Astralis Confirm Magisk’s Return — Stavn Steps Back

Astralis Confirm Magisk’s Return — Stavn Steps Back

Date: September 1, 2025

Summary: Danish esports organization Astralis has confirmed the return of rifler Emil “Magisk” Reif, who will be stepping in for Martin “stavn” Lund, who is temporarily stepping back from the lineup due to "personal reasons".

Background & Significance

Magisk’s return reunites him with Astralis after nearly four years away—from early 2018 until late 2021—during which he earned three Major titles and numerous other victories with the team.

Context: Astralis Under Pressure

The move comes at a turbulent moment for Astralis. The organization has been reported to explore a potential sale, and financial disclosures have revealed difficulties, despite substantial investment in the Counter‑Strike division.

Astralis have also suffered a symbolic performance downturn, failing to qualify for five consecutive Majors—a sequence that significantly bruised their reputation. However, recent improvements in results—including two runner-up finishes at PGL Astana and FISSURE Playground 1—occurred after former Copenhagen Flames and G2 in-game leader Rasmus “HooXi” Nielsen joined the team.

Additional Verified Context & Related Sources

Negotiation Stage & Team Dynamics

Prior to the official confirmation, Astralis was reported to be considering bringing Magisk back, pending his release from Team Falcons. Sources suggested that stavn was likely to be replaced if the transfer took place.

Career Notes on Magisk

Magisk (born 5 March 1998) is a highly decorated Danish rifler. His career highlights include:

Four CS:GO Major championships—with three in a row while at Astralis.

Major MVP at IEM Katowice 2019.

Named among HLTV’s Top 20 Players multiple times (2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023).

After leaving Astralis in December 2021, he joined Team Vitality in January 2022, and later moved to Team Falcons in December 2023.

Player or Community Perspectives (Social Media)

There’s no confirmed public quote from Magisk or Astralis at this time, but social media reactions include a repost from Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen sharing the HLTV article.

A sentiment from a fan on X (formerly Twitter) reads:

“call me crazy and delusional lvl 7 who knows nothing … but I think this is good for Astralis.”

Such comments reflect optimism that Magisk’s return could reinvigorate the roster.