BLAST Bounty Season 2 Changes: How Seeding and Prize Work?

BLAST Bounty is back for its second season—and it's coming with big changes. Originally launched as a fresh twist on Counter-Strike 2 formats, BLAST Bounty rewards bold underdog plays and risk-taking strategies. With Season 2 kicking off in August, BLAST has announced updates to seeding, prize allocation, and team wagering, all designed to bring more balance and excitement to this unique competition.

How Does BLAST Bounty Work?

BLAST Bounty is a high-stakes Counter-Strike 2 tournament format that rewards underdogs for upsetting higher-seeded teams. First introduced in January 2025, it featured a prize pool that shifted dynamically based on match outcomes. Teams carried “bounties” and were challenged by lower-ranked opponents aiming to claim that value for themselves.

Historically, seeding would change throughout the tournament, especially when lower-ranked teams managed upset wins. This often allowed teams to pick favorable matchups, sometimes distorting competitive integrity. Meanwhile, teams could accumulate prize money by winning matches or having their bounty claimed by other teams, but the system wasn't always rewarding bold plays, especially in the case of high wagers.

What Will Change in BLAST Bounty Season 2?

BLAST officially announced that Season 2 of BLAST Bounty, set to start August 5 with playoffs running August 14–17 in Malta, will introduce several rule changes to fix these issues and enhance competitive fairness.

• Seeding will now remain locked from the start of the tournament.
• Wagering between teams is now allowed, with flexible amounts proposed by the lower seed.
• Wagered money now goes directly to a team’s bank, not just their bounty.
• Teams earn $2,500 for every match win, or their full bounty if it's under that amount.

These updates address past imbalances. Locked seeding prevents stronger teams from exploiting matchup reshuffling, while flexible wagering adds a strategic layer, letting underdogs bait top teams into high-stakes games. And by depositing winnings directly into the prize bank, teams are now fully rewarded for bold bets, making every win count more than ever.

Next BLAST Tournaments

Held from November 12–16 in Hong Kong’s AsiaWorld-Expo, Blast Rivals Fall 2025, a S-Tier event, features eight teams, a $350,000 prize pool, and a GSL group stage into single-elimination playoffs. Matches will be played on classic maps like Inferno, Mirage, and Nuke. Group winners go straight to semifinals, while 2nd and 3rd place teams enter the quarterfinals based on seeding. The grand final will be a best-of-five.

The next BLAST Bounty installment runs from August 14–17 in Copenhagen with a $500,000 prize pool and the new Season 2 rules in place. It features a single-elimination bracket with best-of-three matches leading to a best-of-five grand final. This edition continues the unique format with dynamic earnings, high-risk wagers, and locked seed matchups, offering both thrilling gameplay and big cash stakes for CS2’s bravest competitors.