Hong Kong-based TALON has announced the release of its entire Counter-Strike roster, marking a temporary exit from CS2 competition. The organization explained that this decision comes after strategic reflection on its ability to provide players with the necessary opportunities to compete at the highest level, particularly within the Valve Regional Standings (VRS) system.

In a statement shared on X, TALON described the move as a “break from competing in CS2”, emphasizing that it was made after extensive evaluation of the team’s competitive prospects. The organization acknowledged its limitations in ensuring consistent participation in crucial tournaments that would enable players to earn points and progress within the professional CS2 ecosystem.

This development follows TALON’s withdrawal from the MESA Asian Masters, where the team was replaced by HOTU. One of TALON’s players, Christian “ADDICT” Pendleton, attributed the swap to organizational mismanagement, claiming that flights had not been arranged in time for the team to attend the event.

TALON initially signed its Counter-Strike lineup in August 2024, aiming to establish a competitive Asia-Pacific-based team with a blend of European and Oceanic talent. The project was launched with ambitions of qualifying for the Perfect World Shanghai Major and strengthening the region’s presence in CS2. However, despite these aspirations, the team struggled to achieve notable results, failing to secure a Major qualification and making little impact in lower-tier European online competitions, where most of their matches were recorded.

In an effort to turn things around, TALON recently revamped its roster, parting ways with Aaron “AZR” Ward and Miłosz “mhL” Knasiak and bringing in Liam “malta” Schembri and Euan “sterling” Moore. However, these adjustments did not yield the desired success, and with today’s announcement, the remaining players now find themselves without an organization.

TALON’s former roster consisted of:

  • Christian “ADDICT” Pendleton (New Zealand)
  • Jared “hazr” O’Bree (Australia)
  • Corey “nettik” Browne (New Zealand)
  • Liam “malta” Schembri (Australia)
  • Euan “sterling” Moore (New Zealand)

 

The team was coached by Swedish strategist Daniel “djL” Narancic, while Aaron “AZR” Ward (Australia) and Miłosz “mhL” Knasiak (Poland) had already been moved to the bench prior to the disbandment.