Eternal Fire Complete Their Counter-Strike 2 Lineup With Experienced Rifler “DemQQ”

Eternal Fire Complete Their Counter-Strike 2 Lineup With Experienced Rifler “DemQQ”

Turkish esports organization Eternal Fire have confirmed the signing of Ukrainian rifler Sergiy “DemQQ” Demchenko, marking the conclusion of a significant reconstruction of their CS2 roster that has been unfolding since late 2025. 

DemQQ joins Eternal Fire as the fifth player in their main Counter-Strike 2 squad following a period of extensive roster turnover. After benching three players earlier this season, the Turkish organization has now solidified its roster around a core that blends international talent with players previously associated with other competitive teams. 

According to HLTV’s report, DemQQ will officially replace Baha “lugseN” Emir Şengül in the starting lineup on February 4, 2026, once his trial period with the team ends.

DemQQ’s Background and Career Path

Sergiy “DemQQ” Demchenko is a 24-year-old professional Counter-Strike player from Ukraine who first gained broader recognition competing with the team Monte, where he played for over two and a half years. During his tenure with Monte, he enjoyed success on the tier-1 scene, including winning ESL Challenger Jönköping and reaching the quarterfinals of the BLAST.tv Paris Major 2023, and at one point helped the team reach as high as #6 in the HLTV world rankings. 

Prior to joining Eternal Fire, DemQQ most recently appeared on the roster of Passion UA, another Ukrainian-linked organization founded by former Manchester City midfielder Oleksandr Zinchenko. There, he competed as part of the rifler core until August 2025, when Passion UA announced a restructuring that resulted in DemQQ being benched along with teammates Vladyslav “Kvem” Korol and jackasmo. 

Eternal Fire’s Roster Changes and Strategic Shift

Eternal Fire’s recent roster moves represent a significant shift away from their previous competitive strategy. The organization originally built its CS2 identity around a primarily Turkish core, featuring players such as Buğra “Calyx” Arkın and Emrecan “EMSTAR” Çalışkan. Throughout 2025, the team experimented with different cohorts — briefly trying out a majority-Polish roster — but ultimately reoriented around a mixture of Turkish and international players after several departures. 

Earlier in January 2026, Eternal Fire revealed two other new members:

• Rigon “rigoN” Gashi from Switzerland, and

• Volodymyr “Woro2k” Veletniuk from Ukraine.

Woro2k is important in DemQQ’s story — the two previously played together during their time on Monte from 2022 to 2024, which means this reunion reunites a duo with established in-game chemistry. 

As a result, the full Eternal Fire CS2 roster (as of January 20, 2026) consists of:

• Buğra “Calyx” Arkın (Turkey)

• Emrecan “EMSTAR” Çalışkan (Turkey)

• Volodymyr “Woro2k” Veletniuk (Ukraine)

• Rigon “rigoN” Gashi (Switzerland)

• Sergiy “DemQQ” Demchenko (Ukraine)
  with Kadir “ElPrincipe” Sivri serving as coach.

Organizational Context and Competitive Implications

Eternal Fire, originally founded in 2021 in Turkey, has consistently worked to be a major competitive force in Counter-Strike. The organization has adjusted its CS2 approach multiple times, including a full roster rebuild in mid-2025 following the sale of their previous squad to Aurora Gaming — a transfer that saw star names like İsmailcan “XANTARES” Dörtkardeş depart under the Aurora banner earlier in the year. 

The team’s willingness to blend international players signals a strategic attempt to balance experience with adaptability and potentially unlock deeper runs at major CS2 tournaments in 2026. Having players who have competed at the highest levels of the scene (including Major quarterfinal appearances) could provide a tactical edge, especially as CS2’s competitive ecosystem becomes more global and interconnected.

For DemQQ himself, the move back into a fully active lineup after benching could represent a significant boost in his career trajectory — and a chance to re-establish himself among the best riflers in the CS2 competitive scene.