Ninjas in Pyjamas CS: GO star dev1ce is rumored to be making a return to Astralis

CS: GO star Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz is expected to make a momentous return to 4-time Major winners Astralis after a short stint at Ninjas in Pyjamas, according to various sources.

The athlete's break up with his long-time girlfriend seems to have influenced the potential transfer. dev1ce left the Danish organization Astralis in April 2021 to join the Swedish side Ninjas in Pyjamas.

dev1ce was a founding member of Astralis, one of the first player-run organizations in CS: GO. After winning 4 CS: GO major titles from 2017 to 2019, he is the most decorated player in the game's history. Renowned for his ethereal AWPing skills, dev1ce aims to fill the void in Astralis by making his return.

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Is CS: GO star dev1ce expected to return to the legendary Astralis

Nicolai "dev1ce" Reedtz is a CS: GO veteran who has been playing the game professionally since its release, switching over from Counter-Strike: Source. He is known for his audacious plays on the AWP, being one of the best in CS: GO's history to pick up "the big green".

On April 23, 2021, Ninjas in Pyjamas shocked the CS: GO world by announcing the acquisition of dev1ce from Astralis on a 3-year deal for an undisclosed amount. However, the player currently finds himself away from the squad for unknown medical reasons.

dev1ce has been residing in Stockholm, Sweden, for the last four years with streamer and former girlfriend Emilia Hult. While the player had constantly been traveling to Denmark to train with the Astralis members, his commutation became less viable as covid-19 hit the world by surprise.

Upon joining NiP, dev1ce sought to invest more time in training in order to maintain his stature as one of the best players in the game. dev1ce has consistently ranked within the top five CS: GO players in the world in the last six years, with a career-best of #2 in 2018, as per HLTV.org

During the IEM XVI Winter, dev1ce exempted himself from their final two matches due to health concerns. He was seen devastated after the team's loss. Later, the player pulled out of the last event of the year, Blast Premier: World Fall Final 2021. While the reasons are unknown, his recent break up could have had a part to play.

Although NIP has a roster capable of winning titles, the squad hasn't managed to make their desired impact so far. Patrick "es3tag" Hansen's acquisition in November 2021 was intended to improve the team's performance. However, with the current state of events revolving around dev1ce, NIP appears to be far from their dream performance in CS: GO.

While dev1ce may plan on rejoining Astralis, the transfer is complicated on paper. He was acquired for an exorbitant amount for a period of 3 years. Astralis will be forced to raise funds and approach the transfer if they plan on capturing the opportunity. This also interferes with the team's plans regarding the recent purchases of Lucky, k0nfig and blameF.

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The reign of dev1ce at Astralis

dev1ce, along with his Team SoloMid teammates dupreeh, Xyp9x, cajunb and karrigan, formed Astralis. The AWPer enjoyed exceptional success with the squad over the course of five years.

Despite being a newly formed independent organization, Astralis thumped its competition to earn four major titles between 2017 and 2019. In doing so, they became the only CS: GO team with four majors, with dev1ce being hailed as the best AWPer in the game.

To replace dev1ce, Astralis acquired 19-year-old Philip "Lucky" Ewald to take on the role of the AWPer. However, in recent fixtures, their AWP-ing duties have temporarily shifted to the team's IGL, Lukas "gla1ve" Rossander, providing more time for Lucky to adapt to the team's setting.

After spending five years and earning countless accolades, the Dane departed the legendary roster. Although initially undisclosed, dev1ce's transfer amount is likely to range from $700,000 to $1 million, as per Astralis' financial reports.