HEROIC Benches LNZ, Set to Bring in Chr1zN as New IGL

HEROIC Benches LNZ, Set to Bring in Chr1zN as New IGL

In a decisive move aimed at shaking up its competitive fortunes, HEROIC announced today that Swedish-in-game-leader Linus “LNZ” Holtäng has been benched from the active roster. 

✅ What happens now

The change comes just days after reports indicated HEROIC would sign Danish IGL Christoffer “Chr1zN” Storgaard from OG to replace LNZ. In his announcement, HEROIC confirmed the benching of LNZ and cited the reports of interest in Chr1zN. 

LNZ commented on the decision in a post on X (formerly Twitter):

“It’s been a very tough year with lots of challenges coming my way, and I can proudly say I did everything in my power to make the best out of it and learn to be a better captain and person for my team … My drive to prove myself has not changed as I will spend the rest of the year looking for a new team to represent.” 

🔍 Background context

LNZ joined HEROIC at the beginning of 2025 when the organisation signed the core of Sangal, including Simon “yxngstxr” Boije and Yasin “xfl0ud” Koç.  Despite some early promise—top-eight finishes at events such as BLAST Bounty Season 1, IEM Dallas, and the Esports World Cup—the team failed to build consistent momentum and missed out on the qualification zone for the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025. 

For HEROIC, 2025 has been a roller-coaster: after winning the MESA Nomadic Masters Spring and making Stage 2 of the Austin Major, the side couldn’t sustain steady results, leading to internal questions about structure and leadership. 

🎯 The Chr1zN factor

Chr1zN, aged 19, is widely regarded as one of the up-and-coming IGLs from Denmark. He was recently benched at OG and is now linked to joining HEROIC. According to reports from Sheep Esports, HEROIC paid a buy-out to OG to bring him in.

Of particular note is his previous working relationship with HEROIC’s coach, Tobias “TOBIZ” Theo — the two collaborated at MOUZ NXT, which may give the roster a more established strategic backbone. 

📌 What this means

• For HEROIC: A significant shift in leadership and structure. By bringing in a young but highly-regarded IGL, they are signalling a longer-term rebuild rather than just a short-term fix.

• For LNZ: His tenure at HEROIC ends after almost one year; now he will explore new opportunities.

• For the roster: The expected lineup with Chr1zN will be: Chr1zN (IGL) + yxngstxr + xfl0ud + nilo + Alkaren (on loan from Spirit) with TOBIZ as coach. (The organisation still needs to make a decision on Alkaren’s future.)

⚠️ Looking ahead

The change comes at a critical juncture: HEROIC must regain momentum before the next major event. With only fragmented consistency so far in 2025, the integration of Chr1zN will be closely watched in both regional and global competitions. Meanwhile, the wider CS2 scene is undergoing extensive roster reshuffles, and this move places HEROIC firmly in that wave of generational change.