The 31-year-old joins the team to fill the gap left by the recent benching of Mohammad “BOROS” Malhas.
Dupreeh’s recent stint with Preasy Esport aimed to secure a spot in the PGL Major Copenhagen but ended in disappointment as they failed to qualify, falling short in the Europe RMR with a 1-3 record, suffering losses to Heroic, OG, and Guild Eagles.
The arrival of Dupreeh marks a permanent replacement for BOROS, who was dropped following the team’s unsuccessful qualification campaign for the Major.
While Falcons had initially brought in Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev from Natus Vincere on a short-term loan for the BLAST Premier Spring Showdown, the deal was not extended beyond March 19.
Dupreeh’s reunion with former Astralis teammate Emil “Magisk” Reif and coach Danny “zonic” S?rensen adds depth to Falcons’ line-up.
The trio enjoyed considerable success together, winning multiple Majors and leaving a lasting impact on the CS:GO scene.
Falcons are gearing up for ESL Pro League Season 19, scheduled from April 23 to May 12.
Placed in Group B alongside formidable opponents like G2 and Vitality, Falcons’ Danish core will face an early test against their former team, promising an intriguing matchup.
With the signing of Dupreeh, Falcons aim to bounce back from their Major qualification setback and make a strong impression in upcoming tournaments.
The partnership extends until 2025, with provisions for mutual termination if performance expectations are not met.
Having attended all 19 Counter-Strike Majors, Dupreeh brings a wealth of experience to Falcons, although his recent benching by Team Vitality marked a challenging period in his career.
Nonetheless, he remains determined to make an impact with his new team and help them achieve success on the competitive circuit.
The Danish King Has Arrived
The 5 Major Champion Returns to Tier 1 Counter-Strike.
Welcome to Team Falcons, @dupreeh! #FalconsAreHere pic.twitter.com/HQYDEZV0U8
— Falcons Esports (@FalconsEsport) March 26, 2024
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Each of the three organisations earned qualification for the first Counter-Strike 2 Major with their final win of the RMR, while OG, Monte and Preasy were all eliminated from Major contention.
Apeks showcased their veteran experience and tenacity in a thrilling battle against ECSTATIC, ultimately securing their ticket to the PGL Major in Copenhagen.
Despite a strong performance from ECSTATIC, particularly in the initial stages of the match, Apeks managed to edge out victories on both their map pick and the deciding map, clinching the series 2-1 (10-13, 13-11, 13-11).
Apeks secures their spot at the PGL CS2 Copenhagen Major 2024 after 3 closely contested maps against ECSTATIC!
ECSTATIC isn't out of the RMR yet; they'll fight tomorrow for another shot at making it to Denmark. #PGLRMR pic.twitter.com/x6fWlqWMg4
— PGL (@pglesports) February 21, 2024
Led by players like Jason “salazar” Salazar and Tobias “kraghen” Kragh Jensen, Apeks demonstrated composure and clutch ability, especially in crucial moments where they managed to close out tight rounds and secure essential frags.
Despite ECSTATIC’s best efforts, Apeks’ experience and strategic prowess ultimately proved to be the deciding factors in the series.
With one more opportunity to qualify for the Major, ECSTATIC will need to regroup, maintain mental fortitude, and give it their all in the final decider match against Guild Eagles.
Meanwhile, Vitality asserted their dominance with a commanding 2-0 (13-6, 13-4) victory over ENCE, securing their spot at the Major.
ENCE isn't done yet – they'll return tomorrow for another shot at qualifying for the PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen 2024!
— PGL (@pglesports) February 21, 2024
Led by Dan “apEX” Madesclaire, Vitality displayed confidence and precision throughout the series, capitalizing on strategic decisions and individual performances to secure decisive wins on both Vertigo and Nuke.
Reflecting on their journey to qualify, apEX acknowledged the pressure and significance of earning a spot at such a prestigious event.
With Vitality’s victory, they aim to defend their title as Major champions, showcasing their determination and skill in the face of tough competition.
Lastly, Spirit showcased resilience and determination in their journey to qualify for the Major, overcoming challenges and hardships along the way.
Despite initial struggles, Spirit rallied together, demonstrating their strength as a team and securing a 2-0 (13-8, 13-11) victory over Heroic.
Team Spirit becomes the third team today to secure their spot at the PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen 2024 with a 2-0 victory against HEROIC!
HEROIC isn't out yet – they'll battle tomorrow for another chance to grab their tickets to the first CS2 Major.
#PGLRMR pic.twitter.com/JH8SDMZP1X
— PGL (@pglesports) February 21, 2024
Due to Preasy being eliminated from the European RMR, Peter “dupreeh” Rasmussen will miss his first Counter-Strike Major of his career and the first CS2 Major in his home country, Denmark.
Dupreeh holds individual records in both Major appearances and Major wins, with the Dane competing in all 18 Counter-Strike Majors and winning five of them.
We gave it all, but wasn��t enough
Starting CS2 without the major in Copenhagen is extremely sad, but in hindsight it just wasn��t meant to beThanks for cheering!
— Peter Rasmussen (@dupreeh) February 21, 2024
Thursday’s RMR matches
- ENCE ($2.75) vs Astralis ($1.44) @ 1pm EET
- Heroic ($1.39) vs GamerLegion ($2.95) @ 4pm EET
- ECSTATIC ($1.83) vs Guild Eagles ($1.96) @ 7pm EET
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This move comes on the heels of Heroic’s decision to bench their long-time AWPer and in-game leader, Casper “cadiaN” M?ller, at the beginning of October.
We are excited to unmask five time Major Champion Dupreeh
Peter initially joins Heroic until the end of 2023! pic.twitter.com/bgH3SvJRlz
— HEROIC (@heroicgg) October 23, 2023
Heroic’s acquisition of dupreeh is aimed at injecting some much-needed experience and winning mentality into their squad.
Dupreeh, a serial winner with 27 LAN titles and the highest prize earnings in CS:GO history, is seen as a formidable addition to a team that has narrowly missed out on major event victories.
Dupreeh had been benched since June when Team Vitality replaced him with Shahar “flameZ” Shushan as part of their strategy to future-proof the roster following their BLAST.tv Paris Major win.
However, dupreeh was eager to make a competitive comeback, stating, “I don’t feel like I am finished.
“Honestly, I am super addicted to the whole process of working with a team, continuing to get better, lifting trophies, and competing to be the best.
“A lot of people seem to think that once you turn 30 and you have a kid, there is no room to play Counter-Strike, and that is definitely not the case.”
Rumors had linked dupreeh to TSM and Danny “zonic” S?rensen’s new Falcons project, but it’s with Heroic that he has made his return.
Dupreeh’s addition to Heroic is expected to bring leadership and experience to the young Danish squad.
Dupreeh’s humorous self-assessment on HLTV Confirmed, where he quipped about being “too dumb to in-game lead,” suggests that the captain’s role may be filled internally within the team.
The prime contender for this leadership position is Martin “stavn” Lund, who previously served as the secondary caller and AWPer on the team.
Stavn’s potential transition to the AWP role opens up an entry-fragging position for dupreeh, a role he excels in and prefers.
Dupreeh stands as one of the most decorated players in CS history.
Having been a consistent presence since the early days of CS:GO, he is the only player to have participated in every Major tournament and holds the record for five Major championship victories.
Dupreeh’s first appearance for Heroic is scheduled for the Roobet Cup, where the Danish team will face off against Aurora in their opening match.
Heroic’s new roster
- Martin “?stavn?” Lund
- Ren�� “?TeSeS?” Madsen
- Rasmus “?sjuush?” Beck
- Jakob “?jabbi?” Nygaard
- Peter “?dupreeh?” Rasmussen
The move may come as a shock to many CS:GO fans; however, there has been some talk since the start of the player break a couple of weeks ago that Vitality were going to make a move and try and reinvigorate their roster with younger talent.
Team Vitality said this move would provide them with “an opportunity to bring fresh talent into our team in order to build a new generation of champions��.
So when you consider the fact that dupreeh is now 30, and flameZ is 10 years his junior, the move is aimed at keeping the world��s number one ranked CS:GO team ahead of the curve.
A legendary chapter closes..
Thank you for everything @dupreeh pic.twitter.com/0u3ss6z4sY
— Team Vitality
(@TeamVitality) June 22, 2023
As you would expect, dupreeh expressed his displeasure with the decision that was made by the French esports organisation, saying in a twitter post that, ��I don��t feel we had come to the end of the road with the current team, but I respect Vitality��s decision and wish them all the best��.
��I still feel I am on the top of my game and will spend my holidays on exploring what the next chapter in my life should be,�� he continued in his statement.
He ended his twitter post by saying, ��Obviously would love to win the 6th Major in my hometown next year, but winning a Major is not easy and I would need to find a team and an organization who share my ambition, professionalism and willingness to sacrifice to achieve the goal.��
Dupreeh is referencing the first Counter-Strike 2 Major in Copenhagen, Denmark – being held in his hometown in February of next year – which would be his sixth Major win, if he was victorious with a new team.
As for flameZ, he will join from OG on a free transfer and will now get the opportunity to join a roster that has been playing some of the best Counter-Strike in the world, in recent times.
FlameZ shared on his twitter that he is ��super excited and proud to join the hive today! I��m ready to put in the work for this new step in my career.��
… A New One Begins
Welcome to the hive @flameZcsgo & Happy Birthday
— Team Vitality
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The final 16 teams will battle it out across the next two weeks, to earn the right to call themselves the Paris Major champions and take home their own share of the massive $1.25 million prize pool.
Joining Heroic, Natus Vincere, Team Vitality, FURIA, Fnatic, Bad News Eagles, 9INE and Into The Breach, who automatically qualified for the Legends Stage through the RMR, we will have G2 Esports, FaZe Clan, ENCE, Team Liquid, Ninjas in Pyjamas, Monte, Apeks and GamerLegion.
Of the remaining CS:GO rosters left in the Paris Major, G2 Esports still remain the favourite at $4.00 with esports betting sites, closely followed by Heroic ($4.33), Team Vitality ($5.50), Natus Vincere ($5.50) and FaZe Clan ($6.50).
Below you will find our best bet to take out the BLAST.tv Paris Major.
Best Bet �C Team Vitality
After finishing third at the Europe RMR B and taking out IEM Spring (IEM Rio 2023) before making their way to Paris to take part in the BLAST.tv Paris Major, Team Vitality look primed and ready to win their first CS:GO Major.
Coming into the Paris Major, Vitality will be looking continue their six-series undefeated run, after they rattled off six-straight wins on route to becoming the IEM Rio champion.
With two hometown guys on their roster in Mathieu ��ZywOo�� Herbaut and Dan ��apEX�� Madeslaire, there is no other place that these two guys would love to win their first and second CS:GO Major of their careers.
For apEX, a Major win in France would be the icing on the cake after such a consistent Counter-Strike: Global Offensive career, which has seen him win several tournaments and one Major. With the 30-year-old in the twilight, he could finish it off with one of the best wins of his career in his home country.
For ZywOo, he is only 22 years old, and considered one of the best players in the world, after being ranked inside the top two in four-straight years and a win in the BLAST.tv Paris Major would see him breakthrough for his very first Major victory.
Couple those two with Peter ��dupreeh�� Rasmussen and Emil ��Magisk�� Reif, who bring seven Major wins between them from their time at Astralis, and Lotan ��Spinx�� Giladi – who is another rising star – and this Vitality team has all the tool that they need to go all the way in the Paris Major.