One roster change in top-tier Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) esports can make a massive difference. Teams can find that perfect piece of the puzzle to complete their squad, filling a specific gap, such as an AWPer on an in-game leader.
The significance of a player transfer isn’t always instantly recognizable. It can take months for new players to acclimate and synergize, sometimes leading to unexpected results. That’s why we’re excited to share our picks for the most notable, high-impact CS2 player transfers of 2024. Let’s jump in!
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Top CS2 Player Transfers Of 2024
malbsMd & Snax To G2 Esports
G2 Esports acquired Mario “malbsMd” Samayoa from M80, and he officially joined the squad on June 28, 2024, after Nemanja “nexa” Isaković was moved to the bench that same month. For years, malbsMd has put the Guatemalan esports scene on the map. When he joined G2 Esports, things turned around rapidly as he delivered beautiful, high-impact clutches.
The organization also added legendary Polish IGL and Major winner Janusz “Snax” Pogorzelski to its roster on July 3, 2024. This completed the lineup that jumped to the top of the HLTV World Rankings and Valve’s Global Rankings by the end of the year.
In July 2024, G2 Esports was ranked #6. But with the addition of Snax and malbsMd, the squad flourished, placing 3rd-4th at ESL Pro League Season 20, 1st at BLAST Premier Fall Final, 1st at BLAST Premier World Final, and 3rd-4th at the Shanghai Major.
degster To HEROIC
On May 12, 2024, HEROIC announced the signing of Abdul “degster” Gasanov, replacing Nico “nicoodoz” Tamjidi as the team’s primary AWPer on the starting lineup. Before degster joined, the team was in a respectable 13th place on the world rankings.
HEROIC had no significant placements in the first half of the year, but as degster acclimated to the squad, the achievements started to roll in:
- 3rd-4th at BetBoom Dacha Belgrade 2024
- 3rd-4th at IEM Rio 2024
- 2nd at Elisa Masters Espoo 2024
- 2nd at Thunderpick World Championship 2024
- 5th-8th at Shanghai Major
HEROIC showed a lot of promise at the Perfect World Shanghai Major, making it past the Elimination Stage and earning a spot in the Playoffs. However, the squad lost in a nailbiter against a reverse sweep courtesy of G2 Esports. The final map required overtime, making it the closest match of the Shanghai Major Playoffs Stage.
Brollan To MOUZ
Swedish entry fragger Ludvig “Brollan” Brolin was on loan from Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP) for six months, acting as a stand-in on the MOUZ roster since early January 2024. On June 6, 2024, Brollan became a permanent squad member, as MOUZ announced the successful transfer from NIP.
Brollan played a key role in helping MOUZ reach the top of the HLTV World Rankings on May 20, 2024—a first for the organization. With two major trophies—ESL Pro League Season 19 and BetBoom Dacha Belgrade 2024—MOUZ experienced high levels of success throughout the year. They then closed out 2024 with a respectable 3rd-4th place finish at the Perfect World Shanghai Major, losing to eventual winners Team Spirit.
CadiaN To Astralis
Danish legend Casper “cadiaN” Møller’s transfer from Team Liquid‘s bench to lead Astralis was one of the year’s most high-profile and surprising roster changes. Despite the pedigree of Astralis’ lineup, the squad couldn’t make it through the European B RMR and failed to qualify for the Perfect World Shanghai Major.
That said, it wasn’t all bad news. cadiaN led Astralis to an impressive 3rd-4th place finish at the BLAST Premier World Final 2024 after topping Group A with a flawless 2-0 record. Will fans inevitably see cadiaN’s move to Astralis as a brilliant move or a failure? We can’t wait to find out.
While not exactly a player transfer, Astralis made two big announcements on Dec. 9, 2024. Nicolai “dev1ce” Reedtz is ready to return to competitive play and Alexander “br0” Bro is parting ways with the organization.
ultimate & jks To Team Liquid
After benching cadiaN in June, Russel “Twistzz” Van Dulken took over the IGL role on Team Liquid. In early July, the North American organization parted ways with Brazilian rifler Felipe “skullz” Medeiros, who joined FURIA Esports. This left a two-player gap in their roster, which Liquid had to fill quickly before the BLAST Premier Fall Groups event.
On July 12, 2024, the organization completed its roster refresh. They added the young, aggressive AWPer Roland “ultimate” Tomkowiak and Australian rifling veteran Justin “jks” Savage. Liquid saw instant success with the new roster and coach Torbjørn “mithR” Nyborg, jumping from #16 to #8 on the HLTV World Rankings in less than a month.
Team Falcons Roster Changes
At the heart of the post-Shanghai Major roster shuffles and transfer rumors is Team Falcons. Following a rather disappointing year with no notable trophies, the organization benched AWPer Alvaro “SunPayus” Garcia. In his place, they added the GOAT, Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyljev, on loan from NAVI, in an attempt to qualify for the Perfect World Shanghai Major.
Changes were necessary after a devasting elimination in 12th-14th place at the European RMR A. In November, Team Falcons issued a public statement, benching Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen, Pavle “maden” Bošković, and Marco “Snappi” Pfeiffer.
At the time of writing, only Emil “Magisk” Reif and coach Danny “zonic” Sørensen are part of the CS2 lineup. The organization is set to complete the signing of G2 Esports’ star rifler, Nikola “NiKo” Kovač, but it’s unclear if the transfer will occur in 2024 or early 2025.
Will These Transfers Have A Ripple Effect In 2025?
Looking back at 2024, these player transfers undeniably reshaped the CS2 competitive scene. From Team Falcons’ dramatic overhaul to G2 Esports building a lineup that topped the leaderboards, these moves prove that one transfer can make or break a team. But how will they impact the scene moving forward? Plus, with rumors already swirling for 2025, it’s clear that we’re in for another stellar and dramatic year of CS2 esports. Whatever happens, you can count on us to report on all the biggest moves and tournaments!
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