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Two of Counter-Strike’s biggest names won’t be packing their bags for Malta this week. In one of the most surprising turns of BLAST Bounty Season 2 so far, NAVI and FaZe Clan were both sent home early, falling to underdogs in the Round of 16.

The upsets mean the Playoffs, kicking off 14 August at BLAST’s Malta studio, will have a very different look, and a lot more room for dark horses to shine.

Astralis Put an End to NAVI’s Run

NAVI started strong against Astralis, taking Dust2 13-11. But from there, things fell apart fast. Astralis clawed back on Inferno 13-7, then completely shut the door on Nuke with a 13-2 thrashing. Danish rifler jabbi was on another level, putting up a monstrous 2.14 rating to seal the deal.

The loss means NAVI miss out on vital Valve Regional Standings points, not to mention the bounty prize cash still on the line.

Virtus.pro Take Out FaZe in Three Maps

The day’s second shock came when Virtus.pro sent FaZe packing. After taking Overpass 13-10 off the back of electroNic’s vintage form, VP stumbled on Ancient, losing 13-9. But on Inferno, they pulled ahead 13-9 thanks to FL1T’s 23-kill performance.

For FaZe, it’s another missed opportunity in a stacked event, while Virtus.pro have quietly booked their spot among the top eight.

Who’s Heading to Malta?

With the dust settled from the online qualifiers, here’s the full list of teams heading to the BLAST Bounty Season 2 LAN stage:

  • Team Vitality – Breezed past NRG and Legacy, looking like the team to beat once again.
  • MOUZ – Powered through OG and B8, with fan support right from their Hamburg HQ.
  • Team Spirit – Cologne champions had to dig deep to edge past Passion UA and G2.
  • The MongolZ – Knocked out ENCE and paiN in style, carrying a hefty bounty.
  • Astralis – Riding high after taking down NAVI.
  • Aurora Gaming – Dominant sweeps over FlyQuest and HEROIC show serious intent.
  • Virtus.pro – Claimed FaZe’s scalp and a place in the top eight.
  • Team Liquid – Outlasted FURIA in a three-map battle to sneak into the Playoffs.

When and Where to Watch

The BLAST Bounty Season 2 Playoffs run from 14–17 August 2025, live from Malta. Fans can catch all the action on BLAST’s YouTube and Twitch channels.

With NAVI and FaZe out of the picture, the field feels wide open. Whether one of the heavyweights like Vitality or Spirit takes it all, or an outsider rides the momentum, this Playoffs could get spicy.