The current shuffle on the professional Counter-Strike scene began rather slowly, but today insiders have dropped a bomb Adrian Wojnarowski would be proud of: the biggest transfer in Counter-Strike history is about to happen!

Insider neL revealed that Team Falcons is negotiating the acquisition of three players from Heroic: TeSeS, degster, and kyxsan. According to the insider, they are expected to join Magisk and NiKo, who will transfer from G2 to the Saudi-based organization. Various insiders estimate the cost of the deal between Team Falcons and Heroic to be around $5–6 million.

Let’s break this down step by step. First, acquiring the core of Heroic might not seem like the flashiest move from Team Falcons, but it’s a logical decision. This is largely due to Valve’s system. Now, tournament invites are based on a team’s ranking according to Valve’s developer metrics, and this ranking is tied to the team’s core (three out of five players) rather than the organization itself. 

It’s hard to imagine NiKo grinding through open qualifiers for multiple tournaments or potentially missing the Austin Major because there won’t be open qualifiers, and there may not be enough time to earn the required ranking points.

Heroic is a top-10 team in the global rankings, making it one of the most accessible options in the current situation. Notably, Team Falcons has done something similar before when they acquired the core of ENCE, so this isn’t a new strategy.

Now, about the money. At first glance, $5–6 million for three Heroic players, none of whom are in the world’s top 20, seems like an overpayment. However, there are a few key considerations. First, Team Falcons has a reputation for having a seemingly limitless payroll, which naturally encourages teams to ask for higher fees. 

Second, as mentioned earlier, Team Falcons is not just buying the players; they’re also purchasing the team’s ranking points and slots in major tournaments. This adds significant value and could theoretically be recouped quickly with strong performances.

The real question is whether this new roster will succeed. On one hand, there’s potential. On the other, on paper, the lineup doesn’t look like an unstoppable trophy-winning machine. This roster will be a true test for the team’s coach, Zonic. Regardless, this lineup will be fascinating to watch.

Main image: x.com

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