Hiko is now a free agent as contract with Rogue Gaming ends
Spencer “Hiko” Martin is officially a free agent.
The Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player announced his new status on Twitter. Hiko is no longer contracted to Rogue Gaming, where he played for about three years.
This news come after Rogue shocked the community by leaving the CSGO scene over a month ago. The organization pointed towards “roster instability” as the main issue leading to its exit from the first-person shooter.
The departure took place right before StarSeries & i-League Season 7 in Shanghai. Rogue had first planned to disband the team after the competition, but a “scheduling conflict” led the organization to abruptly retire the team earlier than expected.
Without a five-man line-up, Rogue couldn’t compete at the tournament.
“It has been a great run for Rogue CS:GO,” Rogue said. “While this is not the way we wanted it to end, we thank you all for your immense support. We hope to be back in the future!”
Where will Hiko end up?
Many of Hiko’s fans are begging him to play for Cloud9 again.
Hiko became a part of Cloud9 when the organization picked up a former compLexity Gaming squad, where he was the team captain. This was before ESL One: Cologne 2014, where Cloud9’s CSGO team would make its debut.
Fans recall caster Anders Blume yelling out, “Oh my god, Hiko! Are you kidding me?” following a successful clutch against Team Dignitas.
Hiko and the rest of Cloud9’s newly acquired roster eventually faced Ninjas in Pyjamas in the quarterfinals. Hiko stood out again thanks to a flickshot where he would rotate 180 degrees at middoors on Dust 2 with a P2000. The first bullet he shot went straight into Christopher “GeT_RiGhT” Alesund’s head.
“Oh my god! Inhuman reactions!” Blume exclaimed.
Other North American teams that may also have an interest in Hiko include compLexity Gaming, Lazarus, and Bad News Bears. It’s unclear if Hiko is sticking to North America in his search for a new team.
Olivia Richman
About Olivia Richman
Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.
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