2026 has barely started, and we’ve already witnessed multiple high-profile upsets at the first event of the season – BLAST Bounty Season 1.
The online stage of the competition has just concluded, with eight of the 32 teams advancing to the Finals in Malta, where fans will get to witness tier one LAN play for the first time this year.
Here’s what caught our eye thus far.
FaZe can’t translate Major form to 2026. Credit: © StarLadder
Two of the four most recent Major semi-finalists, FaZe Clan and Natus Vincere, were eliminated from BLAST Bounty after only a single BO3, losing to EYEBALLERS and Monte, respectively.
While their presence in the StarLadder Budapest Major semis was a surprise at the time, FaZe and NAVI are still among the best CS2 teams, so they should have had no problem dispatching said inferior opposition.
However, it has to be noted that it was an online game, and everybody knows the environment could play a huge part in the outcome of a match. With that in mind, fans should cut FaZe and NAVI a bit of slack despite their defeats.
Both international squads will have a chance to redeem themselves shortly in the upcoming CS2 events, with IEM Kraków being their next stop.
Major Champs aren’t slowing down. Credit: © StarLadder
Powerhouse teams of 2025 continue to deliver, with Vitality, FURIA, Spirit, and Falcons having next to no trouble making it to the LAN Finals.
The only challenge the reigning Major champions faced was when EYEBALLERS took them to double overtime on the returning Anubis.
Falcons were the most dominant team in the online stage of BLAST Bounty, as the team’s star AWPer, Ilya “m0NESY” Osipov, and support player Rene “TeSeS” Madsen, made easy work of their opponents.
Unfortunately, the team in green announced that Maxim “Kyousuke” Lukin won’t be attending the LAN Finals in Malta because of visa issues. Falcons’ coach Danny “zonic” Sorensen will also be absent due to personal matters.
It was also interesting to finally see the revamped Spirit roster in action. Boris “magixx” Vorobiev, in his IGLing debut, led his team to two comfortable victories over SINNERS and Inner Circle.
There’s no doubt that Spirit will be a serious trophy contender at every tournament they attend in 2026.
zweih is back dominating the server on PARIVISION. Credit: © StarLadder
The other four teams that make up the BLAST Bounty Season 1 Finals attendee list are all outside the VRS top 12 ranking. Joining the already mentioned usual suspects are Liquid, PARIVISION, GamerLegion, and Heroic.
By far the most impressive of the four was PARIVISION. The Russian team, led by former Major MVP Dzhami “Jame” Ali, is coming into their own in 2026.
Their great Major form continuing, along with the addition of Ivan “zweih” Gogin, should see them ascend the ranks and break into the top ten in little time.
As for the other three teams, it’s a slightly different story. Liquid and GamerLegion scraped through the online stage after grinding out wins in close matches against middle-of-the-road opponents. Although GamerLegion taking down Aurora was an impressive feat.
HEROIC’s qualification is by far the most surprising, as they played without an AWPer. Alimzhan “Alkaren” Bitimbay couldn’t attend the event, but his absence turned out to be a non-issue for his teammates.
Of all four underdogs coming into the BLAST Bounty LAN Finals, PARIVISION have the best shot at upsetting one of the top dogs and making a deep run in Malta.
Feature image credit: © BLAST Premier
21+ and present in VA. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
