Astralis brought Rasmus “HooXi” Nielsen in as a replacement for Casper “cadiaN” Møller, and the team has decided to make the move permanent after a successful stint at PGL Astana 2025.
Counter-Strike 2 team Astralis was the first to win four majors, an impressive feat at the time and a mark still not equaled since. Astralis’ performance and success have since dwindled, and the team has continuously failed to post results that might live up to its former glory. The Danish organization benched cadiaN after failing to qualify for the Austin Major and brought in HooXi to replace him.
The Danish CS2 player HooXi last played for G2 and was benched for six months before being released from the team. HooXi was a significant asset for G2 and was credited for leading the team to multiple titles, including IEM Katowice and IEM Cologne in 2023. Astralis’ decision to bring in HooXi proved correct as the team reached the finals of a top tournament for the first time in some time. Now, he’ll be sticking around.
HooXi helped Astralis defeat multiple teams like Natus Vincere and Aurora to reach the PGL Astana finals, and now he officially joins his new squad.
Astralis surprised fans with its outstanding performance at the PGL Astana 2025 and defeated many notable teams to reach the finals. HooXi was a big part of Astralis’ change in performance, and the player himself performed better than before. Astralis reached the finals of a big tournament for the first time since 2019, which is a significant turnaround despite the team not winning.
According to some reports, Astralis has been in a questionable financial state, and the organization may merge with another company in the search for more solid ground. The Danish organization announced signing HooXi at a crucial time when there are doubts about its future.
Astralis signing HooXi isn’t surprising in terms of results, as the star player played an important role in the team’s success at PGL Astana 2025. The team is likely hoping the player will replicate his success at the IEM Cologne, which will take place on July 23-25, and potentially back to Major play beyond. It will take a lot to even approach the glory Astralis once carried with it in Counter-Strike 2, and the team’s fans will hope this is a move in that direction.
Astralis’ current CS2 roster includes:
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