Insider and scout Alexey "OverDrive" Biryukov shared his thoughts on the new Cloud9 roster for Counter-Strike 2 with his followers. Biryukov commented on each team member individually, posting his insights on his personal Telegram channel.
"HeavyGod – Individually, he is currently the strongest player on the team. This is the best signing Cloud9 has made in a long time. There was a post about me mentioning his difficult character and some conflict. That’s not true. I only mentioned that it was hard for the academy to adjust to his schedule, which led to a mutual parting. I have always rated him highly and have been saying for a long time that he has outgrown all the teams he played for.
Boombl4 – I have great respect and appreciation for Boombl4, but I categorically dislike his playstyle. It might have suited the former NAVI roster, but it won't work for the current lineup. Boombl4 and the coach have a challenging task ahead in finding the right gameplay approach.
Ax1Le – Unfortunately, I don’t believe in Ax1Le in CS2 at all. Yes, it will be decent, but he won’t reach the level of play he had in CS:GO.
ICY – The best option available. The only new AWPer who has shown good numbers at tier-2+. The main thing is for groove and Boombl4 not to overcomplicate things with him. So, it could turn out well, or it could be a complete failure.
Interz – Of course, he is a good and reliable option, but Interz might become a player who will be replaced again in a year. He plays well, but he is not highly rated at the tier-1 level. Even now, Cloud9 turned to Interz only due to the lack of alternatives. This transfer benefits Interz the most, offering him a super restart of his career."
The debut of Cloud9’s revamped roster will take place at the BLAST Premier Fall Groups 2024 Championship, which will be held in Copenhagen from 26th July to 4th August, featuring 16 teams. The prize pool for the event is $190,000.