BIG to test tier-two form at Cologne Major, captain says

BIG qualified for the Cologne Major after four tier-two event wins and three second-place finishes. The event in Cologne will be the German squad’s first tier-one appearance this season. On media day, captain Benjamin “blameF” Bremer said the team wants to test itself against higher-ranked opponents.

Bremer recalled the roster began with slim odds of reaching a Major — below 0.1% — and that the organization allowed the lineup time to develop. He said the club placed little pressure on the team and that most pressure came from the players as qualification became realistic.

The season involved frequent travel to smaller LAN tournaments and a high win rate. Bremer called the first two LAN victories, in Portugal and Sweden, important because they helped players accept his in-game leadership and solidify the new lineup.

He described his leadership style as collaborative: asking players how they prefer to play their positions, incorporating their feedback into the team system, and assigning more freedom to certain players in specific situations. He regularly checks in with players about their roles.

Bremer framed the Major as an opportunity to gain experience against teams at or above BIG’s level and to show the team can compete beyond the tier-two circuit. He added the immediate goal is to gather experience that could lead to future tier-one invitations.

BIG enters the Cologne Major with a season of wins on smaller stages. Their results at the event will provide direct evidence of how their tier-two performance translates against established tier-one squads.