BC.Game Reportedly Contacted Team Spirit Over Possible CS2 Roster Deal — HLTV Editor Says

On January 14, 2026, Milan “Striker” Švejda, the editor-in-chief of HLTV.org and a respected voice in the Counter-Strike esports community, shared a surprising rumor on the HLTV Confirmed podcast: he claimed to have *heard that BC.Game Esports made attempts to contact Team Spirit about potentially buying their Counter-Strike 2 roster — or at least its core players. According to Striker, this would involve negotiating with one of the most high-profile CS2 teams in the world, a move he described as “the craziest thing I’ve heard so far.” 

Striker did not present this as confirmed fact, but rather as information he had come across through industry conversations. He emphasized that, as of now, it remains unverified whether any formal offer was ever made or how Team Spirit responded. 

Context: BC.Game’s Active Roster Moves in 2025–26

BC.Game Esports itself has been one of the most talked-about organizations in Counter-Strike 2 over the past year. Founded in 2024 as the competitive arm of the gambling and entertainment brand BC.Game, the team quickly drew attention by signing a number of recognizable professional players, including Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev and Denis “electroNic” Sharipov — two former top-tier talents with extensive major-level experience. 

In late 2025 and early 2026, BC.Game’s CS2 roster underwent significant restructuring. Following the acquisition of s1mple in July 2025 and electroNic in October 2025, the organization also purchased points for three players from the Portuguese team SAW — an approach similar to a buyout in traditional sports. 

These acquisitions are part of a broader strategy by BC.Game to rapidly build a competitive lineup and climb the Valve Regional Standings (VRS), which determine invites and seeding for major Valve-sanctioned events. In fact, BC.Game is currently ranked inside the top 30 globally, thanks to its new roster and results from tier-two and tier-one qualifiers. 

Rumors from multiple CS2 communities also suggest that BC.Game showed interest in players from Astralis and other established organizations, although again no official agreements were confirmed. 

Who Are Team Spirit and Why It Matters

Team Spirit is one of the most recognizable esports organizations in the world, with championship titles in multiple titles — most notably in Dota 2, where they won The International in both 2021 and 2023. Their CS2 team has also been a consistent contender since the transition from CS:GO, with a roster that has included standout players such as Danil “donk” Kryshkovets and others who have placed Spirit among the top competitive teams. 

Spirit’s lineup has undergone its own changes. Late in 2025, after the StarLadder Budapest Major, the organization rearranged its roster, bringing back some benched players and changing leadership roles — moves aimed at stabilizing a unit that has struggled with consistency despite its talent. 

Given Spirit’s stature and competitive pedigree, the idea that BC.Game — a relatively young organization — might seek to acquire either the full roster or just its core players would be a major shake-up in the CS2 ecosystem if substantiated. However, there has been no official announcement from either BC.Game or Team Spirit confirming that formal negotiations took place. Striker’s comments remain categorized as “industry rumor” until verified by additional evidence. 

Wider Implications and Rostermania Trends

The esports community has now entered a period often referred to informally as “rostermania” — a phase where organizations aggressively pursue talent, sometimes at prices that previously seemed unlikely. Discussions in public forums and fan communities highlight that major players or high-impact talent can command buyout offers rumored to be in the seven or eight-figure range, leading to speculation that traditional team hierarchies might change dramatically. 

This broader market context adds some plausibility to Striker’s comments: teams are experimenting with roster construction strategies, including purchasing player points or negotiating buyouts, and not just relying on signing free agents. BC.Game’s moves with SAW and reported interest in Astralis players reflect this emerging trend within CS2.

No Confirmed Deals Yet

Despite the speculation, there is no verified record of a completed deal between BC.Game and Team Spirit. Sources close to Spirit have not publicly commented on any such offer, and Spirit has been focused publicly on internal roster improvements rather than transfers. Meanwhile, BC.Game continues to prepare for its competitive schedule, which includes IEM Kraków Stage 1 in late January 2026 — its next major competitive appearance — further underscoring the organization’s intent to cement its position within the top echelons of CS2 competition.