by Astralis has announced the signing of Casper “cadiaN” M?ller as their Counter-Strike 2 new in-game leader (IGL), replacing Alexander “br0” Bro.
The move reunites cadiaN with his former Heroic teammates, Martin “stavn” Lund and Jakob “jabbi” Nygaard, less than a year after their public split from Heroic.
The Danish trio’s reunion is notable, given that stavn and jabbi’s decision not to play with cadiaN was a key factor in their departure from Heroic.
Despite the rocky history, cadiaN emphasised that the past issues have been addressed and the team is now fully aligned.
“We’re still hungry for trophies and share the same tactical vision that drove our success before,” he said.
This transition marks cadiaN’s move from Team Liquid, where he was recently benched, to leading Astralis.
This change also allows Nicolai “device” Reedtz, the legendary nine-time top-20 player, to return to his former role as Astralis’ primary AWPer.
Device had taken on the IGL role earlier in 2024, but after a period of mixed results, including disappointing exits at IEM Cologne and ESL Pro League, he openly expressed frustration with his performance.
CadiaN’s arrival now shifts leadership duties away from device, allowing him to focus on his AWPing.
Astralis’ revamped roster includes device as the AWPer, cadiaN as the IGL and rifler, with Staehr, jabbi, and stavn rounding out the lineup.
The team is set to debut under cadiaN’s leadership at the BLAST Premier Fall Final 2024 in Copenhagen before turning their attention to the Shanghai RMR in hopes of qualifying for their first Major since 2022.
Astralis’ sports director, Kasper Straube, expressed excitement about cadiaN’s arrival, calling him a “winner—energetic and passionate in everything he does.”
The organisation hopes that his tactical prowess and leadership will help them return to the top of global Counter-Strike competition.
CadiaN himself said he shares Astralis’ vision of striving to be the best, and despite past controversies, he is committed to building a top Danish team that competes for major titles.
The move marks a bold new chapter for Astralis as they aim to reclaim their place among the world’s elite teams.
Welcome cadiaN ?? Rifler & IGL pic.twitter.com/bd6poJn0zt
— Astralis Counter-Strike (@AstralisCS) September 17, 2024
