OG Esports have signed a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive team, the famed Dota 2 organization announced today. This announcement came months after rumors of their plans to pick up a team in the game began to circulate. The roster includes many recognizable names, including former ENCE in-game leader Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen and two-time CS:GO Major winner Nathan “NBK-” Schmitt.
Initial reports were released in October of this year, outlining OG’s plans to sign a CS:GO team in the near future. The organization was founded in 2015 by Dota 2 star Johan “N0tail” Sundstein, and has since built a reputation as one of the most formidable organizations in Dota. Their Dota 2 squad has stamped their name in the title’s esports history by being the first to win four Valve-sponsored Majors and two Internationals. They now expand the organization into Counter-Strike, another major esports title.
The OG CS:GO roster will be led by ex-ENCE in-game leader Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen. The Finnish player has been without a team since September, when he was replaced on the active ENCE roster by Miikka “suNny” Kemppi following the StarLadder Berlin Major. Aleksib is joined by two-time Major winner Nathan “NBK-” Schmitt, who was benched from former team Vitality after their quarter-final elimination from the Berlin Major. The two bring a veteran level of leadership to the lineup.
OG have also signed Danish rifler Valdemar “valde” Bjørn Vangså, who was released from North a few days ago. The 24-year-old is widely considered to be one of the best Danish players outside Astralis, and was named the 20th best player of 2018. Valde’s starpower is backed by that of Issa “ISSAA” Murad, who has been teamless since HellRaisers decided to disband their CS:GO roster in September. The Jordanian rifler accrued a 1.14 LAN rating in 2018. He received the MVP award at DreamHack Open Tours 2018 despite losing to North in the Grand Final.
The lineup is rounded out by Mateusz "mantuu" Wilczewski, who will be taking up the AWP role. The 22-year-old boasts a 1.19 rating in 2019, and has taken recent victories at the ESL Meisterschaft Summer 2019 Finals and 99Damage League Season 12. Mantuu was the highest statistically rated player at both events.
In the organization’s announcement, OG states that they are "honored and proud" to bring the team onboard. "The dedication, the hard work and the incredible talent that they have already demonstrated goes to prove that there was always a spot for them in OG." It is currently unknown when this roster plans to debut, though earlier reports suggested the team has already acquired spots in 2020’s ESL Pro Tour and BLAST Pro Series circuit.