Astralis confirm dev1ce sale, plans to go international for 2026

Astralis, one of the last bastions of national Counter-Strike, has confirmed its plans to field an international roster in 2026. While revealing that its iconic AWPer dev1ce had been sold to another organization and Magisk will not be continuing with the team, it said that “their replacements may potentially be recruited from the international scene.”

dev1ce out – 100 Thieves loading?

Astralis confirmed dev1ce’s sale, which is widely assumed to be to 100 Thieves, claiming that “although it has been a difficult decision for both parties, the timing is right.” The AWPer has struggled to find individual form throughout 2025, and a change in scenery may be needed for him to get back to his best.

In presumably joining 100 Thieves, dev1ce will reunite with his former IGL gla1ve, who is taking up coaching responsibilities for the project.

Astralis also stated that Magisk’s short-term contract will expire on December 31st as expected, and there will be no extension with another of the organization’s legendary players.

Astralis “signals a new international direction” for 2026

As part of its announcement, the Danish organization revealed that the plan for next year may involve picking up players from outside the country in order to remain competitive in the future.

Astralis CEO Jonas Gundersen said this:

“We have big ambitions for Astralis, and we need to revitalize the team. Astralis is Danish – with a Danish core and a clear identity. The support we experience all across the country means an incredible amount to us, and we will continue to be the team that brings Danes together. At the same time, we have a responsibility toward our fans, partners, and everyone who is part of the Astralis family, regardless of where they come from. We must always strive to become the best version of ourselves and continuously work toward reaching higher. Therefore, we are not limiting ourselves to a single market when recruiting new players. We are in a phase where we will continue to build throughout 2026, and our primary focus will be on quality and the overall direction of new additions. This is a new and exciting time for Astralis, and something we will share much more about later. Right now, however, it is about saying a proper goodbye – and hopefully, see you again.”

In the past, both HooXi and Staehr have played on international lineups before. However, jabbi’s past only includes Danish teams, so how he transitions to English will be a situation to watch throughout 2026.

With this change, Astralis become one of the final holdouts to drop the ambitions of national Counter-Strike in pursuit of trophies. It’s an approach that worked for FURIA this year, who became one of the most competitive teams in the world after picking up YEKINDAR and molodoy. On the flipside, The MongolZ and Aurora remain two of the only teams to retain their identity and enjoy some success at the top. International is undoubtedly the meta, and there’s certainly a hint of sadness to see Astralis ditch its roots in such a way.