Esports
The most successful esports team of all time is branching into a whole new game: meet the Counter-Strike stars of OG CS:GO.
OG are the biggest stars in all of esports right now – two historic back-to back wins at Dota 2’s mega money The International tournament in 2018 and 2019 mean the squad have, individually, won more prize money than any other team of players in esports history. So far, they’ve kept their winnings ways to just one game, but today they’re branching out in a big way – into Valve’s other hit esport, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive with the reveal of the first ever OG CS:GO squad (more on them below).
But first: why Counter-Strike?
“To me, CS:GO is the king of FPSs, just like Dota 2 is the king of MOBAs. I play CS:GO a little bit myself, it is a game that requires an insane amount of skill, and very deep understanding also,” says OG offlaner and team figurehead Sébastien ‘Ceb’ Debs. “There is no esport without CS:GO really, the game has been around for 20 years already, and will surely be around 20 years from now. It just made sense for OG to be part of the CS:GO journey.”
Johan 'N0tail' Sundstein, OG team captain agrees, and says that while in-game tactics don’t exactly translate between genres, the team’s central tenets absolutely do. “OG and its values are being applied to everything we do,” he tells RedBull.com. “Dota has meant the world to us and now we have more in that world of care.”
Ceb too is confident that they can convert their brand of Dota into CS:GO. “The highest level of competition, whether it is in Dota 2 or CS:GO, remains very similar,” he says. “Our experience and the way we operate at OG will surely translate.”
The two players, guiding figures within the organisation, are offering their expertise to their new signings. If nothing else, they’ve shown they have the mentality to win and win again, and that matters in any game.
“We are looking to multiply crossover between players,” explains Ceb. “There is a lot the CS:GO team can learn from the Dota team, and vice-versa. All of us are high level competitors, aiming to become the absolute best in our respective games. I’m looking forward to what I can learn from them, and also thrilled to share my experience if they welcome it.”
“The OG CS:GO team as an entity built itself and will surely manage on their own, but whatever problems may occur we will always be ready to help,” adds N0tail. “I want them to take what I achieved and show the world the ceiling is much higher than that.”
Say hello to the stars of the brand new OG CS:GO roster...
Nathan ‘NBK-’ Schmitt
The Natural Born Killer, Nathan ‘NBK-’ Schmitt has been a mainstay in the French CS:GO scene for the best part of a decade; and since CS:GO first launched, he’s played on essentially every major European team that has entered the scene (with stints on Team EnvyUs, G2 Esports and Team Vitality, no less). But with a new year comes a new challenge, and he’s looking to go international with the new OG CS:GO line-up.
“OG created something unique in esports; an image of quality where only specific people can represent this organisation,” NBK- explains. “We all feel that this is a special opportunity to learn from their experience and share ours with them in order for all to grow bigger and better. I'm looking forward to working with them and to create something that very few teams managed to do in the past years.”
Aleksi ‘Aleksib’ Virolainen
The former ENCE player is another star of the European scene, with Blast Pro Series and DreamHack victories under his belt already. A former in-game leader, the Finn knows how to call shots as well as take them; a rare talent in a player so young still.
“Starting from scratch is always a step back at first,” Aleksib says. “I've been in this position previously and I feel confident that the hard work we are going to put in will pay off.
Valdemar ‘valde’ Bjørn Vangså
No country produces more Counter-Strike talent than Denmark, and yet valde can still be said to be one of the most talented riflers in the world today. The former North player has multiple DreamHack wins to his name, and will be hoping to add to those plaudits in OG CS:GO.
“We all come from different countries, from different cultures and with five different ways of playing the game, and now we must all come into one to make this project something we can be proud of,” valde tells us. “I think it's really healthy to work with new people that can alter your way of looking at the game and give you new inspiration, and I'm just overall really looking forward to getting this whole thing going.”
Issa ‘ISSAA’ Murad
Jordanian Issa ‘ISSAA’ Murad may not have the trophies and plaudits of his team-mates, but it’s only a matter of time. Already a familiar face in big tournaments like the ESL Pro League, the former HellRaisers player will be looking to rectify that in swift order on OG CS:GO.
“After playing for three years in the same pro team, I got a bit demotivated and I felt I needed something fresh,” ISSAA explains. “When I was on the bench, the break helped me to refresh my mind and to know what way I want to go, and I think in OG I have everything I want. I’m really excited to play under the banner of OG and to grind our year with a lot of achievements and trophies.”
Mateusz ‘mantuu’ Wilczewski
Compared to his new comrades, mantuu is a rather unknown element. The young Polish star may just be getting started in his pro career, but he’s already showcased his AWP skills with ALTERNATE aTTaX over the past year – and he’s now aiming even higher with his new team-mates.
“Being inexperienced in the top tier of Counter-Strike, I believe I bring a lot of motivation towards the team, as I have a lot to prove,” mantuu tell us. “And this will hopefully reflect on the rest of the team, and we can improve gradually in the upcoming months.”
The OG CS:GO crew are already locked and loaded to compete in their first tournaments, so stay tuned for plenty more coverage of the venture. And to see where OG came from, be sure to check out the feature length documentary Against The Odds on Red Bull TV.
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