OG and niko part ways

With several teams entering their summer offseason or vacations, some are starting to make moves in their lineup for the rest of the season. One is OG, as what was an open secret is now a reality. Nikolaj “niko” Kristensen, the experienced Danish IGL, is leaving the organization in search of a new home before the release of CS2 in the summer of 2023.

This move was one of the most anticipated in the CS:GO competitive scene at the top level. Niko did not receive an offer to stay permanently with the team and now wants to explore his options to find a new home.

While it is true that OG is playing a disappointing 2023 season, the fact that they qualified for the Paris Major is a real achievement.

Niko announces he is leaving OG

Through a statement on his Twitter account, 25-year-old Danish IGL Niko announced that he is leaving the OG lineup after a “fantastic meeting” with the organization and teammates.

After a fantastic reunion with OG and the boys. I am more than ready to get a new home winning trophies. Contact me at [email protected] if interested. Open to all opportunities.

— Nikolaj Kristensen (@OfficialnikoCS) June 8, 2023

Even though Niko played in the OG lineup for the last four months as a backup, there is no doubt that he is well-known in the organization. The 25-year-old Dane was OG’s rifler for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. However, the player was sent to the team’s bench in early January.

Then, when Nemanja “nexa” Isaković announced that he was leaving the team’s starting lineup citing “personal reasons,” Niko returned to take over OG in mid-February.

As mentioned, in the 2023 season, OG did not win any tournaments; they played with Niko as their IGL. However, the team did manage to qualify for the BLAST.tv Paris Major after finishing with a 3-2 record at the RMR Europeans. Undoubtedly, even the most optimistic OG fans did not expect the team to qualify for the last Major in the CS:GO era following the departure of nexa. As a result, this has been a remarkable achievement for Niko and OG.

Niko is looking for a new home ahead of CS2 launch

This news only makes us certain that Niko’s path at OG has ended, and, as he announces in the Tweet, he is looking for new opportunities. In addition, the Dane also stressed that he is ready to fight at the highest competitive level in a new team and wants to win many trophies.

In May 2023, Niko’s departure from OG was announced after the team was eliminated from the Challengers Stage of the Paris Major. However, the news was confirmed almost two months later.

Niko is a Danish IGL who, despite being 25 years old, is an experienced player in the CS:GO competitive scene. Niko has been playing as a pro since 2015 and has played for big teams like OpTic Gaming and Heroic before playing for OG for three seasons.

Header: Stephanie Lieske | ESL