HEROIC confirms the sale of CS2 rifler tN1R after his buyout clause was triggered, with xfl0ud returning to the line-up as the team prepares for the 2025 Esports World Cup.
Norwegian esports organisation HEROIC has announced the departure of Belarusian Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) player Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich, marking yet another roster change in a turbulent year for the team. The move comes after an unnamed organisation activated tN1R’s buyout clause, with the transfer set to take effect following the 2025 Esports World Cup from August 20th to 24th.
HEROIC confirmed the sale on August 12th via social media but did not disclose the identity of the buying team. Despite his impending departure, tN1R will compete with HEROIC at the Esports World Cup, where their opening match will be against IEM Cologne 2025 champions Team Spirit. The tournament offers tN1R the opportunity to close out his tenure with a strong performance.
HEROIC’s turbulent roster changes in 2025
The sale of tN1R is the sixth roster change for HEROIC since the BLAST.tv Austin Major, underlining the instability the team has faced in recent months. Since June, the roster has undergone multiple shifts:
- Alvaro “SunPayus” Garcia and Eetu “sAw” Saha transferred to G2 Esports.
- Gleb “gr1ks” Gazin was moved to the bench.
- Linus “nilo” Bergman replaced Yasin “xfl0ud” Koç in the starting line-up.
- Alimzhan “Alkaren” Bitmbai joined on loan from Team Spirit’s academy roster.
With tN1R now set to leave, xfl0ud returns to the active line-up, bolstering the roster as HEROIC aims to improve its position in the Valve Regional Standings (VRS). The team currently sits 18th in the rankings, seeking to maintain a spot within the top 32 as the Budapest Major approaches.
Performance-wise, 2025 has been a mixed bag for HEROIC. While the team claimed a victory at MESA Nomadic Masters Spring 2025, their results in other tournaments have been less convincing. Back-to-back top 16 finishes at IEM Cologne and FISSURE Playground 1 have contributed to their slide in the rankings.
Despite the inconsistency, HEROIC’s approach to roster building remains consistent with its long-term business model—acquiring and developing talented players before selling them to other organisations, often while still maintaining competitive qualification status for major events. This strategy has allowed the team to remain relevant in the Counter-Strike scene, even during transitional phases.
The return of xfl0ud could provide much-needed stability heading into the Esports World Cup, a key opportunity for HEROIC to prove they can still compete at the highest level despite roster turbulence. Fans will be watching closely to see if the revised line-up can adapt quickly and deliver results against top-tier opposition.
For tN1R, the tournament serves as both a farewell and a platform to showcase his skills before joining his new, as-yet-unrevealed team. With the Esports World Cup looming and major ranking implications on the line, HEROIC’s next few matches could define the trajectory of their season.
