The BLAST Slam V Playoffs lineup is set, but no Chinese teams made it through.
BLAST Slam V has completed the first half of its event, comprising the Group Stage, Last Chance Playoffs, and Play-In rounds. Throughout this six-day phase, twelve teams competed for a spot in the Playoffs, where the final six will play in front of the Chengdu crowd at the Wuliangye Culture and Sports Center.
The teams that qualified are 
Team Falcons, 
Tundra Esports, 
MOUZ, 
OG, 
Natus Vincere, and 
Team Yandex. Reigning The International (TI) champions Falcons and defending BLAST Slam champions Tundra posted a dominant 10–1 win-loss record during the Group Stage to claim the top two spots, advancing directly to the Playoffs Semifinals. Meanwhile, the remaining teams had to battle for their slots through the Play-In round.
Unfortunately, all four Chinese contenders at the event–
Xtreme Gaming, 
Team Tidebound, 
Yakult Brothers, and 
Tearlaments–fell short and failed to secure a place in the LAN Playoffs.
Joining them in the bottom six are 
Execration and 
Heroic. While Execration is typically considered an underdog, this result marks a downturn in HEROIC’s otherwise consistent performance over the last few months.
A rough turnaround for Xtreme Gaming and other Chinese representatives
The absence of Chinese teams at BLAST’s first Chinese LAN is a letdown, to say the least. But the result is especially tough for Xtreme Gaming, the clear favorites among the local contenders.
The team made waves last season with an outstanding run at The International, reaching the finals undefeated and coming within a single five-map series of claiming the Aegis. Their dominant run established Xtreme as one of the strongest contenders entering the new season. They also underwent a significant roster shuffle, adding 
Cheng “NothingToSay” Jin Xiang and 
Xu “fy” Linsen to form an even more star-studded lineup.
However, after a brief absence early in the season, Xtreme has shown a drastic decline in performance. They suffered an early elimination in the recently concluded PGL Wallachia Season 6 and now face the same fate at BLAST Slam V. The other Chinese teams also suffered similar results. Team Tidebound, Yakult Brothers, and Tearlament all failed to break into the top six of the tournament.
BLAST Slam V Playoffs lineup is set
The lineup of BLAST Slam V Playoffs is now set in stone. While there are clear favorites, there are several interesting storylines to watch. Falcons and Tundra will be eyed as the top contenders, considering their strength and renowned consistency. But a red-hot MOUZ is right behind them, soaring off their momentous victory at PGL Wallachia Season 6.
Other teams also have the potential to pull off upsets. OG recently defeated many top teams to finish in the top six at Wallachia S6. NAVI has long focused on long-term development, sticking with their young roster, and this top-six qualification may signal the long-awaited breakthrough. Last but not least, Team Yandex–featuring names like 
Alimzhan “Watson” Islambekov and 
Martin “Saksa” Sazdov–is turning up as a serious threat at this event.
From 5 to 7 December, the final six will compete in BLAST Slam V’s Playoffs for the tournament title and a massive share of the US$1 million prize pool. The Top 3 of the tournament will also earn a direct invite to the next BLAST Slam event, set to take place in Malta next February.
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