After failing to qualify for the BLAST.tv Austin Major and missing five consecutive Majors, Astralis have taken the drastic step of parting ways with IGL cadiaN, as well as Sports Director Kasper Straube. Captain cadiaN has been part of the lineup since September 2024, while Straube has held his role since 2023, with neither achieving the results expected of them.
Credit: Sebastian Pandelache | PGL
HooXi comes in for cadiaN as a stand-in
With cadiaN exiting the active lineup, Astralis have brought in former G2 IGL HooXi on a temporary basis. HooXi is standing in for PGL Astana 2025, although it remains to be seen if he will stay beyond the upcoming CS2 tournament. If things go well, it’s a distinct possibility, especially given HooXi’s credentials as an IEM Katowice and Cologne winner. Cologne, notably, is one of the only trophies that has eluded Astralis throughout its illustrious history.
After his benching, cadiaN shared a brief message on X, stating, “Interesting times. Will share more later.” We’ll watch this situation with great interest. It will be interesting to see if cadiaN can bounce back from this setback. He’s a player who has been through plenty of hard times in his career, but his recent failures with Liquid and Astralis may put his playing career in jeopardy.
Astralis will make their debut with HooXi at PGL Astana 2025 – let’s see if results can improve for the team.