With Benjamin "blameF" Bremer’s benching yesterday, the role of an in-game leader was vacant for Astralis. Most people had expected that Astralis would pick up one of the many experienced Danish in-game leaders, but instead, the Danish organization chose another route selecting their AWP’er Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz as the new IGL.

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- I've always been the secondary caller and right-hand man for both Lukas and Benja, so when there was a change underway, it naturally came up in the team if I could see myself taking the lead as IGL. It's obviously a very different role to be the IGL with more responsibility both on and off the server, but it's a good time for me to go this way. I also see it as an opportunity to do even more of what I love most in the world, playing CS at the highest level for much longer, Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz stated in a press release from Astralis.

In Counter-Strike today we already have several AWP’ers as in-game leaders. Casper 'cadiaN' Møller and Dzhami "Jame" Ali are some of the most successful in the business. Being an IGL can also prolong an otherwise short career, which Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz also mentions as a good reason for him to step up to the role.

- It motivates me insanely because I don't just intend to continue this for a couple of years – it's my lifelong dream to play CS! Stepping into a new chapter in my career really excites me, and it's a role I see myself in for many years to come.  The hardest thing for me is to ask Astralis fans for patience because they have really been patient for the past 3 years. That's also why I'm fully committed, and although it's new, it's also in many ways a continuation of my own development.

Astralis will start the practice with the new setup on Friday, where their new fifth player Alexander "br0" Bro will join the team alongside their new coach Casper "ruggah" Due.

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Today the Danes announced Alexander "br0" Bro as the replacement for blameF, while also announcing Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz as the new in-game leader for the Danish organization.

- Our top priority has been to find a player who can step into the team and create space for the other four to move into their favorite positions. Alexander "br0" fits perfectly here.

- He was a standout player on an extremely successful talent team and chose to seek international experience after his run on the talent squad. It's fair to say he has succeeded with some extremely impressive performances, including a great run in the Paris Major. It's a pleasure for us to complete the circle and bring a former talent player back to the main team in this way.

- He was the first player we identified who has the level and fits perfectly into the role, and I'm extremely happy we succeeded in bringing him back so quickly. We also owe thanks to Monte, who has been understanding and flexible in making this transition successful.

The former Astralis Talent player, Alexander "br0" Bro is excited about his return to the Danish powerhouse.

- I'm insanely happy to return to Astralis. I know what I'm talking about when I say it's a fantastic organization, and it really hurt to see them miss the Major because I know how much it means to everybody here. However, it has opened up opportunities for me, and I will do everything to show that I am the best choice for the team.

- They know what they're getting, and I know what it means to play here and be part of Astralis. Although I have the utmost respect for playing alongside such skilled players and the pressure of being here, I also know I can make a difference. That's who I am as a person and as a player, and I'm just insanely excited to get started, the 21-year-old Dane stated in a press release. 

Astralis will have a decent amount of time to implement Alexander "br0" Bro on the roster with IEM Chengdu in April as the next tournament for the team.

The goal is clear for Astralis: They need to become a CS:GO powerhouse once again, and be a team that competes for titles and not second places.

The blockbuster signing and return of Nicolai “device” Reedtz look to be a step in the right direction and a necessary investment. However, several experts have stated that bringing back the superstar AWPer is not enough.

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We have asked Niels Christian “NaToSaphiX” Sillassen to take a look at three potential players to take the last spot on the roster, which was left vacant after the release of Kristian “k0nfig” Wienecke.

Here are the three players and their player profiles:

Mikkel “Mistr” Thomsen | 18-years-old

MistR is the only player of the three, who already is under contract with Astralis and will therefore be the easiest option to pick. The 18-year-old rifler has already featured for Astralis’ main team at the RMRs and BLAST Fall Showdown as a temporary stand-in following k0nfig’s exit.  

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Staehr is widely considered as one of the hottest prospects in CS:GO right now, and has strived massively ever since his transfer from the lower-ranked Danes OPAA to Sprout in early 2022. Astralis have reportedly already shown interest in signing the promising talent, which Sprout afterwards have declined publicly.  

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Team: Free agent (stand-in at Astralis Talent)

Rating in 2022: 0.78 (against top 50) ((only played 2 maps))

This is more of an unknown quantity for the wider Counter-Strike fan. With that being said, br0 has been playing some very impressive CS:GO as a stand-in for Astralis lately. So good that some Astralis fans, and also NaToSaphiX, have thrown his name into the mix of players who can round off Astralis’ star-studded roster consisting of device, gla1ve, blameF and Xyp9x.

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Articles mentioning br0

device on IGL role: It motivates me insanely

Astralis complete roster with “br0” signing – device new IGL

Who should Astralis pick as their fifth? – Deep Dive feat. NaTo

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