Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Marvel's Spider-Man Secret Lair promotional image

    Get a Look At the Secret Lair x Marvel’s Spider-Man Superdrop

    09/08/2025
    Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions gameplay still

    Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions Is All About Adventure (with Friends)

    09/08/2025
    Chord in Persona 5 The Phantom X

    Now Is The Perfect Time To Jump Back In ‘Persona 5: The Phantom X’

    09/05/2025
    Cosmic Spider-Man card details

    [EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW] The Spider-Man Set Gets A 5-Color Legendary Spider

    09/02/2025
    Lee Corso from College Football GameDay in EA Sports games

    EA Sports Always Understood Lee Corso’s Legacy

    09/01/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » News » Counter-Strike 2 Returns To The US For The First Time In 7 Years With the Blast.tv Austin Major

Counter-Strike 2 Returns To The US For The First Time In 7 Years With the Blast.tv Austin Major

Matt DonahueBy Matt Donahue02/12/20254 Mins ReadUpdated:02/12/2025
Blast.tv Austin Counter-Strike Major
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Everything is bigger in Texas and that includes Counter-Strike 2. In 6 hours, the first Blast.tv Austin Counter-Strike Major held in the US sold out 14 thousand tickets, breaking all previous Moody Center records in the city. At the in-person press conference hosted at the Moody Center, select press, UT esports students, and other invitees got the chance to hear from Mayor Kirk Watson, who spoke on the impact that esports will have on Austin.

Others who spoke were Robbie Douek and Andrew Haworth from BLAST, who broke down the new expanded format for the Major, Drew Hays, Austin Sports Commission, who connected the Major to the long history of international sporting events in Austin, and Jason Lake from Complexity Gaming, who talked to the group about the special role that Texas has played in esports, especially for Counter-Strike. All, of course, was hosted by Moses, one of the game’s former players and current casters.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Much of the excitement around the first Major in seven years revolves around the fact that Texas has long been considered the birthplace of esports. It happened here, whether it’s Quakecon, Dreamhack, ESL, or the first Counter-Strike tourneys held in a ballroom. Now, the 2025 Blast.tv Austin Counter-Strike Major will be sponsored by Austin Companies Alienware and Dell.

Complexity Gaming is one of America’s legacy esports brands, and Jason Lake, one of the founding fathers of esports, explained, “Fans in the Americas have been eagerly anticipating the return of a Counterstrike Major since the last event in Boston seven years ago. The US has a rich history in Counterstrike, back to when my teams were winning them in 2005 all the way up to Cloud9 winning the Boston Major in 2018.”

Lake continued, “This is a full circle moment for a lot of us. Back in the late 90s and early 2000s, a lot of us were the brunt of some jokes and chuckles over cocktails. There were times when we were playing in hotel ballrooms… People were losing money and doing this for free because they believed in the future of a new digital sport for a new digital generation… It’s a full-circle moment. When Complexity partnered with Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys, it was a coming home for me. From old ballrooms carrying the PCs ourselves to the big leagues.”

While this is the first dedicated esports event in Austin at this scale, the tech-driven city has also been craving it. Formerly home to Dreamhack, the city’s game industry investment continues to soar. Regarding live sports, Austin has continued to build a path forward with PGA, Formula 1, and even hosting COPA tournament games.

The Blast.tv Austin Counter-Strike Major will take place in June in Austin, Texas, from June 3rd to June 22nd, hosted at the state-of-the-art Moody Center. But for those just looking for the final rounds, the Major Champion will be crowned between June 19th and 22nd.

So, what’s new with the Blast.tv Austin Counter-Strike Major?

The Blast.tv Austin Counter-Strike Major will take place at the Moody Center, pictured here.

Expected to stream to over 200 million people in over 150 countries and in over 30 languages across the world, the Austin Major stands as Austin’s most global event. The return of the Major to North America also showcases a new format. With an expanded 32 teams, the major is bigger, better, and stands to Dwarf every other Counte-Strike competition down the road in Dallas.

This is the first of a new Major; the 32 teams represent new regions, allowing for more equity. All teams will qualify through a new Valve ranking system. Sixteen teams qualify directly via the ranking system, and the remaining qualify via Regional Qualifiers.

The Americas will be split into North and South, Europe will be one region, and Asia will be divided into three regions: China, Oceania, and a Western Asia tournament. The tournament will begin three weeks before the finals, before the last stage to get to the Moody Center. During that time, the players will face off in Austin face to face with a frosted glass screen separating them. Throughout the time, local celebrities and ambassadors will help the cast.

Additionally, the 2025 Counterstrike Austin Major will host a tailgate experience for everyone. The tailgate will take place the weekend before the Counterstrike Austin Major finale, bringing together the Austin community, local celebrities, and players to celebrate gaming.

The Blast.TV Austin Major is currently sold out, and they are currently looking to add more availability. 

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleSonic Racing CrossWorlds Goes Full Throttle With New Trailer
Next Article Pokémon GO Theme Nights Are Coming To MLB Ballparks Across the US
Matt Donahue
  • Website
  • X (Twitter)

Host of our flagship podcast and convention contributor. Responsible for creating the site’s content strategy plan and keeping the lights on. Sports trivia encyclopedia, Spider-Man and Dr. Strange fan, with a love of video games.

Related Posts

Chel Week in NHL 26

Become a Cult Superstar with NHL 26’s Newest Content Drop

09/09/2025
EA Sports FC 26 ICONs in Ultimate Team promotional image

The OVRs Are In! EA Sports FC 26 Ratings Week Kicks Off With Top 26 Players

09/09/2025
Last Samurai Standing promotional image from Netflix

Netflix’s New Battle Royale ‘Last Samurai Standing’ Is Coming November 2025

09/08/2025
BEASTARS Final Season Part 2 promotional image from Netflix

First Look at BEASTARS Final Season Part 2 Teases Intense Climax

09/08/2025
Baki-Dou promotional image from Netflix

BAKI-DOU Series Announced At Netflix For 2026

09/07/2025
Tatsuki Fujimoto 17 26 But Why Tho 12

New Anime Anthology Series, Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 Coming This November

09/06/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
The Long Walk (2025) film review promotional image
9.5
Film

REVIEW: ‘The Long Walk’ Is The Most Heartfelt And Heartbreaking Stephen King Adaptation

By Kate Sánchez09/11/2025Updated:09/11/2025

The Long Walk is a brutal watch. Equally heartfelt and heartbreaking, it’s one of the best adaptations of Stephen King’s work.

Black Women Anime — But Why Tho (9) BWT Recommends

10 Black Women in Anime That Made Me Feel Seen

By LaNeysha Campbell11/11/2023Updated:12/03/2024

Black women are some of anime’s most iconic characters, and that has a big impact on Black anime fans. Here are some of our favorites.

EA Sports FC Icons Match promotional image from Nexon News

2025 Icons Match Returns With Football Legends Bridging The Pitch And Video Games

By Kate Sánchez09/03/2025Updated:09/03/2025

NEXON has announced the return of the ‘2025 Icons Match,’ a live event that brings a full roster of legendary players to the pitch.

Gojo Jujutsu Kaisen - But Why Tho (2) Features

Everything To Know About Satoru Gojo

By Kate Sánchez09/07/2023Updated:02/16/2025

Satoru Gojo is the heart of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 — now, heading into Cour 2, here is everything you need to know about the character.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here