tabseN on PGL Astana 2025: “We are no longer looking for excuses. We are looking for results”

The BIG team went to PGL Astana 2025 with a clear goal - to leave the instability in the past and finally show the game that fans have been waiting for. The team captain Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz gave a sincere interview before the start of the tournament, in which he revealed the team's inner workings: about the way through doubts, the excess of voices in the game, the loss of focus - and the moment when the smile returned.

Instead of talking about form or purpose, tabseN starts with the fundamental - the team's philosophy. BIG has always believed in structure, discipline and teamwork. But after the changes in the lineup, this structure was shaken, and they had to build everything from scratch.

The first step is to accept that victories won't come overnight. And tabseN, as a true leader, spoke about it directly at the start:

I told the guys: I hope we don't have a honeymoon period. It is better if we lose at the beginning, but we will honestly work on a system in which everyone understands their role.
Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz

The new five are not just new faces, but a new dynamic. And it doesn't always work the first time.

We are not a team of stars. We don't have a player who can carry the game solo. If we don't play as a team, we don't win at all. It's very simple.
Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz

If a team wants to be strong, it needs order. But, as tabseN recalls, at some point BIG lost clarity in the game. Everyone wanted to say their own thing, add something, give a suggestion, and it seemed democratic, but in fact it destroyed the focus.

It's like in the kitchen - if there are five chefs standing over a dish and everyone is adding salt, it's not going to be good.
Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz

He admits that as a captain he felt pressure from all sides. The constant flow of advice, micro-moments, distracted and knocked him off the main goal: victory.

I am a hard worker. I believe that if you work hard, you will get results. But when there is a lot of noise, a lot of opinions, a lot of doubts, even the best plan falls apart.
Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz

This led the team to an important internal conversation.

We sat down and agreed: there should be one voice in the game. One plan. And everyone should follow it. If something goes wrong, we will discuss it later. But during the game, there is only action.
Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz

After this regrouping, BIG began to look more confident. The tournament in Melbourne, where they played well against Mouz , gave the first signal. Even the failure against 3DMAX no longer looked like a collapse - the team did not lose control.

We finally feel like we understand each other. The game is still not perfect, but there is no more chaos. There is a structure, and most importantly, there is faith.
Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz

He emphasizes that the atmosphere outside the game is even stronger. And it's not just a “nice relationship” but real support.

We all really appreciate each other. When it's hard, when it doesn't go well, we don't fall apart, we hold on. This is rare in modern CS. And I am proud of it.
Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz

tabseN does not hide the fact that there was a period when everything was falling apart. And not just on the server. There was a feeling that he, as a leader, was losing confidence. But today's situation is completely different.

There were moments when I couldn't even smile. Everything was pressuring. But now I feel the drive again. And I know we are ready.
Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz

We don't promise a trophy. But we will show that BIG is not just random people in T-shirts. This is a team. The playoffs are not a dream. This is the minimum. We didn't come just to play
Johannes “tabseN” Wodarz

You can feel the calmness in Tubsen's voice. And determination. Not like someone who gives an interview with hope, but like a person who has already experienced a lot. And he knows exactly what true unity is worth.

BIG returns not with loud banners, but with work, discipline and inner faith. And tabseN seems to trust this formula more than ever.