Astralis completed its Counter-Strike 2 rebuild on October 13, 2026, signing Polish in-game leader Kamil “siuhy” Szkaradek and Ukrainian player Nikita “cmtry” Samolotov. They replace benched Rasmus “HooXi” Nielsen and Jakob “jabbi” Nygaard, leaving Victor “Staehr” Staehr as the only Dane in Astralis’ starting lineup.
What Astralis changed
The two signings complete an international starting five built around Staehr, siuhy, cmtry, Love “phzy” Smidebrant and Gytis “ryu” Glušauskas. siuhy takes over as in-game leader, while cmtry is expected to move into a rifling role after spending much of his recent career as an AWPer with NAVI Junior and FUT.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This is more than a routine roster swap. Astralis no longer has a Danish-majority starting lineup, ending the national identity that defined its most successful period.
| Area | Previous setup | New setup |
|---|---|---|
| National composition | Danish core built around HooXi, Staehr and jabbi | International lineup with Staehr as the only Dane |
| In-game leadership | HooXi | siuhy |
| Role change | jabbi occupied a rifling position | cmtry is expected to rifle after primarily playing AWPer |
| Communication direction | Danish-rooted identity | English-speaking international setup |
| Immediate objective | Previous roster structure | Stabilize the team ahead of the PGL Singapore Major |
Why HooXi and jabbi were benched
Astralis benched HooXi and jabbi on October 9, four days before announcing the replacements. HLTV reported that both players were nearing the ends of their contracts and that renewal discussions had stalled. Astralis’ parent-company founder and CEO, Jonas Gundersen, presented the move as a strategic reset rather than a single-match reaction.
#1 Best Overall
- Breathable Fabric: This Game Esports Shirt is made of high quality polyester fabric, which is soft and comfortable to wear, breathable and smooth to the touch.
- Custom Gamer T-Shirt: This is a customizable esport athlete shirt, all you have to do is provide your favorite text or image to get a unique personalized esports jersey.
- Sublimated Pattern: Advanced sublimation printing methods to design your own esports jersey, full colour to choose from! Not easy to fall off and fade. There are many sizes, available for men and women.
- Suitable for Multiple Activities: Such as running, team sports, esports sports, badminton, darts, table tennis, cycling, family activities, associations, clubs, gyms, team outings, and other various activities.
- Perfect gift for video game streamers and tubers. If you love playing games and a professional gamer or just support the esports community, this is for you. Wear this ESPORTS shirt while you play your favourite video game.
“Sometimes you need to fully close a chapter in order to create space for something new to grow.”
Jonas Gundersen, founder and CEO of Astralis’ parent company, Fusion Esports
The timing means the organization chose to resolve its leadership and role questions before the next major tournament instead of carrying unsettled contract negotiations into preparation.
Recommended Free Tools
Who are siuhy and cmtry?
siuhy: the new IGL
siuhy, whose full name is Kamil “siuhy” Szkaradek, is Polish and assumes Astralis’ in-game-leadership position. His arrival changes the voice directing the team’s mid-round decisions and formalizes the move away from a Danish-led structure.
cmtry: an AWPer moving to rifle
Nikita “cmtry” Samolotov is Ukrainian. He joins after primarily playing as an AWPer for NAVI Junior and FUT, but Astralis expects him to rifle. That transition is the most obvious tactical adjustment in the completed lineup: the team is adding a player to a different weapon and spacing role than the one he most recently occupied.
What happened to Astralis’ Danish core?
The change closes a chapter that produced one of Counter-Strike’s defining dynasties. Astralis’ celebrated all-Danish roster won four Majors between 2017 and 2019, a record-setting run that established the organization’s Danish identity on the biggest stage.
Rank #2
- FAST TURNAROUND - Customizable apparel is great for any event. Show your gamer spirit with this great customizable t-shirt. Our custom E-Sports Jerseys have an amazing 4 day turnaround for that last minute event or tournament.
- VICTORYSTORE APPAREL - This performance t-shirt is made of 100% polyester and features your custom E-sports logo design. Your design is printed digitally in full color, which is durable enough to machine wash. The soft polyester and moisture-wicking fabrics provide you with maximum comfort. This t-shirt is unisex sized and stays pretty true to size. More designs and colors available.
- QUALITY MADE - All of our apparel items have crisp, full-color graphics that are digitally printed on the front of the shirt and are made from high-quality materials for elegance and extra durability for comfort.
- BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED APPAREL – VictoryStore features more than 2,000 shirts, cards, outdoor signs, yard cards and lawn and patio signs for all occasions like retirement, graduation, wedding, holidays, as well as birthday, wedding, anniversary, and many more.
- FAMILY BUSINESS - Founded in 1999, VictoryStore has been a pioneer in the design-your-own space for Christmas decorations, party supplies, promotional products, big cards, t-shirts, women's tops, clothing, gifts including can coolers, as well as yard, patio and outdoor lawn decorations.
Earlier in 2026, Astralis had already begun shifting toward English communication by signing phzy and ryu while retaining HooXi, Staehr and jabbi as a Danish core. Benching HooXi and jabbi, then signing siuhy and cmtry, completes that internationalization. Staehr is now the sole Danish starter rather than one member of a national majority.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Is Staehr the last Dane in the lineup?
Yes. Staehr is the only Dane among the listed starters. siuhy, cmtry, phzy and ryu form the international portion of the five-player lineup, so the new team does not preserve a Danish majority.
How ready is the new roster for the PGL Singapore Major?
The immediate reason for making the changes is preparation and stability before the PGL Singapore Major. The signings give Astralis a defined leader and a settled five-player group instead of a lineup carrying two benched players and unresolved contract talks.
Long-term certainty is less clear. Insider Gaming reported that Astralis is using the period before the Major to assess whether siuhy and cmtry are permanent solutions, and that additional roster changes could follow in the off-season. The team is therefore entering the event with a complete lineup, but not necessarily a final one.
What the rebuild means competitively
- Leadership: siuhy must establish a new calling system while the rest of the roster adapts to it.
- Role fit: cmtry’s move from AWPer to rifle needs to produce dependable utility, trading and site-holding value.
- Communication: English becomes the practical working language for an international lineup.
- Identity: the team can no longer rely on the built-in Danish communication and shared background that characterized its historic core.
- Evaluation window: results around the PGL Singapore Major will inform whether this five remains together beyond the off-season.
The new Astralis CS2 roster
| Player | Nationality or roster status | Current function |
|---|---|---|
| Victor “Staehr” Staehr | Only Dane in the starting lineup | Starter |
| Kamil “siuhy” Szkaradek | Polish | In-game leader |
| Nikita “cmtry” Samolotov | Ukrainian | Expected rifle role |
| Love “phzy” Smidebrant | International addition | Starter |
| Gytis “ryu” Glušauskas | International addition | Starter |
Astralis’ October 13 announcement makes this the organization’s completed starting lineup after the HooXi and jabbi benching. Whether it becomes the long-term version of the team will depend on the evaluation period surrounding the Singapore Major and the following off-season.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
