North American esports organisation Wildcard has officially revealed a brand new Counter-Strike 2 roster for the 2026 season, completing a major rebuild after months of instability and frequent lineup changes.

New year, new team 😤
Introducing WC CS2 by @DabbleFantasy

🃏 @reckftp
🃏 @clasiaLp
🃏 @sSenCS2
🃏 @mhLCSGO
🃏 @PeepingCs
🃏 @JamezIRL – coach#stackthedeck pic.twitter.com/sUTZQHDQNO

— Wildcard (@Wildcard_GG) January 2, 2026

The overhaul leaves Jaxon Peeping Cornwell as the only remaining player from Wildcard’s final appearance of 2025, signalling a fresh start as the organisation looks to rebuild its competitive standing in CS2.

A Fresh Start After A Turbulent 2025

Wildcard’s roster announcement marks the latest chapter in what has been a difficult period for the organisation. Throughout the second half of 2025, the team cycled through multiple players and roles, struggling to find consistency at the top level.

Last summer, Wildcard benched Peter stanislaw Jarguz and Love phzy Smidebrant, before later reinstating them. The organisation also promoted academy prospect Sebastian fr3nd Kuśmierz, only to bench him two months later, while Maciej F1KU Miklas departed after less than three months with the team.

Following Wildcard’s failure to qualify for the StarLadder Budapest Major, the organisation moved stanislaw, phzy, and Joshua JBa Barutt to the bench in November 2025, clearing the way for a full reset.

Academy Promotions And Key New Signings

Once again, Wildcard has turned to its academy system for reinforcements. Polish AWPer Miłosz mhL Knasiak earns promotion after impressing at academy level, where he posted an excellent 1.23 average rating. Previously highlighted as one to watch, mhL now gets his chance to prove himself on the main stage.

Joining him is Danish rifler Simon sSen Solnæs Iversen, formerly of Astralis Talent. sSen was the academy squad’s second highest-rated player across his tenure, finishing with a solid 1.05 average rating.

Rounding out the lineup are two experienced North American players. Ethan reck Serrano joins after spending the last two years competing internationally with M80. He was benched in August 2025 and most recently represented M80 at the BLAST.tv Austin Major, where the team finished inside the top 22 after exiting at Stage 2.

The final addition is Anthony CLASIA Kearney, a long-time journeyman of the North American Counter-Strike scene. Over a seven-year career, CLASIA has represented several regional teams, including Nouns, Strife, EG Black, Gaimin Gladiators, SkinRave, and BLUEJAYS.

Wildcard CS2 Roster For 2026

Wildcard’s confirmed Counter-Strike 2 lineup is as follows:

• Ethan “reck” Serrano
• Anthony “CLASIA” Kearney
• Simon “sSen” Solnæs Iversen
• Miłosz “mhL” Knasiak
• Jaxon “Peeping” Cornwell

Coach

• James “JamezIRL” Macaulay

What’s Next For Wildcard?

With Peeping as the sole holdover from the previous roster, which sat 83rd in the Valve Regional Standings in December 2025, Wildcard effectively starts from scratch. Currently unranked, the team must compete in ranked events to earn VRS points, which will determine invitations to future top-tier tournaments and Counter-Strike Majors.

Wildcard’s first test comes immediately, as the new roster makes its tournament debut at Miami Frag2, hosted by Fragadelphia from January 2 to 4. Teams from Europe and North America will battle for VRS points and a share of an $8,000 prize pool.

For Wildcard, 2026 represents a clean slate, and the organisation will be hoping this blend of academy talent and experienced veterans finally delivers the stability it has been searching for.

The post Wildcard Introduces Brand New CS2 Roster For 2026 Season appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

100 Thieves have officially unveiled a major piece of their Counter-Strike comeback, announcing legendary Danish leader Lukas “gla1ve” Rossander as the head coach of their CS2 roster.

Target found. @gla1ve_cs pic.twitter.com/ow6mZSPQHy

— 100 Thieves Roobet Counter-Strike (@100T_CS) December 19, 2025

The reveal was teased on social media with a simple but pointed message, “Target found”, before being confirmed across multiple reports. It marks a significant step in the organisation’s return to Counter-Strike, following their exit from the scene back in 2020.

gla1ve Takes His First Step Into Coaching

For gla1ve, this appointment represents his first coaching role at any level, bringing an end to a decorated playing career that spanned more than 15 years. The four time Major winner officially retired last month after spending five months on the bench with ENCE.

Best known for leading Astralis through one of the most dominant eras in Counter-Strike history between 2016 and 2020, gla1ve is widely regarded as one of the greatest in game leaders the scene has ever seen. His move into coaching has been closely watched, and 100 Thieves have now given him his first opportunity to shape a team from behind the scenes.

Speaking to HLTV, gla1ve shared his excitement about the transition, saying he truly believes he has something extraordinary to offer in his new role.

Building the Core of a New 100 Thieves Lineup

gla1ve becomes the second confirmed member of 100 Thieves’ Counter-Strike project, joining Norwegian veteran Håvard “rain” Nygaard. rain was unveiled last month as the team’s in game leader, marking his return to competition after nearly a decade with FaZe Clan.

The pairing of rain and gla1ve brings together two of the most experienced names in Counter-Strike, combining championship level leadership with a proven tactical mind. The organisation has also strengthened its backend operations, appointing Graham “messioso” Pitt as Head of Counter-Strike and Sean “sgares” Gares as Head of FPS.

A Clear Statement of Intent for 2026

The decision to appoint gla1ve as head coach sends a strong message about 100 Thieves’ ambitions as they prepare to return to Counter-Strike in 2026. It will be the first time since 2020 that the organisation competes in Valve’s flagship shooter, this time backed by its partnership with Roobet.

With a championship proven leader now guiding the team, and more roster announcements expected in the coming weeks, 100 Thieves are positioning themselves as a serious contender rather than a nostalgia driven comeback.

For now, all eyes remain on who will join rain on the server, and how gla1ve’s vision will shape the next chapter of one of North America’s biggest esports brands.

The post 100 Thieves Appoint gla1ve as Head Coach for CS2 Return appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Luminosity Gaming, one of North America’s most recognisable esports names, is being sold. The organisation is set to be acquired by Vertiqal Studios, a gaming and lifestyle company, in a deal worth around C$900,000 (~US$645,000). The acquisition, which also includes Enthusiast Gaming’s YouTube network Omnia, is expected to close on September 5th, 2025.

For Vertiqal Studios, this move is all about scale. The company already has a strong presence on platforms like TikTok and Snapchat, but with Luminosity and Omnia onboard, it’s expanding its reach across Twitch, YouTube, and beyond. Vertiqal’s CEO Jon Dwyer said the deal was more than just adding brands, it’s about combining audiences, sales networks, and cross-platform capabilities to create a much bigger digital advertising ecosystem.

The End of an Era With Enthusiast Gaming

This acquisition also signals the end of Luminosity’s run under Enthusiast Gaming. The Canadian holding company had owned the org since 2019, but its CEO made it clear earlier this year that Luminosity wasn’t part of its long-term future. Instead, Enthusiast will now turn its focus to publications like Pocket Gamer and Icy Veins.

Luminosity’s Legacy

Founded in 2015, Luminosity Gaming quickly became a household name in esports. The org first broke through in CS:GO, signing the Brazilian roster led by Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo and featuring stars like coldzera, fer, TACO, and fnx. That squad etched their names into history by winning MLG Columbus 2016, the first-ever Counter-Strike Major held on American soil.

Relive the historic day, when @Luminosity won the $1,000,000 @MLG Columbus Major!
Read More: https://t.co/4tC7INgHcN pic.twitter.com/Lqq0K0pqXw

— Luminosity Gaming (@Luminosity) April 10, 2016

While the roster left for SK Gaming soon after and went on to win back-to-back Majors, Luminosity’s place in esports history was already secured. The organisation stuck with the Brazilian scene until 2019, but never managed to reach the same heights again.

Luminosity and SK Gaming are one of our biggest inspirations.

— The MongolZ (@1mongolz) June 21, 2025

Outside of CS, Luminosity has remained active across multiple titles. The org currently competes in Apex Legends, League of Legends, and PUBG, and it also represents fighting game legend Dominique “SonicFox” McLean. In the past, it has also fielded squads in Call of Duty, Super Smash Bros., and Rainbow Six.

What Happens Next?

With Vertiqal Studios now steering the ship, questions remain over Luminosity’s competitive future. The organisation pulled out of Rainbow Six earlier this year after its cosmetics were removed from the in-game store, and its roster went on to play as “Orgless” in the North America League.

Given Vertiqal’s focus on digital content and platforms, it’s still unclear whether Luminosity will stay committed to esports in the long run or transition more into content creation and community building.

Either way, the acquisition is a big moment, both for Vertiqal Studios’ growth strategy and for Luminosity Gaming as it enters a brand new chapter in its storied history.

The post Vertiqal Studios Buys Luminosity Gaming in $645k Deal appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

One of North America’s most historic Counter-Strike organisations is stepping away from the game. Complexity have announced that they’re leaving CS2, ending a competitive run that stretches back more than two decades.

‼️Complexity have announced their departure from the CS2 scene due to a lack of funding.

Jason Lake and his club have supported Counter-Strike rosters since 2003 — 22 years in a row.

All that’s left is to thank Jason for his love and dedication to the game. Thank you for… pic.twitter.com/a6679eHMS8

— CS2 NEWS (@CS2News_EN) August 19, 2025

The news was confirmed by CEO and founder Jason Lake in a video statement posted on August 19th. In it, he explained that while the team had enjoyed strong years in 2023 and 2024, the financial struggles of 2025 have simply been too much to keep a tier-one roster afloat.

An update from @JasonBWLake pic.twitter.com/C6MQxk44Zr

— Complexity (@Complexity) August 19, 2025

“After a real strong ’23 and ’24, 2025 in the esports economy has really been challenging for us,” Lake said. “Quite simply, we have not been able to drive enough revenue to afford to properly support a tier-one team.”

An End of an Era

Complexity first entered Counter-Strike in 2004 and, apart from a brief absence in 2014, have fielded a roster ever since. In that time, they’ve built up an impressive legacy with trophies including ESWC 2005, CPL Summer 2006, and most recently, ESL Challenger Jönköping 2024.

The organisation has been through plenty of ups and downs, from selling a majority stake to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and John Goff in 2017, to being acquired by GameSquare in 2021, and then being re-acquired by Lake and an investor group for $10.36 million in 2024. But despite its long history and passionate following, shrinking sponsorship opportunities and revenue shortfalls in North America finally forced their hand.

ESL Challenger winners 🏆
Congrats Complexity pic.twitter.com/AzsCxRMojv

— Aileen Rosas @EWC (@AileenRosasA) June 16, 2024

“As you can imagine, it’s a tough day for us. We love Counter-Strike very much,” Lake said. “We could have probably dragged things out a bit longer, but we want to make sure we do right by our players and the division, and this was the right thing for us to do at this time.”

What Happens Next

Lake confirmed that while Complexity will no longer compete in CS2, the team will complete its commitment to the PrizePicks Revival Series before closing the chapter on Counter-Strike. For the first time since 2014, Complexity will not have a roster in the game that helped make the organisation a household name.

There are no immediate plans for a return either. Lake was upfront about the current struggles, saying: “We have no immediate plans for that until one of the aforementioned challenges are solved.”

Farewell, But Not Forgotten

Complexity’s departure coincides with the transfer of four of its players, JT, Grim, hallzerk, and nicx, to Passion UA, along with their long-time coach T.c. That story has already been dubbed “Complexity 2.0,” showing that while the banner may be gone, the legacy of its core roster will continue elsewhere.

For Lake, the toughest part is leaving behind a legacy that’s spanned 20 years. He took full responsibility for the decision, telling fans: “I know this is disappointing to a lot of people, and I get it. I promise we did everything we could. On some level I failed you all, so I’m sorry about that.”

From its earliest wins to its final season, Complexity’s place in Counter-Strike history is secure. As the CS2 world moves on, the scene won’t soon forget one of its longest-standing organisations.

The post Complexity Disband CS2 Team After 20 Years Due to Economic Struggles appeared first on Shane the Gamer.