faveN: BIG improved slightly since IEM Cologne

BIG were eliminated from the XSE Pro League Guangzhou quarter-finals after a 2-1 loss to PARIVISION on July 10, 2026. Captain Josef “faveN” Baumann said the team has shown slight improvement since IEM Cologne.

The series began in BIG’s favor but momentum shifted as PARIVISION closed key rounds. Baumann blamed missed kills and PARIVISION’s shooting for the defeat, singling out Ancient’s CT half where BIG often read the play correctly but failed to convert rounds.

Baumann added: “We had some good rounds, but we just didn’t kill them and they hit insane shots.” He pointed to a sequence on Ancient where three BIG players held B but lost when PARIVISION attacked that site.

BIG beat B8 in the Guangzhou group stage to reach the playoffs, reversing their IEM Cologne result against the same opponent. The event carried a $1 million prize pool.

Baumann described the Cologne Major as ‘heartbreaking’ for the squad and said the team will aim for a deeper run at future events.

The roster will take a short player break to reset and refocus. Baumann said BIG accepted the Guangzhou invite during that break to collect VRS points and that players adjusted personal plans; he rebooked his vacation to compete.

On rankings, Baumann said the team has been inside the top 30 since January or February and set a target of reaching the top 20 or top 15 by the end of the season. The team plans to approach each tournament to improve match by match.