Esports tournament organiser BLAST has announced ECSTATIC will replace Imperial Esports at the upcoming BLAST Bounty Season 1 2026 Counter-Strike 2 event.
The Danish esports organisation joins an extensive list of teams competing in the first Tier 1 event of 2026.
Announced on December 23rd, 2025, the event will be the first Tier 1 event ECSTATIC has competed in since August, where it featured in the online phase of BLAST Open London. During the online qualifiers, the Danish side lost to FaZe Clan and Fnatic, scoring a top-16 finish. Notably, BLAST hasn’t revealed the reason behind ECSTATIC replacing Imperial Esports.
Outside of Tier 1 competition, the team has continued an upward trajectory in online and offline events. November saw it earn a second place at DraculaN #3 and victory in Winline Insight Season 9.
Currently ranked 44th in the Valve Regional Standings (VRS), a strong showing at BLAST Bounty Season 1 offers ECSTATIC an opportunity to begin the year on the front foot after recording victories in recent months.
As a result of the change, Imperial Esports will no longer feature at BLAST Bounty Season 1, taking the number of participants from the Americas down from five to four.
BLAST Bounty Season 1 2026 Teams
Taking place from January 13th to 18th, 2026, 32 teams will compete in online qualifiers for eight places in the LAN playoffs running from January 22nd to 25th in Malta.
With Imperial Esports no longer competing, the updated BLAST Bounty Season 1 team list is as follows:
- FURIA
- Team Falcons
- Team Vitality
- Aurora Gaming
- Team Spirit
- Team Liquid
- NAVI
- Astralis
- HEROIC
- 3DMAX
- paiN Gaming
- FaZe Clan
- Parivision
- Gentle Mates
- GamerLegion
- FUT Esports
- BetBoom Team
- Fnatic
- M80
- Passion UA
- HOTU
- Ninjas in Pyjamas
- NRG
- EYEBALLERS
- Inner Circle Esports
- OG Esports
- 9INE
- ENCE
- Virtus.pro
- Monte
- SINNERS Esports
- ECSTATIC
Jonno Nicholson
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