The BLAST esports format — the one that dictates the rules of the game in Counter-Strike 2 — has officially confirmed that the BLAST Bounty tournament will land in Malta again in January 2027. This is not just an ordinary championship, but a large—scale reassembly of the entire structure – the organizers decided to throw the online stage into the trash of history, betting on a juicy LAN experience, by the way.
The whole tournament will take place from January 11 to January 24. Now, instead of an inflated grid of 32 teams, we will see 16 elite teams that will be cut exclusively live — right in Malta. KRAFTON or Valve might envy such determination, but BLAST is going its own way by implementing strict selection through Valve’s regional tables (VRS). It is the November 2026 ranking that will be the yardstick that will determine the 12 lucky ones with direct invitations, while the remaining 4 slots will have to be gnawed out in the qualifications of Europe, America and Asia.
The mathematics of pain and success in a new format is where the fun begins for analysts.
The group stage of the Play-In will divide the participants into four quartets. Those who take the lead in the groups will not just fly into the quarterfinals, but will immediately pocket a bonus of 30,000 US dollars (this is about 22 462 pounds, if it is more convenient for someone to consider it that way). For the fourth—place outsiders, the celebration of life will end quickly – they will go home with a comforting $5,000 in prize money and $10,000 in team payouts.
But wait, there’s still the “Last Chance” stage — a real digital gladiatorial combat. The eight teams that failed to dominate immediately will compete for 4 spots in the playoffs. Moreover, the amount of the award here is directly linked to the success in the groups: the second places are claimed for $ 25,000, and the third — for $ 15,000. If you do not go further, you take the “top ten” prize money and 25,000 payouts. Tough, but fair.
By the way, BLAST Bounty 2027 sets a precedent — for the first time, the organizer will start paying teams just for participation, distributing a fund of $ 400,000 (about 299,394 pounds) depending on their place in the VRS:
-
The top 4 ratings will take away 60,000 US dollars each — a fat piece of cake.
-
Positions 5 through 8 will receive $30,000 each.
-
Those who complete the list (9th-16th places) are satisfied with 5,000 dollars.
The total “pie” of the tournament, including all bonuses and contributions, has ballooned to as much as 1.25 million US dollars (approximately 933 466 pounds). Malta will be only the first stop in the 2027 Counter-Strike season, followed by Rio de Janeiro in October. Apparently, BLAST seriously intends to seize leadership in the hierarchy of tier-1 events, finally erasing the boundaries between classic sports and esports shows.
