Hey everybody, welcome back to the CSGO Recap. Some big news came out since this morning in regards to rosters, the NiP roster change in particular, so we’ve decided to do a second recap today.

NiP Roster Change Confirmation

We’ve got breaking news coming out on the NiP roster changes that were rumored yesterday. Team Ancient player Nicolas “Plopski” Gonzales is joining the ESL Major-bound squad today, replacing fatigued AWPer Dennis on the starting line-up. The young 17-year-old Swede has been seen by many as a rising star in the scene, and his addition to the roster will be cause for celebration for many long-time fans. They’ll have to wait a bit longer, however, as Plopski won’t be starting till after Cologne, due to the major rules.

The team also announced that long-time starter and in-game shot-caller Christopher “GeT_RiGhT” Alesund would be stepping down from the team as an active player following the StarLadder Berlin Major 2019. No official date past that point or news of a possible replacement has been given, with the org stating, “We will take our time on this change to ensure we find the best replacement for him and the team.” His departure from the team will leave F0rest as the oldest active member on the roster, and the only one from the team’s original entrance into CSGO.

With this news of GeT_RiGhT standing down, and Plopski coming onboard after the Major, the team has decided to use the event to test players out in new roles, hopefully finding someone in the roster to take over the shot-calling role from GeT_RiGhT.

Change in the Clouds

NiP isn’t the only team making big changes to their roster this week.

Rumors are flying that Cloud9, after a year of mediocre results and failing to make Cologne, have decided to finally to make changes to their struggling roster. The supposed changes include the removal of Vice and Golden from the line-up, and possible replacements in former-NRG player Daps, and young newcomer Tenz. Both Golden and Vice have struggled on the roster, so change for them was likely inevitable. Daps is also famed for his role as a shot-caller for NRG, Optic, and Team Liquid during his time on their squads, something that Cloud9 desperately needs.

Lies, Cheating, and Esports Scandals

Not all the news today involving rosters has been positive, especially for Kazakhstani team Syman Gaming.

The organization was last in the news when their now former played Idisbalance was accused of cheating in competitive matches. While he’s no longer with the org, new allegations have begun to emerge against the beleaguered team, accusing them of throwing and fixing matches, as seen in the video below.

Bets for the match were canceled shortly after the clip surfaced, and an investigation is likely to follow which could see the team lose its spot at the CIS Minor qualifier for the Cologne Major. We’ll have more as the situation develops.