HLTV has launched a pair of Fantasy games for the pre-season tournaments, giving fans a chance to compete before the official season starts with BLAST Bounty Finals LAN matches.
The BLAST Bounty 2026 Season 2 online portion features a 32-team single-elimination bracket with all matches played in best-of-three format. Unlike previous iterations, this online stage won't count toward the seasonal rankings due to featuring only two rounds of play. However, players can still participate in a standalone Fantasy game with valuable skin rewards.
A notable twist in the format is that Round of 16 matchups will be determined by teams drafting their opponents. Roster changes are also in effect, with Liquid replacing ultimate with Jorko. There's also uncertainty around the BLAST roster listings, as reports suggest JT may replace siuhy on the lineup.
Simultaneously, the StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 Europe Closed Qualifier Fantasy game is also active. This competition features four groups of four teams each in a double-elimination format, followed by an eight-team playoff without a grand final. Gentle Mates were initially excluded due to roster uncertainty but have since been added.
Both tournaments offer identical prize pools sponsored by Hellcase. Winners will receive a Paracord Knife Damascus Steel, with subsequent places earning an AK-47 Phantom Disruptor, M4A1-S Party Animal, and two P250 Epicenter skins. Players can create their Fantasy teams through the dedicated HLTV Fantasy page.
