Valve grants s1mple's BC.Game exception to qualify for PGL Major Singapore through Asia region

Valve has made an exception that keeps BC.Game, the team built around Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev, in the race for the PGL Major Singapore. In an update to its ranking rules published on GitHub on 7 October, the developer said the five-man roster is assigned to the Asia region and is eligible for a Major invitation. Valve made the change one day after a rule change that had left the team out of Major contention.

This story follows on from our earlier report on Valve blocking late region swaps before the Singapore Major. The exception for BC.Game is a new development.

What the new rule says

Valve's Regional Standings, known as VRS, decide which teams are invited to Major qualifiers in each region. On 6 October, Valve changed the rules on regional assignment. A roster must now be absent from every other region's standings for the previous three calendar months before it can be placed in a new region. In practice, a switch takes three months to count.

The aim is to stop teams moving from a strong region to a weaker one shortly before a Major. HLTV reported that the change was a response to Sashi's late switch to an Asian-based lineup. The rule also caught BC.Game and WW, a team from Central Asia. Valve told HLTV that these teams could not make a Major run unless they contacted it and found a solution.

How BC.Game got through

BC.Game appealed, and Valve accepted. The ruling names the lineup as asap, Magisk, mzinho, s1mple and Senzu. Tyson "asap" Paterson is from Australia, and Ayush "mzinho" Batbold and Azbayar "Senzu" Munkhbold are both from Mongolia. With those three players, the team has an Asian majority. Emil "Magisk" Reif from Denmark and s1mple from Ukraine complete the roster, and Wiktor "TaZ" Wojtas is the coach.

HLTV's simulator already showed BC.Game as having secured an invite, so the outlet described the team's place as all but confirmed. BC.Game are ranked No.68 in the world.

The CEO's case

Before the ruling, BC.Game chief executive Ali "Ako" Muhanned wrote an open letter. He asked Valve to wipe the team's Asia ranking points and let the current five players qualify from zero. Speaking on HLTV's All About Counter-Strike podcast, in comments reported on 8 October, he said the team had simply told Valve the truth by email. He argued that BC.Game's case was different from the abuses the rule was meant to stop.

Ako also said he would not move the team back to Europe, because that would mean dropping asap, whom he had promised to keep. He added that every player is on a long contract and that the Asian players have the longest ones.

Sashi rebuild while WW wait

Sashi, the Danish organisation whose moves led to the rule change, are still adjusting their roster. On 8 October they signed New Zealand's Michael "chelleos" Hawkins from Rooster to replace Frederik "acoR" Gyldstrand. Their lineup now has Australians TjP and Hatz, Dane Zyphon and Vietnam's Anton "Anlelele" Huynh. HLTV reported that TjP and Hatz had joined on short-term deals to make the region switch. The page did not say whether Sashi have contacted Valve. HLTV ranks Sashi at No.132 and WW at No.131.

Why it matters for fans in the region

The PGL Major Singapore runs from 25 November to 13 December. It is the first CS2 Major in Southeast Asia, and it has a prize pool of US$1.25 million. The final four days, from 10 to 13 December, are at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. For fans in Malaysia, it is the closest a Counter-Strike Major has come to home, and it could feature one of the game's best-known players.

Key takeaways

• Valve assigned BC.Game, with s1mple, to the Asia region despite its new three-month region rule.
• HLTV says BC.Game's Major invite is all but confirmed.
• Sashi signed chelleos on 8 October, but their own Asia status is still unclear.
• The PGL Major Singapore runs from 25 November to 13 December, with its finals at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

FAQ

Is s1mple playing at the Singapore Major? Valve says BC.Game are eligible for a Major invite through Asia, and HLTV calls their place all but confirmed. No final team list has been published yet.

What is Valve's new region rule? A roster must be absent from other regions' rankings for three calendar months before it can be placed in a new region.

When and where is the CS2 Major in Singapore? It runs from 25 November to 13 December 2026. The finals, from 10 to 13 December, are at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Sources: HLTV, The Kallang (Singapore Sports Hub)