The Thunderpick World Championship (TWC) 2025 has delivered no shortage of amazing moments so far. And with four regional events already behind us, it’s North America’s turn once again to steal the spotlight. From Legacy’s wildcard rampage to 9z’s triple-overtime triumph, the road to Malta is still heating up! The TWC NA Series 2 runs from July 24 to Aug. 1.
Promising a week of unforgettable action, twelve Counter-Strike 2 pro teams will fight across two GSL Group Stages and a single-elimination bracket Playoffs stage for a spot in the Closed Qualifiers. Here’s a look at all the teams competing at the event.
Please note: Team invites for TWC NA Series 2 were based on the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) as of June 2. However, the VRS rankings referenced in this article reflect the updated standings as of July 23.
NRG
NRG enters the TWC NA Series 2 directly from the Playoffs, ranking 6th on the VRS after a dominant streak this year. They came painfully close to qualifying for the Closed Qualifier in Series #1, only to snag a runner-up finish to Legacy. With only two chances to qualify in the region, NRG has one lifeline left!
NRG’s roster:
- Nicholas “nitrO” Cannella (IGL)
- Jeorge “Jeorge” Endicott
- Alexander “brO” Bro
- Carson “nosraC” O’Reilly
- Zack “XotiC” Elshani
- Damian “daps” Steele (Coach)
Wildcard
Despite a turbulent year and recent disappointing runs at BLAST.tv Austin Major and FISSURE Playground #1, Wildcard are determined to turn things around. After promoting both fr3nd and Peeping from their academy team (and with Sonic leading the charge), Wildcard’s retooled roster has already shifted momentum in their favor.
Wildcard’s roster:
- Joshua “JBa” Barutt
- Aran “Sonic” Groesbeek (IGL)
- Tim “susp” Ångström
- Jaxon “Peeping” Cornwell
- Sebastian “fr3nd” Kuśmierz
- Vincent “vinS” Jozefiak (Coach)
M80
After a strong start to the year, M80 hit a rough patch but managed to bounce back with a confidence-boosting run at Fragadelphia 19, catapulting them from 11th to 7th in the VRS—right behind NRG. Their performance earned them direct entry into the TWC NA Series #2 Playoffs, bolstered by the recent acquisition of HexT from NRG to replace reck.
M80’s roster:
- Michael “Swisher” Schmid
- Fritz “slaxz-” Dietrich
- Elias “s1n” Stein (IGL)
- Mason “Lake” Sanderson
- Jadan “HexT” Postma
- Rory “dephh” Jackson (Coach)
Getting Info
Getting Info may have slipped from 16th to 18th in the VRS, but they’ve remained one of NA’s more consistent performers. After a solid victory at Dust2.us Eagle Masters Series 2, they return to the TWC NA Series 2 as a Playoffs seed. They’ll look to settle the score after enduring an all-too-soon 0-2 exit to Legacy in the previous series.
Getting Info’s roster:
- Edgar “MarKE” Maldonado
- Shane “shane” Dressler
- Derek “dare” Brown
- Dylan “slump” N.
- Wyatt “snav” Phillippi
- Kory “SEMPHIS” Friesen (Coach)
Marsborne
Despite being a young roster, Marsborne has already gone head-to-head with more established teams. Ranked 15th on the VRS, their rapid progression is a testament to the incredible leadership of coach Lucid and the raw talent of their players. Together, they have laid the groundwork for what could be North America’s next breakout team.
Marsborne’s roster:
- Connor “chop” Sullivan
- Adam “Grizz” Golden
- Ian “motm” Hardy
- Adam “WolfY” Andersson
- Wesley “viz” Harris
- Hunter “Lucid” Tucker (Coach)
Supernova Comets
Supernova Comets lit up ESL Impact last year under the Shimmer banner, and now, they’re shaking up the men’s circuit. The all-women’s Counter-Strike 2 roster has surged up the VRS rankings, defying expectations along the way. Though they’ve not yet replicated the same success, it feels like it’s only a matter of time.
Supernova Comets’ roster:
- Lucy “empathy” Verkaik
- Lydia “Fawx” Dalton
- Raven “raven” Sol
- Sylvie “Serendipity” Splaver
- Wrenna “Stx” Trampel
- Victor “Ink” Rozvora (Coach)
Lycus Empire (Former)
Ranked 26th on the VRS, Lycus Empire has gained entry to TWC NA Series 2 via the Group Stage. Their recent results are far from inspiring, but the team will be hoping to catch lightning in a bottle and shake up the bracket. The team, no longer playing under the recently defunct Lycus Empire banner will be competing as an independent team.
Lycus Empire’s roster:
- Leon “DooM” Palmer
- Justin “FRIZZY” Gillis
- Elliot “MagiC” Iler
- Dmitrii “NIGHT666LADE” Botirov
- Nikita “TABEN” Holovachov
Party Astronauts
Despite multiple roster changes, Party Astronauts have held onto respectable rankings in the VRS, finishing 7th-8th at ESL Challenger League Season 49: North America and 5th-8th at Dust2.us Eagle Masters Series 2. With nothing to lose and everything to gain, Party Astronauts will look to make a deep run in the NA Series 2.
Party Astronauts’ roster:
- Ben “ben1337” Smith (IGL)
- Bogdan “ogwizard” Savula
- Diego “sacrifice” Camacho
- Austin “Austin” Meadows
- Kamron “kmrn” Manii
Life’s A Game
With little success to show, Life’s A Game enters the event with hopes of rewriting the narrative. Ranked well outside the regional elite, they’ve yet to pull major upsets. But in a tournament known for underdog runs, it takes only one big upset to flip the script!
Life’s A Game’s roster:
- Brett “brett” Rhein
- Kevin “consti” Yi
- Mason “mason” Watkins
- Justin “Sandman” Saulle
- Kyle “Wolffe” Greenfield
- Brennan “Aureo” O’Connell (Coach)
Chicken Coop
Chicken Coop may be flying under the radar, but they’ve been on quite a tear. After finishing 2nd at ESEA Season 53: Advanced Division North America, they surged from 42nd to 30th in the VRS since qualification, making them a threat no team should overlook going into the tournament.
Chicken Coop’s roster:
- Sebastian “cbass” Bentancor
- Gabriel “Gabe” Shah
- Caleb “jchancE” Davis
- John “mds” Marin
- Alexander “REKMEISTER” Flynn
Aether (Wildcard)
Aether is our first wildcard invite and a relatively new face on the scene. Yet, they’re ranked 46th on the VRS, with their sights set on climbing even further. While they haven’t made headlines yet, neither did Legacy before their surprise run in Series 1.
Aether’s roster:
- Caden “arias” Allison
- Aidan “clipzera” Swark
- Jack “micro” Ryan
- Andrew “Tender” Cote
- John “arcade” Rogel
- Chris “Jeebs” DeSantis (Coach)
MIGHT (Wildcard)
MIGHT is our second wildcard invite and the lowest-ranking team on this list. Following a string of early exits at mostly C-Tier events, they’ve slid from 48th to 62nd on the VRS between the time of qualification and now. This puts them in a precarious situation with everything to prove at TWC NA Series #2.
MIGHT’s roster:
- Jonathan “djay” Dallal
- Ryan “Snakes” Amann
- Jared “jared” Habib
- Jérémy “BiNoX” Chiasson
- Cristian “no1nx” Labrada
- Calvin “becker” Becker (Coach)
More TWC 2025 Action On The Horizon
NA Series 2 marks the fifth stop in the Thunderpick World Championship 2025 circuit, trailing what was an absolutely mindblowing SA Series 2. Now, with only one regional event left before the Closed Qualifier, there’s no room for error as only four teams can grab a spot in Malta. It’s all or nothing!
Once the NA Series 2 champion emerges, you can direct your eyes to even more master class CS2 action. You can also catch up on previous qualifiers to see what you may have missed.
- EU Series #2
- EU Series #1 (recap)
- SA Series #1 (recap)
- SA Series #2 (recap)
- NA Series #1 (recap)
Keep up with the action on the World Championship landing page and enjoy unbeatable CS2 betting odds while you are at it!
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