American esports organization NRG Esports is reportedly looking to make a comeback in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) by acquiring a Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) team. After nearly four years since their last venture in CS:GO, NRG is said to have a core team in mind for this new project. While no official announcement has been made, sources confirm that NRG’s return to CS is already in progress.
NRG’s potential return to CS comes at a crucial time for the North American region, which is in need of strong organizational support. Although it is unclear whether NRG will opt for an NA roster, considering their other teams in VALORANT, Rocket League, and League of Legends are all based in North America, it is likely that they will host a CS2 team in the region.
Several options are available for NRG to choose from, as some of their NA counterparts like Team Liquid and Cloud9 have opted for international rosters. With little competition in securing an American lineup, NRG has the freedom to select among the region’s top talent.
Another interesting possibility arises from the recent GameSquare merger in October, which now owns both FaZe Clan and Complexity’s CS2 rosters. If one of these teams is forced out, NRG could potentially seize the opportunity to acquire one of CS2’s top teams.
In 2016, NRG entered the CS scene by acquiring the former Method roster led by German strategist Fatih “gob b” Dayik. The team experienced ups and downs before reaching their peak in 2018, winning their first offline tournament at IEM Shanghai against TYLOO.
2019 was a significant year for NRG in CS:GO, as they consistently performed well in international tournaments, often reaching the top four. After an impressive semifinal run at the StarLadder Berlin Major in September 2019, the roster was purchased by Evil Geniuses, leading NRG to exit the CS scene.
At the time, NRG Esports CEO Andy Miller expressed his disappointment in seeing the team depart but cited the unsustainability of the CS scene and the excessive salaries as reasons for their decision.
With the ongoing roster shuffle in Europe and the upcoming end of the CS2 competitive season, NRG has numerous options to consider. The organization has the potential to make a strong comeback in CS:GO and establish themselves as a dominant force once again.
Source: DOTESPORTS
