CS:GO Roster Revolution: Staehr Joins Astralis, FlameZ Ignites Vitality, and Rainwaker Lands in Liquid
Chirag Munjal
In a surprising series of events, the CS:GO teams Astralis, Vitality, and Liquid have made significant changes to their rosters, marking an exciting shift in the esports scene.
Astralis' Major Shift
Denmark's Astralis made headlines with the official addition of Victor "Staehr" Staehr to their lineup. This major change sees veteran in-game leader Lukas "gla1ve" Rossander moved to the bench. Astralis is currently seeking a new home for gla1ve, who, for now, will remain on the bench.
I'm taking a seat on the bench
— Lukas Rossander (@gla1ve_csgo) June 22, 2023
With Astralis, I've created life-long memories and I'll forever cherish that. I'll continue to support from the sideline!
Thanks to all supporters for standing by me and the team through the years. Just know, I'm excited for what the future holds
Staehr's arrival triggers a reshuffle of roles within the team. In-game leadership duties now fall on Benjamin "blameF" Bremer's shoulders, while b0RUP steps up to take the spot of Alexander "Altekz" Givskov, who will rejoin the Astralis Talent lineup. Consequently, this means another veteran, Andreas "Xyp9x" Højsleth, is moved to the bench.
Proud to say that I have joined Astralis.
— Staehr (@StaehrCS) June 22, 2023
Now its my time to finally show my worth.👊
Very excited to get started once the playerbreak is over.#ToTheStars https://t.co/76Bt2pnfbY
Vitality's New Flame
In another turn of events, France's Vitality announced the acquisition of Shahar "flameZ" Shushan, replacing Peter "dupreeh" Rasmussen. FlameZ joined the French organization on a free transfer after his contract with OG concluded.
And to clarify - to clear up some speculations - I did not have any intentions of retiring 🙏🏼
— Peter Rasmussen (@dupreeh) June 22, 2023
Rasmussen's active roster run ends after an impressive stretch where he contributed to three title victories, namely at ESL Pro League Season 16, IEM Rio, and BLAST.tv Paris Major. The latter victory placed him in the record books for most Major victories by a single player. Despite disagreeing with the decision, dupreeh respects Vitality's move and looks forward to joining a new team and pursuing his sixth Major win.
Liquid's Bold Move
Over in North America, Liquid confirmed the signing of Aleks "Rainwaker" Petrov. The 22-year-old player fills the void left by Nick "nitr0" Cannella's departure.
This move fuels rumors of Liquid transitioning to a European roster. According to a report by Dust2.us, Robert "Patsi" Isyanov may be signed as a replacement for Jonathan "EliGE" Jablonowski. Should this be true, it would be a significant departure from Liquid's brand identity, which has been represented by an NA roster since its entry into CS:GO in 2015.
After 8 years, we are parting ways with @EliGE.
— Team Liquid CSGO (@TeamLiquidCS) June 22, 2023
We feel deep gratitude to Jon and time on TL, from a young talent to mature adult who has helped us achieve our biggest moments: winning the Grand Slam, reaching many playoff stages, even creating one of the greatest CS memes. pic.twitter.com/082qn3tWll
Rainwaker, a relatively unknown player in the upper echelons of the CS:GO scene, was chosen as a replacement for the departing nitr0. His most recent stint was with 500, a Bulgarian roster that gained attention during the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 Europe RMR B.
These significant roster changes in Astralis, Vitality, and Liquid bring a refreshing mix to the CS:GO landscape. As the esports scene adjusts to these developments, fans worldwide wait with bated breath for the unfolding of what could be an exhilarating season.