k0nfig retires to become a player agent: “I don’t want to see anyone else go through what I’ve gone through”

Kristian “k0nfig” Wienecke has announced his retirement from professional Counter-Strike and says his next chapter will be representing players as an agent—aiming to protect and mentor talent using lessons from a decade on tier-one servers. “It’s been 10 years… it’s hard to say retirement… but I’m ready to say it,” he told HLTV. “It feels right. That’s why I’m making the decision to retire from competitive play… I don’t think that if I said yes to join a team it would be a responsible decision.” 

Wienecke framed the move as both a full stop and a way to ensure others avoid the pitfalls he experienced. “I want to play a supportive role, I know what’s on the other side… I don’t want to see anyone else go through what I’ve gone through because it breaks you,” he said, adding that while he still believes he could “dominate” after a week of hard practice, the grind and personal costs no longer make sense. 

Career arc: from meteoric rise to a turbulent final act

k0nfig exploded onto the scene in 2015 and was a Big Event champion by late 2016, lifting EPICENTER: Moscow with Dignitas and earning his first HLTV MVP there. “When Dignitas called me… it was kind of magical,” he recalled of those early days. 

The Danish rifler’s aggressive, showman style brought highlight reels and polarizing charisma. But the high-wire approach masked deeper pressure. “His confidence… was also a mask for someone who never felt like he was good enough,” the HLTV profile notes in the retirement piece. 

A pivotal low came after ESL Pro League S16 in 2022: an altercation in Malta led to severe injuries and, soon after, a mutual split with Astralis. He later reflected, “I’m the only one to blame,” calling it an outburst under “extreme amounts of pressure.” 

He returned two months later as a stand-in for HEROIC at the BLAST World Final and briefly had interest as a stand-in for FaZe at BLAST Spring Groups 2023, though that plan fell through due to registration rules. “It’s been a long time since I had this fire inside of me,” he said around the HEROIC stint. 

In early 2023, Ninjas in Pyjamas signed him on a long-term deal; he attended the BLAST Paris Major with NIP and came one win shy of playoffs. His time with the team ended in early 2024 after a failed Copenhagen RMR, and he formally departed NIP in April 2025. 

Across 1,700+ maps, k0nfig maintained a career 1.07 rating (1.0), peaking at #14 in HLTV’s Top 20 in 2017 and collecting MVPs at EPICENTER 2016 and DreamHack Open Montreal 2017. 

What he says he’ll bring to agency work

In stepping away, Wienecke emphasized safeguarding players’ mental health and decision-making. “During this year, while I’ve been absent, there hasn’t been a day that I haven’t thought about all of the different emotions and things I went through,” he told HLTV, adding that he wants to pass the maturity he’s gained to the next generation. 

Related coverage & on-record quotes

Retirement interview (primary source). Full HLTV feature with extensive quotes about the decision, burnout, and plans as an agent. 

Astralis split (Oct 2022). Astralis and k0nfig part ways following the Malta incident. 

Malta injuries report. Contemporary coverage of the nightclub altercation and the extent of his injuries. 

HEROIC stand-in (Dec 2022). Announcement that he would replace stavn at the BLAST World Final; HEROIC exited early. 

NIP signing (Jan 2023). k0nfig joins Ninjas in Pyjamas on a long-term contract.

Paris Major return (July 2023). “After my time in Astralis, I didn’t expect to be at a Major for a long time.” 

NIP departure (Apr 2025). Ends his stint after missing the Copenhagen Major via RMR in early 2024. 

Peak accolades. EPICENTER: Moscow title and MVP; Dignitas’ 2016 run. 

Additional player quotes from past interviews

On rediscovering motivation during the HEROIC stand-in: “It’s been a long time since I had this fire inside of me.” (Dec 2022). 

On chaos and adjustment in early 2023: “Stuff is gonna be f*cked for some time and we just have to accept it.” (IEM Katowice interview). 

On unexpectedly returning to the Major stage with NIP in 2023: “I didn’t expect to be at a Major for a long time.” 

Career snapshot (verified)

Teams: Dignitas → North → OpTic → Complexity → Astralis → HEROIC (stand-in) → Ninjas in Pyjamas. 

Notable trophies/MVPs: EPICENTER: Moscow 2016 (champion & MVP); DreamHack Open Montreal 2017 (MVP). 

All-time stats: 1,700+ maps; career rating ~1.07 (1.0).