Outsiders is starting off the 2023 season by making some adjustments to its roster, and has replaced David “n0rb3r7” Danielyan with Aleksandr “KaiR0N-” Anashkin.
Outsiders benches n0rb3r7 after BLAST Premier World Final defeat
The roster change comes two months after Outsiders' spectacular win at the IEM Rio Major in November last year, where they beat rival team Heroic in a decisive 2-0 win at the grand final.
It may seem odd that Outsiders is willing to make changes after such an incredible performance, but the team's successes have been somewhat limited ever since then - as demonstrated via their disappointing showing at last year's BLAST Premier World Final, where they finished in 7th-8th place.
Outsiders is apparently looking for some new blood to freshen up the team, with the 18 year old KaiR0N- joining from Aurora Gaming. He's a relatively fresh face to the CS:GO scene, having previously played for the likes of INDE IRAE, and as a stand-in player for Spirit Academy.
"A historic victory in Rio was followed by a humbling defeat in Abu Dhabi," said Virtus.pro CEO Nikolai Petrossian. "We realized that the team needed changes that would allow us to stay true to our playstyle, while not letting opponents adapt to us. Therefore, we have decided to temporarily allow David to focus on his individual form, while KaiR0N- takes his place in the active roster."
While n0rb3r7 has now been benched by the team, Outsiders have not put him on a transfer list, and he remains a part of the team. Describing n0rb3r7 as a "brilliant player," Petrossian stated that Outsiders would be willing to consider proposals for a temporary loan to other teams, should n0rb3r7 himself wish to compete in tournaments.
"This decision was made by the owners and management of the club after consultations with the coaching staff," Petrossian added. "By signing KaiR0N- and retaining the contract with n0rb3r7, the roster gets the flexibility it needs, the ability for rotation, and remains robust, which is unattainable with a stand-in model."
With its latest addition, Outsiders' active roster now consists of Dzhami “Jame” Ali, Aleksey “Qikert” Golubev, Evgeny “FL1T” Lebedev, Pyotr “fame” Bolyshev, Alexander "KaiR0N-" Anashkin and coach Dastan “dastan” Akbaev.
We won't have long to wait to see if this new roster will help Outsiders live up to its past successes, as they're due to take part in IEM Katowice 2023, taking place from January 31 to February 12. You'll be able to follow along with that, and every other event this year, right here on Luckbox. Just remember to sign up for your free account as we look ahead to the 2023 season!
