The four-time Major winner reflects on the hectic summer of 2023 in this part of the portrait series on Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz. During this time, the main team underwent significant changes, with adjustments made to the performance team and the Danish lineup. Eight months after returning to competitive Counter-Strike in November 2022, the legendary AWPer bid farewell to his longtime friend and teammate Lukas "gla1ve" Rossander. The two had shared numerous grand title victories, but now, dev1ce is steering into a new era within the organization, surrounded by new ambitious players.
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The opening act of 2023 didn't unfold as anticipated for the main squad, somewhat of a contrast to what dec1ce, as part of the organization, had been accustomed to in previous years. The Danish lineup, back then featuring the in-game leader Lukas "gla1ve" Rossander and the young rifler Alexander "Altekz" Givskov, found themselves in turbulent waters, failing to clinch coveted positions in IEM Katowice and later on the esteemed BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023. Each setback was a bitter pill for the players, who were still hungry for triumph.
Their campaign at IEM Dallas showed some improvement, with dev1ce and his teammates making it to the quarter-finals. Afterward, they lost the opening round and the lower final in the BLAST Premier: Spring Final in June. In a twist of irony, dev1ce, reflecting on their journey in an interview with HLTV.org, expressed that his performance at Dallas marked some of his best counter-strike since returning to the pro scene in November 2022. However, the team performance of the Danish ensemble was yet to hit the high notes they so passionately aspired for.
As summer rolled in, the team underwent transformative changes. To bolster the roster's setup, Kasper Straube was reshuffled into the limelight as the new Sports Director. Victor "Staehr" Staehr and Johannes "b0RUP" Borup were added, infusing new energy into the squad. Despite these rapid changes and having been with the organization for only eight months, dev1ce recognized that strengthening the roster was a necessary move in their pursuit of better results.
- It was natural that things unfolded as they did, I think, because of our fluctuating results. I mean, changes were inevitable. Looking back and seeing where the team is today, I'm glad we've come this far, dev1ce states.
- Though it resulted in only one week of vacation and having no time for anything other than grinding on the server throughout the summer, I quickly sensed that the ambitions of this project indeed drove everyone from the new roster. There's a shared feeling: we want to elevate our performance while succeeding as a cohesive unit, the AWPer notes.
With new relationships to build and team chemistry to develop, the newly formed lineup barely had a moment to rest before their brief vacation was interrupted. Answering the urgent call, they returned to the practice rooms at the headquarters, determined to make a strong comeback in the fall. Under the strategic leadership of Benjamin "blameF" Bremer, the new in-game leader, they were poised to reclaim their standing.
While filming for this portrait series, dev1ce, one of the most eminent players in the CS:GO era, was interviewed about his drive to make a grand return to professional esports after taking time off due to a stressful period in his personal life.
The 28-year-old answered that his primary reason was to prove that the esports scene had not gotten the best of him.
He wanted to demonstrate that he could still master the life of a professional gamer and compete at the highest levels in Counter-Strike.
This week, a mini-portrait series featuring the 28-year-old AWP'er has been released on Astralis.gg, delving into the life and comeback of dev1ce. The portrait series commemorates almost a year since the skilled Counter-Strike player returned to the pro scene after his break.
In the link below, you can read the first part of the series, where dev1ce opens up about overcoming stress and returning to the intense CS pro scene.
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