The Shuffling Continues: Fanatic’s CS2 Roster Undergoes Major Changes

In an unexpected turn of events, Fnatic’s Counter-Strike lineup is undergoing a significant transformation. The organization recently made the decision to sideline Australian in-game leader Christopher “dexter” Nong on November 24th, just four months after his arrival. This move marks the third player departure from the roster within the month of November alone.

Fnatic first negotiated Danish rifler Fredrik “roeJ” Jørgensen’s transfer to Prezy on November 11th, followed by parting ways with British star William “mezii” Merriman on November 2nd, who subsequently joined Vitality. As a result of these changes, only CS:GO legends Freddy “KRIMZ” Johansson and French AWPer Aurélien “afro” Drapie, alongside head coach Jamie “keita” Hall remain as active members of the team.

“As we continue to rebuild and restructure our CS2 roster, Christopher ‘dexter’ Nong has been moved to the inactive roster,” announced Fnatic on November 24th. With Elisa Masters Espoo 2023 tournament just days away, further updates regarding the team’s composition for this event are expected soon.

Rising Expectations Fall Short

Dexter joined Fnatic alongside afro on July 6th with hopes that he would bring about positive results as their new in-game leader. Unfortunately, performances under his leadership during tier-one tournaments such as Gamers8 in August, ESL Pro League season 18 in September, and IEM Sydney in October proved lackluster.

Following the benching announcement, Dexter took to social media to acknowledge that things didn’t go as planned. “I will be heading home for Christmas to take a break from this crazy year,” he shared on X.

A Strive for Former Glory

Fnatic, a formidable force in Counter-Strike esports, last lifted a tier-one trophy in 2019 at DreamHack Masters Malmö with their full Swedish lineup. However, the organization made it clear on November 15th that their priorities now lie in investing and building a new roster capable of returning them to their former glory.

The upcoming Elisa Masters Espoo tournament is set to begin on November 29th, providing Fnatic with only five days to reveal the replacements for dexter, mezii, and roeJ – even if they are temporary solutions.