He’s back.

After crashing out of the MRQ and missing their fifth Major in a row, Astralis have announced that cadiaN has been benched. HooXi will take his place has a stand-in for the upcoming PGL Astana.

In addition, Kasper Straube, Astralis’ Sports Director, is also leaving the organization. Honestly, the past couple of years of this management could be used as a case study of how not to run an esports division.

As for the roster change, the sentiment across the community is somewhat consistent: Astralis is seven months too late - cadiaN should’ve never been given the reins in the first place.

But is HooXi really the missing piece Astralis need to turn things around?

For now, this looks more like a trial run for just one tournament. Plus, he hasn’t played an HLTV-featured match since July 2024, when he was benched by G2 - but let’s be real, they’re not bringing him in for his firepower.

Frankly, we’re not sure how to feel about this move.

Sure, HooXi is an experienced IGL who can bring a lot in terms of strategy and calling, but this team just feels completely rotten from the inside out. The winning culture that once defined Astralis seems long gone, and at this point, it looks like only a full restructuring and rebuild can give them even a shot at being relevant again.

To make this whole thing even more interesting, cadiaN took to Twitter to post a cryptic message, teasing that he "will share more later" on the matter. Drop it, we’re ready to watch it burn.

Netflix could probably cook up a banger documentary about Astralis’ downfall. Just make sure to credit us when it blows up.