iM of Natus Vincere explained the team’s decision to skip BLAST Bounty 2026. The player stated that NAVI wanted to avoid returning to official online matches without proper preparation after the offseason.

iM noted that strong teams were unexpectedly losing to underdogs and getting eliminated. He believes that skipping the tournament was the right decision, allowing NAVI to rest, conduct a good bootcamp, and better prepare for upcoming major competitions.

NAVI recently defeated The MongolZ in the upper bracket match of Group D at the Esports World Cup 2026, securing a spot in the playoffs.

“The decision to skip BLAST was because we didn’t want to play online right after the offseason. You’ve seen how strong teams suddenly lose to underdogs and get eliminated. I think skipping this tournament was the right decision. We got the chance to rest, have a good bootcamp, and prepare better for the next major competitions,” iM said.