CS:GO esports series BLAST Premier and Australian video games venue Fortress have joined forces to host Oceania’s first-ever regional BLAST Premier qualifier in 2022.
Both entities will hold the Fortress OCE Masters LAN finals at the Alienware Arena in Melbourne. The event will see the region’s top four teams compete for a spot in the 2022 BLAST Premier Fall Showdown.
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Official dates for the Fortress OCE Masters – A BLAST Regional Qualifier event, as well as tournament details regarding its structure prior to the LAN finals, have not been confirmed.
Regarding the partnership, Fortress COO Mads Brown stated: “We’re very excited to be partnering with BLAST, one of the world’s premier esports companies who are known for their groundbreaking events and best-in-class production.
“2022 will be a massive year for esports in Australia as we present the Fortress OCE Masters, bringing a Blast Premier Qualifier to Oceania and giving gamers in the region the chance to qualify to play on the global BLAST stage. We’re looking forward to flexing our state-of-the-art production capabilities with our live grand finals.”
After launching in March 2020, Fortress quickly had to close its operations a few days later due to the COVID-19 pandemic measures. Following the early setback, Fortress started to build its community through weekly events, as well as online and in-venue tournaments.
Earlier this year, Fortress announced a new venue located in Sydney, similar to the one based in Melbourne. It is set to open its doors to the public next summer.
Alexander Lewin, BLAST Premier’s VP of Distribution, also commented: “We are delighted to be teaming up with Fortress. As Australia’s home of games, with an exciting portfolio of activities and ventures, Fortress is the perfect partner to bring BLAST Premier to our fans down under and to a wider Australian audience.
“We are very much looking forward to seeing BLAST’s Australian qualifiers being played out of their state-of-the-art venue.”
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Recently BLAST has been on somewhat of a renewal spree, signing new deals with companies such as Betway, Shikenso Analytics, GRID Esports, Coinbase and CS.MONEY.
Esports Insider says: With the help of BLAST, Fortress looks to finally showcase its potential. Having an OCE qualifier is undoubtedly positive for CS:GO fans and professional players. Moreover, the partnership can help the region become a bigger landmark in the esports world.