By Sagar V. Mankar 
Team Spirit started 2025 with a remarkable performance, securing their first major CS2 title of the year. They dominated the BLAST Bounty tournament, defeating Eternal Fire in the grand final, setting the perfect tone for the upcoming IEM Katowice.
The tournament, held at BLAST Studios in Copenhagen from January 23 to January 26, 2025, showcased some of the best Counter-Strike 2 action, with 8 top-tier teams competing for a share of the $500,000 USD prize pool.
Tournament Overview
The BLAST Bounty Spring 2025 followed a single-elimination bracket format, with the Quarterfinals and Semifinals being best-of-three (Bo3) matches, and the Grand Final being a best-of-five (Bo5) match.
The event featured eight teams: G2 Esports, Natus Vincere, Team Vitality, Team Spirit, BetBoom Team, paiN Gaming, Eternal Fire, and HEROIC.
Journey of the Top Two Teams
Team Spirit had a remarkable journey through the tournament. They started strong by defeating HEROIC 2-0 in the Quarterfinals and continued their winning streak by overcoming Natus Vincere 2-0 in the Semifinals.
Eternal Fire also had an impressive run. They began by defeating heavyweights like Team Vitality 2-0 in the Quarterfinals and then edged out G2 Esports 2-1 in the Semifinals. However, in the finale, despite earlier strong form, they struggled to maintain momentum in the subsequent maps, allowing Spirit to assert their dominance.
Finale Detailed Match Breakdown
Map 1: Anubis (Picked by Eternal Fire, Winner: Eternal Fire)
Eternal Fire began strong with a pistol round win but struggled as Spirit gained control on defense. Facing a daunting 9-3 deficit, Eternal Fire mounted an impressive comeback, winning critical rounds to force overtime. Their strong T-side secured them a narrow 16-14 victory.
Map 2: Nuke (Picked by Spirit, Winner: Spirit)
Spirit bounced back with a dominant performance on Nuke. Their aggressive offense caught Eternal Fire off-guard, with Spirit taking a commanding 10-round streak. Though Eternal Fire managed to grab a few rounds in the second half, Spirit maintained their composure and closed the map 13-6.
Map 3: Dust 2 (Picked by Eternal Fire, Winner: Spirit)
Continuing their momentum, Spirit built an impenetrable defense on Dust 2. Eternal Fire could only secure one round on their T-side. While they claimed the pistol round in the second half, Spirit swiftly ended the map 13-3.
Map 4: Mirage (Picked by Spirit, Winner: Spirit)
Mirage saw a more balanced start, but Spirit gradually took control. Sh1ro and donk’s leadership shone as Spirit claimed an 8-4 lead in the first half. Eternal Fire tried to resist but couldn’t counter Spirit’s coordinated plays, losing 13-8.
MVP
Danil “donk” Kryshkovets from Team Spirit was named the MVP of the tournament. He delivered an outstanding performance throughout the tournament, finishing with a 1.43 rating. This is his 7th MVP title, and he achieved this milestone just a day after his 18th birthday.
He previously received this award at BetBoom Dacha 2023, IEM Katowice 2024, BetBoom Dacha Belgrade 2024, BLAST Premier Spring Final 2024, BetBoom Dacha Belgrade Season 2, and Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024.
Prize Pool Distribution
The $500,000 USD prize pool was distributed among the participants as follows:
- 1st place: $288,125 USD – Team Spirit
- 2nd place: $85,625 USD – Eternal Fire
- 3rd-4th place: TBA – G2 Esports and Natus Vincere
- 5th-8th place: TBA – BetBoom Team, paiN Gaming, Team Vitality, and HEROIC
Looking Ahead to IEM Katowice 2025
Both teams now turn their attention to IEM Katowice, the year’s first S-Tier event scheduled for January 29 with a 1 million prize pool. Eternal Fire begins their journey in the Play-In Stage against Complexity, while Spirit, seeded directly into the Group Stage, awaits tougher challenges ahead. A potential rematch against NAVI looms in Group B, alongside teams like MOUZ and The MongolZ.
Fans will recall donk’s phenomenal performances at last year’s IEM Katowice, where he helped secure Spirit’s first major victory. With their current form, Spirit is poised to defend their title and continue their dominance.