NIP announce es3tag departure

es3tag's time with NIP is officially over following his eight-month spell on the bench.

Patrick "⁠es3tag⁠" Hansen is no longer tied to Ninjas in Pyjamas, the Swedish organization announced on Thursday.

The Dane's departure marks the end of his three-year spell under the neon-green banner, about half of which he spent shifting around through countless changes and half on the bench in between two stints in the active lineup.

The former Cloud9 and Complexity journeyman's most successful period with NIP was in the first half of 2022, shortly following his addition. Despite the loss of Nicolai "⁠device⁠" Reedtz at the end of 2021, Ninjas in Pyjamas made it to the semi-finals of ESL Pro League Season 15 and the quarter-finals at PGL Major Antwerp, and went on to win the Global Esports Tour Dubai.

As results dwindled in the latter half of 2022, es3tag was benched amid a series of changes. He didn't return to the active lineup until late 2023, in the first rebuild following Björn "⁠THREAT⁠" Pers's instatement as General Manager, before he was benched again four months later in the aftermath of the team's failure to qualify for the first CS2 Major at PGL Copenhagen.

Since February es3tag has never returned to the active lineup and has gone silent on social media. He has also yet to comment on his departure from Ninjas in Pyjamas, leaving his future up in the air.