Could NAVI’s Patience Wear Thin After BLAST Open Spring 2025 Loss?

In an esports scene where teams have no problem chopping and changing rosters the moment things go belly-up, NAVI have established a reputation as one of the more patient orgs in the scene. This is especially prevalent in Counter-Strike, where its Major-winning lineup has been together for almost two years. The most recent addition, w0nderful, joined the team 16 months ago. It’s insane longevity for CS.

However, it hasn’t been smooth sailing for NAVI ever since they won IEM Rio 2024. They’re still making Playoffs of most events, sure, but that isn’t enough for a team of their stature. This is an organization that expects to be winning trophies on a regular basis, and the team right now looks a far cry away from that.

Their Quarter-Final loss at the hands of Spirit at BLAST Open Spring 2025 marks another disappointing finish for the team. Misfiring and seemingly out of ideas, NAVI need an uptick in form, and they need it fast. Even an organization as patient as NAVI will reach the end of their tether eventually, and in my opinion, that time isn’t as far away as you think.

NAVI won’t make changes until after the Major

One thing is for sure. NAVI aren’t hopping off the plane to Lisbon and diving straight into roster changes. They’re still a team who can turn things around before the BLAST.tv Austin Major, and I’d be shocked if they weren’t offered the opportunity to turn things around until then. Speaking to our very own editor-in-chief pre-Spirit match in the BLAST Open Spring Playoffs, IGL Aleksib claimed the team is still productive day-to-day. If they truly have that feeling, then pre-Major changes just don’t make sense.

The nature of the busy 2025 CS2 calendar is that we’ll see NAVI a few more times before the Austin Major, giving them a fair chance to get their ideas in check and their individual form back. But if we don’t see NAVI looking like a team that can challenge for trophies (they don’t have to actually win one), I could definitely see the difficult choice being made to make some mid-year moves.

On the evidence against Spirit at BLAST Open Spring 2025, we’re still a long way from that. They looked lost, out of touch with one another, and outclassed as the donk and sh1ro duo romped to victory. To be the best, you’ve got to beat the best.

They’re spoiled for choice with options

The good news for NAVI is that if they do eventually do need to make changes, they’re spoiled for choice on current form. Of the playing five, you could make a compelling argument for anyone to go, but there are a few I’m going to rule out. I don’t see them giving up on Aleksib. Unless there’s a massive gap there between B1ad3 and his IGL that we’re not seeing, their styles are too perfect a match.

There’s b1t, too. Again, I can’t see it. He’s their highest-rated player in the last three months in tough positions, so it doesn’t make sense from a pure performance angle. Then, as the team’s two-time Major-winning Ukrainian player, he’s an essential part of this team’s identity. He represents the same thing to NAVI as NAF does to Liquid – even in his ups and downs, you can always bet on him to bounce back, helping them keep that core identity.

Some will make the argument for iM, but I just can’t. For me, he represents stability across his time in NAVI (minus the first few months), and I think there’s so much value in a rifler like that these days.

That leaves two players, and this is where I think NAVI might look to make changes. In the first half of 2024, jL was a top-five player in the world, but has really struggled in recent times. The team have made him a star player in their system, but he’s not delivering the necessary numbers to make those resources worthwhile. I suspect his peaks will make him worth a continued gamble, though.

Last, there’s w0nderful. This is where I (and just about everyone) suspect NAVI will make their change, and for good reason. Despite becoming a CS2 Major winner at the start of 2024, the young Ukrainian AWPer has shown huge amounts of inconsistency during his time on the roster. This has only been amplified of late, with pressure on the team’s performances ramping up. With a 1.05 rating in the last three months, he’s putting up the numbers you want to see from a half-decent anchor – not an AWPer. It may feel harsh, but should NAVI decide to lose patience with it’s CS2 team, I reckon w0nderful is first in the firing line.