The esports grind never stops, even during the winter holidays. Bleed Esports picked the time directly after Christmas to confirm its first official player signing—Swedish veteran IGL hampus, who’s braced to lead Bleed’s CS2 team throughout 2024.

Bleed’s intention to make a serious entry into the CS2 scene was first confirmed by the appointment of longtime CS:GO coach Aleksandar “⁠kassad⁠” Trifunović in November. The Serbian was then tasked with assembling a competitive roster for Bleed’s CS2 project. After more than a month in anticipation, kassad’s first signing is hampus.

Hampus joins Bleed promotional image.

Hampus has a respectable résumé in CS:GO. Though a journeyman for the first few years of his career, the Swede found a stable home at Ninjas in Pyjamas, where he played for three years between 2020 and 2023. He was the in-game leader for the majority of his time with the Major-winning organization, so his fit for the role at Bleed appears natural.

Where hampus can be questioned is his compatibility with CS2 itself. The 25-year-old has years of experience in CS:GO, but has never played a professional game of CS2. The several months of community and professional discussion have made it clear that the two games don’t play exactly the same, which could mandate a period of acclimatization for hampus. His role as the IGL makes this process all the more crucial for any CS2 success Bleed may or may not have.

The organization is approaching this CS2 business very meticulously. It first recruited one of the more respectable coaches in the scene, then it took a solid month to reveal just one of its players. Revealing hampus first also aligns with kassad’s declaration that the first two positions he wanted to fill were that of the in-game leader and the primary AWPer. Half of that initial task is done and the general consensus among fans and neutrals is that hampus is a very solid building block.

Bleed is a Singaporean organization that has established its brand through participation and success in esports such as VALORANT, Dota 2, and Rainbow Six Siege. Its CS2 project is unique for being Bleed’s first venture out of the Asian scene and into a fully international roster, though this isn’t anything new for Counter-Strike esports. With the apparent care provided to the team’s construction, there’s a good possibility that Bleed’s CS2 division could prove to be another success for the org.