Games

Legendary esports org Envy hints at Counter-Strike return: ‘Begun to explore all opportunities’

BBG News

After five years of silence, one of CS:GO’s classic orgs is eyeing a CS2 re-entry.

The long-established North American esports group, supported by North America, which has been prominent in CS:GO for years, might be planning a comeback in CS2’s Counter-Strike scene, as suggested by the organization’s owner Mike “hastr0” Rufail, following a five-year hiatus from the game.

Previously known as EnVyUs, the team now called simply “Envy” has experienced two contrasting aspects of Counter-Strike: they were part of a powerful organization that boasted a French squad who won a Major tournament, and then underwent a dramatic decline after shifting to North America. Recent reports suggest that Envy is planning to begin anew in CS2.

Envy eyes CS2 entry in the near future

On April 15th, Hastr0 expressed his plans openly on Twitter, stating that Envy may return to Counter-Strike in CS2, with a potential comeback as soon as this year. Hastr0 stated, “It’s crucial for us to bring Envy back into the world of Counter-Strike. We are actively investigating all possible avenues, and we will seize the best opportunity when it arises.” Both Hastr0 and CEO Dean “DerangedNative” Duro are eager for this move.

He shared a post showcasing images of an EnVyUs emblem and the DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca trophy, both of which, according to br0, remain in his dining area. Essentially, they’re in the midst of a major rebuilding phase.

Envy’s past in Counter-Strike is a blend of extraordinary peaks and disheartening valleys. As EnVyUs, they rose to become a dominant force in European CS:GO, propelling French legends like Richard “shox”, Vincent “Happy”, and Kenny “kennyS” into the annals of esports history with multiple top-tier victories under their belt.

2015 saw the pinnacle for EnVyUs as they clinched France’s second Major victory at DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca. However, their performance started dwindling after a series of unsuccessful roster adjustments. Based in Dallas, Texas, and with results waning, hastr0 made the challenging call in 2018 to disband the French division and transition to an American team instead.

EnVyUs struggled to qualify for another major tournament due to their decline during the COVID-19 lockdown, with minimal official appearances in 2020. The team, which boasted an international roster and was captained by AWPer Noah “Nifty” Francis and Turkish player Buğra “Calyx” Arkın, failed to advance past Flashpoint Season 2 in 2020.

Who could debut next season with Envy?

In other words, the question poses: Who might Envy be able to recruit given that the timing isn’t ideal, as most teams have already been selected for the BLAST Austin Major? However, it’s worth noting that significant roster shifts frequently happen following a major event, and quite often, entire teams become available to be signed.

Instead of bringing a strong French team like 3DMAX, it’s more probable that Envy will opt for a team based nearer home. Given their departure from French CS due to distance concerns, they might focus on teams aiming for the North American Major Ranking Qualifier (MRQ) this week.

In the present context of Virtual Reality Sports (VRS), it’s conceivable that a team made up of freelancers might emerge to represent the organization. However, climbing the ladder from the bottom rungs to top-tier competition or even qualifying for a significant tournament is a challenging and lengthy process in this era of VRS.

At this moment, all we can do is guess. It remains to be seen, following the Austin Major, what strategies Envy might employ in their CS return.

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2025-04-16 10:10

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