In a surprising turn of events, NRG has stepped down from the BLAST Premier Fall Showdown due to a scheduling clash with the Perfect World Shanghai Major North America RMR closed qualifier. The qualifier is set to kick off just a day after the Fall Showdown wraps up, leaving NRG with a tight schedule.
As a result, M80, who were the runners-up to NRG in the Ace North America Masters, have been invited to fill the spot in the tournament.
The BLAST Fall Showdown, scheduled from August 21-25, would have forced NRG to make a quick transition from one major event to another, which is a challenging feat even for seasoned teams. This decision marks a significant change for NRG, who had initially qualified for the tournament by defeating M80 in the Ace North American Masters.
This withdrawal comes on the heels of NRG’s recent signing of Nick “nitr0” Cannella, who made a return to CS after spending the first half of 2024 playing VALORANT for M80. This new addition led to the departure of Colby “Walco” Walsh from the NRG roster, marking a significant shift in the team’s dynamics.
