TL;DR
- RFRSH Entertainment seeks new majority shareholders for Astralis and Origen
- Strategic shift focuses on expanding BLAST Pro Series tournament operations
- Astralis faced criticism for prioritizing RFRSH-owned tournaments over other events
- Both teams maintain strong competitive positions despite organizational changes
- Separation addresses conflict of interest concerns while maintaining tournament participation
In a significant esports industry development, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive powerhouse Astralis and League of Legends European Championship (LEC) competitor Origen are undergoing separation procedures from their parent organization RFRSH Entertainment.
According to investigative reporting from HLTV, the Danish holding company is actively pursuing new majority ownership arrangements for both competitive franchises. This strategic realignment stems directly from RFRSH’s intensified commitment to scaling its BLAST Pro Series international tournament circuit. While financial specifics regarding the valuation of RFRSH’s stake remain undisclosed, CEO Nikolaj Nyholm indicated the transaction should conclude before the StarLadder Berlin Major commences on August 23.
This organizational shift represents substantial news for competitive gaming enthusiasts across both the CS:GO and League of Legends ecosystems. The move addresses longstanding concerns about tournament organizer-team ownership relationships while potentially reshaping competitive dynamics.
Astralis recently completed what many analysts consider the most dominant competitive period in modern Counter-Strike history. Between March 2018 and April 2019, the Danish roster secured twelve premier international championships, including back-to-back Major victories at the FACEIT Major: London and IEM Katowice Major. While their performance has shown some regression in recent months, the squad maintains elite status, evidenced by their top-four placement at the prestigious ESL One Cologne tournament.
Origen demonstrates comparable competitive excellence within the League of Legends sphere. The European team achieved runner-up status in the 2019 LEC Spring Split playoffs, narrowly losing to G2 Esports in the championship finals. Currently positioned fifth in the league standings, Origen remains well-situated to advance to the postseason during the ongoing 2019 Summer Split competition.
The precise catalyst for RFRSH Entertainment’s decision to divest its team assets remains unspecified, though industry observers anticipate positive reception from the CS:GO community regarding this development.
RFRSH and Astralis encountered significant community criticism throughout 2019 concerning Astralis’ tournament selection strategy. The team’s concentrated participation in BLAST Pro Series events resulted in absence from several high-profile tournaments including Intel Extreme Masters Season XIV Sydney and StarSeries & i-League CS:GO Season 7. This scheduling approach frustrated many dedicated CS:GO followers, with the situation intensifying when industry commentators raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest stemming from RFRSH owning a competing team within its own tournament series.
The BLAST tournament structure created perceptions of potential organizational favoritism. Astralis coach Danny “zonic” Sørensen defended the team’s selective tournament participation, citing scheduling efficiency and the demanding international travel requirements associated with alternative events. Despite these explanations, community sentiment toward the organization deteriorated somewhat due to this controversy.
Despite the impending organizational separation from RFRSH, Astralis maintains expectations of continued participation in BLAST Pro Series tournaments. This restructuring represents a pivotal moment for esports governance, potentially establishing new precedents for tournament organizer-team relationship boundaries.
The separation addresses a critical industry issue that has drawn increasing scrutiny as esports continues its professionalization trajectory. This move demonstrates how mature esports organizations must balance multiple business interests while maintaining competitive integrity and community trust. The resolution of this ownership situation before the Berlin Major provides stability for both teams during the crucial championship season.
Action Checklist
- Monitor official announcements from RFRSH regarding ownership transition timeline
- Track Astralis and Origen performance metrics post-separation
- Follow BLAST Pro Series scheduling for potential format changes
- Analyze tournament participation patterns across top CS:GO teams
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