Cloud9 returns to CS:GO with acquisition of Gambit roster

24-4-2022 12:34

Cloud9 has completed the signing of the roster which has recently competed under the Players banner.

A year after withdrawing from the game, Cloud9 has announced the organization's return to CS:GO with the acquisition of the Gambit roster.

The team around Vladislav "⁠nafany⁠" Gorshkov had reportedly been up for sale since March in the aftermath of Russia's ongoing invasion into Ukraine, which caused tournament organizers such as ESL and PGL to ban organizations with perceived ties to the Russian government from being represented in their tournaments.

Gambit was one of the two most notable organizations banned (along with Virtus.pro), and its roster competed under the neutral Players banner in ESL Pro League Season 15 and in the second PGL Major Antwerp Europe Regional Major Ranking event.

The new Cloud9 roster has just qualified for the Major as Legends

Cloud9 announced the acquisition just two days after the current No. 3 team in the world clinched a Legends spot at the upcoming Belgian Major, beating Sangal, Anonymo, and Astralis at the qualifying tournament currently about to come to conclusion in Bucharest, Romania.

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The Los Angeles-based organization returns to CS:GO for the first time since March last year, when it transfer-listed the largely unsuccessful 'Colossus' roster headed by Henry "⁠HenryG⁠" Greer and announced that it would temporarily cease its involvement with the game. At the time, Cloud9 cited being unable to set their team up in North America amid the COVID-19 pandemic as the main reason behind the move.

In the press release, Cloud9 stated that it would help the previously Russia-based lineup relocate without providing further details on whether North America is a possibility.

groove leaves management position in Gambit to focus on coaching *

In the last four years, Cloud9 has been unable to reach the same heights its Major-winning roster around Jake "⁠Stewie2K⁠" Yip had, but now the organization has a serious title contender in the ranks once again in the Russian squad, who will be heading into the next Major as one of the top-three teams in the world.

Under the new banner, the lineup around nafany will be hoping to silence community criticism regarding their record on LAN, where they have yet to claim a big trophy. The roster had made its name at the beginning of 2021, winning several tournaments at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when competition took place online.

Cloud9 now field the following team: