cadiaN out of Heroic, is the legendary IGL retired?

William Davis Published 04/10/2023

Longtime Heroic captain Casper “cadiaN” Møller has left the squad’s active roster, leading many longtime CS fans to think he’s retired from competitive play.

Heroic is one of Counter-Strike’s most storied rosters. The streaky squad is known for pulling off big upsets while also falling victim to them, but the team’s heart has always been cadiaN. The outspoken captain has led the team to a dozen championships since joining in 2019, but the long run of success may have reached its end as he has formally left the starting roster.

Does this move mean that cadiaN has retired? Or could he search for a new team to lead to victory?

The roster change was announced on October 4, 2023, through Heroic’s official social media channels. The decision, which was publicized as mutual, has cadiaN on the bench while another player will take his place in the server. Heroic has not announced a replacement yet, but whoever they pick will not have much time to prepare. Heroic is scheduled to play in the Thunderpick World Championship starting October 27.

The move puts an end to the year and a half years of partnership between the player and the organization. cadiaN first joined after North’s legendary run in 2019 and quickly assumed the role of both IGl and AWPer. While the squad’s roster has been constantly evolving, the captain was the bedrock of the team throughout its highs and lows. The Heroic brand and cadiaN were practically synonymous, making the benching a shock, but don’t think the shotcalling sniper is retired just yet. 

Is cadiaN retired after leaving Heroic?

While leaving Heroic is a big move for him, cadiaN has confirmed that he is not retired and plans to join or start a new team for Counter-Strike 2.

Shortly after the announcement went public, cadiaN took to his own social media to discuss his plans moving forward. In the statement, he expressed a desire to continue playing professionally.

“Looking ahead, my time has come for new adventures, and I am feeling very confident about my future,” said cadiaN.

As for where cadiaN will end up, it will likely be an all-Danish team. There aren’t many slots available at the top level, though Astralis is a possible option if Benjamin “blameF” Bremer is willing to give up his shot-calling position. There is also a chance he branches out for an international roster, though there are few teams currently looking for a new IGL.

Read Also

Counter-Strike

IEM Cologne Major 2026 CS2 Stage 3 Pick’Em Predictions Owen Harsono It’s that time of the year again, as the next Counter-Strike 2 Major is right around the corner. The IEM Cologne 2026 Major is set to start on June 2, meaning you still have some time to lock in your Pick’Em predictions. The Pick’Em Challenge is one of the most exciting parts of the CS2 Majors, as it allows you to test your knowledge and predict which teams make it ...

Counter-Strike

Team Spirit concede just 10 rounds in Stage 2 of the IEM Cologne Major Owen Harsono It was pretty weird seeing Team Spirit having to start the IEM Cologne Major from Stage 2, but they quickly proved why that was a mistake. With donk shooting on all fronts, the Eastern Europeans speed ran the competition to book their spot in Stage 3. With how they’ve been playing, it’s hard not to wonder whether they can actually win the entire thing. These boys can sometimes be known ...

Counter-Strike

BIG pull off 0-12 comeback to stay alive – IEM Cologne Major Stage 1 recap Owen Harsono We’ve just witnessed arguably the worst choke in Counter-Strike Major history, and we’re only on the first stage of the IEM Cologne Major. If you didn’t tune into the Stage 1 matches, here’s what you need to know heading into Stage 2. Many fans tend to underestimate Stage 1 teams for fair reasons, but some survivors in this tournament look extremely promising. Two Eastern European teams, BetBoom Team and B8, ...

Counter-Strike

Who will win the IEM Cologne Major 2026? Owen Harsono If you’re looking to play it safe and back one team at the Counter-Strike 2 IEM Cologne 2026 Major, traders prediction markets platforms have a clear frontrunner – it’s Team Vitality. But if it’s not meant to be, there are a few other candidates that could lift the trophy. Here’s what traders on Polymarket and Kalshi think. If you haven’t been watching CS2 this year and are only jumping on ...

Counter-Strike

The 10 best CS2 players who have never won a Major Owen Harsono In Counter-Strike, winning a Major immediately puts you into legend status. It’s an achievement that proves you won the game’s biggest trophy. However, there have been some really good players that could never get their hands on the biggest trophy that Counter-Strike esports has to offer. Here is WIN.gg's list of best CS2 players who have never won a Major. ScreaM is one of Counter-Strike's most famous players for one ...

Counter-Strike

IEM Cologne Major 2026: All the teams, favorites, and outright betting odds Owen Harsono Mark your calendars, as the IEM Cologne Major kicks off on June 2, 2026. We’re going to see the best teams in the world compete, but which ones are actually favored to take the title? This will be the first time in 10 years that IEM Cologne will return as a Counter-Strike Major, so the stakes this year are much higher than they’ve been in a decade. In this guide, ...

Esports Betting

All IEM Cologne winners and rosters in Counter-Strike history Owen Harsono IEM Cologne is one of Counter-Strike’s biggest events, happening every single year. Some seasons, the event is labeled as one of Valve’s two Counter-Strike Majors of the year, but if not, still stands as one of the big events every player chases to win. With the IEM Cologne 2026 Major right around the corner, let’s take a trip down memory lane and check out every single winner of the tournament, ...