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CS:GO star Kjaerbye returns to pro scene

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive veteran and one-time Major winner Markus “Kjaerbye” Kjærbye has returned to the game after a nine-month... Benjamin Mock | 8. June 2022

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive veteran and one-time Major winner Markus “Kjaerbye” Kjærbye has returned to the game after a nine-month hiatus, signing with British org Endpoint.

Kjaerbye, who most recently played with FaZe Clan, left the professional CS:GO scene in June 2021, citing motivational issues.

Kjaerbye starts a new chapter with Endpoint

Kjaerbye was a player who ranked among the best Danish players in CS:GO. After stints with Copenhagen Wolves and Dignitas early in his career, Kjaerbye joined CS:GO giants Astralis in May 2016.

His time with Astralis saw him earn much success as the organization became synonymous with success in CS:GO. The pinnacle of this success came in 2017 when the team won the ELeague Major: Atlanta. However, Kjaerbye shocked fans in February 2018, when he announced he would be leaving for North, a team run by F.C. Copenhagen and Nordisk Film.

His time with North was successful to an extent, with the team winning serving Dreamhack titles. However, the partnership would be cut short as Kjaerbye was placed on medical leave in May 2020 and released by North two months later.

Kjaerbye signed with FaZe Clan in August 2020. However, he was unable to replicate his previous success, with the team only able to win one title — the European tournament at Intel Extreme Masters: New York Online. Kjaerbye was benched in late January 2021 and was never able to break back into the starting lineup for FaZe, having been replaced by Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken.

Kjaerbye left the professional scene in June 2021, posting a heartfelt goodbye message on social media. In his announcement, Kjaerbye revealed that he “no longer [had] the hunger and determination it requires to compete on top level”.

However, the retirement wouldn’t be the end of the Danish player’s story. He spent time with pick-up team HYENAS across the rest of 2021 and in April 2022, announced that he would be returning to CS:GO via an interview with Dexerto’s Luís Mira.

In May, he appeared in an open qualifier for Dreamhack Valencia, playing for Endpoint. Endpoint, founded in 2016, have dominated the UK-based ESL Premiership since 2020, winning the last five splits the league has held. Kjaebye’s return wasn’t perfect, as the team fell in the first round of the tournament.

Kjaerbye officially joined the organization on June 7, with Endpoint announcing the signing in a blog post. His formal debut with the team will come later in June, as Endpoint compete in Season 16 of the ESL Pro League Conference. That tournament is set to begin on June 15 and will take place in Jönköping, Sweden.

Header: DayZero