The StarCraft II scene continues to rush through its summer season at a breakneck pace, making its next live tournament stop barely a week after DreamHack Dallas. This time, sixteen players are convening on Bellum Gens Elite: Stara Zagora, where they'll fight for their share of $10,000 of prize money and a single ticket to the Esports World Cup.
BGE Stara Zagora is played as a 16-player double-elimination tournament. The grand finals are BO7, winners' and losers' finals are BO5, and all other matches are BO3.
DreamHack Dallas upended our expectations from the off-season, which had made it seem like Serral, Clem, and herO (and technically MaxPax) were a tier above everyone else in the scene. Instead, the Texas showdown saw all three of the title favorites fall out in the quarterfinals, while Maru shrugged off his off-season slump to win the championship in almost casual fashion.
With the results of Dallas in mind, Serral and Clem still have to be heavy championship favorites at Stara Zagora. It's partially due to the field being weaker, with five of the top eight finishers at Dallas not competing. It's also due to the fact that Clem and Serral have banked so much benefit of the doubt over their careers that one bad event isn't going to lower our estimation of them.
Instead, BGE feels more like a test of how much of a fight other players can put up, and whether or not the rest of the field can team up to eliminate at least one of them before the finals. Reynor is the obvious candidate to be the wildcard, as he brings world champion credentials to the event. He's looked slightly better in every tournament he's played in since returning from his spring sabbatical, recently qualifying for EWC alongside Serral in the European regional. Depending on who you ask, some might say he's right back to being a cut above the rest of the EU pack, although others might say there are still kinks in his game he has to iron out (ShoWTimE nearly upset him with Protoss trickery).
The other darkhorse I want to point to is Zoun, who was notable for his rapid improvement during the off-season. While he disappointed once live competitions began with Code S Season 1 and DH Dallas, he recently showed us why he was one of the most intriguing off-season players by taking first place in the EWC Korea regional with wins over Rogue, ByuN, and Cure. During his pre-military career, Zoun had a knack for elevating his game in big tournaments, and I have to wonder if BGE Stara Zagora will be his chance to return to being such a clutch performer.
Outside the championship picture, there will be an intense sub-competition for the single EWC spot that's up for grabs. The EWC ticket will go to the highest player who doesn't have a seed already, which gives the eleven non-seeded players a huge incentive to try and finish as high as possible (Serral, Clem, Reynor, Zoun, and Trigger are already seeded).
Writing this preview before the bracket is public, it's just inevitable that match-up luck will play a huge role in how this race pans out. ShoWTimE, Spirit, SKillous, and Lambo are the most prominent names amongst the contenders, but the road feels especially perilous for the Protoss in a tournament that projects to be PvP-heavy (especially since most rounds are BO3). Even players on the fringes like like Krystianer and Ryung have a chance if everything breaks their way.
Credits and acknowledgements
Writer: Wax Images & Photos: DreamHack (photography by Kimpee Buenaventura) Records and Statistics: Aligulac.com and Liquipedia
Clem, Reynor and Serral are definitely the names that stand out.
It'll be interesting to see how well Zoun does. He doesn't seem to have been doing well in offline competition recently, but maybe he can blow past that here?
On June 03 2025 17:51 tigera6 wrote: Yes, but I think its a higher chance for Rogue to qualify through GSL S2 than hoping for Ryung to qualify through this.
Edit: Actually Creator is the next one in-line for the Global Qualifer spot if Ryung qualify here.
Its the same for Lambo from EU, and the 3rd places of the AM and AS qualifiers too
So assuming Serral/Reynor/Clem are split up as much possible there will be 1 four pack that has none of them present. Unless I'm missing something in the format the winner of that 4 pack will be guaranteed top 6 even if they lose their next two matches and if Serral/Reynor/Clem/Zoun are the top 4 that will be enough to get them into the EWC tiebreaker. Everyone's got to be praying they are drawn into that 4 pack lol. Really unfortunate way to decide an EWC slot.
On June 03 2025 17:51 tigera6 wrote: Yes, but I think its a higher chance for Rogue to qualify through GSL S2 than hoping for Ryung to qualify through this.
Edit: Actually Creator is the next one in-line for the Global Qualifer spot if Ryung qualify here.
Its the same for Lambo from EU, and the 3rd places of the AM and AS qualifiers too
There are no Asian region players, just KR, so it will stay the same. As for AM, only Trigger join and he already qualify so it wont change anything for the region either.
The only 2 scenario where it impacts the Global Qualifier slots would be for either Ryung or Showtime to get the EWC spot here, then Creator or Lambo will get the Global Qualifier slots. Anybody else who get the EWC spot will not change the qualifier result.
Haven't watched live SC2 in ages, looking forward to this one, saw it on the sidebar and Bulgaria caught my eye since I was there last year so I decided to tune in.
Always liked Zoun back in the day so I'll definitely cheer for my protoss bro!
i think the days are too quick and its not that good for NA viewing it was already over by 4pm most people are still working until then. I would love more games fit into broadcast for final days.
Regarding the EWC Qualification spot, does anybody know if let's say Clem wins this event, does the spot go to the highest finishing not qualified player in the tournament or do they move that extra spot over to the global qualifier?
On June 06 2025 09:19 CicadaSC wrote: Regarding the EWC Qualification spot, does anybody know if let's say Clem wins this event, does the spot go to the highest finishing not qualified player in the tournament or do they move that extra spot over to the global qualifier?
Highest finisher who hasn’t already qualified I believe, I’m going off Wax’s OP
On June 06 2025 09:19 CicadaSC wrote: Regarding the EWC Qualification spot, does anybody know if let's say Clem wins this event, does the spot go to the highest finishing not qualified player in the tournament or do they move that extra spot over to the global qualifier?
Highest finisher who hasn’t already qualified I believe, I’m going off Wax’s OP
On June 06 2025 06:02 CicadaSC wrote: i think the days are too quick and its not that good for NA viewing it was already over by 4pm most people are still working until then. I would love more games fit into broadcast for final days.
Ahh yes, let’s play the matches at 3 am locally so it can fit viewership for a market much smaller than Europe for sc2..
Great idea! The days are literally 9 hours (1 pm local start time and 10 pm finish under normal circumstances).
This is how everything works. GSL is on at 5 am because it needs to make sense for KR, not what you want. It works this way with soccer, tennis, etc.
On June 06 2025 06:02 CicadaSC wrote: i think the days are too quick and its not that good for NA viewing it was already over by 4pm most people are still working until then. I would love more games fit into broadcast for final days.
Ahh yes, let’s play the matches at 3 am locally so it can fit viewership for a market much smaller than Europe for sc2..
Great idea! The days are literally 9 hours (1 pm local start time and 10 pm finish under normal circumstances).
This is how everything works. GSL is on at 5 am because it needs to make sense for KR, not what you want. It works this way with soccer, tennis, etc.
You are right, but he is also not wrong, a few hour later start would be beneficial specifically for the locals to fill up that great amphitheatre and with fantastic weather you could play even until midnight or later, but there are probably some local arrangements and neccesity to fit within a certain timeframe. Leaving that aside, great event and great opening ceremony.
On June 06 2025 09:19 CicadaSC wrote: Regarding the EWC Qualification spot, does anybody know if let's say Clem wins this event, does the spot go to the highest finishing not qualified player in the tournament or do they move that extra spot over to the global qualifier?
EPT![[image loading]](/staff/Waxangel/misc/2025players.png)
