Is Cloud9 Going to Disband? Insider Reveals the Team’s Future Plans

A reliable source close to the competitive CS2 scene has addressed rumors surrounding the Cloud9 CS2 roster

Since their ESL Pro League withdrawal and Copenhagen Major stumble, whispers of a Cloud9 CS2 roster shakeup have reached a fever pitch.  With no official word from the organization, fans are left to interpret the tea leaves. A prominent CS2 esports insider has now thrown gasoline on the fire with some tantalizing hints about Cloud9's next move.

A New Cloud9 CS2 Roster to be Announced?

Cloud9 have a Denis “electroNic” Sharipov shaped hole to fill in their squad right now. The fragger has left Cloud9 for a big money move to Virtus.prp, which prompted C9 to pull out of ESL Pro League Season 19. Russian insider Aleksey “OverDrive” Biryukov has now revealed that Cloud9 are not considering a full-on overhaul at the moment. They might compete in future events with stand-in players as they continue to search for a permanent electroNic replacement.

Welcome electroNic – the new Virtus.рro player!

Denis "electroNic" Sharipov, a Major champion and four-time HLTV top 10 player, joins the Bears, replacing Nikolay "mir" Bityukov in the lineup. pic.twitter.com/u2tsFjNohf

— Virtus.pro (@virtuspro) April 15, 2024

Here’s what OverDrive wrote on Telegram:

“Don't expect immediate changes in Cloud9! The maximum that will happen is that a stand-in will play at the next tournament!”

However, there's some ambiguity surrounding OverDrive's mention of “next tournament” in his report. While Cloud9 did skip ESL Pro League Season 19, their next scheduled event is the Esports World Cup 2024 qualifier, starting in just two days (April 19th). Given this close timeframe, it's unclear if OverDrive meant a stand-in for the qualifier or a potential roster change before BetBoom Dacha Belgrade 2024, which comes later in May.

electroNic Left Cloud9 For a New Challenge

Credit: bo3.gg

Virtus.pro stunned the CS2 community by signing the decorated Denis “electroNic” Sharipov. In an era of rampant leaks spoiling roster moves before official announcements, this blockbuster transfer from Cloud9 – which saw the four-time top 10 player replace Nikolay “mir” Bityukov – came as a complete surprise.

Cloud9's roster shakeup was not unexpected, but electroNic's departure hit the fans as a genuine shock.  He'd been Cloud9’s standout performer since joining from NAVI last summer, making his exit to accommodate another AWPer all the more surprising.

In a highly anticipated move last July, electroNic joined Cloud9 alongside Ilya “⁠Perfecto⁠” Zalutskiy from Natus Vincere. The duo was expected to form a dominant force, but electroNic's tenure with the team fell short of a year.

Despite the initial hype, the new-look Cloud9 could not deliver. They repeatedly stalled in the quarterfinals at various tournaments. This culminated in Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov's decision to step down, leaving them with a gaping hole in the AWPer position. This widely criticized role issue had plagued Cloud9 for the past half-year.

This surprise signing comes after a disappointing 2024 for Virtus.pro. They crashed out of the IEM Katowice Play-in stage and narrowly missed the playoffs at the prestigious PGL Major Copenhagen.

Virtus.pro is clearly aiming to inject firepower into their lineup with electroNic's arrival. Mir, their previous AWPer, consistently fell short against top competition, averaging a 0.97 rating. While both players fill similar roles on the map, electroNic brings a far more aggressive playstyle to the table, a potential difference-maker for VP.

Credit: Cybersport.ru

Virtus.pro's competitive debut with electroNic remains uncertain for their next outing at ESL Pro League Season 19 in Malta. Despite being grouped alongside powerhouses like FaZe and Cloud9, VP might not integrate him immediately. However, VP CEO Nikolai Petrossian expressed confidence in electroNic's impact, stating, “Denis' joining will give a powerful boost to the team in the upcoming challenges in Dallas, London, and beyond.”