Cloud9 Denies Disbandment Rumors as Two Players Depart
Cloud9 has addressed rumors of a disbandment following the recent departure of two players from their Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) roster. Abay “HObbit” Khassenov and Ilya “Perfecto” Zalutskiy have been moved to the squad’s inactive list, joining Denis “electroNic” Sharipov who recently signed with Virtus.pro. The organization bid farewell to HObbit and Perfecto, expressing gratitude and wishing them success in their future endeavors. Ivan “F_1N” Kochugov, the assistant coach who was instrumental in the team’s transition from Gambit Esports to Cloud9 and the management of C9’s academy, has also left the squad.
Contrary to speculations, Cloud9’s CEO, Jack Etienne, made it clear that the organization is not planning to disband the team. Etienne emphasized that they are in a rebuilding process, working closely with captain Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhaylov and Sergey “Ax1Le” Ryktorov. In response to the departure of HObbit and Perfecto, Etienne expressed his confidence in the team’s future, stating on Twitter: “We won’t be disbanding.”
Although HObbit and Perfecto have been moved to the inactive list, Cloud9 has indicated that they are available for transfer, signaling the end of their supposed “superteam.” While Cloud9 showed moments of brilliance, they were unable to secure a first-place finish, concluding their campaigns with top-eight finishes at the PGL Copenhagen Major and multiple tier-one playoff appearances without reaching a grand final.
The organization has not yet announced the players who will be joining Cloud9 in the upcoming weeks. As a result of the roster changes, Cloud9 has withdrawn from the ESL Pro League Season 19, making way for SAW to receive a last-minute invite. Fans can expect Cloud9 to make their next appearance at the BetBoom Dacha Belgrade event on May 14.
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