Fnatic Announce Major Roster Overhaul: blameF Transferred, Maden Signed

Fnatic Announce Major Roster Overhaul: blameF Transferred, Maden Signed

British esports organization fnatic have confirmed a significant change to their Counter-Strike 2 roster ahead of the 2026 competitive season. On January 9, 2026, the club announced that Benjamin “blameF” Bremer has been transferred to a new team, while Pavle “Maden” Bošković has been signed as his replacement in the starting lineup. 

Fnatic publicly framed the move as part of a strategic restructuring meant to align with their long-term vision. In an official statement, the organization stated that they identified “the need to shift towards a more proactive, entry-focused, and aggressive rifler approach” — a description that points directly to the role that Maden is expected to fill within the team. 

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blameF’s Departure: New Chapter at BIG

blameF’s exit ends an impactful 18-month run with fnatic. The Danish rifler first joined the British side in May 2024 and quickly became the team’s standout performer, finishing as their highest-rated player throughout much of 2025. 

According to reports, blameF will continue his career with German organization BIG, where he has been signed as the team’s new in-game leader (IGL). This appointment marks a clear vote of confidence in his leadership and tactical acumen — aspects of his playstyle that extend beyond raw fragging. BIG also announced the addition of Tizian “tiziaN” Feldbusch as an assistant coach, bringing further veteran experience to their roster. 

As BIG’s new IGL, blameF replaces Lukas “FreeZe” Hegmann, who had a brief tenure leading up to this change. The move signals BIG’s clear intention to challenge at the highest level in 2026 and potentially regain their place among Counter-Strike’s elite organizations. 

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Maden: Proven Competitor with Experience to Spare

To fill the void left by blameF, fnatic have brought in 27-year-old Pavle “Maden” Bošković, a veteran rifler with a long résumé across European Counter-Strike. Prior to joining fnatic, Maden spent most of the 2025 season competing with Zero Tenacity, where he maintained a solid 1.08 HLTV rating across a large sample of competitive maps. 

Earlier in 2025, Maden also played in the Roman Imperium Cup III with Ninjas in Pyjamas (NIP), helping them secure the tournament title despite not being part of NIP’s regular roster. 

Maden’s most notable achievement on paper remains his role in ENCE’s victory at IEM Dallas 2023, a highlight on his long competitive timeline. That success helped establish him as one of the more reliable and experienced riflers on the European circuit. 

While some may argue that he isn’t a one-for-one replacement for blameF’s level of impact, Maden’s addition does signal fnatic’s desire to embrace a different tactical identity. According to fnatic, his arrival is aligned with a renewed team philosophy focused more on space-taking and aggressive map control. 

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Fnatic’s Roster After the Change

With Maden now part of the main lineup, fnatic’s CS2 roster for early 2026 looks like this:

• Pavle “Maden” Bošković — Rifler (New signing)

• Rodion “fEAR” Smyk — Rifle / Secondary roles

• Dmytro “jambo” Semera — AWPer / Sniper

• Freddy “KRIMZ” Johansson — Veteran rifle support

• Nikita “jackasmo” Skyba — Young rifler / prospect

• Miks “Independent” Siliņš — Interim coach
  (Based on confirmed HLTV 2026 listings) 

This lineup will make its first appearance at the BLAST Bounty Season 1 event, which begins on January 12, 2026. 

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Wider Roster Implications for CS2

The fnatic-blameF-Maden move is one of the first major roster shifts of the 2026 Counter-Strike season and a signal of broader “rostermania” across top teams. With multiple orgs reshuffling for a fresh Major cycle, changes like this one are expected to create ripple effects — influencing team dynamics, strategic playstyles, and competitive balance. 

Notably, blameF’s transition from star rifler at fnatic to IGL at BIG underlines how organizations are increasingly looking for versatile leaders capable of shaping team identity, not just firepower. Meanwhile, fnatic’s choice to pivot toward a more aggressive rifler like Maden serves as a statement about how they want to approach the evolving Counter-Strike 2 meta.