The legendary Xizt announces retirement
The Swede that led the iconic NiP roster is now retiring
Putting an end to a 12-year-old career, spanning across two games of Counter-Strike, is the iconic Swede Richard "Xizt" Landström. At the age of 30-years-old, he has decided to hang up his mouse and move on to new challenges in his life. Representing teams such as FaZe, Dignitas, and of course, the iconic NiP roster that was unbeatable at the time, he can put a stop to his CS:GO career with satisfaction and a smile on his face.
After having his breakout within the CS franchise known as 1.6, "Xizt" moved on to CS:GO where he would become one of the most prominent IGL's to have played the game. With his Swedish teammates at Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP), he managed to define the first era of professional CS:GO, leading his team to an 87-0 win streak on LAN. Whilst the rest of his career can be said to have been less fruitful than his time with NiP, he will still be the first IGL to have defined an era in CS:GO.
In an interview with HLTV.org the now retired icon explains how he will look back at his years within the professional CS:GO scene with content and satisfaction:
"I am very happy and satisfied with what I accomplished as a player. Being a part of the legendary NiP team and also doing it as an IGL isn't something I could have dreamt of when I was a kid. The game of CS has given me so much, not only in terms of winning tournaments, but I have grown so much as a person and I have got to experience the world by doing what I love."
What exactly the future holds for "Xizt" is yet to be determined, however, he is seemingly not ready to leave the game of Counter-Strike completely. In the interview, the Swede explains his openness to a new role within a Counter-Strike team:
"I am open to the opportunity to coach, do analytical work or team management, preferably in CS:GO where my expertise is." He continues by saying: "Now that I have had time off to reflect and refuel, I am very motivated and willing to work my ass off to win tournaments again, but in a different role."
