In an electrifying video announcement that has the esports community buzzing, NRG Esports declared its re-entry into the competitive Counter Strike arena with CS2. The revelation came from none other than co-owner Sapnap and CEO Andy Miller, who introduced a new North American roster peppered with familiar faces.
Anticipation had been building after whispers of NRG's potential comeback to the Counter Strike scene surfaced earlier in the month. These rumors were substantiated by Miller during an episode of the "The Crossover," a League of Legends podcast, where he confirmed the organization's intentions to dive back into the North American region's competitive fray.
A Veteran Leader
At the helm of NRG's new lineup is Damian Steele, better known as Daps in the gaming world. The 30-year-old veteran player carries a trove of experience, including notable stints and achievements, most recently having served as a coach for Team Liquid throughout 2022 and 2023. Daps is no stranger to NRG, having played for the team between 2018 and 2019 before exiting just prior to the sale of NRG's then CS:GO roster.
Formidable Roster Additions
Rejoining Daps is Vincent Cayonte, or Brehze as he's known in-game, coming over from Evil Geniuses. The 25-year-old rifler previously shared the battlefield with Daps during their time at NRG before transitioning to Evil Geniuses, where he spent four years. Brehze's return to NRG follows what many considered a lackluster 2023 season with his former squad.
Josh Ohm, also recognized as oSee in the gaming circles, has transitioned to NRG from Team Liquid following his benching amid significant team restructuring, which saw Liquid pare down their CS2 team to merely two players. In search of a new home, oSee found sanctuary within the ranks of NRG.
Another addition to bolster the team's firepower is Jadan Postma, or HexT, who parted ways with Evil Geniuses on November 28 after an 18-month tenure. His exit from EG and subsequent signing with NRG adds another layer of intrigue to the reshuffling of talent within the North American scene.
Completing the ensemble is Justin Coakley, known in-game as FaNg. After spending several months benched due to Complexity's roster changes, which included the acquisition of Jonathan Jablonowski, FaNg has now found a new chapter in his career with NRG.
The Legacy and Resurgence of NRG Esports
NRG Esports carved its initial path in the esports landscape by fielding a CS:GO team shortly after its founding in late 2015. The original roster was composed of Fatih "gob b" Dayik, Nikola "LEGIJA" Ninić, Samuel "SileNt" Portillo, Justin "Just9n" Ortiz, and Peter "ptr" Gurney. This squad laid the foundation for the organization's growth and popularity in the competitive gaming community.
The period between 2018 and 2019 marked the pinnacle of success for NRG's CS:GO team, featuring a star-studded lineup that boasted talents like Tarik Celik, Ethan Arnold, and Peter "stanislaw" Jarguz, alongside Brehze and Tsvetelin "CeRq" Dimitrov. Under the guidance of coaches such as Daps and Chet "ImAPet" Singh, NRG cemented itself as a powerhouse in the region. Their achievements include a commendable fourth-place finish at the 2019 StarLadder Berlin Major and triumphs at both the 2019 ESL One: New York and the StarSeries i-League Season 8.
However, September 2019 witnessed NRG's temporary withdrawal from the competitive CS stage when it sold its top-ranking roster to Evil Geniuses for a sum reported by insider Guillaume "neL" Ratier to be around $3 million.
NRG's resurgence comes amidst a tumultuous time for North American Counter Strike, with Team Liquid relocating from NA to EU and persistent rumors suggesting that Evil Geniuses might disband their esports operations entirely. This leaves a scant number of major organizations in the NA circuit, a space that NRG seems eager to fill once again.
As the esports world turns its attention to NRG's bold move, the newly minted roster is poised to reignite the organization's legacy and make waves in the evolving landscape of competitive Counter Strike.