In an effort to “remain competitive at the highest level,” one of the best teams in CS history, Astralis, is picking up Casper “cadiaN” Møller to serve as its new in-game leader. CadiaN previously played for Team Liquid, where he moved after a long tenure at Heroic.

The transfer was announced by Astralis on Sept. 17, saying that the team always had the ambition to “unite the best Danish Counter-Strike talent,” as well as to be a high-level professional team competing with the best of the best. CadiaN’s new position as Astralis’ IGL comes as a replacement for another player, Alexander “br0” Bro, who actively played for the team since early March of this year.

Cadian fist bumping Twistzzz with zews in the background.

CadiaN himself commented on the move in Astralis’ announcement, saying that he “shares Astralis’ vision,” that is “always striving to be the best.” He further expressed his being “thrilled to have signed” with the Danish esports org, even though the move might be seen as controversial due to supposed “past rivalries.” The new IGL also spoke on what he will bring to the Astralis table, saying that fans can expect even more of his prowess as a tactical player and leader.

The 29-year-old tenure with successful teams like Heroic and Liquid (who recently benched him), saw him able to snag top spots in numerous prestigious tournaments, securing approximately $647,000 in prizes, according to Liquipedia. He’s been in professional CS since 2013, and generally plays as a Rifler or an AWPer. This move could be seen as part of Astralis’ continued attempts to return to the heights it once reached during the CS:GO days.

With cadiaN under its belt, the Astralis roster is now as follows:

  • Casper “cadiaN” Møller (29) – IGL, Rifler
  • Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz (29) – AWPer
  • Martin “stavn” Lund (22) – Rifler
  • Jakob “jabbi” Nygaard (21) – Rifler
  • Victor “Staehr” Staehr (20) – Rifler