Astralis’ Star AWPer device has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
The Shanghai Major 2024 will be without Astralis' star Nicolai "device" Reedtz. The legendary player announced that he will miss the rest of the CS2 season due to a recurrence of stress-related health issues. Device recently shared his struggles in a detailed post on X, explaining his symptoms and the decision to prioritize his health.
Device's health challenges resurfaced in the lead up to the Shanghai Major
Device's health struggles began during the BLAST Premier World Finals in Singapore. Following the long trip, the player experiences a myriad of symptoms. Despite his hope for improvement upon returning home, his condition has not yet stabilized, making it unrealistic for him to compete.
"The first nights, I was having issues with sleep and I wouldn’t be getting more than a few hours each night. As the week progressed, I would progressively get worse symptoms, including less sleep, cramps, heart palpitations, and extreme fatigue."
This is not the first time device has faced health-related setbacks. In 2017, the player took a break from competition, with teammate Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen taking up the AWPing duties. A similar stress-relate issue also forced him out of competition in 2021 during his stint with the Ninjas in Pyjamas. Device emphasized the emotional difficulty of the decision in the tweet, especially knowing it would disappoint his fans. However, he remains optimistic about returning to competitive play by early 2025.
Related articles
Astralis' lineup changes for Shanghai Major
With device sidelined, Astralis will rely on Alexander "br0" Bro, stepping up from the bench to compete at the RMR. If the team is successful in its RMR campaign, br0 will also be a part of the Shanghai Major roster. Initially, the rifle was benched in a controversial decision to make room for Casper "cadiaN" Møller. His return to the roster adds a further complication to the new Astralis lineup.
Astralis members have supported device's decision, with teammates and fans cheering for his successful recovery. With a stacked calendar coming up in 2025, device will hope to be in prime health to tackle the travel.
Shanghai Major: A fifth major without device
The announcement, unfortunately, extends device's absence from the Majors. The Danish player last appeared at CS's hallmark tournaments in 2021 with the Ninjas in Pyjamas. That campaign, notably including a 16-1 win over Astralis, saw device check off another top-eight finish at the event. Subsequent health issues sidelined the legendary player from Ninjas in Pyjamas.
Device eventually rejoined Astralis after an absence from both 2022 majors. However, Astralis has since been unable to qualify for the Majors. With the strong showing at Singapore, a place at the Shanghai Major could have been on the cards for the Danish side, but the goal now seems unlikely given the absence of their star AWPer and cadiaN's elbow injury.
"Finally, I would like to thank my amazing teammates and colleagues at Astralis for being very understanding and supportive. I’m very grateful that br0 has stepped in and I will be supporting the guys from home, and I hope you guys will, too."
Astralis is set to face 9 Pandas in their first match at the Europe RMR B match. The team enters the event as one of the top-ranked teams and will hope to cap their season off with a strong finish. Stay tuned to esports.gg for the latest CS2 news and guides.
