Cloud9, a prominent name in esports, has made waves with its recent decision to bench Ilya “Perfecto” Zalutskiy and Abay “HObbit” Khassenov from its CS2 roster. This move comes amidst a series of changes within the organization, signaling a significant shift in their competitive strategy.
This decision marks a pivotal moment for Cloud9, as they aim to revitalize their performance following a series of underwhelming results. Alongside the benching of Perfecto and HObbit, the team has also bid farewell to their assistant coach, Ivan “F_1N” Kochugov.
The departure of Perfecto and HObbit leaves Cloud9 with just two active players: Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhailov and Sergey “Ax1Le” Rykhtorov. Despite the reduction in active members, Cloud9’s CEO, Jack Etienne, affirmed the organization’s commitment to rebuilding the team. In a recent tweet, Etienne stated, “We are in a full rebuilding process in collaboration with Ax1Le and Boombl4.”
The decision to shake up their roster comes on the heels of a challenging period for Cloud9 in 2024. The team’s performance has been marred by setbacks, including a notable absence of results following their unorthodox no-AWPer approach earlier in the year. Despite qualifying for the Major, Cloud9 faltered in the playoffs, leading to their early exit.
HObbit, who joined Cloud9 in April 2022, played a pivotal role during his tenure, contributing to the team’s success, including a victory at IEM Dallas. However, the recent downturn in performance prompted Cloud9 to reevaluate their lineup strategy.
Similarly, Perfecto’s signing in July 2023 was part of Cloud9’s ambitious plans to assemble a super team. Despite maintaining a commendable rating amidst turbulent times for the team, Perfecto’s performance fell short of expectations, ultimately leading to his benching.
Looking ahead, Cloud9 faces the challenge of regaining their competitive edge with a revamped roster. With the BetBoom Dacha Belgrade tournament looming on the horizon, Cloud9 has limited time to integrate new talent and refine their gameplay.
The current lineup for Cloud9 is as follows:
- Russia Sergey “Ax1Le” Rykhtorov
- Russia Kirill “Boombl4” Mikhailov
- Russia Konstantin “groove” Pikiner (coach)
- Kazakhstan Abay “HObbit” Khassenov (benched)
- Russia Ilya “Perfecto” Zalutskiy (benched)
As Cloud9 navigates this transitional phase, all eyes will be on their performance in upcoming tournaments as they strive to reclaim their position among the CS2 elite.
