BLAST Fall Groups 2024: Recap

The BLAST Fall Groups 2024 served as a preparation for IEM Cologne. While this tournament wasn't crucial in itself, it determined six of the eight teams that qualified for the BLAST Fall Final, scheduled for September 25-29, 2024. The remaining two slots will be filled through the BLAST Fall Showdown.

This 16-team tournament consisted of four groups with four teams each. The four group winners automatically qualified for the finals, while the runners-up from each group competed in a single-elimination bracket to determine the final two qualifiers. All matches were played in a best-of-three (Bo3) format.

Here's a recap of the events:

July 29, 2024

• Spirit 2 - 0 OG
• Complexity 0 - 2 Heroic
  • Unexpected result, as Heroic played with their coach, sAw, due to degster's visa issues;
  • Complexity not on their usual form yet...
• Vitality 2 - 1 GamerLegion
  • A close affair in the first two maps, showing promise for the new GamerLegion roster (who recently lost their leader, Snax, to G2).
• Astralis 2 - 0 Falcons

July 30, 2024

• OG 1 - 2 Complexity
• Vitality 2 - 0 Astralis
• GamerLegion 0 - 2 Falcons
• Spirit 2 - 0 Heroic

July 31, 2024

• Natus Vincere 2 - 0 BIG
• G2 2 - 0 Ninjas in Pyjamas
• FaZe 2 - 1 Cloud9
• Virtus.pro 0 - 2 Liquid

August 1, 2024

• Natus Vincere 1 - 2 Liquid
  • Woooow!..
  • I mean we know Na'Vi are a technical team and win by studying their opponents - but this is an impressive showing from Liquid, now led by Twistzz!
• Cloud9 1 - 2 Ninjas in Pyjamas
• FaZe 1 - 2 G2
  • A really convincing Nuke and Mirage posted by G2.
  • Not exactly the showing we would like to see from FaZe right after the player break - but we'll give it a pass, for now.
• BIG 2 - 1 Virtus.pro
  • Yet another disappointing result for VP.

August 2, 2024

• FaZe 0 - 2 Ninjas in Pyjamas
  • Alright FaZe now you worry me. Losing to NIP?
  • The NIP awper, r1nkle, posted a 1.45 rating game;
    • Completely dominated FaZe.
• Astralis 2 - 1 Falcons
• Heroic 0 - 2 Complexity
  • Complexity is looking better. Heroic beating them earlier in the tournament seems like a fluke.
• Natus Vincere 2 - 0 BIG

August 3, 2024 - Group Finals

• G2 2 - 0 Ninjas in Pyjamas
  • G2 learned from FaZe's mistakes and effectively countered r1nkle.
  • The m0NESY and malbs show.
• Vitality 2 - 1 Astralis
• Spirit 2 - 1 Complexity
  • Was expecting a blow out from Spirit - but Complexity played it and dealt with the stress/rage quite well!
• Liquid 2 - 1 Natus Vincere
  • What a great, entertaining game!
  • Impressive performance by Liquid, beating the current #1 team twice, but Na'Vi making some unusual mistakes.

August 4, 2024 - Single Elimination Bracket

(between the losers of the group finals)

• Astralis 2 - 0 Ninjas in Pyjamas
• Complexity 0 - 2 Natus Vincere