It's been a crazy few weeks in Counter-Strike with many unexpected transfers and benchings coming thick and fast as many top teams look to strengthen their roster ahead of BLAST Premier Fall Final 2023.
Even outside of Fall Final, many other teams are looking to add to their chances of becoming the best in the world in the coming months, and some of those moves are sure to shake up the top ten for a long time.
So, let's take a look at some of the players who now find themselves in search of a new home.
Two of the most significant moves have come in Eastern Europe. Both NAVI and Cloud9 have made changes, and both teams have seen their star AWPers take a step back from their team.
First, it was s1mple, with the GOAT of Counter-Strike stepping back to sort out some personal details.
He was quickly followed by sh1ro, who benched himself on Cloud9 after 18 months with the North American organisation.
The two teams have gone for different approaches to replace their stars. NAVI signed a young AWPer in w0nderful, while Cloud9 have opted for an experienced leader in Boombl4. Both players will debut for their new teams at Fall Final.
Although those moves came as massive shocks, there were perhaps no bigger waves than the ones forming in the Heroic camp. Often carried by cadiaN, jabbi, and stavn, none of those players are currently a part of the organisation's active roster.
cadiaN's benching came first, with the move presented as a team decision, although the revelations that have followed suggest otherwise.
Instead, it seems that the rifle duo had staged a mutiny, and instead of committing their future to the team as promised, had then gone and had conversations with Heroic's national rivals, Astralis.
A story that has probably not yet been entirely told, its outcome will surely shake up Danish Counter-Strike in the future.
Heroic's loss seems like it will be Liquid's gain.
The team is, accroding to dust2.us, in talks with cadiaN to become their new IGL, but that does mean that oSee has been allowed to seek new opportunities.
It's not just oSee either, Patsi and Rainwaker also find themselves in need of a new team with skullz and Twistzz reportedly set to replace them.
Outside of tier one, one team's changes could see huge ramifications for tier one.
Falcons put the world on high alert with the signings of zonic and Lars Robl from Vitality, and given Magisk's benching by Vitality, it seems he will soon be following suit.
Two more players also look to be on their way. Both Snappi and NiKo are reportedly joining the four-time Major winner at the Saudi organisation who recently benched a quartet of players.
The final team to make big moves in the recent rostermania is NIP. The Swedish organisation have turned their backs on their national roots with the benchings of hampus and Brollan.
In their place, es3tag has been reinstated to the main roster, while Spanish IGL alex has been signed from Movistar Riders.
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