Heroic benches Mertz from roster, adds NaToSaphiX from LPSP
Heroic has had a rough month and is making some changes to its Counter-Strike: Global Offensive roster as a result.
The team announced on
Twitter
that Daniel “mertz” Mertz has been deactivated from the team’s active roster. Heroic then announced that Niels Christian “NaToSaphiX” Sillassen has been added to the lineup to replace him.
“I’ve been staying patient for a few months now, but it’s time to get back on the grind,” NaToSaphiX said in a statement on the
Heroic website. “I’ve found the team I want to commit to and I’m hoping for a long, lasting and successful journey with Heroic!”
Heroic has long stood out as one of the better CS:GO teams in Europe, but has had serious trouble qualifying for prominent events in recent months. This started in December with the team washing out of the closed qualifiers to the Katowice Europe Minor and has played out on many occasions in the months since, with Heroic falling short of such events as ECS Season 7 and DreamHack Masters Dallas 2019.
The team landed on its first big stage this year at Intel Extreme Masters XIV Sydney, but was among the first eliminations from the event. Though Mertz wasn’t the sole reasons for the team’s early exit from Australia, he certainly didn’t have the sort of impact the team was hoping for.
Replacing Mertz is NaToSaphiX. Best known for his time with Sprout, he has enjoyed decent success playing in various European and CIS events. He left Sprout in December alongside teammate Martin “PERCY” Wessel and has competed with LPSP! In recent months.
Heroic represents a major step up in his career and it will be interesting to see how he stacks up against stiffer competition.
As for Mertz, no details were given on what the future holds for him. Heroic’s announcement succinctly noted that he has been deactivated indefinitely. Mertz has not yet made a statement of his own on the move.
The new Heroic lineup is debuting in the qualifiers to ESL One Cologne.
Steven Rondina
About Steven Rondina
Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.
View full profile
Read Also
Counter-Strike
ENVY Returns to Counter-Strike After Five Years, Picking Up an “Unpaid” 3DMAX Roster
Owen Harsono
North American esports organization ENVY has officially made its return to Counter-Strike. After putting its CS:GO division on hold in 2021, the org returns by signing the full former 3DMAX roster, so they aren't starting from scratch. ENVY is not only a massive esports organization, but also a legendary one in Counter-Strike. The org fielded one of the strongest French rosters in history, winning the DreamHack Open Cluj-Napoca Major in ...
Valorant
Complexity Gaming shuts down after 23 years – Here’s what we know
Khizar Mundia
Esports organization Complexity Gaming is ending its 23-year run, as its founder announces its shutdown. Complexity is an organization that has been around since the early days of esports. The organization had rosters in multiple games, including Counter-Strike and Valorant. Despite this, Complexity’s CS roster was the most famous, as it won several major events. This is why it was a surprise for fans to hear that Complexity is shutting ...
Counter-Strike
Team Vitality vs FURIA: Predictions and best picks for StarLadder StarSeries 2026
Owen Harsono
We have a clash of titans in the StarLadder StarSeries Fall consolidation final, as Team Vitality will take on FURIA for a grand final spot. Both teams have shown signs of shakiness throughout the event, so expect some scrappy Counter-Strike. Here are our Team Vitality vs FURIA predictions. Tournament: StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 Stage: Playoffs – Lower Bracket Final Game: Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) Format: Best of 3 Betting tip: These ...
Counter-Strike
MOUZ vs FURIA: Predictions and best picks for StarLadder StarSeries 2026
Owen Harsono
MOUZ are set to take on FURIA in a do-or-die match in the $500,000 StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 lower bracket. Both teams have already suffered losses at the event, but we believe one team is in much better shape than the other. Here are our MOUZ vs FURIA predictions for September 19. Tournament: StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026 Stage: Playoffs Game: Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) Format: Best of 3 Betting tip: MOUZ ...
Counter-Strike
StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026: Teams, format, schedule, and prize pool
Owen Harsono
Top-tier Counter-Strike is back on the menu with StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026. It’s not a 16-team tournament with every top team in attendance, but it’s still bound to entertain us for a solid four days. Here’s everything you need to know about StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026. Tier 1 Counter-Strike lands in Spain again for the first time in a while, with only eight teams in attendance. StarLadder StarSeries will be ...
Counter-Strike
Team Spirit vs Team Falcons at BLAST Open Fall 2026: best predictions and picks
Owen Harsono
We’re in for a treat, as the BLAST Open Fall semi-final will feature a matchup between Team Spirit and Team Falcons, with the winner booking a spot in the grand final. It’s a battle between the world number one and number two, so this is a match you definitely don’t want to miss. Here are our BLAST Open Fall Team Spirit vs Team Falcons predictions. Tournament: BLAST Open Fall 2026 ...
Counter-Strike
Is CS2 Dying in 2026?
Owen Harsono
Counter-Strike is one of the longest-standing esports franchises, having built a loyal fanbase over the course of two decades. However, if you’ve browsed through social media platforms across the past few months, you might have seen people claiming that the game is dying or on a steady decline. Below we’ll take a look at why people are talking about this and answer the question of “is CS2 really dying?” One ...
