Organizers of BLAST Open London 2025 have announced a last-minute change to the tournament’s lineup: Brazilian team paiN Gaming will replace Aurora, who have withdrawn from the event. The reason for Aurora’s removal remains unknown, sparking widespread speculation in the community.

Unexpected Withdrawal of Aurora

BLAST Open London 2025 is scheduled to be played online, from August 27 to September 1, making Aurora’s withdrawal even more surprising. In an online format, typical issues like visas, travel logistics, or LAN setup shouldn’t be a problem — yet the team will not participate.

No official explanation has been provided, but the timing raises eyebrows. Recently, during IEM Cologne 2025, Aurora’s star player XANTARES was unexpectedly absent due to “family reasons,” and the team had to play with a stand-in. Their shaky performance and recent silence have only added to the rumors of internal instability.

Some fans and analysts speculate that internal conflicts or potential roster changes might be behind the decision. The lack of clarity from either the team or tournament organizers has left the situation wide open to interpretation.

paiN Gaming Gets the Spot

paiN Gaming, one of the tournament’s reserve teams, has been granted Aurora’s spot. The Brazilian squad now gets a shot at redemption after a disappointing run at IEM Cologne, where they failed to reach the playoffs.

paiN are no strangers to international competition, and the online format eliminates many barriers they’ve faced in the past. With this opportunity, they can reset and prove themselves against solid tier-1 and tier-2 competition.

About the Tournament

BLAST Open London 2025 is a European online event featuring 16 teams, taking place from August 27 to September 1. Unlike traditional tournaments, this one doesn’t offer a cash prize — instead, teams are fighting for spots at the LAN Finals of the BLAST Open circuit later this year.

Neither Aurora nor BLAST have commented further on the situation. As of now, the circumstances surrounding the withdrawal remain unclear. However, this development might signal deeper issues within one of Turkey’s most prominent CS2 rosters.