The BLAST Premier Bounty Season 1 2025 introduced a groundbreaking format for Counter-Strike esports, becoming one of the most-watched tournaments in the game’s history. BLAST’s innovative approach not only captivated audiences but also set a new record for watch time in a single BLAST Premier event.
This inaugural Bounty event redefined how teams earned prize money, shifting the focus from final placements to seeding and individual match results. This change aligned with Valve’s new Global Ranking system, which emphasizes prize earnings as a key metric for team success. As a result, teams were incentivized to strategize and maximize their earnings throughout the tournament. Additionally, lower-seeded teams were given the unique opportunity to select their opponents from higher-seeded squads, with re-seeding occurring after each match. This dynamic format added a layer of excitement and unpredictability to the competition.
The success of the Bounty format
The success of the Bounty format was evident from the Play-In stage. For instance, Imperial Valkyries, a female team invited through Valve’s ranking system, chose to face NAVI, a top-tier squad and Major winner, in their opening match. This bold decision, enabled by the new opponent-selection feature, sparked intense rivalries and compelling storylines, driving viewership to nearly 500,000 concurrent viewers for NAVI’s clash with the Brazilian team.
The playoffs continued to draw significant attention, averaging almost 400,000 viewers. The diverse lineup of teams, ranging from global powerhouses to regional contenders from Brazil and Turkey, further boosted the tournament’s appeal. In total, the event amassed 22.29 million hours watched, setting a new record for the BLAST Premier series and surpassing the previous benchmark set by the BLAST Premier Spring 2022. The inclusion of Play-In qualifiers in the main event extended the broadcast time, making Bounty Season 1 2025 the longest BLAST Premier tournament to date.
In terms of viewership demographics, English and Russian-speaking audiences remained the core of Counter-Strike esports viewership. Portuguese-speaking fans, particularly from Brazil, formed the next-largest group. Interestingly, the peak Portuguese viewership did not occur during paiN Gaming’s playoff match against NAVI, which drew over 110,000 viewers at its peak. Instead, FURIA Esports proved more popular among Brazilian fans, with the highest Portuguese viewership recorded during their match against BetBoom Team.
The Grand Final
The Grand Final between Team Spirit and Eternal Fire emerged as the most-watched match of the tournament, peaking at nearly 700,000 viewers. Russian-speaking fans rallied behind Team Spirit’s dominant performance, while Turkish supporters celebrated Eternal Fire’s impressive run. The final also set a new record for Turkish YouTube viewership in Counter-Strike esports. Team Spirit’s semifinal against NAVI was another standout moment, particularly among Ukrainian and Russian-speaking audiences, thanks to the massive followings of both teams.
Regional fanbases played a pivotal role in the success of the Bounty format. The innovative structure not only energized fans worldwide but also provided teams with a platform to test new rosters and strategies for 2025. Ultimately, BLAST’s creative approach paid off, making Bounty Season 1 2025 the most-watched BLAST Premier event ever.
Most Popular BLAST Premier Events by Total Watch Time & Peak Concurrent Viewers
The extended broadcast time of the Bounty tournament was instrumental in achieving its record-breaking viewership. However, even when considering metrics like average concurrent viewers—which are less influenced by broadcast duration—the event ranked among the top five most-watched BLAST Premier tournaments. Similarly, in terms of peak concurrent viewership, Bounty Season 1 2025 secured a spot in the top five.
Looking ahead, BLAST has revamped its esports calendar for 2025, introducing fresh ideas that extend beyond Counter-Strike to the broader esports industry. The success of the Bounty tournament, which became BLAST’s most-watched event (excluding the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023), has set a strong foundation for the future of Counter-Strike esports. The next event, Open Spring 2025, is set to kick off in mid-March, continuing BLAST’s momentum in delivering innovative and engaging esports experiences.