Cloud9 ‘steps back’ from Counter-Strike 2, announces Rainbow Six return
Former Cloud9 player Sergey ‘Ax1Le’ Rykhtorov during 2023’s ESL Pro League Season 17. Image credit: Adela Sznajder, ESL FACEIT Group. Cloud9 has announced that it is stepping away from Counter-Strike 2 alongside unveiling its return to Rainbow Six Siege esports. The North American esports organisation says it has ‘no immediate plans‘ to re-enter Counter-Strike esports. … Continued The post Cloud9 ‘steps back’ from Counter-Strike 2, announces Rainbow Six return appeared first on Esports Insider.
Cloud9 has announced that it is stepping away from Counter-Strike 2 alongside unveiling its return to Rainbow Six Siege esports.
The North American esports organisation says it has ‘no immediate plans‘ to re-enter Counter-Strike esports.
Cloud9 has fielded a roster in Counter-Strike since 2014. In the past nine years, the organisation has secured several tournament victories including becoming the only organisation from the North American region to win a Major (ELEAGUE Boston 2018).
The decision to step back from Counter-Strike was confirmed on February 14th, 2025 with the departure of Konstantin ‘groove’ Pikiner and team manager Aleksandr ‘sweety10’ Scherbakov.
Cloud9 last competed in Counter-Strike during the Perfect World Shanghai Major in late 2024. The organisation lost to Team Liquid, PaiN and Complexity during the Opening Stage, resulting in the team failing to qualify for the playoffs.
Despite the organisation’s history in Counter-Strike, the team’s last significant trophy occurred in 2023 (Relog Media’s Brazy Party).
Re-entering Rainbow Six
On February 15th, Cloud9 revealed plans to enter Rainbow Six esports, becoming one of 20 teams that are part of Ubisoft’s partner programme.
Teams in the partner programme will earn revenue generated by the sale of pro-team bundles from Rainbow Six’s in-game store.
Cloud9 was one of two teams announced during the Six Invitational 2025 to join the partner programme. Brazilian organisation LOUD became the 20th and final team for the 2025 season.
The organisation has yet to reveal a roster for the 2025 season. The last time Cloud9 competed in Rainbow Six was the 2021 Six Invitational where it placed in the top sixteen.
The entrance of Cloud9 into Rainbow Six Siege marks another notable North American organisation competing in Ubisoft’s tactical shooter. The organisation joins the likes of FaZe Clan, M80 and Spacestation Gaming who also field rosters, albeit the former represents Brazil.
Outside of Counter-Strike and Rainbow Six, Cloud9’s League of Legends team has undergone a name change for 2025. In partnership with KIA, the organisation will compete as Cloud9 KIA for the entirety of the League of the Americas (LTA) season.
The post Cloud9 ‘steps back’ from Counter-Strike 2, announces Rainbow Six return appeared first on Esports Insider.
