Valve recently hinted at a significant change in the CS:GO map pool, with plans to replace Vertigo with Train in the upcoming Premier tournaments. The transition is expected to take place before the BLAST Major Austin, although the exact date remains undisclosed.
Excitement escalated further when Ilya 'm0NESY' Osipov, alongside another prominent Russian professional player, leaked details about Train's inclusion in the BLAST Bounty Spring 2025 edition. Despite the absence of Train in the official tournament page's map pool, speculations suggest that fans might witness professional gameplay on the new map as early as January 14, coinciding with the start of the closed qualifier.
It's worth noting that the map's potential debut in Premier competitions before its expected timeline isn't uncommon, given that tournament organizers have the liberty to implement changes independently. BLAST could opt for Train over Vertigo sooner, especially with Valve's recent endorsement of Train for their upcoming Major event. This makes the period between January 7 and 14 crucial for potential updates, with Thursday (Jan 9) being a likely candidate for announcements.
The BLAST Bounty Spring 2025 closed qualifiers are scheduled to run from January 14 to 19, featuring an initial online phase followed by a LAN event in Copenhagen from January 23 to 26. The tournament organizers have also promised a revised format, emphasizing a single-bracket playoff structure with teams being re-seeded after each stage for increased competitiveness.
