The news came as a surprise. Team Dignitas announced a few days ago that they are disbanding their own CS:GO Counter Strike line up.
The eSport clan is withdrawing completely from the discipline. Almost at the same time, Counter Striker coach Faruk “pita” Pita had addressed the fans. Pita announced on his social media channels that he had been informed of the withdrawal by the team management. All players and himself have been released from their contracts. The players are free for engagements in other eSports organizations.
Decision comes as a complete surprise
The withdrawal of Dignitas comes as an absolute surprise to the eSports community. It was barely a month ago when the e-Sport clan was still making big noises. They wanted to create a new Counter Strike line up, which can play in the world’s top, they said at the time. They are confident that they can and will achieve their goals.
However, the responsible persons of Dignitas have not shown real patience now. After the team was eliminated in the group stage of the RMR qualification for the PGL Major 2022 in Antwerp, the ripcord was pulled. Dignitas had also missed the previous qualification for the Major in Stockholm.
“For now, we will cheer on our former players and the continued success of CS:GO from the sidelines and continue to be fans of one of Esports’ greatest,” the official Dignitas statement reads succinctly.
Failure to make it into the top-20
If you look at the past few months in the Counter Strike scene, you’ll quickly see that Team Dignitas has mostly been just outside the top-20. The eSport clan has only won smaller qualification competitions. In the few top tournaments in which Dignitas has participated, no accents could be set.
What will become of the players is not yet known. The fact is, for the first time in his career, one of the most famous Counter Strike professionals Patrik “f0rest” Lindberg is without a team. Affected by the Dignitas withdrawal is the following line-up:
Ludvig “HEAP” Alonso
Patrik “f0rest” Lindberg
Jonas “Lekr0” Olofsson
Håkon “hallzerk” Fjærli
Adam “friberg” Friberg
Faruk “pita” Pita
Women’s team remains, but with change
It is certainly interesting that the women’s team – Dignitas Female – will not be disbanded. However, clan officials have announced that the line-up will no longer compete in Counter Strike tournaments in the coming weeks and months, but will focus entirely on Valorant.
Dignitas – eSport organization with tradition
By the way, for Dignitas it is not the first Counter Strike line-up withdrawal. Already in 2018, the association had completely withdrawn from the discipline, only to return two years later. At the moment, we assume in the forecast that a repeated, quick change of heart at Dignitas is rather unlikely. Despite the team breakup, the overall organization still belongs to the premier eSports league.
Dignitas continues to have six teams in play in the various divisions. The association already has a history dating back to 2003. Majority of Dignitas today belongs to the NBA basketball team of Philadelphia 76ers. Behind the clan is the Harry Blitzer Sports- & Entertainment Holding, which also owns the NHL ice hockey franchise of the New Jersey Devils.
