Now that BLAST Roots has wrapped at the BLAST Arena Studios in Ta’ Qali, the winner has been decided, but the conversations around Malta’s grassroots Counter-Strike scene are only getting started.
After progressing through the tournament, Project EVERSIO and CEPE6PO faced off in the final, with Project EVERSIO claiming the title and the €1,000 prize pool. The event gave both teams the chance to compete on a professional stage and experience the pressure of a fully produced esports event.
GamingMalta CEO Ivan Filletti stated: “Our strategy for growing Malta’s esports industry does not stop with attracting international tournaments. We are also working to create room for local players to compete and see a future for themselves in the industry. BLAST Roots brings those two ambitions together, giving homegrown talent access to the same professional environment that hosts Tier 1 competition and turning the goals of Malta Vision 2050 into practical opportunities.”
Some of the players taking part in the tournament were returning to familiar territory, while others were stepping onto the BLAST stage for the first time.
CEPE6PO’s Ihor, aka ‘Paul9,’ who has been playing CS for over fifteen years said that he was hoping the tournament would encourage more teams to get involved.
“We want to see more teams joining because that will make the competition stronger,” he said. “Events like this show younger players that there is a local scene they can become part of.”
Vladimir ‘ZRC’ Raczewski has competed in Malta for several years: “Playing on this stage is always a great experience,” he said.
For another player, Marced, gaming has also had an impact beyond competition. “This has helped me practice my English and become more confident speaking to people,” he said. “BLAST Roots is a good way to meet others, learn something new and experience what it feels like to play on stage.”
Project EVERSIO’s Harrison returned after making his LAN debut at the previous edition.
“Meeting the local teams and playing against them has been a really positive experience,” he said. “You learn a lot from competing on stage, and I would recommend it to any team thinking about taking part.”
The same point kept coming up throughout the event: players are eager to see more teams taking part, regular competitions and more opportunities for newcomers to enter the scene. BLAST Roots gives new players an effective starting point, while also offering experienced players a reason to keep returning.
Aidan McLoughlin, Malta Grassroots and Community Manager, stated: “Giving the players a chance to perform on stage matters to us — it’s how BLAST stays close to the local gaming community. That on-stage LAN experience is key to developing players and helping them break into the international scene. We’re excited to keep growing BLAST Roots and our outreach to Malta’s community.”
GamingMalta’s partnership with BLAST means the same arena that welcomes Tier 1 competition is also opening its doors to local players, translating Malta Vision 2050 into tangible opportunities to develop talent on the global stage.
Project EVERSIO left this edition with the trophy. The next step is making sure even more teams are ready to challenge for it.
