BLAST Premier has revealed the roster for the closed qualifier of their upcoming Bounty tournament. Eight spots for the grand final LAN event in Copenhagen are up for grabs, and the competition will also serve as the debut of the newly implemented Valve Ranking System (VRS).

Background and Invitations

On December 16, invitations for the event were extended based on the VRS standings as of December 2. This system replaces the previous selection methods, prioritizing teams’ consistent performance over the past year. The Wildcard slots stand out among the various invitations due to their unique eligibility requirements. Teams vying for these slots must either feature three players from squads that ranked in the VRS top 8 during the past 12 months or have won a Tier-1 event within the same timeframe. At present, only Team Falcons satisfies these criteria. The remaining Wildcard recipients are expected to be announced before the year’s end.

The Participants

The tournament lineup is packed with high-profile teams. Thirty-one competitors include well-known names such as G2, NAVI, Vitality, Heroic, and FaZe, alongside rising stars like The MongolZ, MOUZ, and Eternal Fire. FURIA initially secured invitations for two of its teams, but FURIA Fe withdrew due to the rule limiting tournament participation to one team per organization.

Other participating squads include Team Liquid, Team Spirit, Complexity, Virtus.pro, Astralis, BIG, paiN, GamerLegion, FlyQuest, 3DMAX, Nemiga, and many more. Additionally, Wildcard Team Falcons joins the fray, with a second Wildcard team to be disclosed soon.

This event will also mark a historic moment for Imperial Fe, which becomes only the second female team to compete in an S-tier tournament. The first was Bad Monkey, who participated in Fragbite Masters Season 3 a decade ago. One of Imperial Fe’s players, zAAz, competed in that groundbreaking event.

Why It Matters

The BLAST Premier Bounty tournament emphasizes the significance of consistent performance and achievement, as the VRS now dictates the invite process. The LAN finals in Copenhagen will showcase the best teams in the world, making the qualification rounds intense and highly competitive. For many participants, this is more than just a shot at the title—it is a pivotal chance to cement their place among the global esports elite.