Team Spirit has officially signed Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich, bringing him in from HEROIC to replace Miroslav “zont1x” Plakhotia, who requested to be benched for personal reasons.
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zont1x Steps Away from Competition
The move comes after Spirit confirmed that zont1x himself asked to step back from competition. The Russian rifler has been a mainstay in Spirit’s lineup since his promotion from the academy team in mid-2023, where he joined alongside donk and ArtFr0st.
During his time with the main roster, zont1x played a key role in the team’s rise to the top of Counter-Strike 2, helping Spirit secure multiple elite titles, including IEM Katowice 2024, the BLAST Spring Final 2024, and the Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024.
Spirit acknowledged his contributions and left the door open for his return, while respecting his decision to take a break.
tN1R Joins from HEROIC as Spirit’s New Rifler
Spirit has acquired the Belarusian rifler tN1R from HEROIC to fill the gap. The 20-year-old joined HEROIC earlier this year, stepping in after Linus “nilo” Bergman took a leave of absence. In just eight months with the Danish organization, tN1R established himself as one of the most promising young players.
He has an impressive 1.19 LAN rating across 74 maps, which shows his consistency and impact. His aggressive style and strong fragging ability make him a good fit for Spirit, which seeks to maintain its status among the world’s elite.
A New Chapter for Spirit’s CS2 Roster
Spirit enters this new chapter after a mixed 2025 campaign. Despite lifting two trophies in the year’s first half, the team struggled to consistently match the dominance of rivals like MOUZ and Vitality. A previous roster change saw Ivan “zweih” Gogin join in place of Magixx, and now tN1R’s arrival marks a further shift as Spirit searches for stability and renewed momentum.
Team Spirit’s Current Lineup (September 2025)
- Leonid “chopper” Vishnyakov
- Danil “donk” Kryshkovets
- Dmitry “sh1ro” Sokolov
- Ivan “zweih” Gogin
- Andrey “tN1R” Tatarinovich
What’s Next for Spirit Ahead of ESL Pro League Season 22
With ESL Pro League Season 22 on the horizon, all eyes will be on Spirit’s new-look roster. The signing of tN1R is supposed to give Spirit a boost in raw firepower, but success will depend on how quickly the team can integrate him into their system.
For Spirit, the signing is both a gamble and an opportunity — a chance to revitalize their campaign and reassert themselves as one of the most dangerous squads in the world.
