G2 Esports has officially announced the addition of Nikita “⁠HeavyGod⁠” Martynenko to their lineup. The Israeli rifler joins from Cloud9, stepping in to fill the gap left by Nikola “⁠NiKo⁠” Kovač, who recently transferred to Falcons. This move signifies a key roster adjustment for G2 as they aim to remain competitive in the upcoming season.

HeavyGod’s tenure with Cloud9 lasted just seven months, during which he showcased impressive performances. The 22-year-old maintained a solid 1.16 rating across 73 maps, highlighted by his standout 1.32 rating during the European RMR, which helped Cloud9 secure a spot at the Perfect World Shanghai Major. His departure from Cloud9 leaves the Russian organization with only one active player, Timofey “⁠interz⁠” Yakushin, as other key members have also departed for rival teams. Kaisar “⁠ICY⁠” Faiznurov recently joined Virtus.pro, while Kirill “⁠Boombl4⁠” Mikhailov and Sergey “⁠Ax1Le⁠” Rykhtorov transitioned to BetBoom.

While HeavyGod is stepping into the roster void left by NiKo, he is not anticipated to be a direct positional replacement. Instead, he will likely assume Mario “⁠malbsMd⁠” Samayoa’s anchor roles on the CT side, freeing up malbsMd to take over the high-impact roles previously played by NiKo. This strategic adjustment underlines G2’s effort to adapt to the strengths of their new roster.

With this signing, G2’s roster now features an international blend of talent, aiming for both stability and adaptability in the competitive circuit. Their current lineup includes Nemanja “⁠huNter-⁠” Kovač from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ilya “⁠m0NESY⁠” Osipov from Russia, Mario “⁠malbsMd⁠” Samayoa from Guatemala, Janusz “⁠Snax⁠” Pogorzelski from Poland, and the newly added Nikita “⁠HeavyGod⁠” Martynenko from Israel. The team is led by Polish coach Wiktor “⁠TaZ⁠” Wojtas, who brings his wealth of experience to guide the squad through this transitional phase.

The addition of HeavyGod not only marks a significant shift for G2 but also reflects the team’s commitment to building a roster capable of competing at the highest level. Fans and analysts alike will be keenly watching their performance at BLAST Bounty, as the new lineup seeks to cement its position among the elite teams in the Counter-Strike scene.