FISSURE Playground 3 CS2 Predictions: Who Survives the Upper Bracket

FISSURE Playground 3 opens on September 8 in Suzhou, China, with 16 teams chasing a $1,000,000 prize pool across two GSL-format groups of eight. The group winner in each pool earns a direct bye to the playoff Semifinals, while everyone else has to fight through the Lower Bracket for a shot at the six-team single-elimination bracket in the same building.

That structure makes the Upper Bracket the safest, highest-value route through the group stage, and it is worth tracking closely before you lock in picks on GoCore's Pick'ems.

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Group A splits into two Upper Bracket paths. The MongolZ open against MIBR, who spent August reshuffling their roster around new signing tomaszin, and a MongolZ side fresh off a deep FISSURE Playground 2 run should have the individual firepower to move past that adjustment period.

On the other side of the bracket, G2 face Astralis in a matchup between a team building consistency around HeavyGod and an Astralis roster still finding its footing after recent lineup changes. G2's recent form gives them the edge to reach the Upper Bracket Final unbeaten.

Group A CS2 Upcoming Tournaments Breakdown: The MongolZ and G2 to Advance

The MongolZ carry momentum from a runner-up finish at the last FISSURE Playground, and their aggressive T-side identity travels well against the LAN field assembled here. If they get past MIBR, a semifinal against the 9z vs 5star winner still favors the more experienced Mongolian roster.

G2 face a tougher road on paper against Astralis, but their semifinal opponent likely comes from BIG or BetBoom Team, neither of which has shown the consistency to trouble a G2 side playing with real structure.

Expect The MongolZ and G2 to meet in the Group A Upper Bracket Final, with both teams already locking in their spot among the CS2 upcoming tournaments playoff field regardless of who takes that final match.

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Group B tells a similar story with two clear favorites. FaZe open against Alliance, and with frozen and Twistzz leading a roster that added Neityu in August, this is a mismatch on paper against a European Alliance side that has struggled to find consistent form.

FURIA, meanwhile, enter as one of the tournament's top seeds after their FISSURE Playground 2 title run, and a Quarterfinal against GamerLegion should be comfortable for KSCERATO and yuurih.

Group B CS2 Scores Breakdown: FaZe and FURIA to Reach the Final

FaZe's semifinal opponent will come out of Alliance vs magic on one side, and neither carries the firepower to slow down a FaZe lineup built around individual star power. FURIA's path runs through the PARIVISION vs TYLOO winner, and PARIVISION's Jame-led roster is the one team in that bottom half capable of testing them, though FURIA's recent big-stage pedigree still makes them the pick.

Watch the live CS2 scores as these Quarterfinals unfold, since an early upset on either side could reshape the entire group. Barring a surprise, FaZe and FURIA meet in the Group B Upper Bracket Final, and both sides should have already punched their playoff ticket before that match is even played.

Lock in your Upper Bracket picks on GoCore before the September 8 Quarterfinals begin, since getting these calls right sets up a strong Pick'ems foundation heading into the rest of group stage.

With four favorites lined up to control both groups, the real intrigue at FISSURE Playground 3 will come from the Lower Bracket fights for the remaining playoff spots once the Upper Bracket Finals wrap up in Suzhou.

TL;DR

• FISSURE Playground 3 runs September 8-13 in Suzhou, China, for a $1,000,000 prize pool
• Group winners earn a direct playoff Semifinal bye through an unbeaten Upper Bracket run
• Group A picks: The MongolZ and G2 to reach the Upper Bracket Final
• Group B picks: FaZe and FURIA to reach the Upper Bracket Final
• FURIA enter as the tournament's top seed after their FISSURE Playground 2 title