The CS:GO off-season is usually a time reserved for roster rumors and reshuffles, but this edition seems to have delivered some of the most dramatic and exciting storylines we’ve seen in some time. With so many rumblings and announcements going around, Gamelevate has you covered with a quick round-up of all the biggest CS:GO roster moves so far.
Ropz Finally Joins FaZe
Robin “ropz” Kool and FaZe Clan have always been the perfect marriage to never happen in the world of CS:GO, especially since the Estonian’s former IGL, Finn “karrigan” Andersen, has taken over the reins at the EU org.
But, after announcing his departure from MOUZ after over four-and-a-half years, one of the most sought-after moves in Esports has finally been confirmed with ropz replacing Olof “olofmeister” Kajbjer Gustafsson on FaZe’s active lineup.
Already one of the world’s best lurkers over the years with a 1.16 rating and just 0.53 deaths per round, the move seriously strengthens a FaZe team that took big strides over the course of 2021, without ever seriously denting the boys at the top of the competitive pyramid.
In response to the move, MOUZ have filled ropz’s spot in the side with academy player Ádám “torzsi” Torzsás (1.25) and former MOUZ NXT coach Dennis “sycrone” Nielsen to lead the team into 2022.
Vitality Go International
Team Vitality entered 2022 by announcing the departures of Jayson “Kyojin” Nguyen Van, Richard “shox” Papillon, and coach Rémy “XTQZZZ” Quoniam, with the side embarking on an emotional last dance together at IEM Winter and the BLAST Premier World Final.
Even before the departures were confirmed, the former Astralis trio of Emil “Magisk” Reif, Peter “Dupreeh” Rasmussen and Danny “zonic” Sørensen were heavily linked with a move to the French org, with the three being officially unveiled earlier this week.
In what marks Vitality’s first-ever international move in CS:GO, few roster moves have ever yielded as much talent and experience as this one swoop. With a combined total of 12 Major wins now sitting in the Vitality ranks, 2022 looks set to be a big year for the Bees.
G2 Given A Revamp
G2 have been one of the busiest orgs during the off-season, having seen out 2021 as CS:GO’s most consistent ‘nearly men’ as S1mple and co. ushered in the NAVI era across the year.
The first acquisition the EU org announced was in acquiring the hotly-regarded Ilya ‘m0NESY’ Osipov from NAVI’s junior team.
With a rumored buy-out fee of $600,000 (a staggering amount for a 16-year old with no experience at tier 1 level), it’s hard to think of a prodigy player with as much hype behind him as m0NESY. His final haul of 1.36 rating and 1.42 impact across 2021 was S1mple-esque but, most importantly, his primary role as an AWPer fills out a position G2 have badly been missing out on.
G2 have also made a drastic change in the leadership department, with Nemanja “nexa” Isaković making way for former ENCE and OG IGL Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen. In what was a more surprising move to the community, the swap of in-game leaders between the two orgs is an interesting one, but it should be said that it looks like G2 have bagged the better end of the stick with Alexsib being regarded as one of the best callers outside of the top five teams currently.
Along with there being a change in the coaching department with the Evil Geniuses-bound Damien “maLeK” Marcel making way for XTQZZZ, G2 look a very different side heading into 2022. However, we’re excited by the looks of this new roster, and feel the side could be on their way to bridging the gap between themselves and some major silverware this year.
