Official: Ninjas in Pyjamas Bench Michel “ewjerkz” Pinto

Official: Ninjas in Pyjamas Bench Michel “ewjerkz” Pinto
Ninjas in Pyjamas make roster change as part of ongoing rebuild efforts

Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP) have officially announced that Portuguese rifler Michel “ewjerkz” Pinto has been moved to the team’s inactive roster, confirming earlier reports from RTP Arena and other insiders. The decision marks a significant change for NiP heading into the 2026 competitive season and continues a period of fluctuation within the historic organization’s Counter-Strike 2 lineup. 

The 25-year-old Portuguese player joined the Swedish organization at the beginning of the 2025 season alongside fellow countryman Rafael “arrozdoce” Wing after both impressed as part of SAW’s strong performances on the international CS2 circuit. However, despite early promise, the pair struggled to consistently convert that potential into results in the NiP project. 

Performance and Role Struggles

According to HLTV’s reporting, ewjerkz’s performance in his role as a space-taking rifler did not meet the team’s expectations. While he finished the year with an approximate 1.08 overall rating, his rating over the last three months of competition dipped to 1.00, illustrating a general decline in impactful play. NiP’s coaching staff and analysts reportedly attempted to adjust his responsibilities through the season — including after the arrival of Kacper “xKacpersky” Gabara on loan from ENCE — but the team ultimately decided a change was necessary. 

Ewjerkz had been entrusted with aggressive, high-impact positions within NiP’s tactics, often asked to take control of first contact situations or open up space for his teammates. Unfortunately, the statistics and internal evaluations suggest he was unable to consistently deliver at the level required for those tasks. 

Current NiP Lineup

Following the benching of ewjerkz, NiP’s active lineup consists of:

• Marco “Snappi” Pfeiffer – In-game leader (Denmark)

• Rasmus “sjuush” Beck – Rifler (Denmark)

• Artem “r1nkle” Moroz – AWPer (Ukraine)

• Kacper “xKacpersky” Gabara – Rifler (Poland; currently on loan from ENCE)

• Richard “Xizt” Landström – Coach (Sweden)

NiP have not yet confirmed who will permanently fill the empty fifth spot currently open in the active lineup. Discussions around whether xKacpersky’s loan will be converted into a full-time signing are ongoing, and further announcements are expected in the coming weeks. 

Background: 2025 Rebuild and Past Changes

The benching of ewjerkz is part of a larger rebuilding effort that NiP embarked on at the start of 2025. Earlier in the year, the organization overhauled its roster, bringing in Snappi as the new in-game leader alongside sjuush, arrozdoce, and ewjerkz to support rising talent r1nkle. This represented a departure from NiP’s long history of fielding primarily Scandinavian players, as the roster shifted toward a more international blend of talent with an emphasis on long-term growth. 

Prior roster changes included the departure of veteran Fredrik “REZ” Sterner, who left NiP after a lengthy tenure with the organization, and benching of other players as part of the broader effort to rebuild NiP’s competitive fortunes. 

Team Struggles and Major Results

NiP’s 2025 campaign produced mixed results. The team failed to secure any major tournament trophies, endured several early exits at high-profile events like IEM and RMR qualifiers, and ultimately did not achieve a deep run at the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025. These results catalyzed internal discussions among the leadership about further structural and roster changes necessary to elevate the team back into the upper echelons of the CS2 competitive landscape. 

Potential Replacements and Ongoing Rumors

While NiP have not made an official announcement regarding ewjerkz’s replacement, insider reports and speculation from credible industry sources indicate that NiP may pursue Artem “cairne” Mushynskyi — currently of Inner Circle — as a potential new fifth. Reports aired on platforms like RTP Arena and secondary esports sites suggest discussions have taken place, though nothing has been formally confirmed by the club. 

These discussions reflect NiP’s ambition to find a player capable of strengthening the team’s core firepower and tactical flexibility after a challenging year of results that fell short of expectations. 

Career Summary: ewjerkz

Michel “ewjerkz” Pinto began his professional Counter-Strike career as a standout performer in smaller European squads before rising to prominence with SAW, where he and arrozdoce helped the team achieve notable placements at large international LAN events. His individual style — characterized by aggression and a willingness to engage in high-pressure duels — made him a compelling prospect for larger organisations seeking explosive rifling talent. 

His time in NiP marks his first major stint with a legacy organisation in CS2, and while his tenure showed promise, it ultimately did not translate into the consistent impact the team required. As NiP continue to refine the roster throughout the offseason, the future of ewjerkz’s competitive career — whether remaining with NiP in a different capacity, transferring to another team, or taking time off — remains undetermined at this time.