Liquid confirm EU move as they sign Patsi and Rainwaker
Liquid, one of the most prestigious organizations in CS:GO, has announced the completion of two key signings as they make a transition to a European core. The North American organization has brought in Aleks "Rainwaker" Petrov and Robert "Patsi" Isyanov to bolster their roster.
The Signings:
The signing of Rainwaker from 500 comes as a replacement for Nick "nitr0" Cannella, who departed from the team in May. Rainwaker, a 22-year-old Bulgarian player, brings promising talent to Liquid. He previously played for 500, a Bulgarian roster that made it to the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023 Europe RMR B, where they achieved notable success with Rainwaker as their top fragger, boasting an impressive 1.14 rating.
With the addition of Rainwaker, Liquid deviates from their previous brand identity of having an all-North American roster. This move is likely influenced by the organization's desire to tap into the European talent pool, given the lack of tier-one-ready players in their region.
The second signing, Patsi, joins Liquid from Spirit. The Russian rifler takes the place of Jonathan "EliGE" Jablonowski, who has been benched. Patsi had been part of Spirit for over two years, initially starting in the academy setup before earning a spot on the main team. While his form dipped in 2023, he showcased impressive performance in 2022 with a 1.12 rating for the year.
The Future:
With the signings of Rainwaker and Patsi, Liquid now has a majority European roster. However, it doesn't necessarily mean that the organization will field a full European team. They currently have players from Canada, Latvia, Bulgaria, and the United States, showcasing a diverse lineup.
Liquid's roster is now as follows:
Keith "NAF" Markovic (Canada)
Josh "oSee" Ohm (United States)
Mareks "YEKINDAR" Gaļinskis (Latvia)
Aleks "Rainwaker" Petrov (Bulgaria)
Robert "Patsi" Isyanov (Russia)
Damian "daps" Steele continues to serve as the team's coach.
EliGE, Liquid's long-standing player, has confirmed a move to Complexity Gaming.
This roster overhaul marks Liquid's shift towards a European majority and signals their determination to compete at the highest level with the new additions.