Many organisations have helped promising players in Counter-Strike, but not all have been successful. Some teams have helped players to become stars, but have not been able to stay in business. This article looks at ten organisations that helped players but then closed down. It looks at why this happens and what needs to change in the esports industry to help talent-rich organisations succeed.
Tricked
Tricked was a talent incubator, notable for developing players who later ascended to top-tier teams. Alumni include Philip "Lucky" Ewald, Ismail "refrezh" Ali, Johannes "b0RUP" Borup, Patrick "es3tag" Hansen, Frederik "acoR" Gyldstrand, Rasmus "sjuush" Beck, and Lucas "Bubzkji" Andersen. Despite their impressive roster, Tricked's peak achievement was winning the V4 Future Sports Festival - Budapest 2019. They never participated in Majors or other S-tier events and eventually closed in 2023 after earning $485,686 in prize money.
FlipSid3
FlipSid3 played a crucial role in the early careers of CS2 luminaries such as Oleksandr "s1mple" Kostyliev, Vladyslav "bondik" Nechyporchuk, and Denis "electroNic" Sharipov. Despite their potential, the organisation struggled to convert talent into lasting success. They attended nine Majors but never made a significant impact before disbanding in 2018, with total winnings amounting to $315,391.
Sprout
Sprout, known for nurturing talents like Josef "faveN" Baumann, Florian "syrsoN" Rische, Nils "k1to" Gruhne, Paweł "dycha" Dycha, Victor "Staehr" Staehr, and Ihor "w0nderful" Zhdanov, made modest waves in the CS2 scene. Their notable achievements include a second-place finish at Charleroi Esports 2019 and two Major appearances. However, financial difficulties led to their closure in 2024, with a total prize haul of $614,275.
Tempo Storm
Tempo Storm was the starting point for future stars such as Ricardo "boltz" Prass, Henrique "HEN1" Teles, João "felps" Vasconcellos, Peter "stanislaw" Jarguz, and Timothy "autimatic" Ta. They clinched the title at CEVO Pro League Season 9 in 2016 but failed to maintain a presence at Major tournaments. The organisation withdrew from CS2 in 2018, having earned $153,250.
HellRaisers
HellRaisers is known for their role in the development of players like s1mple, Egor "flamie" Vasilyev, Tomáš "oskar" Šťastný, Martin "STYKO" Styk, Özgür "woxic" Eker, and Issa "ISSAA" Murad. They achieved modest success, including a win at Bets.net Masters: Season 1 and appearances in the playoffs of three out of their eight Majors. Financial and strategic challenges led to the release of their lineup in 2022, with a total prize money accumulation of $845,111.
OpTic
OpTic was a major name in the esports scene, and their CS2 squad included notable talents like stanislaw, William "RUSH" Wierzba, Keith "NAF" Markovic, Tarik "tarik" Celik, Emil "Magisk" Reif, Kristian "k0nfig" Wienecke, and René "TeSeS" Madsen. While they achieved significant victories, such as winning ELEAGUE Season 2 and DreamHack Open Summer 2019, their results were inconsistent. OpTic attended three Majors but failed to establish a dominant presence in the global rankings. The organisation disbanded its CS2 team in 2019 after accruing $1,309,750 in prize money, underlining the challenges even well-funded teams face in maintaining competitive viability.
North
North, an organisation formed under the Danish sports banner FC Copenhagen, saw a roster that included talents such as Markus "Kjaerbye" Kjærbye, Valdemar "valde" Vangså, and k0nfig. They secured several titles including DreamHack Masters Stockholm 2018 and multiple DreamHack Opens. Despite their successes and playoff appearances in two Majors, North ceased operations in February 2021. The organisation cited the COVID-19 pandemic and a lack of investors as the primary reasons for their closure, with total winnings of $1,148,250.
PENTA
PENTA was another organisation that played a significant role in the early development of players like Timo "Spiidi" Richter, Kevin "HS" Tarn, and Denis "denis" Howell, helping them reach the stages of three Majors. However, the team struggled to translate these appearances into sustained success. In 2021, PENTA parted ways with their roster, marking an end to their CS2 engagements after accumulating $191,130 in prize earnings.
Epsilon
Epsilon was known for fostering talents like Fredrik "REZ" Sterner, Owen "smooya" Butterfield, Benjamin "blameF" Bremer, and Helvijs "broky" Saukants. They achieved notable successes, winning the World Cyber Arena 2016 World Finals and the Gfinity Elite Series. Despite these accomplishments and participating in a Major, Epsilon ceased operations in 2020, having earned $452,260 in prize money. Their closure highlighted the precarious financial sustainability in esports, even for teams that can occasionally deliver top performances.
Renegades
Renegades, particularly known for their Australian CS2 squad, included players like Justin "jks" Savage and Aaron "AZR" Ward. They achieved international recognition by winning StarLadder i-League Invitational #2 and making a significant run to the semifinals at the StarLadder Berlin Major 2019. Despite being a beacon for the Australian CS2 scene, Renegades closed their operations in 2022 after winning $1,067,983 in prize money, illustrating the challenges of sustaining operations far from the major competitive hubs of Europe and North America.
Conclusion
The stories of these organisations reflect a common theme in the competitive world of Counter-Strike 2: talent development does not always correlate with long-term organisational success. Financial instability, strategic misalignments, and external economic factors often lead to the dissolution of even the most promising teams. This highlights a critical aspect of the esports ecosystem: without adequate financial backing or consistent competitive results, maintaining a top-tier esports organisation is a formidable challenge. These organisations, though now closed, have left a lasting impact by developing players who continue to shape the landscape of CS2 globally.
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