2025 BLAST.tv Austin Major conference reveals bigger US goals for CS2

BLAST and Complexity are hoping to expand Counter-Strike’s esports scene in the United States, starting with the BLAST.tv Austin Major.

A BLAST.tv Austin Major press conference took place on February 12th, 2025, where representatives from BLAST, Complexity, and the city of Austin, Texas expressed the importance behind the Counter-Strike 2 Major coming to the states.

Complexity CEO and Founder Jason Lake called the Major a “full circle moment” for the CS scene.

“Back in the late 90s and early 2000s, people that worked in [the esports] business were the brunt of some jokes and chuckles over cocktails,” Lake said.

“There were times when we were playing Counter-Strike in hotel ballrooms with those old 50-pound monitors.

“People were doing this for free — and even losing money because they believed in the future of a digital sport. Now here we stand in Moody Center to announce the BLAST.tv Austin Major.”

BLAST’s Chief Business Officer, Leo Matlock, reiterated that Texas is the “birthplace” of Counter-Strike esports. This has made it all the more meaningful that a massive tournament is coming to the city. But the esports community also believes it’s bigger than just Texas.

The BLAST.tv Austin Major is already sold out, meaning all 40,000 seats in the Moody Center are going to be full of fans. BLAST feels this is a sign that the states have been starving for a Counter-Strike 2 Major.

The last time BLAST held a CS2 event in the United States was actually seven years ago with the Boston Major. According to Lake, this is quite surprising when remembering America’s rich history in Counter-Strike, including big victories back in the early 2000s and North American teams such as Team Liquid, Complexity, and FaZe Clan, embracing the scene.

“American fans will bring an energy [to the Major] that will shock a lot of people,” said Complexity’s Founder.

BLAST’s VP of Ecosystems, Andrew Haworth, said that Austin has a “clear passion” for esports that made it a no-brainer for hosting a major. But it’s not only about Austin, Texas — Haworth added that Counter-Strike has “really struggled” in North America in recent years without any large-scale events and a lack of financial support.

Haworth told Esports Insider when asked about the importance of bringing a major to the US: “Passionate ecosystems have to start with grassroots — gaming cafe, going to a regional. If you don’t have that in your region or country, you’re not a Tier 1 country in Counter-Strike.

“Around the birth of Counter-Strike esports, everyone came to Texas. We’re going on three decades since, so we should respect its roots and remember where it came from. Counter-Strike started in Texas. Europeans win a lot of our trophies — but it started in Texas. Everyone who has followed Counter-Strike and loves Counter-Strike, we can all agree we need a major in Texas.”

The 2025 BLAST.tv Austin Major will come to Austin, Texas from June 3rd to the 22nd.