In the formative years of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Ninjas in Pyjamas or shortly NIP remained invincible leaving a trail of testament to their superior class in form of victories at the championship. They clinched early CS:GO.
It was the era of strenx, their roster—friberg, Xizt, GeT_RiGhT, f0rest, and Fifflaren became legends, not to mention about the record for the consecutive maps won, which is 87:0. However recent years have seen the Ninjas headache to regain the past moments/achievements they use to enjoy. But there are reasons to believe that the Ninjas might be back – but are they? Let’s dive into it.
NiP’s attempt to get back on the list of the best teams
Little did they know that with the blink of an eye, time gobbling up all the precious minutes they have on screen. As the legendary players from their initial CS:GO roster subsequently diminished and with it came the problems of NIP discussing proper successors. Sustaining their identity as Swedes became a tough test since it was unknown how Brollan, Plopski, nawwwk, or hampus can fill the large boots left behind by their compatriots. Not even the ambitious acquisition of danish sub-for Astralis in May 2021 could help the Ninjas return to their peak form.
The New Face of the NIP Team
However, there is something to hold on to for the fans of NIP – the latest loss could be an opportunity for the team to regroup and come back stronger. Recently, Ninjas in Pyjamas introduced their new CS2 roster: Maxster from the academy team, Isak from GamerLegion, and the outstanding Ukrainian AWPer r1nkle from B8. They are added to the band with alex and REZ from the formation of the last lineup. Also, the legendary Xizt has come back as the coach for the team after his experience with Heroic is expected to prove fruitful. This shift brings back Swedish players to the team which is a good sign though in essence, the success of the team will be evident once they perform.
Early indications are promising. The first time the team met each other was in YaLLa Compass 2024 LAN event in Abu Dhabi and they got to the Grand Final. While they may have been defeated by TheMongolZ, this map can be considered as gained from a very strong team. This raised the community’s excitement and the pressing question: why are Ninjas in Pyjamas back?
Signs of a Potential Comeback
Perhaps it is still early to proclaim NIP as back to their former greatness, but the current performance is promising. The new roster seems to be rather balanced, r1nkle seems to have the potential of a star AWPer and maxster seems to have been promoted directly from the academy team. Alex’s leadership is notably improved, and victories in Heroic and Astralis at YaLLa Compass 2024 are the team’s accomplishments.
The real test of NIP will lie in the remaining part of this year and that can be a challenge. That being said, they need to do so against other top teams, which they have recently proven in Abu Dhabi. The upcoming BLAST Fall Groups will be a significant challenge and will guarantee high competition. High performance is crucial as the Valve World Ranking in 2025 will be a determinant of invites to the tournament as partner positions are set to be done away with. It has become a crucial period for the team, and it will be important for them to sustain their performance throughout the season especially after the player break.
Conclusion: Is the Trend of Playing in Ninjas in Pyjamas Back?
The answer to the question is a qualified yes. It seems that the current NIP lineup looks much more fresh and motivated than the previous lineups in the team look sad in recent squads. To reclaim the fun they once had is a key element in the process of regaining the top spot on the field. If Ninjas manage to stay on this path and improve and develop from their recent performance, they might just be on their way to the championship.
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