights

The Champions Stage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 began on May 18 and we’re at the quarterfinals now that have just finished, showcasing thrilling matches and impressive team performances. Now, let’s delve into how these two days unfolded and which teams made it to the semifinals.

It’s important to note that teams like FURIA, 9INE, ENCE, BNE, G2, NAVI, Fnatic, and NIP didn’t qualify for the final CS:GO Major tournament.

Quarterfinals: Brief Overview

The quarterfinals showcased the eight most formidable teams. Each game and every round was filled with tension. All matches in the quarterfinals were played in a best-of-three series.

We will discuss four matches featuring the following teams:

• GamerLegion vs Monte
• Liquid vs Apeks
• Heroic vs Faze
• Vitality vs Into The Breach

So, which teams won in the quarterfinals? Read on.

Heroic vs Faze

The first match at Accor Arena featured the PGL Major Antwerp 2022 champions, FaZe, against their strong opponent, Heroic which has been experiencing significant growth and success after undergoing several changes in 2022. Now, let’s delve into the details of this match.

Here’s the list of map selections and bans:

• FaZe removed Vertigo
• Heroic removed Anubis
• FaZe picked Nuke
• Heroic picked Overpass
• Heroic removed Ancient
• FaZe removed Inferno
• Mirage was left over

Nuke

FaZe had a strong start, winning the first three rounds on the T side. However, Heroic made a full buy, securing an important round to maintain their economy. Despite losing one round, FaZe won two more in a row, leading 5:1. Heroic then took control, winning nine consecutive rounds and ending the first half with a 10:5 score.

In the second half of the first map, Heroic had a strong performance, taking a commanding lead of 14:5. However, FaZe staged a comeback, winning six rounds in a row and closing the gap to 14:11. Despite FaZe’s efforts, Heroic managed to secure two more rounds, ultimately winning the map with a final 16:14 score.

9 IN A ROW TO END THE HALF pic.twitter.com/j6dUMicdoz

— HEROIC (@heroicgg) May 18, 2023

Overpass

The following map of the series was Overpass. FaZe had a strong start on the CT side, defending the initial rounds successfully. Heroic fought back and tied the 4:4 score. However, FaZe’s victory in the ninth round turned the game, and they ended the first half with a 10:5 lead.

In the second half of the map, FaZe won the pistol round and the subsequent four rounds, giving them a good economic advantage and a lead in rounds. FaZe took risks and played aggressively at times, ultimately securing victory on the second map with a 16:12 score.

THE BEST AWPER IN DENMARK pic.twitter.com/VGuAN7i0mm

— HEROIC (@heroicgg) May 18, 2023

Mirage

Heroic started on the CT side and dominated from the beginning, securing an impressive twelve rounds in the first half. They were just one step away from victory. After switching sides, FaZe managed to put up a fight but could only win three rounds, resulting in a 12:6 score. However, Heroic remained composed and determined. They won two eco rounds, followed by two more rounds. With a final 16:6 score, Heroic emerged as the winner, securing their spot in the semifinals.

MOVEMENT KING pic.twitter.com/qSJBr2OMct

— HEROIC (@heroicgg) May 18, 2023

Congratulations to Heroic!

HEROIC ARE YOUR FIRST SEMI-FINALISTS #BLASTTVMajor pic.twitter.com/B0ATKZiEzy

— BLAST.tv (@BLASTtv) May 18, 2023

Vitality vs Into The Breach

The second match was a highly anticipated game for all the French fans, cheering loudly, chanting “Vitality.”

Here’s the list of map selections and bans:

• Into the Breach removed Nuke
• Vitality removed Ancient
• Into the Breach picked Vertigo
• Vitality picked Anubis
• Vitality removed Inferno
• Into the Breach removed Overpass
• Mirage was left over

Vertigo

Into the Breach picked Vertigo, as they had an impressive 65% win rate in their last 20 matches on this map. They had a decent start in the first half, playing as terrorists and winning five consecutive rounds. However, Vitality made some strategic adjustments after a few pauses and started winning rounds one after another. As a result, the first half of the map ended with a 9:6 score in favor of Into the Breach.

After switching sides, Vitality displayed a phenomenal performance on the T side. They played carefully, winning 10 out of 12 rounds in the second half of the map. As a result, Vitality emerged victorious with a 16:11 score.

The crowd reacts to @TeamVitality ’s map one victory 🇫🇷 #BLASTTVMajor pic.twitter.com/ZRGU2QpYXN

— HLTV.org (@HLTVorg) May 18, 2023

Anubis

Anubis is one of Vitality’s signature maps. Vitality won only two out of seven rounds while playing on the T side. However, in the eighth round, through coordinated teamwork, they won a crucial round and secured the next six rounds, bringing the score to 9:6 in their favor.

In the second half of the map, Into The Breach played as terrorists and even managed to win the first three rounds, leveling the score to 9:9. Despite ITB’s efforts, Vitality displayed strong defensive gameplay, securing their victory and earning a spot in the semifinals.

W crowd 🔥 pic.twitter.com/26hbM6BCSp

— BLAST.tv (@BLASTtv) May 18, 2023

Congratulations to Vitality!

YOUR SECOND SEMI-FINALIST! #BLASTTVMajor pic.twitter.com/D6uwoGgJBh

— BLAST.tv (@BLASTtv) May 18, 2023

GamerLegion vs Monte

Monte is a relatively young Ukrainian team that has played over 100 official matches to secure a spot in the Quarterfinals of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023. Let’s see if this young team was able to go against GamerLegion and move forward in the tournament.

Here’s the list of map selections and bans:

• Monte removed Inferno
• GamerLegion removed Anubis
• Monte picked Mirage
• GamerLegion picked Overpass
• GamerLegion removed Nuke
• Monte removed Ancient
• Vertigo was left over

Mirage

Starting as terrorists in the first half, Monte had a decent start, securing two rounds. However, they faced several setbacks and were trailing with a 2:6 score. They took a tactical pause, adjusted their strategy, and managed to win several rounds in a row, ending the first half with an 8:7 score in their favor.

After their impressive comeback in the first half, fans chanted “Monte” and had high hopes for their team’s victory. However, GamerLegion proved stronger on this map and ultimately won with a 16:10 score.

Game has just started and @KeozBEAST is already catching fire❤️‍🔥 pic.twitter.com/9vr4UTa4vG

— GamerLegion (@GamerLegion) May 19, 2023

Overpass

It seems that the team’s morale and lack of readiness against such a strong opponent had an impact, as Monte suffered a heavy loss on the second map with a 16:3 score.

. @siuhycs doesn't mess around. pic.twitter.com/ffXzwH3RXU

— GamerLegion (@GamerLegion) May 19, 2023

Congratulations to GamerLegion!

WELCOME TO SEMI-FINALS! pic.twitter.com/rQtNfsGRmH

— BLAST.tv (@BLASTtv) May 19, 2023

Liquid vs Apeks

The final match of the quarterfinals featured Team Liquid against Apeks. Experts were predicting a straightforward 2:0 victory for Liquid. But is it who this game ended? Let’s dive in and see what unfolded during the match.

Here’s the list of map selections and bans:

• Apeks removed Nuke
• Liquid removed Vertigo
• Apeks picked Ancient
• Liquid picked Overpass
• Liquid removed Mirage
• Apeks removed Inferno
• Anubis was left over

Ancient

It’s quite surprising that Team Liquid allowed Apeks to pick Ancient, considering Apeks’ impressive performance on this map. In the first half, Apeks dominated with an 11:4 score, dealing a significant blow to Liquid and their morale. Despite Liquid’s efforts to stage a comeback in the second half, they couldn’t turn the tide, and Apeks confidently secured the first map with a final 16:10 score.

PLOW THEM DOWN @STYKOcsgo 🚜🚜🚜🚜 pic.twitter.com/7Ldafpv8xB

— Apeks (@apeksgg) May 19, 2023

Overpass

Liquid picked Overpass, and the score was expected to be tied 1:1, leading to a third map. However, that didn’t happen. Apeks, playing on the CT side in the first half, dominated with an 11:4 score. After switching sides, Apeks secured crucial rounds in the second half, ultimately winning the second map with a 16:11 score.

HOLY FUCK @nawwkcs !!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/eFpboOXaPt

— Apeks (@apeksgg) May 19, 2023

Congratulations to Apeks!

🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/DTuGlHx7Hw

— BLAST.tv (@BLASTtv) May 19, 2023

Quarterfinals Statistics

Now let’s look at some statistics, as it’s interesting to know how many viewers worldwide watched the Champions Stage of the latest CS:GO Major tournament.

On the first day, the match between Heroic and FaZe drew an impressive 865,388 simultaneous viewers.

865K Peak Viewers on 1st day of Champions Stage @BLASTtv Paris Major. @heroicgg vs @FaZeClan most popular match of the day. #CSGO @CounterStrike

More stats: https://t.co/TiU8zy5CSB pic.twitter.com/KuhqyALHAH

— Esports Charts 🇺🇦 (@EsportsCharts) May 19, 2023

The second day had slightly fewer viewers, but still a lot. 742,542 viewers were watching the tournament simultaneously, and the most popular match was Liquid vs Apeks.

742K Peak Viewers on 2nd day of https://t.co/A95ppvoFhz #ParisMajor Champions Stage. @TeamLiquid vs @apeksgg is the most popular match of the day. #CSGO @CounterStrike

More stats of the event: https://t.co/BYiaA67IDf pic.twitter.com/jVTEojPLAx

— Esports Charts 🇺🇦 (@EsportsCharts) May 19, 2023

How many people watched BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023?
BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 viewership stats:

• 960 841 Peak Viewers
• 49 075 541 Hours Watched
• 479 957 Average Viewers
• 102 hours Airtime

Wrapping Up The Paris Major 2023 Quarterfinals!

The quarterfinals of the Champions Stage have come to an exhilarating close! Apeks, GamerLegion, Vitality, and Heroic have emerged as the triumphant teams, securing their spots in the semifinals of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023. The competition is heating up, and these four teams will now battle it out for a chance to reach the grand finals.

Support your favorite team, and stay tuned to our blog for all the exciting updates!