CS:GO superstar Dev1ce joins NIP leaving Astralis behind

The CS:GO esports world was rocked today, 23rd April 2021, as Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP) completed the signing of Nicolai "Dev1ce" Reedtz. Dev1ce, the Danish superstar and Astralis legend, has left the organization, and if you've been following the scene for years, this is definitely a shocking turn of events. Dev1ce is a four-time Major winner and has been part of the Danish organization since 2016. As one of the original Astralis members, the AWPer has been synonymous with the organization for more than five years, until now.

CS:GO star Dev1ce signs with NIP

Nicolai "Dev1ce" Reedtz has signed a three-year contract with NIP, leaving Astralis behind. He has replaced Tim "⁠nawwk⁠" Jonasson on the NIP roster.

Dev1ce's first CS:GO tournament with NIP should be Flashpoint Season 3, which begins on 10th May 2021. 

The current NIP roster is:

• Fredrik "⁠REZ⁠" Sterner
• Nicolas "⁠Plopski⁠" Gonzalez 
• Nicolai "⁠Dev1ce⁠" Reedtz
• Hampus "⁠hampus⁠" Poser
• Erik "⁠ztr⁠" Gustafsson

One might be wondering how this transfer will work since Dev1ce is a Danish player and NIP is a Swedish organization. It turns out Dev1ce has been living in Sweden for quite some time now.

(Picture: NIP)

Dev1ce comments on leaving Astralis, and joining NIP's CS:GO squad: "Leaving Astralis is tough, to say the least. The boys will always be like family to me, but this covid era has left me thinking a lot; where do I see myself when it all goes back to normal? I’ve lived in Sweden for some time now, speaking the language and I’m really hyped about this young and exciting NIP project.

"To join one of the most successful organizations, where so many legends have played, inspires me. Just see what LeBron James achieved with the Lakers for instance, and with the Major in Stockholm coming up; to bring that home to Sweden is my number one goal."

This is one of the biggest (and most shocking) transfers in recent CS:GO esports history. Nicolai "⁠Dev1ce⁠" Reedtz is one of the best and most consistent player the esports title has ever seen.

A huge part of the decision to leave Astralis and join NIP, according to Dev1ce, is how the Swedish organization works with mental health: "How NIP works with mental health was a huge factor in the decision. Everyone who has followed me through my career knows that I've experienced it all; from choking to winning.

"It’s true that winning a first tournament can light up the spark, and I’m confident that I can bring a lot of winning culture to this talented roster over time."

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It will be exciting to see what Dev1ce can achieve at NIP, and how the team will build upon this massive signing.