The upcoming loss of life of the CS2 companion system has seen a significant rethink at BLAST. On the BLAST Premier Spring Last 2024, the match organizer confirmed an enormous shakeup to its 2025 format, showcasing what viewers can anticipate for BLAST’s CS2 schedule subsequent 12 months.
There’s lots to cowl, so let’s dive proper into it.
BLAST Bounty
Credit score: BLAST
BLAST Bounty #1: January thirteenth – twenty sixth
BLAST Bounty #2: August 4th – seventeenth
BLAST Bounty tournaments are not like something ever seen earlier than in esports. 32 groups might be invited to the occasion, together with 30 from the Valve International Rating and a pair of wildcard groups. They’ll compete in a best-of-3 single-elimination bracket on-line, with quarter-finalists shifting on to a BLAST Studios LAN in Copenhagen.
Initially of the BLAST Bounty CS2 tournaments, groups might be given a bounty primarily based on their seeding. Match winners obtain 50% of their opponent’s bounty as a assured money prize, with the opposite 50% being added to the victorious group’s bounty.
And get this: lower-seeded groups can select their opponents, with seeds resetting every spherical. Which means that lower-ranked groups are in a position to take one among two routes: select one other lower-ranked group for a neater run, or chase the money in opposition to tougher opponents. Bear in mind, the Valve International Rating relies on prize cash received, so this could possibly be a good way to construct up a rating.
BLAST Open
Credit score: BLAST
BLAST Open #1: March seventeenth – thirtieth
BLAST Open #2: August twenty fifth – September seventh
BLAST Open tournaments are 16-team occasions, with 12 invited from the Valve International Rating. The 4 remaining groups will come via regional qualifiers name BLAST Rising, after which separated into two teams of eight. These teams might be performed at BLAST Studios in Copenhagen. That is much like the BLAST Teams format we see now, besides with two teams quite than 4.
The highest three groups from every group at BLAST Open tournaments will qualify for the Playoffs, earlier than heading out to the host cities to play out a big-stage CS2 occasion. BLAST has already confirmed that the Open Playoffs for 2025 will happen in Lisbon’s Altice Area and London’s OVO Wembley Area.
BLAST Rivals
Credit score: BLAST
BLAST Rivals #1: April twenty eighth – Could 4th
BLAST Rivals #2: November tenth – sixteenth
BLAST Rivals is the ultimate new CS2 occasion format introduced by the match organizer. This may see the highest eight-ranked CS2 groups come face to face, invited on to see who’s the very best of the very best. These will conclude every BLAST CS2 season, basically crowning a season “winner” every time.
The eight groups right here will combat it out in a best-of-3 GSL format, which then types a six-team Playoffs bracket. Viewers might be acquainted will this from BLAST’s present Spring, Fall, and World Last format, so this could really feel very acquainted.
BLAST.television Austin Main 2025
Credit score: BLAST
As a last shock, BLAST confirmed that subsequent 12 months, NA will get one other CS Main for the primary time since 2018. The BLAST.television Austin Main takes Counter-Strike to Texas in June 2025, the place groups head to the Moody Heart to compete for a $1,250,000 prize pool.
After the success of the BLAST.television Paris Main in 2023, it was anticipated for BLAST to get one other Main. Austin looks as if an awesome place for the occasion to be held, so we will’t wait to see what’s in retailer in June 2025.
