Thorin steps down as creative director at Flashpoint

Duncan “Thorin” Shields has decided to not renew his contract with Flashpoint, criticizing the management of the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive tournament organizer.

The 39-year-old joined Flashpoint in February 2020 as a creative director and on-air analyst. He became the public face of the company as he tried to help revolutionize the professional CSGO landscape. But he claims to have never been given the means to make a real impact.

Flashpoint is a tournament organized under the FACEIT banner, initially replacing the European Championship Series. The league is co-owned by its founding teams, bringing a franchise mechanism to CSGO.

The first season of Flashpoint ended in March 2020 with Danish squad MAD Lions winning the final over MIBR. The second season was won by Virtus.pro, who beat OG to win the trophy. A third season has not yet been announced.

In an hour-long video on his personal YouTube channel, Thorin criticizes several figures involved with the project. He claims that while he was the creative director, he was never given the creative freedom to make the event a success. He also lashes out at several team owners, accusing them of breaking promises and never truly believing in the project.

In the video, Thorin mentions his involvement in a new project. He remains vague about his future, saying that he will “reveal more in an upcoming, monetized video.” Reflecting on his performance as a creative director, he claims that he went above and beyond expectations. 

Who is Duncan “Thorin” shields?

Duncan “Thorin” Shields is a journalist and broadcast analyst. He’s known for hosting several interview shows on YouTube, where he and his co-hosts and guests dissect the happenings in the pro scenes of such games as CSGO, League of Legends, and more.