win.gg
Win.gg Counter-Strike BLAST allegedly considering player substitutions during games

BLAST allegedly considering player substitutions during games

Olivia Richman
Olivia Richman Published 14/05/2020
Google Preferred Source

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament organizer BLAST is allegedly considering changing a big substitution rule for upcoming competitions. 

According to a report by Jarek “DeKay” Lewis, the Danish event organizer is considering a rule change that would allow teams to make substitutions at halftime of matches. 

The existing rules for BLAST Premier allow teams to bring on two substitute players to swap out between maps if needed. These changes are only allowed if the lineup for the map is submitted to the Tournament Operations Manager 10 minutes prior to playing. So far, no team has utilized this rule during a BLAST tournament, most likely because most teams only have a five-player roster. 

Astralis wants tournaments to allow player swaps

One organization, Astralis, has seven players on their main roster. This was a move they made knowing that ESL One Rio’s Regional Major had an updated rule that cost teams 20% of their Regional Major Ranking points per player swap. While talking with WIN.gg earlier in April, Astralis Group director of sports Kasper Hvidt appeared to have some insider knowledge that this kind of thinking would be challenged in the near future within the CSGO scene. 

“Some tournament organizers are already allowing player swaps on a more frequent basis, and honestly, I don’t see how the industry can’t start to move towards healthier conditions for its players,” Hvidt told WIN.gg. 

Having a larger roster, Hvidt said, not only allowed for a more consistent performance but created opportunities for players to recharge if needed. This is a mindset that other organizations might consider if BLAST and other tournament organizers become more open to player swaps. 

It’s unclear if Astralis already knew about BLAST’s plans to expand substitution allowances back in April, but it wouldn’t be far-fetched to assume that pro teams have been given this information early in case they want to prepare for the changes. Some fans have even speculated that Astralis might have been privy to the information prior to making their recent roster moves due to the former business ties between Astralis and BLAST.

The BLAST Premier Spring Showdown starts on May 31. The online tournament will have top teams from North America compete amongst each other, while the European division dukes it out separately. Four teams from each region will advance to the finals, ready to take on those who qualified during the regular season. At that point, there will be eight teams from each division battling for the eight spots at the BLAST Premier Global Final in 2021. This tournament is scheduled to be held offline, though no location has yet been announced.

Olivia Richman Olivia Richman
About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

View full profile
Read Also
IEM Cologne Major 2026 CS2 Stage 3 Pick’Em Predictions Counter-Strike
IEM Cologne Major 2026 CS2 Stage 3 Pick’Em Predictions Owen Harsono It’s that time of the year again, as the next Counter-Strike 2 Major is right around the corner. The IEM Cologne 2026 Major is set to start on June 2, meaning you still have some time to lock in your Pick’Em predictions. The Pick’Em Challenge is one of the most exciting parts of the CS2 Majors, as it allows you to test your knowledge and predict which teams make it ...
Team Spirit concede just 10 rounds in Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major Counter-Strike
Team Spirit concede just 10 rounds in Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major Owen Harsono It was pretty weird seeing Team Spirit having to start the IEM Cologne Major from Stage 2, but they quickly proved why that was a mistake. With donk shooting on all fronts, the Eastern Europeans speed ran the competition to book their spot in Stage 3. With how they’ve been playing, it’s hard not to wonder whether they can actually win the entire thing. These boys can sometimes be known ...
BIG pull off 0-12 comeback to stay alive – IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 recap Counter-Strike
BIG pull off 0-12 comeback to stay alive – IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 recap Owen Harsono We’ve just witnessed arguably the worst choke in Counter-Strike Major history, and we’re only on the first stage of the IEM Cologne Major. If you didn’t tune into the Stage 1 matches, here’s what you need to know heading into Stage 2. Many fans tend to underestimate Stage 1 teams for fair reasons, but some survivors in this tournament look extremely promising. Two Eastern European teams, BetBoom Team and B8, ...
Who will win the IEM Cologne Major 2026? Counter-Strike
Who will win the IEM Cologne Major 2026? Owen Harsono If you’re looking to play it safe and back one team at the Counter-Strike 2 IEM Cologne 2026 Major, traders prediction markets platforms have a clear frontrunner – it’s Team Vitality. But if it’s not meant to be, there are a few other candidates that could lift the trophy. Here’s what traders on Polymarket and Kalshi think. If you haven’t been watching CS2 this year and are only jumping on ...
The 10 best CS2 players who have never won a Major Counter-Strike
The 10 best CS2 players who have never won a Major Owen Harsono In Counter-Strike, winning a Major immediately puts you into legend status. It’s an achievement that proves you won the game’s biggest trophy. However, there have been some really good players that could never get their hands on the biggest trophy that Counter-Strike esports has to offer. Here is WIN.gg's list of best CS2 players who have never won a Major. ScreaM is one of Counter-Strike's most famous players for one ...
IEM Cologne Major 2026: All the teams, favorites, and outright betting odds Counter-Strike
IEM Cologne Major 2026: All the teams, favorites, and outright betting odds Owen Harsono Mark your calendars, as the IEM Cologne Major kicks off on June 2, 2026. We’re going to see the best teams in the world compete, but which ones are actually favored to take the title? This will be the first time in 10 years that IEM Cologne will return as a Counter-Strike Major, so the stakes this year are much higher than they’ve been in a decade. In this guide, ...
All IEM Cologne winners and rosters in Counter-Strike history Esports Betting
All IEM Cologne winners and rosters in Counter-Strike history Owen Harsono IEM Cologne is one of Counter-Strike’s biggest events, happening every single year. Some seasons, the event is labeled as one of Valve’s two Counter-Strike Majors of the year, but if not, still stands as one of the big events every player chases to win. With the IEM Cologne 2026 Major right around the corner, let’s take a trip down memory lane and check out every single winner of the tournament, ...